Feeling a little guilty

3OldPonies

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This isn't a wwyd thread or an ask for opinions, I just feel the need to post! If anyone wants to comment I don't mind though.

Last night I was approached by a young girl asking if she could help with my ponies. I turned her down, nicely of course and we had a good chat about horsey life in general and why I was turning her down. My reasons being a) insurance (the prime excuse), b) lack of time to supervise her - I work full time and she was only 13 with very little real experience around ponies, c) lack of parent with her - how did I know that her Dad had said it was OK if he wasn't there in person, d) I don't want to end up running her home every evening/weekend, e) one of my oldies takes the mickey out of the less experienced and can be very bolshy, f) my yard is a private one and the owner isn't keen on having just anyone round, g) from what she said she's hoping to get away without any cost as Dad doesn't want to put his hand in his pocket for anything expensive.

I also had in the back of my minds the post from the person who had a 'little helper' who had become a pest, and I didn't want to take a chance on that happening either. As I don't know this girl from Adam there are no references or others to talk to, to try and work out whether or not she is genuine or would turn into a nuisance.

But, with all those perfectly valid reasons, I still feel a little guilty as I know that if someone hadn't taken a chance on me and my mate when we were about 15 then I wouldn't have known even half the stuff I did when I got my first pony (when I was 22 and able to pay for it and run around in a car by myself).

I'm consoling myself though with the thought that I was able to point her in the direction of a small local yard that does lessons and livery where she might be able to get some lessons and experience, also having some fun with other teenagers that go there. She did quite happily toddle off down the lane, and she didn't come back past, so I'm hoping that she found the YO and was at least having a productive chat about lessons.

Sorry for the long post, it went on longer than I thought it would :eek:
 

Darremi

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This isn't a wwyd thread or an ask for opinions, I just feel the need to post! If anyone wants to comment I don't mind though.

Last night I was approached by a young girl asking if she could help with my ponies. I turned her down, nicely of course and we had a good chat about horsey life in general and why I was turning her down. My reasons being a) insurance (the prime excuse), b) lack of time to supervise her - I work full time and she was only 13 with very little real experience around ponies, c) lack of parent with her - how did I know that her Dad had said it was OK if he wasn't there in person, d) I don't want to end up running her home every evening/weekend, e) one of my oldies takes the mickey out of the less experienced and can be very bolshy, f) my yard is a private one and the owner isn't keen on having just anyone round, g) from what she said she's hoping to get away without any cost as Dad doesn't want to put his hand in his pocket for anything expensive.

I also had in the back of my minds the post from the person who had a 'little helper' who had become a pest, and I didn't want to take a chance on that happening either. As I don't know this girl from Adam there are no references or others to talk to, to try and work out whether or not she is genuine or would turn into a nuisance.

But, with all those perfectly valid reasons, I still feel a little guilty as I know that if someone hadn't taken a chance on me and my mate when we were about 15 then I wouldn't have known even half the stuff I did when I got my first pony (when I was 22 and able to pay for it and run around in a car by myself).

I'm consoling myself though with the thought that I was able to point her in the direction of a small local yard that does lessons and livery where she might be able to get some lessons and experience, also having some fun with other teenagers that go there. She did quite happily toddle off down the lane, and she didn't come back past, so I'm hoping that she found the YO and was at least having a productive chat about lessons.

Sorry for the long post, it went on longer than I thought it would :eek:

No need to feel guilty. With the compensation/insurance culture only developing in the past decade times have changed. It is not safe to let children near horses nowadays. You would be risking an awful lot if you said yes, whereas in the old days the risk was so much lower.
 

3OldPonies

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Thanks Darremi. Deep down I know I did the right thing, and maybe if I hadn't found her so pleasant and eager to show the knowledge that she did have (I reckon she'd been reading everything in sight like I used to) then I wouldn't be feeling any guilt at all!
 
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