Nice comment from judge

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FfionWinnie

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Local PC show, in the lead rein handy pony the judge said they were not impressed with the standard of the lead rein jumping class, so they would not be asking the lead rein handy pony kids to do a jump. The lead rein jumping class 50cms (!) and the children were about 5 upwards. This is one of the PCs we might have joined but I think not now, friendly encouragement for my little girl is first on my list! (My daughter wasn't in the class incidentally but my friend's daughter was and she is a lovely little rider for her tender years).
 
I can see why the judge would do that if she had concerns about balance, though.
It used to be thought prudent to wait until children were at least 6/7 and had grown out of that "large head on a little body" phase of childhood development,before they did jumping.
I did this with my own, although she could canter bareback at 3.
There's loads of time to learn to jump,and lots of scope to develop balance and a secure seat.
:)
 
I think the point was it was said to the children! At the end of the day lead rein jumping could (should!) be a pole on the ground or why have it if that's the attitude of the PC.
 
Really not on to say that to the children. I'd be hurt if someone said that to me as an adult (not that I do lead rein classes :p ) I'd be hurt - it's just harsh.
 
LOL IMO children on lead reins should not be jumping anyway!! A walk over a pole lying on the ground would be the max!!! Probably not even cantering.....walk, trot only!!
 
In my early years of riding it was taken on the chin if it was said to you.

People are too sensitive about their children these days. If the judges felt the safety of the children was compromised through poor riding then yes, they are completely right.
 
Moomin1 said:
In my early years of riding it was taken on the chin if it was said to you.

People are too sensitive about their children these days. If the judges felt the safety of the children was compromised through poor riding then yes, they are completely right.
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Really Moomin? I have never heard anyone at shows/ competitions say something as bluntly as that to four or five year olds myself. I'm not one for wrapping kids in cotton wool and giving everyone a medal for joining in because they've all done fabulously, but I don't think it's very encouraging or helpful to tell very small children that they're so awful they shouldn't be allowed to do it.

Even assuming it is true (and FW disagrees and I trust her judgement), they did not have to say that to the children. A simple "no jumping today in this class!" would surely have sufficed? It's absolutely fine for the judge to make that decision (whether any spectators agree or not) and perfectly reasonable to put safety first. It's just not very nice to do it at the expense of their confidence.
 
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I don't know why they were so big. We didn't enter it because I knew that height on a mini Shetland was too much. To me, lead rein classes are for young kids and the jumps should be appropriate ie barely there, I'm not wrapping my daughter in cotton wool but had I been in the class and them heard the judge say such an unnecessary thing, I would have complained. It seems this PC isn't very encouraging of tiny tots riding, and I'm glad to have found this out as I said in my op, since my daughter is going to be a tiny tot for a few years yet!
 
JFTD said:
Really Moomin? I have never heard anyone at shows/ competitions say something as bluntly as that to four or five year olds myself. I'm not one for wrapping kids in cotton wool and giving everyone a medal for joining in because they've all done fabulously, but I don't think it's very encouraging or helpful to tell very small children that they're so awful they shouldn't be allowed to do it.

Even assuming it is true (and FW disagrees and I trust her judgement), they did not have to say that to the children. A simple "no jumping today in this class!" would surely have sufficed? It's absolutely fine for the judge to make that decision (whether any spectators agree or not) and perfectly reasonable to put safety first. It's just not very nice to do it at the expense of their confidence.
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Yes, really. And if children can't take it when they are told they aren't suitable to jump then there is something wrong somewhere.
 
This scenario sounds preposterous to me. Clearly if a child is competent to jump 50cm they have no business being on a lead rein. Conversely no child of mine who needed to be led would be going anywhere near a 50cm jump. I am not impressed with the standard of judging if this was allowed, and had I been there, I would have said so.
 
Moomin1 said:
Yes, really. And if children can't take it when they are told they aren't suitable to jump then there is something wrong somewhere.
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Have to agree with Moomin ... but .. I also agree with OP, there might be a better way of saying it, more practise maybe? It would be awful to put very young kids off having at bit of fun, because at that age imo, that's what it should be.
 
But it was a lead rein class !!!
To me that means small children , and MAKE iT FUN!!!!

Moomin - would you honestly tell a 4 year old they were not good enough?????

Fun fun fun, that is what riding is all about :)

I feel sad at the judges comments :(

She/he could have adapted to make the children feel like they had accomplished something !!
 
nosenseofdirection said:
This scenario sounds preposterous to me. Clearly if a child is competent to jump 50cm they have no business being on a lead rein. Conversely no child of mine who needed to be led would be going anywhere near a 50cm jump. I am not impressed with the standard of judging if this was allowed, and had I been there, I would have said so.
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Exactly my thoughts!
 
I know if I were watching one child after another banging about on a pony's back and socking it in the mouth because they weren't ready to be jumping I would want to put a stop to it!
Handy pony is fun enough without the jumping element.
Children do need to put their ponies first, even if it does curtail their fun at times. An important lesson I reckon.
 
By the way my daughter is four and wouldn't actually understand or give a stuff if she had heard the judge say that. My point is the overall attitude is wrong and not the PC spirit I'd be looking for, personally. I know quite a few of the kids who were in the class and I have seen them pop over appropriately sized jumps very nicely at other shows.

They were not banging about or socking them in the mouth, most had reins like washing lines, it was a lead rein class!
 
nosenseofdirection said:
This scenario sounds preposterous to me. Clearly if a child is competent to jump 50cm they have no business being on a lead rein. Conversely no child of mine who needed to be led would be going anywhere near a 50cm jump. I am not impressed with the standard of judging if this was allowed, and had I been there, I would have said so.
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Indeed. Not the PC for any-one's child, I wouldn't have thought.

Maybe the judge was having an off-day, though. I once stewarded for a panel judge who had several children in tears and then met her again a couple of years later, when she was absolutely lovely and very encouraging with all of the entrants. She did tell me about a change in her personal circumstances, the 2nd time.
 
50cm round here means uprights on the bottom hole / x poles about 3" off the ground. Were they actually expecting leaders to jump 50cm?!
 
Not sure I could have cleared a whole round with my girls on the lead at 50 cm!
I think I may have caused a few faults and tantrums.
Over-reaction then if the jumping class wasn't cringey.

A pity as PC seems to be losing membership. Did meet a few like that in my time.
 
mulledwhine said:
But it was a lead rein class !!!
To me that means small children , and MAKE iT FUN!!!!

Moomin - would you honestly tell a 4 year old they were not good enough?????

Fun fun fun, that is what riding is all about :)

I feel sad at the judges comments :(

She/he could have adapted to make the children feel like they had accomplished something !!
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Yes, I would. If I felt my OH's kids weren't capable of doing something on a horse safely, I would tell them outright. What is the point dressing it up? If they then felt that they wanted to do that activity, then they would be given the lessons to progress safely.

ETS - if children want to feel like they have progressed, it should simply be done by - well, progressing, not by someone making them feel they have simply because they don't want to upset them. No wonder kids these days have the problems they do.
 
50cms?! I'd be bricking it if I was the one leading! Imagine the embarrassment if my toddler made it over the jump only for mum to get flattened trying to haul herself over it
 
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