Kids......: ( - Page 3

 "we took a gamble and lost."

I disagree with that statement. i think it was a winning situation. Did you not enjoy the time, the shows, the overall experience with your girls? Did they learn showmanship (not the horse show class)? Did they learn integrity? Did they learn gratitude? Did they learn to provide care for their horses? Did riding help them develop balance and poise? Did they learn to interact with piers? Did they learn to respect a judges final choice? Did they learn to respect and appreciate the trainers? 

Kids learn something from these experiences. How do they develop or know what their passions are if never provided an opportunity to test out their skills. So what if they did it for 5 years and then stopped due to other interests. This is the kind of experience that provides memories in the future and something they might very well take up again as adults. 

    AND YES,,,, My male was WAY more then what I expected.....Understatement of the 2010....But, I love that little rascal....

    Darven....YES...!!!!!...I agree....I should not have used the term " gamble and lost "..They learned a TON and we had a BLAST....I just Hate to see it END.....


                   Thanks,,,,,,,,

Her dog's issues were due to inept handling and a lack of research about what she was getting into.

Same reason most dogs rot in shelters. But Prince isn't in one, and never will be. That's accountability.

I can only hope to be so perfect, and lead a life devoid of mistakes so that I will never be judged so harshly by people who don't know me.

I agree about posting it here. It's asking to be ripped apart, so easy to be nasty behind a monitor.

And I would do anything to have a horse!

      That's what they said.....

Ruger1 I understand your plight, I have seen it many times. The lessons your girls learned while "in horses" and the memories your whole family has of that time are invaluable.  They may have other interests now, but often they come back to horses later on.

My girls no longer ride either, well the 16 yr old does once in a while. I, for several years maintained a herd of 7 solid kid safe horses, so my daughters could take their friends when we went horse camping or the moutains riding. I'm certain I have been called crazy for traveling around withat least 4 kids, 6 or 7 horses, a few GSDs, a Rat Terrier and one grumpy old husband.

My situation is a bit different though, I mostly did it for me, because I am really the horse person in the family and I wanted them all with me. Those 7 horses all started out being my horses, that I rode for a few years, before passing them on to husband and daughters. We still have 7 horses, though not all the same ones as before and they are still mine.
Check www.coldwaterhorses.com

One of the problems in our society today is that kids all too often do not learn commitment but rather that it is fine to hop from one thing to the next. All too many parents won't tow the line and make sure the kid knows that if they decide to join the community children's choir that they must stick it out. If the kid says they want to learn the flute, then drop it after the investment of time and money on lessons and an instrument, there are no consequences. This happens in sports, with pets, with music and drama and all kinds of other activities. I am not making any personal comment to the OP because I don't know her situation. I think if the kids continued for 5 years that is pretty good, and I agree with Davren that perhaps the kids will come back to it later.  But I guess when the situation involves living creatures, like dogs and cats and horses, either the parent has to take over, or find a new home for the animal. This is exactly why kids should not be given dogs for Christmas and birthdays too. It takes about 1 to 2 weeks to learn that caring for the dog, picking up after it, feeding it, etc. takes time away from their doing other things.

I see this all the time with parents today. In my childhood, this was far less common I think. 

Get on them mom!  and dad!  I wouldn`t be letting them go to waste.

 Hodie, Very nice post ...Thank you...

            LOL..." one grumpy husband".....lol I remember all the water buckets my husband lugged around horse shows....They were good times....This thread has been good for me..I have been really bummed since making the decision to bring them both home......I was hoping there would be folks that could relate......