Opinions!!!!!!!

[1Corinth2v4]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Okay, Jeff and I are disagreeing about something, and he gave me permission to get the opinions of AFF!!!!

Hannah is starting riding lessons, and we live 2.5 miles from the stables. Jeff wants to let her ride her bike to the lessons (when its warm enough--it's not right now), and I DON'T think she's old enough to do that yet!!!!!

The pros are:

* We live in the country, so she wouldn't have to get on any main highways to get where's she's going.

* Jeff thinks she needs a little more freedom.

* She would have a cell phone and would have to call as soon as she arrived.

* She's 13.

Uh, I can't think of anymore pros.

The cons are:

* We live in the country, she would have to cross a bridge on the way, and some people do drive very fast on these country roads.

* She's 13.

* I don't like it.


Am I being unreasonable? I think 2.5 miles is too far. Right now she's only allowed to explore the dirt roads around our house which kind of wind around, and even though she has about a mile of road, she's never more than a quarter mile from our front door.

I can envision all kinds of things happening between our house and the stables.

I'm getting panicky thinking about it.

What are your thoughts? Am I being neurotic? Would you let your 13 year old ride that far?

You shouldn't allow her to travel alone. If there were multiple riders with her, I might consider it. A solo thirteen year old, perverts, and a semi-empty country road isn't a good recipe.


Drive her there, leave her under the supervision of the trainer, and have her call you when she's ready for pick-up.

[OnTheFritz]

They have pretty liberal Conceal and Carry laws in Oklahoma, don't they? She could probably get a license at 13

But seriously.... I voted "No" -- and I think of myself as pretty non-over-reactive.

[OneAccord]

No, I wouldn't let her ride the distance... but not for the reasons you listed. This info is old, but, worth considering....

During 1987 and 1988, an estimated 92,763 emergency room visits were made in the United States for injuries related to horseback riding. Although the greatest number of injuries occurred in the 25-44-year age group, injury rates were highest for 5-24-year-olds, especially for females (Table 1).

Nearly half the injuries occurred at home or on a farm (Table 2). Soft tissue injury (e.g., laceration, contusion, or abrasion) was the most common diagnosis, followed by fracture or dislocation, strain or sprain, and concussion (Table 2). Most injuries to the extremities and trunk involved soft tissue, fractures and dislocations, and strains and sprains. Head and neck injuries were mainly soft tissue (56.9%), concussions (18.5%), and fractures or dislocations (11.0%). The 14,120 fractures to upper extremities represented the single most common site and type of injury.

Compare the risk of horse riding injuries to the risk of what could happen on the road, then decide.

In my opinion, the risk of injuries from horse back rding outweigh the risks involved with her riding a bike 2.5 miles down the road.

[ForeverBlessed]

Originally Posted by ILG

Here is a good exercise for everyone. Go to http://www.familywatchdog.us/

When I worked at a domestic abuse/ sexual assault shelter, it was part of our job to keep up with who was on this site. You can type in your address and you will be SHOCKED to see who your neighbors are. Better yet, do it for the whole city/ area you live in. No, friends, it is not a pretty sight. You can find out who is there, what they did and where they are. But, they move around a lot and don't always tell their probations officers what they are doing. Working at the shelter opened my eyes. We are not safe just because we think we are.

I have 25 offenders that live within one mile of my house... 5 less than two miles... and 3 of the men, I know who they are personally... several live just the next block down.

I used to check this often because of the girls.. I've made sure they knew who the men were that were close to us. Rebekah (my youngest) had one of the reg sex offenders ask her if she wanted a ride once when it was raining as she was walking home from school. He lived three houses down. She said No, and kept walking... in the rain. One offender lived not next door, but the next... I always told the girls to not make eye contact and to avoid him. Internet porn I think has brought about a lot of these sick things going on... the heart is evil, the web is a playground for sick minds.

I still allowed my kids to walk to and from school, ride bikes, skate, walk all over the place. Evil people are everywhere and I think the best way to handle it is to make kids aware of evil hearts... make them aware of what they need to do if approached by someone... prepare them to be cautious, but not live in fear.

My girls walk the same path to school that I did growing up since we live in the house I was raised in... I really wanted the girls to experience some of the same fun times I did in this neighborhood.... I know that they did.

[ILG]

I have 25 sex offenders that live within one mile of my house... 5 less than two miles... and 3 of the men, I know who they are personally... several live just the next block down.

I used to check this often because of the girls.. I've made sure they knew who the men were that were close to us. Rebekah (my youngest) had one of the reg sex offenders ask her if she wanted a ride once when it was raining as she was walking home from school. He lived three houses down. She said No, and kept walking... in the rain. One offender lived not next door, but the next... I always told the girls to not make eye contact and to avoid him. Internet porn I think has brought about a lot of these sick things going on... the heart is evil, the web is a playground for sick minds

I definately agree.

I still allowed my kids to walk to and from school, ride bikes, skate, walk all over the place. Evil people are everywhere and I think the best way to handle it is to make kids aware of evil hearts... make them aware of what they need to do if approached by someone... prepare them to be cautious, but not live in fear.

My girls walk the same path to school that I did growing up since we live in the house I was raised in... I really wanted the girls to experience some of the same fun times I did in this neighborhood.... I know that they did.

My son walks to and from school. I showed him and the neighbor kids pictures of these people and told them to be careful, but they still walked. However, I still do not want my college aged daughter walking in the dark alone. So, I think it is important to try and be moderate in all things.

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by Stephanas

It's easier than all of that.

You're living in redneck country, get the little lady a pickup truck and send her off to riding lessons with a rifle in the rack. (I see that she's on the short side so you might want to get her a truck with a lift kit to compensate for her stature.)

[Rhoni]

Abbie, I agree that with age we need to let our children have more rope, but with the fun is responsibility. I think a first aid class, a self defense class, and given a little more mileage at a time to work up to that 2.5 mi. Children don't understand the dangers and don't have the experience in certain situations to know what to do.

My children and I used to have fire drills. If there was a fire we would all go out the nearest window and stand by the mailbox so everyone would know who is and isn't accounted for. Safety first.

I didn't check a box because none quite fit.

Blessings, Rhoni

[Margies3]

Originally Posted by 1Corinth2v4

You shouldn't allow her to travel alone. If there were multiple riders with her, I might consider it. A solo thirteen year old, perverts, and a semi-empty country road isn't a good recipe.


Drive her there, leave her under the supervision of the trainer, and have her call you when she's ready for pick-up.

I assume that your decision is already made by this time of the evening. But for the record, 1Cor is making very good sense here. That was my first thought when I read your question to start with.

[OP_Carl]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Okay, Jeff and I are disagreeing about something, and he gave me permission to get the opinions of AFF!!!!

Hannah is starting riding lessons, and we live 2.5 miles from the stables. Jeff wants to let her ride her bike to the lessons (when its warm enough--it's not right now), and I DON'T think she's old enough to do that yet!!!!!

The pros are:

* We live in the country, so she wouldn't have to get on any main highways to get where's she's going.

* Jeff thinks she needs a little more freedom.

* She would have a cell phone and would have to call as soon as she arrived.

* She's 13.

Uh, I can't think of anymore pros.

The cons are:

* We live in the country, she would have to cross a bridge on the way, and some people do drive very fast on these country roads.

* She's 13.

* I don't like it.


Am I being unreasonable? I think 2.5 miles is too far. Right now she's only allowed to explore the dirt roads around our house which kind of wind around, and even though she has about a mile of road, she's never more than a quarter mile from our front door.

I can envision all kinds of things happening between our house and the stables.

I'm getting panicky thinking about it.

What are your thoughts? Am I being neurotic? Would you let your 13 year old ride that far?

Miss B,

I would give her instructions and training, and then let her go.

Then I would test her instructions and training, perhaps with the help of a neighbor.

If she didn't pass the test, her freedom would be put on hold for another year.

[Jermyn Davidson]

It depends on how much traffic is on the road.

If I was a Dad, I'd have a hard time convincing myself to let her ride on a road that was busy or had inconsiderate drivers on it on a regular basis.


But I don't disagree with the concept of allowing her more freedom.

Maybe I'd find another way to express her freedom-- as in letting her get away from home for summer retreats, leadership camps or something.