Hey, This is Work!

Cameron has been taking horseback riding lessons for the past month. After his first couple lessons, he started bugging me about buying him a horse. He was really enjoying it and this went on a for a couple weeks, "when you gonna buy me a horse, I really want one."

However, by last week, he had changed his tune. His instructor (Julia) does what I think is a very good thing. She doesn't just saddle up the horse and let him ride. She makes him fetch the bridle, the saddle, and all the other straps needed. She has him brush the horse and clean out his hoofs. In other words, all the work that goes into getting a horse ready, Cameron has to be involved with. Julia says some instructors will just do everything for the pupil, but she believes otherwise, and I think that's a good idea. It's never a bad thing to teach a little responsibility and exactly what is involved in something like this.

So, on this day, as Cameron was climbing on a stool and struggling with both hands using the brush, he said, "Daddy, PLEASE don't buy me a horse!"