The Child and the Youngster

Men have reached great heights with passionate hearts over the centuries, one of these was certainly this proud steed and flaming horse who led the pe- oples of the ancient world to many war victories, but even today the horse - of any breed - continues to cause much joy to those who ride him, sometimes bringing glory to riders who practice leisure or equestrian sports at any age. It is a fact that great part of a family’s future well-being can be guessed from their children’s games, as a fully appreciated companion of life, the horse can be easily found near human beings from an early age, creating a relation of complicity that can last until adolescence. Children with a gentle soul are most likely to fall under the spell of a dream and thinking animal that conveys them genuine fee- lings and vitality, a combination that accompanies the most si- gnificant experiences of their life and leads forwards and towards true sharing, something that cannot be explained by words be- cause the purest love is that of a child or a youngster for his own animal. In recent decades, mainly as a result of the Internet, the Vir- tual World has become a gigantic business, particularly, by guaranteeing the fast-delivering of a wide variety of digital games to the tablet in the hands of an ever-increasing num- ber of young people most of whom get literally addicted to it and cannot help without, even though it is expensive, parents will agree to buy it as a matter of fact. It may look like the kind of emotional connection that once kept everyone together in- side the family does no longer exist in a digital age, but a few exceptions to this mass pheno- menon are worth mentioning. As we all know, the Arabian horse industry is today rapidly evolving into something new to cope with the ongoing interna- tional crisis, however, when vi- siting the largest stud-farms as well as many traditional small private farms that are resisting to paper money, it is not sur- prising that children of all age can still be seen in company of their beloved horses, a shelter for the kindest souls right there in the middle of green pastures or stables. Mainly during International Arabian Horse Competitions outside Europe, many Organi- zers have come to realize that it is about time to plan and organize a certain number of presentations and competi- tions exclusively reserved for children and the young, if you ever attend one of these events in the United States of Ame- rica or even in South Africa, you will be just amazed by the exceeding skills of these youn- gsters in riding their Arabian horses who, from their part, are warm-blooded animals with an indomitable personality, your amazement will be so overwhel- ming to leave you breathless. Far from any deceptive influen- ce, these well-structured com- petitions are very much alike the hunter classes, where one judges the abi- lity of the rider and the elegance of his movements while managing a very well-groomed horse. Everything that concerns the performance is thoroughly as- sessed during these gatherings and young people show to be even more ‘pro’ than adults as each presentation takes place in a quiet atmosphere, and with lots of respect for the breed. Dressage is another equestrian discipline that compels the ri- der to various exercises where technique blends with beauty, it is an ancestral classic practice contrary to what people may think, and it has been successful among many youngsters who are now forming several national teams. Always bearing in mind that children and young- sters are the future, but also looking at their genuine and pure interest in horses of all breeds and for any pur- pose, it is important to throw light onto the relevant experience gained by a particularly gifted young horse amateur who shows to have that spe- cial attitude and sensitivity to equines we mentioned earlier. He started out his path at age three riding ponies, then he has continued riding during the good and the bad ti- mes, never giving up. At the dawn of his fifteen years, his passion for horses remains intact and his school resul- ts are exceptionally good, this young boy would be just perfect for a future career around his favorite animals. Besides living in a region conducive to equine bre- eding, 15-year-old Anton Aulas-Lanfrey continues his path as a researcher; to date, he can easily as- sess the most important qualities of a horse, he can quickly spot major faults about conformation and judge horse’s movements in free motion just like an experienced zoo-technician. The young Anton Aulas-Lanfrey started to go on one of high quality and very useful for the industry. He is well aware that ‘means’ are essential for everyone in this circuit, both at an amateur and professional level of competition, the work has be- horseback long ago, partly on the advice and under the guidance of a highly qualified horseman like Frank Chabert, as he strives for perfection, he mi- ght very well present outstanding Arabian horses at prestigious competitions one day. He is quite ready for this exercise despite his young age, with him and many more youngsters of his ca- liber, the next handlers’generation will certainly be come harder than it once was, and he is concerned about current realities of the breeding industry. Consequently, if on one hand it is necessary to objectively evaluate his evident qualities, on the other hand, one can only wish that young Anton will not only lose sight of his main objective in the years to come- but even more, his amazing insi- ghts into horsemanship will lead him to do what he was born for far from today’s trends, and to keep his motivation strong sin- ce all who know him are stunned to discover his incredible self-control. It is no longer surprising to see many young people participating in endu- rance competitions these days, it is a demanding discipline that requires a thorough preparation and compul- sory course attendance; it is an art of its own that fulfils its reason to be and its full value to the ultimate horizon symbolized by the finish line. In conclusion - and in spite of the eco- nomic crisis of world contemporary society - the Arabian horse continues to arouse the most genuine emotions of both children and youngsters for whom it is re- cognized and thought of as the best friend in life and an inseparable playmate, then, if this special friendship continues to grow as their age progresses, it will only bring them mo- ments of deep emotion and joy.