Could your nearly 13 year old do this? If so would you let her?

[seeker]

We've just spent our 3rd summer holiday with friends in Scotland. The friend is an old school mate of mine that I re-met through Friends Reunited and we get all get on very well. Dd adores her and has adopted her as an extra aunt - but she's not someone she's known all her life. Friend is a very high level riding instructor with access to fab horses - dd is a riding nut.

Friend has suggested that, as she has a new young pony to bring on, dd should fly up on her own every 4-6 weeks over the year and ride, with a view to her riding this horse in competitions for her next summer.

I am absolutely certain that dd will be very well looked after and all that - but is does seem a very long way away. I haven't mentioned the idea to dd yet - not sure how she will take it - she's quite a homebody, but I know she would adore it if she could manage it. So what would you do?

Mine would love this

Only issue is whether you can juggle and manage all the logistics and costs, that's all.

In theory it's fab: horse mad girl, lovely childless adult and great horse but something similar happened to me at the same age when my grandfather bought me a pony. I then spent most weekends taking the train to spend time in the company of adults: the other pony kids all had full family lives at weekends while I was just doing horse and adult things while friends at home were doing town things so I didn't fit into either camp. Also adult/ teen relationships can be very intense, especially where horses are concerned! IME, horsey types can be more attuned to horse's feelings than the erratic emotions of teenage girls!

So I'd be aware of the above but of course let her do it IF she really wants to: perhaps start with a few days over half term. I'd also talk to her properly and let her think it through before giving it a definitive answer.

And one other thing: I think budget airlines don't allow under 14s unaccompanied

I presume you've got her both National and International Velvet DVDs? Sadly I can recite parts of the script..