Child shepherd in Kyrgyzstan -- A Greek historian 2500 years ago said that children in this region could ride horses since almost before they could walk, and not much has changed. Children and even many adults seem more comfortable and sure-footed on horses than on their own two feet. Horses and dogs (mostly German Shepherds dogs) are standard requirements for this nomadic culture. BTW, these flat "Plains" are already at over 5,000 ft in elevation.