Building a close relationship with any animal is an excellent way for children to learn valuable life lessons. While it is easy for a child to build a special relationship with the family dog, interacting with horses can potentially yield an even stronger bond. There is just something about the majestic nature of horses that brings out the best in people. There are many valuable skills horses can teach young people, but here are some of the most significant ones.
Confidence Boost
The large size of horses can be a little intimidating at first, but your child will gradually get more comfortable the more time they spend with them. The large size of this beautiful animal can be a confidence booster in itself. Once they are comfortable enough to handle and ride a large horse, your child will be brimming with confidence. No hurdle in life will seem impossible after taking care of a horse.
Trusting Others
The ability to trust others is a fundamental trait to have in life. Trust plays a huge role in the relationship between horse and human. Horses are only going to behave and follow orders when they trust their handler. The rider also has to trust the horse before they get on its back. Through their experiences with horses, children can learn just how critical trust is in a relationship. Goals can only be accomplished when both parties trust one another.
In addition to trust, the bond between horse and rider can provide emotional solace in challenging times. Time spent around horses and riding is often a great way to relieve stress. Few things are as much fun as getting on the back of a horse for a long ride. All the cares in the world simply disappear.
Responsibility
Parents have allowed their kids to take care of animals as a way to teach responsibility for decades. While this can easily be done with a dog or cat, the children will learn a lot more about responsibility when taking care of a horse. This is because horses require a lot more daily maintenance than most household pets. It is a significant commitment of time and money to care for a horse. Once a kid falls in love with riding horses, they will have no problem feeding, grooming, and saddling their favorite animal friend.
A Fun Way To Stay Active
While it may not seem like it (since the horse is the one seemingly doing all the heavy lifting), horseback riding requires the use of the core, inner thigh, and pelvic muscles to maintain balance. Riding can also help improve posture, flexibility, and muscle tone. More advanced riders may burn off significant calories due to holding a squat-like position while continually adjusting to the horse’s movements.
While children can certainly learn valuable life skills from caring for all types of animals, caring for a horse opens up a world of opportunities that will last a lifetime.