For The Love Of The Horse

Having a passion for horses is one of the craziest loves one can experience. If you’ve ever had a conversation with a truly “horse crazy” person, I’m sure you’ve heard them talk about how it’s just “in their blood.” This is an unexplainable force that we feel we’ve been born with and it simply never goes away. Throughout childhood, we’re trotting around the living room “snorting” or wrapping our legs in make-shift polos, or possibly stacking pillows in the middle of the hallway creating that Olympic level jump. If a child is born into a family that has never had horses, and they find themselves with this “bug”, it can seem to sprout from nowhere, and parents may be left wondering where it came from. The truth is, no one knows, but it’s there and it’s real.

However one may grow up, whether it’s in the heart of a city or deep in the country, the love for horses can seem to spring out of nowhere. One thing is for sure, being around horses is great for kids. If you ever find your child using hair ties for halters on their toy horses, or watching Black Beauty on repeat, you may have a horse crazy child on your hands. I would like to encourage parents not to ignore this in their children and to not disregard it as fantasy. The dangers of discouraging your child’s passion for horses creates a paradigm that can cripple their ambition to chase after their other dreams and goals in life. As with any natural-born passion, a love for horses can grow into an amazing life-long journey, and should never be denied to anyone.

The amazing thing about introducing horses into your child’s life is that it can be something they can continue doing throughout adulthood. High school activities are great and not to discourage them at all, but most often, those activities are put to an end after they graduate. It’s true with horses as well that kids often put horses aside to go off to college, but later on, they tend to find themselves gravitating back to horses in their adult lives. The “families” created in the horse community can be some of the strongest bonds they will experience.

Competing with horses teaches children the value of team work and dedication. This means being consistent with weekly lessons, daily barn chores and committing to learning and working with your horse. It means getting up at 5am at a horse show to get you and your horse ready for an early morning class and being able to be focused when you hit the ring. Competition also teaches children how to lose, and lose with dignity and sportsmanship, even when you give it your all, and how to bounce back and keep going.

Experiencing the bond between horse and human can help children develop better connections with others, boost confidence, learn responsibility, build a good work ethic and also face and work through disappointments. Having to communicate with a large animal without many words helps develop a control of one’s internal energy. We have to be in tune with our horses because they aren’t able to tell us when they don’t feel well or when something is wrong. Because horses are herd animals, this type of care for another being creates a tight emotional bond, and a horse will see you as their “herd” or family and look to you for leadership and safety. Horses are very sensitive to our emotions and energy, and in order to work as a team, a person must be able to manage their energy levels when communicating with their partner. This is an extremely valuable skill that will help children and teens in every aspect of their lives.

Horses are the best listeners, and for a struggling teen, they can provide comfort when they feel no one else can understand. Focusing on a specific goal with their horse can also provide a great outlet and channel for their energy. Horses can teach us empathy, and we have to be in tune with their behavior, often setting our own worries aside. There’s no surprise that horses are often used in therapy for the mentally disabled, troubled teens, war vets and more. Horses do not judge, they do not hold grudges (okay, maybe there are some mares that might be an exception… [hehe]), and they don’t care what you look like. When you show a horse love and respect, they will love you back unconditionally, and, with proper education and training, will do anything you ask of them.

So parents, if you find yourself with a horse crazy child on your hands, don’t ignore it. The benefits of raising your kids with horses will be something they will carry with them throughout their entire lives. Horses are often looked at as an expensive hobby, but there are ways to involve your children with horses on a shoestring budget (trust me, I know from personal experience). The first step is talking to the right people and getting some education. There are plenty of barns that are willing to give lessons to children in exchange for barn chores. If horse ownership isn’t something you’re ready to jump into, there are options to lease horses, or find a barn that already has lesson horses where you don’t have to have your own horse. There, you can learn about horse care, expose your children to different disciplines and find out if it’s something you and your child wish to commit to. You’ve heard it before – where there is a will, there is a way.

Arabians are among the most personable and willing breeds. They are also one of the most versatile breeds, making them a great choice for anyone, especially “newbies”. Arabian Horse Exchange is a perfect avenue for those looking to explore the world of Arabian horses. If your child is horse crazy, get them involved and give them the gift of the love of a horse. You won’t regret it.

Author:
Jessica Murray