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Kids and Horses

© Caryn A. Tate

I've recently received a couple of questions regarding kids in relation to horses, such as helping kids to become more interested in horses without intimidating them, and I thought I would touch upon the subject. As a small child I was around horses almost more than other people, and took my first horseback ride when I was still in diapers and too small to walk, so I remember well the way I felt and reacted to horses when I was a child.

Probably the most important thing about trying to get children interested in horses is to not push them into it. If you're too forceful about getting them active with the animals, it's too easy for them to become intimidated. One very important thing to remember: Horses are enormous animals to adults, and they're much bigger and scarier when you're a child. The sheer physicality of horses is an important consideration when dealing with children. That's why it's important to go slowly and allow the kids to come to the horses, not the other way around.

One good way to do this is to lead by example, in a way. If you already spend a lot of time around horses, that's perfect. If not, try to start spending as much time as you can, and just bring your kids with you as you head outside. Don't ask them to come in the pasture or stall with you at first. Just have them nearby. Let them see you with the horses and see how much fun you're having, as well as some of the things you actually do (ride, lunge, etc.). Especially for smaller kids, this will probably make a lot of children curious as to what kind of fun there is to be had here.

More older kids would probably be more interested to actually understand more of the things they could do with horses. Try showing and telling them about as many of the different sports, games, and pasttimes with horses as you can think of. You never know which one might grab your child's interest. A child who may think horses aren't for him might very well see some other sport or activity and become excited. There are so many varieties of things to do with horses that you just never know. Try these tips with your kids and see what they may become interested in.

I'm always open to more questions or comments, so please, email me and ask me any questions you might have, or post discussions. I always love to hear from my readers.