Working with Horses is Valuable for Kids
By Pam Fisher, Falcon Camp Barn Manager
Horses have always been there for me. I fondly remember my first time riding a horse at Falcon Camp–it opened a whole new world to a child who is the fifth of six children and often got lost in the commotion. A horse can bring out the best in a child. From mental and physical development to social skills, horseback riding and barn life can instill many positive traits in your child.
Horses teach children so many valuable lessons other than just riding. Children learn how to be kind, well rounded individuals, to be aware of how their actions can affect others, and to not be afraid of hard work. Riding and horsemanship is also a great opportunity to get a kid outdoors and exercising in a fun way. Working with and riding horses will help a child develop a wide range of positive traits such as:
—Responsibility: there are plenty of opportunities to learn about how to feed, groom, cleanup after them. A child learns how to respect a horse for their own safety.
–-Self-discipline: riding lessons require grooming, saddling and untacking your horse. A child must discipline themselves and learn the proper ways to care for a horse as well as ride it.
—Social skills / companionship: Horses not only make great friends but they also attract other children which makes it easy and fun for your child to make new friends with a common interest. Horses have a big impact on a child; they are so loving, forgiving, and understanding. They are a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen. They give a child a boost of confidence; the fact that a 1000 pound animal will listen to the child on its back steering it and telling it where to go is a big confidence booster. Your child can also set goals and advance their riding skills, moving though different levels.
—Mental Health: research has shown that a child’s stress hormone cortisol is lowered when they work with a horse. A combination of fresh air, exercise, friendships and developing relationships with horses has been proven to be mentally satisfying. It can change a child’s whole outlook on life. Some children find horse farms or barns as their safe haven. When riding is kept simple and fun it can reduce the pressure your child is feeling and give them something to look forward to. Being a child is not always easy and they have big changes to deal with, so a horse can help keep them centered and with many mental and physical benefits.
—Patience, empathy, and kindness: through a horse, children can become caretakers. Attending to the needs of the horse enhances their ability to empathize. Horses teach compassion. Horses seem to sense that a child is different than an adult, and they take care of them which in return teaches patience, gentleness, and calmness to a child. Horses bond with people so they make great companions and therapy animals. Research has found that horses have a high level of emotional intelligence and can read our emotions. Horses can read emotional cues from our facial expressions and not only recognize our emotions but also deeply emphasize and absorb those feelings which makes them great companions for a child.
At Falcon, we appreciate all our horses for the value they bring to our program, both in simple fun and in deeper lessons and skills!
