As pets go, a horse is pretty much at the top of most children’s wish list. A horse offers companionship and freedom to ride around independently and is lots of fun to be around.
Of course, a horse is a powerful animal and proper supervision must be given at all times when allowing your child to ride or care for one.
But if your child is properly supervised and learns how to ride properly as well as care properly for their horse, there are many benefits to your child of keeping a pet horse. For one thing, your child will quickly learn that they are responsible for caring for their horse and that that means getting up early every morning, feeding, mucking out, grooming, cleaning tack and picking out hooves – a pet horse isn’t just for riding.
This sense of responsibility and duty will stand your child in good stead as they grow older, and the need for them to be up early to care for their horse each day (and the fact that they will want to spend all their time at the stables) will keep them out of trouble as they hit their teens!
Whilst most sorts of pets live in the house and don’t take much looking after compared to a horse – so there’s no pet quite like a horse for getting your child out of the house and into the fresh air. Horse riding is aerobic exercise, great for keeping a child’s heart and lungs in top condition and good for reducing excess weight or maintaining a healthy weight. With fitness comes confidence, so your child will develop their sense of self and really come out of their shell. Horse riding also improves co-ordination, dexterity and balance – if your child has dyspraxia then it is a great hobby to get them interested in for that reason alone.
If you are thinking of investing in a horse as a pet for your child, only do so if you can commit to caring for that horse for the rest of its life. Remember that the horse might still be alive and in need of looking after even after your child has moved out to go to university or to live independently. A horse also represents a huge financial commitment. Many horses are abandoned or taken to charities to care for because an owner cannot afford the time or money to continue to care for it. If you want a horse as a pet, consider rehoming one such horse and you’ll have a friend for life.
Of course, a horse is a powerful animal and proper supervision must be given at all times when allowing your child to ride or care for one.
But if your child is properly supervised and learns how to ride properly as well as care properly for their horse, there are many benefits to your child of keeping a pet horse. For one thing, your child will quickly learn that they are responsible for caring for their horse and that that means getting up early every morning, feeding, mucking out, grooming, cleaning tack and picking out hooves – a pet horse isn’t just for riding.
This sense of responsibility and duty will stand your child in good stead as they grow older, and the need for them to be up early to care for their horse each day (and the fact that they will want to spend all their time at the stables) will keep them out of trouble as they hit their teens!
Whilst most sorts of pets live in the house and don’t take much looking after compared to a horse – so there’s no pet quite like a horse for getting your child out of the house and into the fresh air. Horse riding is aerobic exercise, great for keeping a child’s heart and lungs in top condition and good for reducing excess weight or maintaining a healthy weight. With fitness comes confidence, so your child will develop their sense of self and really come out of their shell. Horse riding also improves co-ordination, dexterity and balance – if your child has dyspraxia then it is a great hobby to get them interested in for that reason alone.
If you are thinking of investing in a horse as a pet for your child, only do so if you can commit to caring for that horse for the rest of its life. Remember that the horse might still be alive and in need of looking after even after your child has moved out to go to university or to live independently. A horse also represents a huge financial commitment. Many horses are abandoned or taken to charities to care for because an owner cannot afford the time or money to continue to care for it. If you want a horse as a pet, consider rehoming one such horse and you’ll have a friend for life.
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