10 Reasons Why I Want My Children to Ride Horses

Eighteen years ago a gorgeous bay mare quarter horse, named Miss Piggy, made Brandon's family horse owners for the first time.  Miss Piggy was a retired reining horse turned 4-H horse when Mike and Pam bought her and her colt Two Socks.  

She taught Brandon how to ride and then six years later she taught me how to ride.  Now, thirteen years later, at the age of 30 years old we are blessed that Miss Piggy is still able to teach Taegan how to ride. 

She is the most patient horse and will literally stop in her tracks if she feels you lose your balance to keep you from falling off.  She has also gotten very lazy in her old age and has frustrated lots of children who can't make her move past snail speed.  But for this Mama snail speed is the perfect speed for my independent, determined four year old who wants to ride by herself already!  She has taught tons of riders young and old how to ride and without a doubt helped them fall in love with horseback riding.  

10 Reasons Why I Want My Children to Ride Horses 

(aside from the obvious reason that I enjoy it and it would be something we could do together)

1. Responsibility.  Horses require an incredible amount of work.  Therefore there is no better animal to teach responsibility than a horse.  You have to pick their stalls daily, regardless of the rain, snow, or summer heat.  They have to be groomed, their hooves have to be picked, you have to clean tack, etc.
2. Patience.  Horses teach you patience.  I learned this lesson very quickly.  My first horse Tina, liked to play hard to get whenever I tried to catch her in the field.  After weeks of walking from one end of the field to the other trying to get close enough to her to slip a halter on I finally learned that if I stopped before she started walking away from me and sat down in the field she would get curious and come to me.  There were many afternoons I'd lay in the field listening to the horses munching grass and waiting for her to make her way over to me.  
3. Empowering.  It is empowering to be able to tell a 1,000+lb animal what to do and them to do it. Horseback riding is different than all other sport activities.  You can do it alone, but you're not really alone.  You are the leader, but you're not really in control.  You get a tremendous sense of accomplishment from this type of relationship.  
4. Physically Active.  It gets them outside, out from in front of a television, and moving.  I have recently been reminded what a great full body work out horseback riding can be.  Your arms, core, and legs all get a great work out and the best part is you don't even realize you're exercising, until you get out of bed the next morning. 
5. Humility.  Horses keep you humble.  Don't even think about getting cocky when it comes to riding, the moment you do, your horse will remind you that they are ultimately still in control. 
6. Courage.  It takes courage to ride horses.  You learn to push past your boundaries.  You accomplish things you never dreamed you were capable of accomplishing. 
7. It Keeps Them Out of Trouble.  Horses kept Brandon and I out of lots of trouble.  We spent our weekends all through High School camping and trail riding or at various horse shows.  Boredom leads to trouble.  Who has time to be bored when you have horses to groom, ride, tack to clean, stalls to pick, wheelbarrows to dump, etc?
8. Pride.  My first horse was what you consider "green broke" when I got her, I had just a couple years (at best) of riding experience myself.  In the "horse world" we joke that green and green makes black and blue, luckily the worst I walked away with were a few bruises and tear stained cheeks.  The sense of pride and accomplishment I experienced from training Tina is immeasurable.  I know without question that all the hours we logged in the arena together shaped me into the woman I am today.  
9. Outlet.  Horses are unbelievable listeners and great secret keepers.  I've poured out my heart to one of my equine friends on more occasions than I can count.  Whenever something is bothering me there is no better cure than to ride.  When I put my foot into the stirrup, climb into the saddle, and grab my reins I leave all my problems in a pile right there on the ground.  I used to think it was because I was constantly thinking "toes out, heels in, hands down, weight in your feet, don't squeeze your thighs, relax your shoulders" but all those things have come natural to me for years now and riding still clears my mind. 
10. Friends.  I have met and bonded with some amazing people through horses.  It will introduce you to people you may not otherwise meet.  

Miss Piggy and Two Socks

Me riding Miss Piggy at my very first horse show, Brandon riding Miss Piggy, and Taegan riding Piggy Solo for the first time.