If you’re looking for ways to get your kids more engaged in outdoor activities, and also want them to develop a closer bond with animals, then introducing them to horse-back riding is a great way to kill two birds with one stone. Teaching kids to horse-ride is a terrific way to inspire motivation and love of the outdoors, while also creating wonderful childhood memories to cherish in the future. Here are just some of the ways your kids could benefit from learning to ride horses.
Builds Up Confidence
Horse-riding is an especially great way to encourage children to come out of their shells. If your child is particularly shy and has difficulty engaging with other kids their age, then introducing them to horse-riding can help to develop their social skills. The horse-riding community is known for being very active and friendly, so your child will be able to make friends with other young riders, and bond over their shared hobby. By signing up your kids for Pony Club events, they can learn to make new friends outside of school, while also being exposed to a new environment.
Encourages a Bond with Animals
Animals are often linked to positive child development, hence why it is advised to introduce children to household pets at a young age. This is because animals provide companionship and can also reduce stress. The emotional connection that a child builds with a horse will teach them more about trust, as they enter a co-dependent relationship. Your kids can also learn how to effectively communicate with their horse by learning more about the skills of horsemanship and the different methods of horse training. For many young children, their love of horses follows them into adulthood, and could even lead to them working in the equestrian field.
Health & Fitness Benefits
One of the more obvious advantages of horse-back riding is the element of health and fitness. Most kids will rebuff any attempts to engage in physical activity if they find it unstimulating, such as jogging or running, but with horse-back riding, they can enjoy a fun-filled hobby that also improves their health. Kids can enhance their balance, hand-eye coordination, and even muscular development from learning horse-back riding.
Horse-back riding is also valuable for children’s mental health; studies have shown that riders find this sport to be extremely therapeutic if they are feeling stressed, and it also helps them to sleep better. The term ‘Equine Therapy’ relates to the study that shows those struggling with mental health issues benefit from being surrounded by horses in the outdoors.
It’s Fun!
There is more to kid’s entertainment than being stuck indoors with video games and television, so if you find yourself struggling to accommodate your brood, remember that you don’t always have to go digital! Getting your kids to go outside and participate in a fun, social activity will have a longer-lasting positive impact than sitting on the sofa all day.
So, get your kids signed up for some lessons at Sugar Maple Ranch in Mason, NH today! There’s no time like the present.
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