What Horses Give to Our Children...

As parents, we strive for our children to grow into confident, compassionate and responsible adults.  Horses can play an active role in instilling these virtues, as they allow us to love and care for them and put complete faith in our ability to keep them healthy and happy.  Horses never judge, but rather accept us as we are. Diane DeRienzis, my mother and head trainer at Sunset Ridge once told me, “Horses bring out the best in children because they allow us to simply be ourselves.  When we look into their big brown eyes, we see nothing but trust and faith.”  To a horse, there is no such thing as an ability or disability. 

In today’s world, it can be difficult to find a place where one isn’t judged, especially as a pre-teen or teenager. While at school, it’s all about what you are wearing, who you are friends with, and what sport you play. With horses, on the contrary, it’s all about who you are inside; if you give love to the horse, you will receive it back. All students feel this; they all have such a great respect and love for the animal that it translates into their own friendships with each other, and these friendships last a lifetime.

Confidence is something that we cannot teach our children; it is something that they learn and earn throughout experiences in their lives. Riding lessons are a great tool for developing confidence in an

individual. There is always a small challenge that one must overcome to get to the next step, and once that challenge is completed, a child feels on top of the world. My favorite part of teaching and helping children at the barn is that moment when their face lights up because they accomplished a goal they thought wasn’t possible. For some, it’s the first time they actually sit on a horse or pony; for many, it’s the first time they ask the horse or pony to do something and the animal responds. That smile is unequivocal; it comes through their eyes, they sit up much straighter and you know that the confidence is there.  The child carries that with them throughout the rest of the lesson and then on through the rest of their day. It is by far the greatest feeling for a child, and it’s a feeling that is repeated over and over as each student progresses.

Riding horses isn’t just about jumping on and galloping off into the sunset; it is also about caring for your horse. Each time before riding a horse they need to be groomed and cared for, checked over, and then tacked (the saddle and bridle put on). This care is given again after riding, when the horse must have all equipment removed, sweat and/or saddle marks cleaned and be cooled down if hot. At Sunset Ridge, this is a responsibility we have all of our riders take on, and we encourage the parents to learn as well.  It is a big responsibility and the children understand its importance.  No other sport requires the athleticism of the equestrian as well as the responsibility of a caretaker.

In a world where entitlement is so prevalent, equestrians depend on teamwork. This not only refers to the team of young riders who develop within a barn helping each other and learning together, but also to the teamwork between a horse and rider. In this team, it doesn’t matter that one team mate is human and one is an animal; what matters is that without working together and understanding each other’s needs, the team would fall apart. This skill, of learning to work as a team with someone who doesn’t speak the same language, transpires throughout life and teaches children that no matter what the barrier is between them and another individual, it can be overcome.

When I see children growing up at the barn engaging in such a healthy activity within a safe environment, I realize how blessed both my siblings and I were to have been brought up riding horses and I am thankful that my own daughter will have similar experiences with these amazing animals!  Let us teach your children these important lessons at Sunset Ridge Equestrian Center.