| "All horses deserve, at least once in their lives, to be | | | | the good news is that children involved with horse |
| loved by a little girl." | | | | riding are required to wear a helmet in Florida and New |
| No one is entirely sure who originally said this, but that | | | | York. Hopefully other states will follow suit. A proper |
| does not change the beauty one can imagine when a | | | | riding helmet is lower in the back than a typical bicycle |
| little child is given the opportunity to build a relationship | | | | helmet and it also distributes the protection equally |
| with a horse. Children and horse riding seem to go | | | | around the head, instead of just in the front or the |
| together as naturally as the colors of the rainbow. | | | | back. |
| And because children so naturally want to flock | | | | The confidence that children acquire from riding a |
| towards horses, when children first desire to go horse | | | | horse is immense. Even though the first meetings can |
| riding, it is important that the horse be guided by a | | | | be a test for the child (and honestly for the horse to), |
| confident adult or teenager to the waiting child. Young | | | | once children have mastered horse riding, they will feel |
| children, even those who love horses, might not be | | | | as if they can accomplish anything. As a matter of |
| prepared for how large a horse is in real life and | | | | fact, this is one reason children use horse riding in |
| having the horse approach slowly can help them | | | | therapeutic settings. Riding a horse can be beneficial |
| understand the size differences. | | | | for children with a wide range of cognitive, physical, |
| As beautiful and moving the experience of children | | | | and emotional conditions. |
| riding a horse can be, safety must always be the first | | | | Ultimately, if you want to encourage children in the |
| consideration. Children should not go riding unless they | | | | sport of horse riding, you are doing a wonderful thing. |
| are wearing a properly fitted helmet and have been | | | | Their confidence is sure to increase. Just please |
| properly trained in horse communication. Sadly, on | | | | remember to teach them to ride safely. |
| average, only one in eight riders wears a helmet. But | | | | |