Did you know Riding sports such as horseback riding will help increase your kid's
patience levels. They'll teach a child about self-discipline, including how to focus and
control themselves. In a world like todays, where children are more inclined to stay indoors, watch tv and play video games, horses may be one of the best tools to get children back outdoors and create a love for nature and animals. Horses can help create a healthy, happy, and well-adjusted child. Here are just four of the reasons you should sign your child up today for Horseback Riding:
1. Physical Health
Increasing body's strength and posture. When on a horse you have to constantly adjust your posture and movements to match with the horse.
You are engaging your core, back, and chest muscles when you are riding. You are also engaging your arms and inner thighs while riding.
While riding you will naturally stretch certain muscles on your body as well as increasing your body's range of motion in your joints.
2. Mental Health
You are also going to boost your mood. Not only are you out in the fresh air but its an amazing break from the stresses of life. It is a known fact that when you are around animals like horses your body releases a chemical called serotonin which is a hormone that enhances your mood.
Not only do you receive a physical workout but a mental workout as well. Our head coach Istvan always says:
"The horses can feel you and your energy. You can tell a horse what way to go, and how fast to go with just your mind and energy if you focus enough.”
Your child will develop problem solving skills while horseback riding that will last thru their adult life.
3. Bonding and Friendships
When your child is riding horses at the farm they will be riding with other peers their age. This will help form connections with the other peer riders.
The rider not only creates a bond with their peers and coaches but also with the horses. My daughter has not only gained a few best friends but her horse is her number one friend. She has a new found respect and love for all animals.
Horseback riding helps bring people together. Not only do children make friends while riding but they bond over the similar experiences they have together. They spend a lot of time together with their horses and it helps create a friendship that will last a lifetime.
4. Character Building
Riding horses can help build positive characteristics in your child. Your child will learn responsibility, patience, kindness, discipline, accountability, and most of all confidence. Since my daughter started riding a little over 8 months ago her confidence has grown tremendously. She has started talking louder and being less shy around others in school. She has started answering questions in school and raising her hand more, something she was not doing prior.
I myself was very nervous to start horseback riding with my daughter because I was unsure if it would become a distraction from school but I was pleasantly surprised that it has actually helped tremendously. She not only has learned to have so much patience (a skill that was majorly lacking like most five year olds) but she's much more disciplined now. She understands that her actions have a cause and effect and is much more focused in her everyday tasks. It also has driven her to work harder because she knows that if she works hard she will achieve her goals inside and outside of the farm.
A study that was done by Frontiers. (2017, March 2).
“Horse-riding can improve children's cognitive ability: Study shows how the effects of horseback riding improve learning in children.” ScienceDaily.
Citation: Frontiers. "Horse-riding can improve children's cognitive ability: Study shows how
the effects of horseback riding improve learning in children." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 2 March 2017. (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170302115822.htm)