A Father's Explanation of Why He Had Horses for His Children

My children turned sixteen years old today; which is a milestone for most people. Besides looking at baby photos and childhood trinkets with them, I took time to reflect on the young adult my children had become and the choices they would face in the future.

As I looked at my children I could see the athletes they were, and the determined women or men they would soon be. I started thinking about some of the girls and boys we knew in our town who were already pierced in several places, hair every color under the sun, drop outs, drug addicts, parents themselves, and on the fast track to nowhere, seeking surface identities because they had no inner self esteem. The parents of these same children have asked me why I "waste" the money on horses so my child can ride. I'm told she or he will grow out of it, lose interest, and discover the opposite sex and all kinds of things that try to pin the current generation's "slacker" label on my child. I don't think it will happen, I think they will love and have horses all their lives.

Because my child grew up with horses she or he has compassion. They know that we must take special care of the very young and the very old. We must make sure to care for those without voices to speak of their pain.

Because my children grew up with horses they learned responsibility for others than themselves. They learned that regardless of the weather you must still care for those you for whom you have the stewardship. There are no "days off" just because you don't feel like being a horse owner that day. They learned that for every hour of fun you have, there are days of hard slogging work you must do first.

Because my children grew up with horses they learned not to be afraid of getting dirty and that appearances don't matter to most of the breathing things in the world in which we live.

Horses do not care about designer clothes, jewellery, pretty hairdos or anything else we put on our bodies to try to impress others. What a horse cares about are your abilities to work within his natural world, he doesn't care if you're wearing $80.00 jeans while you do it.

Because my children grew up with horses they learned about sex and how it can both enrich and complicate lives. They learned that it only takes one time to produce a baby, and the only way to ensure babies aren't produced is not to breed. They learned how babies are planned, made, born and, sadly, sometimes die before reaching their potential. They learned how sleepless nights and trying to outsmart a crafty old broodmare could result in getting to see, as non-horse owning people rarely do, the birth of a true miracle.

Because my children grew up with horses they understand the value of money. Every dollar can be translated into bales of hay, bags of feed or farrier and vet visits. Purchasing non-necessities during lean times can mean the difference between feed and good care, or neglect and starvation. They have learned to judge the level of their care against the care they see provided by others and to make sure their standards never lower, and only increase as their knowledge grows.

Because my children grew up with horses they have learned to learn on their own. They have had teachers that cannot speak, nor write, nor communicate beyond body language and reactions. They have had to learn to "read" their surroundings for both safe and unsafe objects, to look for hazards where others might only see a pretty meadow. They have learned to judge people as they judge horses. They look beyond appearances and trappings to see what is within.

Because my children grew up with horses they have learned sportsmanship to a high degree. Everyone that competes fairly is a winner. Trophies and ribbons may prove someone a winner, but they do not prove someone is a horseman. They have also learned that some people will do anything to win, regardless of whom it hurts. They know that those who will cheat in the show ring will also cheat in every other aspect of their life and are not to be trusted.

Because my children grew up with horses they have self-esteem and an engaging personality. They can talk to anyone they meet with confidence, because they have to express themselves to their horse with more than words. They know the satisfaction of controlling and teaching a 1,000 pound animal, who will yield willingly to a gentle touch and ignore the more forceful and inept handling of those stronger than they are. They hold themselves with poise and professionalism in the company of those far older than themselves.

Because my children grew up with horses they have learned to plan ahead. They know that choices made today can effect what happens five years down the road. They know that you cannot care for and protect your investments without savings to fall back on. They know the value of land and buildings, and that caring for your vehicle can mean the difference between an easy trip or being stranded on the side of the road with a four horse trailer on a hot day.

When I look at what my children have learned and what it will help them become, I can honestly say that I haven't "wasted" a penny on providing them with horses. I only wish that all children had the same opportunities to learn these lessons from horses before setting out on the road to adulthood.