What is it about kids and horses?
The two intertwine like the sunshine and flowers. They need each other. The kids learn and grow from the horses and the horses love the kids. I see this all the time while teaching my students.
In my many years of sharing my life with horses I have seen how horses can unfortuantely end up with people who are abusive and neglectful. Their souls broken and they learn to be mistrustful.
Now, usher in the children. Their smiles and soft voices. They enter the barn with such anticiaption and excitement, their little hearts beating a mile a minute. Dragging with them their helmets, boots and the tote of grooming paraphernalia. The horses will stand all day while the children groom them. The children bring no baggage or emotions to the table. There are no bad vibes for the horses to pick up on. The air is clean and clear. There is only fun times and laughter floating around.
The kids brush them from head to tail. They being as little as 50 lbs and the horses being a 1000 lbs or more are quite a contrast. The kids feel small compared to them but gain pounds of knowledge and confidence from being in their presence. The horses learn that not all people are mean and hard. They learn some are soft and kind. The feeling of sitting on top of these horses and ponies is scary but excilerating. To learn to communicate with such a big animal just using your body and voice is amazing. The positive affects on a child are endless. I have had so many parents come to me and say Suzie school work has improved so much since she has been with horses, or John's attitude is so much improved since he started taking lesson. I love to see the smiles appear when they are riding. The smiles are contagious. It is priceless. - Lisa Broullard
No comments:
Post a Comment