It is well known that youngsters love horses and ponies. Some experience horse love for a short time, while others are smitten for life. You might say that I rank with the incurables.

Equine aficionados have long treasured horse partnerships, and realize the countless benefits derived from horses. No longer a daily necessity for transportation or farming, horses nevertheless give daily pleasure, warm nuzzles, companionship, and service. True, they are a lot of work and expense, but if you are fortunate and have a youngster with a passion for equines, count your blessings. This animal/human partnership is like no other - it brings joy, responsibility, care, gentleness, kindness and focus on another being. Generally, children growing into adulthood with horse love more often become well educated and goal driven and succeed in life. Really!

Horseback riding is superb physical exercise. Just ask someone who dismounts after not having ridden before or for some time. Riding exercises the entire body, even your feet. And, if you ride properly, your posture remains amazing throughout your lifetime.

It takes discipline to ride. Proper riding position and technique, consideration of horse and the rules of riding, and courtesy in the ring, make it incumbent upon the rider to pay strict attention to the trainer or instructor. An innate desire to excel and become a good or even great rider requires an enthusiastic desire to learn, to listen and to practice the discipline of riding.

A riding student multitasks and uses common sense to follow instructions, commands and accurately perform required moves. The student must listen keenly and maneuver a large, ungainly animal to do his or her bidding. When the lessons are learned well, the rider, the horse and the instructor perform like an orchestra - the result is amazing to watch.

Riding entails responsibility. The child and parents schedule lessons, make entries on the calendar, prepare, and dedicate learning time to each lesson. Invariably, the child brushes, pets and strokes the horse, coos to it, sometimes thanks it for being beautiful. The more involved a child can be in the preparation and care of the riding horse, the better the parent gages interest.

Horseback riding is also a fun recreational pleasure. An introverted child may meet other youngsters that are more outgoing and will chat and they’ll soon enjoy each other’s horse experiences. They’ll compare their horses and enthusiastically describe them.

The child that is interested with sincere love for a horse will be totally wrapped up in the care, feeding and responsibility of the horse. There simply is no time to get into trouble by hanging out. The horse is by far an immense benefit for a child that loves it.

Nothing can teach responsibility quite like a horse. I say it often, “You can park a bicycle or boat, but you cannot park a horse. He needs daily care in spring, summer, fall and winter. So do it well.”

My two children always had the responsibility of horses and, yes, much work and countless chores. Neither did drugs, hung out or experienced any problems with the law or in school. Horses helped raise my children. My kids love horses to this day – they are just not as obsessive as I am.

One final note about horses. I was a co-leader of the Ellington 4-H Trail Riders for many years. Out of that club came some mighty famous horse people known nationally in the horse industry. That deserves another story . . .