Summer’s in full swing, so your kids have probably been spending more time around the barn. If you grew up around horses, you likely have treasured memories of bareback rides to the lake, racing your friends on your favorite trails, or winning a ribbon at the local show. Maybe you still have a faded picture of your first horse from years ago. You want your kids to make memories like that. You want to share your love of nature and animals with them. However, you also understand horses can be dangerous and sometimes unpredictable. You want to prevent memories of trips to the ER, crutches, bruises, and rope burns.
What if your child is the first one in your family to fall in love with horses? Knowing some basic skills and safety guidelines to teach your child (and to use yourself), could make this the best summer of their childhood. It might lead to a lifelong relationship with horses for them and possibly the entire family. Horses teach children the value of hard work, following through with responsibility, and how to build confidence. They can also injure and even potentially kill your child.
So how do you keep them safe while enjoying the great outdoors with the horses?
Pick the Right Horse
This seems obvious. You would be surprised how many times I have heard well-meaning parents say they were going to buy their 7 year old child a yearling so they could “grow up together”. Horses aren’t dogs. Please don’t buy your child an untrained yearling horse. Young horses need experienced handlers to train them with consistency and discipline. It takes years of good handling practices to develop a safe riding horse. There is an old phrase that goes “green on green makes black and blue!”. A green, or inexperienced child, should not be paired with a young and untrained horse.
Older horses are often ideal for young owners. Likely they’ve already been exposed to any situation your child will encounter with them. They have seen traffic, dogs, cows, motorcycles, bicycles, water crossings, flags, and lots of other spooky things. They might have competed successfully in the discipline your child wants to learn. A good horse can go a long way in developing confidence in a young rider. In addition, an older horse being retired from active competition can often be purchased for a very reasonable price. Many owners just want to find a wonderful home for them.
Have a soundness exam done by a vet on any older horse you are considering buying. Make sure they are healthy enough to continue with the level of work they will be expected to perform. Some conditions, such as arthritis and Cushings disease, can be managed with medication. Discuss any issues with your vet before you decide if it’s the right horse for you. This prevents unnecessary heartache later on.
Horses are individuals, just like people. Some are more sensitive and reactive than others. Look for a horse that is more laid back in disposition. A horse with a friendly, gentle disposition who enjoys attention often makes a great child’s horse. It’s also a good rule of thumb to look for a horse who has a little more “whoa” than “go” for a beginner rider. It is safer to ride a horse that stops when the rider gets confused rather than one they are always struggling to control. As their skills increase, they can always move up to a more sensitive horse.
Wear A Helmet!
Always! More than 50% of equine related deaths are due to head injuries. Most of these deaths could have been prevented with a simple helmet. There’s a huge variety of helmets on the market today. Gone are the days of the heavy, bulky, and hot velvet riding hats. You can now get them in every color of the rainbow. They are light weight, low-profiled, and well-ventilated. Make it a rule in your household from the start. Every time they ride! It’s really just as important as wearing a seat belt in a car.
Don’t Ride Alone
Riding alone is dangerous. even for experienced adults. Freak accidents can happen to anybody. There are people in this world looking to victimize anyone they can isolate and follow. If no one knows where your child is when things go wrong, help may not arrive in time. Whether riding in the ring, pasture, or on the trails, they should be accompanied or watched by someone. Hopefully they have other riders in their household or at the barn to share riding time.
If you only have one horse, you should be outside and close by while your child rides. Trail rides should be arranged with other safe riders. Alternatively, you can simply go for a walk with your child and their horse. Ultimately you are responsible for your child’s safety. Imagine how terrifying it would be to see your child’s horse galloping home without them!
Ground Skills
Learning some safety tips on the ground can prevent injuries. Proper boots with heels should be worn at all times at the barn. Heels keep their feet from sliding through the stirrups while riding. Never allow flip flops around horses. Exposed feet can be seriously hurt by a 1200 pound horse’s hoof.
They should know how to approach a horse in the pasture, stall, when tied, and how to lead one correctly. Also the proper way to feed treats and mounting/dismounting safety should be taught.
When approaching a horse in the pasture, they should walk towards their shoulder. This keeps them out of the kick zone and safe if the horse should try to avoid being haltered by running off. If the horse is in a stall they should open the door, step inside, close the door behind them, then halter the horse. It prevents the horse trying to leave the stall before they are haltered.
Children should be taught to never run up behind a horse. A horse’s startle response is to kick. A well-placed kick can cause serious injury. The same is true when approaching a tied horse from behind. It is a good habit to talk to the horse so he knows your there if coming up from behind him. This is especially true if the horse is in cross ties. He may not be able to turn his head enough to see completely behind him.
Leading is an essential skill for anyone around horses. Never allow them to wrap the lead rope around their fingers, because if the horse spooks and bolts, the rope can quickly sever their fingers! Children must also learn to keep the horse out of their personal space while leading. A crowding horse can easily knock down and step on a small child. They must learn to insist on good ground manners from the horse.
Children love to feed treats to horses, so make sure they understand to keep their hand flat and fingers together. Some horses get very excited about treats, and might mistakenly bite little fingers.
The last skill they should learn is how to mount/dismount safely. Over half of all falls happen during mounting or dismounting. Horses often make a habit of walking off during mounting. This should never be allowed. You should teach the child to wait until the horse is still to mount. If the horse moves, have them shorten the inside rein and circle with the horse until they will stand still. The horse should also learn to wait quietly for dismounting.
Now, let the safe memories begin!
