Kids on the Trail

enjoy their time with the horse and feel its power. For an adult a challenge is something to work through but to a child a challenge is a disappointment. The right horse for a child is a horse that is honest forgiving and calm as that horse will get along well when things do not go right or when the child does not make the right decision.
Like me you may remember the good old days when as kids we gleefully jumped on anything with hair oftentimes only for a few seconds. But those days are gone and most of us would never risk putting our children on horses that might cause trouble or put them in danger.
Truthfully aside from my own string and a couple other trail strings I had never been around 20 calm friendly horses at one time so the Yukon 4H horses were a relief and a joy to work with. Little attention may have been given to looks or bloodlines but these steadyminded horses were big on calmness. There was very little spook and an abundance of friendly behaviour which is a prerequisite for a positive experience between a young person and a horse.
There was also a notable lack of very young horses which I saw as an indication of more wisdom. It may be possible for a young person to begin with a weanling yearling or twoyearold horse and learn and grow together but it can be a long and bumpy road. I would not recommend such a pairing unless an experienced adult is taking the child through the journey and the horse is innately calm and friendly. And remember kids want to have fun riding now not a f
The childhorse bond the friendly aspect of that relationship and the astounding power a child discovers when he finds that he can command move and steer a big beautiful animal around are all deeply satisfying and do wonders for a childs selfesteem. The problem is that many horses are not that honest and will take advantage and control of the child both while riding and on the ground. It is extremely important to buy a horse that is calm forgiving and honest by
Children are often gentle and consider the horse a friend. They may have little desire or ability to establish their role as the alpha being. In these situations parents need to be particularly careful