If you have the space outside to build a horse stall, or you want to rent one for a horse, you might find that families with children are ideal for horse homes, especially those with troubled teens. Riding a horse is a skill that is challenging and fun and will offer hours of enjoyment for everyone in the family. This sort of bonding activity may help brighten the horizons for a struggling adolescent.
The Importance of Animal Responsibility
In addition to riding horses, grooming the horse and feeding it will teach children and teens responsibility. No, a horse is not the best fit if the kids are looking for a snuggly animal to sleep with each night but as a family pet, a horse can bring years of joy. In homes where there have been problems, a horse can prove to be a best friend. Horses are wonderful animals and there is therapeutic value in caring for an equestrian beauty.
Things You Will Need When You Own a Horse
Some horse equipment is costly and some not so much. It really depends on what you think you will need for your horse. If you have chosen to keep your horse at a facility that people rent stalls from, there may already be equipment that is available to be used. You should inquire as to what you may need to purchase aside from the horse itself.
Shopping for Horse Accessories
A horse’s mane and coat will need maintaining. Not only will your horse need his or her own beauty products but horse shoes and being sure the horse is fitted properly is important too. Some horse equipment is vital. Therefore you should take time when investing in an animal of this magnitude. Owning a horse is much more intense than a dog. If your teen will be riding the horse, saddles and other such equipment could become costly.
Approved Horse Therapy Programs
Most states have varying levels of therapeutic programs for troubled teens and one of the most beloved forms of therapy is horse therapy. Teens get transported to ranches at least once a week where they are taught to work with the horses and to form a bond of sorts. Not only does contact soothe them and keep them focused on another live creature, but they learn what it takes to truly care for something outside themselves. Siskiyou County in California has such a program and it has had more successful ‘graduates’ than many of their other, more conventional therapies.
There are a wealth of things you can do to help your troubled teen but buying him or her a horse is by far one of the most progressive steps you can take. Horse therapy is proven to work and does instill a sense of responsibility into the teen that is otherwise hard to do. With modern society making way for a generation of teens who live in a virtual world as seen on smart phones and computer screens, introducing a member of nature as a more ideal method of pass-time can be a very smart move.