You never know what your kids will be into throughout the years. Right now Dex (age 5) has intimated he’s up for karate lessons, meanwhile, Heidi (age 3) tried her hands at ballet but was too diddy and ended up distracting the other little girls. I can’t even begin to guess what they’ll be begging me for next week, let alone next year.
I was a keen rider growing up, and it would be lovely if Heidi followed in my footsteps. I have lots of fond memories of hanging out at my local stables, and lusted for a horse of my own throughout my teens. It wasn’t financially possible for my parents, but there are so many different options nowadays that if it turns out to be something that either child is genuinely interested in, I like to think I’d accommodate it.
But aren’t horses stupidly expensive?
Most of us will balk when our child asks us for their own horse - there’s the cost of the horse, stable fees, veterinary costs, all of the gear, the insurance…
Yet there are plenty of options if your child gets the riding bug. A few of my friends’ children have joint ownership of horses - with their mums and dads all sharing the cost equally between them. These horses tend to reside in stables on a rough board basis, with the children taking responsibility for the day-to-day needs of the horse on rotation. Having so many people personally invested in the horses means stabling fees are far cheaper and there’s always someone available should one child fall ill on a given day.
A good quality horse feed will also ensure optimum body conditioning and weight management, whilst delivering all the nutrients your horse needs to stay healthy. The right feed, combined with plenty of exercise and a good grooming regime will give you the best chance of keeping vet bills down. If your horse remains perfectly healthy then yearly vet and blacksmith expenses should come in around £500.00 per year for immunisations, the vet call fee, teeth floating and shoeing your horse etc - so comparable to other hobbies if you consider the cost of equipment, class and competition fees.
Otherwise the rise in online auction sites has also helped bring the costs down for young horse-riders. All manner of horse paraphernalia can be bought second-hand nowadays, making it the ideal marketplace for boots, clothes and grooming tools. You’ll also do well to foster a relationship with local farmers to try and reduce those hay and bedding costs.
Horses as therapy
We’ve all heard stories about horses helping people overcome a variety of health concerns. Far from being a fad, EAT (equine assisted therapy) has a proven record in the treatment of a whole heap of physical, cognitive and mental health issues. If your child is working through any emotional troubles, spending time with horses in a controlled setting might just bring about the calm and focus they need to overcome them.
Not only this, but horse-riding is a great form of exercise. It’s one of those hobbies that will get you outside working your body hard without even realising you’re getting a workout. With so much emphasis on childhood obesity nowadays, a horse could be regarded as an investment in your child’s physical health.
Horse ownership could teach your child how to be responsible
Horses are hard work. There are chores that will need to be completed every morning before school, and every evening after school - some of which are messy and not much fun. Entrusting your child to such responsibilities should translate to better discipline and time management in everyday life.
If you don’t feel your child is ready for such a huge commitment, your local stables may offer a number of different boarding options to take some of the heat off you and your child.
Finally, to test the waters and really prove their dedication, why not approach your local stables and ask if they have any vacancies. Surely there’s no better test than seeing how your child fares with all those early mornings and all the mucking out. If they’re lucky enough to earn a small wage, they could put it towards their horse fund and help ease some of the burden.
What do you think? Would you ever buy a horse for your little rider?
