Having my brother here with his kids for the first time this week reminded me of how I do so love introducing children to horses. Not just teaching them how to ride horses, but showing them how to care for them, giving them a job feeding or cleaning, allowing them to just be with a horse. All of it.The wonderful and often important relationship between children and horses is magnetic. Horses don’t lie. With the possible exception of abused or mistreated horses, they will not judge us; they will forgive us; they will allow us to just be ourselves. Seeing how comfortable horses are with, and attracted to, children always makes me smile.
My brother and I were discussing how funny it is, this mutual attraction between horse and human. This irresistible force that draws us in; especially, of course, the children.
Horses have become for most a luxury item; a pet or toy or lawn ornament; no longer partners in work and life. But have we forgotten that horses were an integral part of mans life for thousands of years? We depended on our horses for travel, transportation, and battle; for finding new lands, exploring old lands, clearing our homesteads, and tilling our ground. And for so many throughout history, there existed the element of the love, respect and admiration of the horse, as with the Bedouin sharing his tent with his prized Arabian, or the brave and gallant leader poised for battle on his trusted mount.
It has only been within the past 100 years that our relationship with the horse changed from one based on survival or the need of horses, to one of entertainment or the enjoyment of horses. There are, of course, a few exceptions, those of us who still live and try to make a living with our horses. And even that is changing, with cowboys riding motorbikes and outfitters losing clients to ATVs and RVs.
The demographics show us that even 25 years ago, we were “closer” to horses. Although in urban homes, folks then at least still had a connection to and experience with horses; perhaps a grandfather who worked with a team, or a grandmother who still raised and trained a few colts. Today, our connection is that much further. In general, we are that much more separated from horses. Throughout our country, we see this fact. The numbers don’t lie.
And yet, that connection is still in us, in our blood. It is there, and it does not take much to trigger our interest, our attraction, our love of the horse. Children don’t hold themselves back. They will run to a horse with open arms (quite literally, which is usually discouraged).
I will encourage this. Run to the horses, children! Though perhaps softly, quietly. Horses teach kids lessons our words can not easily do. Lessons about kindness, caring, giving, forgiving, acceptance, patience, responsibility.
I imagine we’re not going to go back to a society living and working with horses, a society reliant on horses, ever again. I’m still trying to hold on to it. And as long as I can, I shall hope to share it with the young people in my life. Or even just the young at heart.
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