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Benefits of Owning a Fuzzy Quadruped

showed that adolescent girls’ mood improved after interacting with horses for
fifteen minutes (Waite, 2009). Based on experience, I am pretty sure that this also
applies to adults. It’s no surprise that many riders prefer hanging out with their
horse, rather than going to parties, when they’re having bad days.

Horse riding and ownership also provide you
with the opportunity to become a responsible
person, establish routines, and bring order to
your life (Platkin, 2010). Plus, you’ll have a stron-
ger connection with nature from being outdoors
and around these beautiful creatures. What
I love most about being an equestrian is that
horses teach you to be a humble person. They
show you that sometimes you are on the top of
the mountain, but the next weekend you’re not
there anymore. For example, you win a compe-
tition this weekend, but the next weekend when
you think you will win again, you fall off. Or,
you may feel like you had the best lesson today,
and then tomorrow you feel a mess because
nothing is working out with your horse.
Another great benefit of horse ownership is that it increases your self-con-
fidence (Becic, 2015). I remember when I used to be a very shy little girl. I
wouldn’t talk to almost anyone at school. My parents wanted me to ride so I
would gain self-confidence. I remember during my first lesson my parents were
surprised because they couldn’t believe how much I was talking with the other
kids and the trainer. I was in my element. Over the years, horses have taught
me to have confidence in myself, and make decisions quickly. Especially du-
ring shows, I have to feel one hundred percent sure of every decision I make
in the ring, or both
my horse and I
could be injured.
Also, I can’t take
more than two se-
conds to make the-
se decisions. One
of the hardest de-
cisions is deciding
how much distance
I should take for
each jump.

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