Horses have been recognized as great teachers of youth since ancient times. Here is one modern parent’s opinion:
Eventually my daughter will have to make her own risk management decisions. For years I’ve been letting her make decisions in various controlled environments, the most chaotic (since she was 5) being show jumping. Horses are large, strong and unpredictable. She’s gotten hurt a few times, which freaks out her mother, but she’s learned from both the painful and enjoyable parts of the experience. At 13, she’s smart enough to generalize beyond the show ring.
I think it a dangerous practice to make all decisions for a youngster, insulate them from any risk, and then at the age of 16 or 18 or 20 ask them to suddenly run their own lives for the first time.
Do you agree?
