Bringing a horse into your family unit, especially if there are kids involved, is not a small thing. You must think about all the things you will be needing to be prepared, like feed, all of the grooming tools, tack, blankets, and a shelter are just a few of the things you will be needing. More than that, what about the animal itself. What must you look at to be sure that this is the right horse, for there are so many out there.
A horse who has in his past been abused can be a nice thing to for the horse, but what about the safety of your kids? Can an abused horse be dangerous? The answer to this question is a great big yes. The animal would not hurt anybody intentionally, but out of a simple reflex because he thinks he is going to be hit up the side of his head, can be a threat to little people and big ones alike. The horse ducks, and you end up with a huge head in your face or where ever. Some of the other backgrounds you might want to be looking for are these:
an ex racehorse
an ex rodeo horse
a horse who has been used on a cattle ranch
a horse who has been used in a school
a horse who has been only owned by adults
a horse who has been handled be children
a horse who has been involved in an accident of any kind
a horse who shies from certain things because of some kind of an accident
This may look like an extensive list of things to ask or find out about, but it is absolutely mandatory if you are going to be handling him, and especially if you intend to let your kids be around him or her.
Here are some of the things to either look for or ask about–horses who have been a working horse, say with cattle are usually a very easy ride for the average rider. I had a cattle horse once, and the only habit he had that I would suggest watching out for is that every time we came within eye shot of a cow, he would take off and want to do his old job, herding. If the cow is within reach you may find yourself eye to eye with a good sized piece of beef. If the cow is behind a fence you may find yourself running up and down a fence line until you get him back under control.
The chances of coming into contact with a once race horse are not much, but a lot of Thouroughbreds have been bred for or have been race horses. These horses have a propensity to want to run full out or race another horse on a trail ride or on the street or where ever. Just be careful to keep this horse behind the rest, and not to run him hard and confuse him with his old training.
A horse who has been trained in English arena jumping or in that type of a school loves to jump. This horse may want to take a flying leap over anything that looks like a jump to him. A gate, logs, a ditch, are all things to watch for. In a manner of speaking, you must be careful on any new horse, that you have not had experience on for there are many things that he or she may do that you may not be aware of.
I had another horse who was a very gentle giant. He was half quarter horse and half Belgium, and was very large, but although his height was bigger than average, any five year old child was safe on his back. He was always very careful and walked slowly with the children, but again if encouraged would lope or gallop with any adult.
One day I let a friend of mine barrow him, which is something I would encourage nobody to do. This woman went out for about one hour, and returned him thanking me for the ride. He was always the horse I would let friends barrow because of his good nature. About a week later, while I was out riding him, a large pepsi delivery truck went past us, and he took off in a wild and frantic run home. I had never seen him act like this, and later found out that when my friend had borrowed him last week, they had had an accident with a similar truck, which she did not think was anything to worry about for he seemed uninjured. I took him to the vet, and he examined him to find that he had a deep muscle bruise on his hind quarters, and the collision with the pepsi truck was one that he never forgot. Every time he saw one after that he had the same reaction, and I can say that in my opinion the horse was ruined. He was no longer the gentle giant I once had, and was not trustable like he was before.
When something like this happens sometimes nobody is aware, or those who are aware don’t say anything unless asked about a horses quirks. Be aware, and be careful to ask all the questions you can think of, and be sure that you ride the animal in all the situations possible before you buy. Be sure to ask if he spooks, has any habits or quirks. Be sure to get the name of the vet that has been caring for him and give him a call. This is sort of like talking to a mechanic who has been caring for a car.
Think about the size of the horse in relation to the size and weight of your child. A horse can weigh up to 2000 pounds, and a child somewhere around 50 to 100 pounds in comparison. Introduce them, and always watch them for the first few rides, making sure that neither has bad habits with the other. We do want this to be a good experience for both of them do we not?
I am the mother of three grown boys, now men, who are all successful professionals with college degrees. I have been writing children’s books, and am in the process of getting them published.
My husband and myself are retired, and I am teaching myself to write online from my home computer, and have successsfully written over 100 articles and short stories on the hubpages.com site. I truly enjoy writing and have a wide selection of topics that I have written articles on, from animals and pets, raising children, family topics, to stories about commercial diving in the channel islands off the coast of california. I also have quite a few articles involving social issues including addictions, homelessness, and many other issues that touch our communities today.
I hope that you will feel free to check out my stories, for they are easy reading and thought provoking. Thanks.
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