focus onCOMMUNITIES 18


horsesare great for R


Why kids


by jennifer forsberg meyer | courtesy elcr.org


iding offers much more than equestrian know- how. Here’s why horses


can be a life-enhancing choice for your child. Margaret Coon learned a lot


about first aid and crisis man- agement during her time with the United States Pony Clubs. So


much so, in fact, that when she grew up and was dealing with her own child’s bump on the head, someone from her pedia- trician’s office mistook her for an RN. “No, I’m not,” explained


Margaret, who’d wowed the staff by having her baby’s pulse, res- piration, and pupil size available for the doctor. “This is just what


you do before you call the veter- inarian.” That degree of composure under pressure is com- mon among Pony Club kids. Margaret’s mother, Ruth Harvie, says the incident is but one of many involving her children, all raised with horses. “I can’t tell you how many times my husband and I have thanked God for Pony Club,” she says today. Her sentiment, sur- prising perhaps to the non-hors- ey set, is widespread among equestrian families. Just ask Darwin Pluhar. “I don’t know of a beter way to


raise kids,” observes the father of three, all of them riders. “They learn to think on their feet. They learn respect. And they learn to accept responsibility for their actions.” In January, Pluhar’s eldest son,


Zane, received the Texas Quarter Horse Youth Association’s out- standing youth award. Now fin- ishing his first semester at Texas A & M University, Zane plans to become an equine veterinarian. Younger son Joe and daughter Logan are also active in the asso- ciation.


“Riding and showing teaches


youngsters to prepare, and to muster the courage to compete,” notes their mom, Jenny Pluhar. “They learn to take the risks, enjoy the rewards, and deal with the disappointments.” Riding families have always


known horses are good for kids, but now research is prov- ing it. One study, sponsored


by the American Youth Horse Council, found that equestrian activities do indeed enhance a range of life skills in children. The study looked at youngsters involved in 4-H, Pony Club, the American Quarter Horse Youth Association, or the National High School Rodeo Association in one eastern and one western state. Results of the study, pub- lished in February 2006, found a significant positive relationship between horsemanship skills and life skills. “If your child likes animals and you’re concerned about that child’s problem solving, goal-seting, or decision-making skills, then definitely get him or her involved with horses,” says Ann Swinker, Ph.D., a professor in Animal Science at Penn State University and one of the study’s co-authors. An earlier study, conducted


by the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, found that 4-H horse shows were much more than just an enjoyable activity for children. “Clearly,” says Kathy Anderson,


PhD, the study’s author, “partic- ipating in these shows enhances important skills, including goal-seting, self-reliance, and follow-through.”


Better Kids Through Horses If you’re an equestrian, you


already know how beneficial horses are for children. If you’re not, you may be surprised to learn just how constructive horse involvement can be.


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