Horse riding courses for kids
Horse riding is a sport that encompasses many different types of riding style including dressage, eventing, show jumping, rodeo riding, trail riding, steeplechasing, thoroughbred racing and polo. Horse riding may be part of an organized equestrian event or a leisure activity, an individual or team experience. Equestrian sports are contested as part of the Summer Olympics Games and consist of team and individual dressage (where the horse and rider(s) are judged on their ability to effortlessly perform a series of predetermined movements), three-day eventing (where individuals compete across 3 disciplines in dressage, cross country and show jumping) and show-jumping (where horse and rider must jump over a series of obstacles usually within a time limit).
Horses have played an essential role in Central Asia since ancient times as nomads depended on horsemanship and they historically bred the best horses for stamima. More recently the growing middle class in countries such as China has fueled a growth in horse riding popularity. China in particular has seen a huge increase in the number of horse racing tracks and equestrian clubs.
Children as young as 2 years old can start their horse riding adventures by riding a pony but most horse riding schools or camps typically start around 6 years of age as the children will be of sufficient height to rise a horse and have the maturity to cope with a larger animal.
The benefits of horse riding for children include
- encouraging an active lifestyle which establishes healthy practices for adulthood
- enhancing cognitive development
- improving social skills and team work particularly in competitive horse riding sports such as polo
- building strength in core, inner thigh and pelvic muscles
- improving balance, posture and flexibility
- protecting against future metabolic diseases, cancer and cardiovascular disease
- increasing engagement levels and confidence
- better quality sleep which improves a child’s resiliency and concentration
- building self-confidence