This bond between a four-year-old boy and his foal is just adorable

Children’s safety around horses should always be a priority for those who want to share their passion with their kids. Weighing over 1,000 pounds with a tendency to bite and kick, horses can be dangerous for children who don’t know how to act around them. It will only take one small mistake to cause serious harm, but don’t let the possibility of an accident keep your kids from experiencing the joys of horses.

Horses have a range of personalities, and you never know what kind of reaction you might get. If the horse’s owner is mounted on the horse or somewhere nearby, teach your children to always ask permission before approaching. The owner will let you know whether the horse is kind of wary toward strangers. If you can’t find the owner, leave the horse alone.

Before your child approaches a horse, they should calmly announce themselves by speaking at a normal volume and pitch. This is another essential tip for child safety around horses. Also, as we see in the video, the fact that the child approaches the horses with great care means a lot because any sudden movement can awaken the animal’s instinct for danger, especially since there was the mother with her foal, and we only know how much protective and aggressive are mothers in the first days of their foal’s life.

Horses make wonderful childhood companions. Children are naturally attracted to them, and that makes horses a desirable alternative to TV-watching, Internet-surfing, or just “hanging out”. Horseback riding also puts children in touch with nature and can be enjoyed alone or in groups.

When the whole family gets involved, the time spent together with horses can enhance the bond among family members and become the stuff of treasured childhood memories. Moreover, the benefits of horse involvement are enduring, as a child’s “horse habit” can evolve into a rewarding lifelong hobby.

Riding is a terrific exercise. People who think the horse does all the work have never really ridden. Apart from its aerobic benefits, riding also helps a youngster develop balance, coordination, and flexibility. Moreover, the activities involved in caring for a horse—grooming, hefting buckets and saddles, cleaning stalls—can make for a great upper-body workout.

Then, too, as children learn how important good nutrition, veterinary check-ups, dental work, and regular exercise are to a horse, they begin to appreciate their own health needs.