What Is It About Horses And Young Girls?

What is It About Horses and Young Girls?

In a world of computer games, the

Internet and shopping malls, what is it about this four-legged farm animal

that seems to capture the heart of most of them?

According to a recent study by the American Horse Council, 1.9 million

Americans own horses -- just over 4 million people are recreational riders

and 3.6 million show horses. The horse industry has a $112.1 billion impact

on the US gross domestic product: greater than the movie industry and the

tobacco manufacturing industry.

Even with people mainly in cities, horses have really disappeared from daily

life for most North Americans. And yet their appeal hasn't faded.

I wonder why.

As a youngster, I was enthralled with horses. I read books about horses,

took riding lessons and all of my drawings were of horses. It's a girl thing

mostly. I didn't come from an equestrian background.

It does have benefits. You learn to control a large muscle-y animal which

may prepare you for being married to another version of one. A horse weighs

about half a ton. You can't be shy around a horse. You learn to be confident

and firm.

The general care of a horse which includes brushing, mucking out stalls and

feeding gives you a feeling of responsibility. It's a healthier

environment - a riding stable can delay the problems of dating and drugs. It

's a great physical activity.

In an age where teenagers find that television's problems are dealt with in

30 minutes, riding takes a longer, more dedicated approach. I think girls

who ride make better drivers because you're trained to look forward and plan

what's ahead. No one wants to get hit by an overhead branch on a trail. It'

is a monetary investment but I think it's on par with boys playing hockey

and the equipment that entails. Overall, I would say it is money well spent.

About the Author

Gwen Jones

http://www.equestrianboutique.com

Gwen Jones is an adult living in Toronto, Canada and rides when she can.

Equestrian Boutique