Horse Crazy

Teaching Children to Ride

Updated:

January 21, 2022

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Teaching children to ride is extremely rewarding. Their enthusiasm, open hearts, and keen attitude to learn make children good students. Their fondness of ponies is a joy to behold. Most children are quite fearless when it comes to riding and it is the responsibility of the instructor to ensure their safety comes first and their exuberance to ride is carefully channeled. For the nervous rider, much patience is needed and allowing a child to sit on a pony and be led can work wonders for their self-confidence.

The Power of Play with Our Horses

Updated:

November 4, 2021

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The mammalian nervous system is an incredible thing, with its complex functionality, and all the ways it regulates our systems, adapts to change, restores itself, and even mirrors the nervous systems of those around us. If any year was going to introduce us to the limits and resourcefulness of our unique nervous system, 2020 would be it. In this one year, every one of us has found out exactly how we cope with global uncertainty, massive change, potential scarcity of resources, and possible threats to the health of ourselves and our family and friends. Our nervous system is an integral part of how we cope with stress and change, working behind the scenes to recalibrate, reorganize and bring us into new ways of being in a healthy or not-so-healthy state.

Kids on the Trail

Updated:

July 13, 2021

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We always talk about doing things right - the right training, riding method, gear, and discipline – but there is no escaping the fact that kids will be kids. They do not have the physical size and strength of an adult, the same ability to discipline, the same control, or the same focus and concentration to work through issues.

Fundamentals of Proper Hoof Care

Updated:

December 27, 2020

It is not enough to just call a farrier and have him shoe your horse. One of the most basic requirements of responsible ownership is to understand and practice proper horse hoof care.

4-H Canada - Learn to do by doing

Updated:

May 14, 2020

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For over 100 years, 4-H Canada has been one of the most highly respected and widely known youth organizations in the country, offering activities and projects to nurture members’ talents and abilities, and developing leaders who impact their communities. Its core values embodied in its pledge define the profile of 4-H at every level.

Keeping Children Safe While Handling Horses - the research may surprise you

Updated:

March 13, 2020

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Ph.D. candidate Lara Genik and Dr. C. Meghan McMurtry from the University of Guelph’s Department of Psychology conducted a survey at the 2015 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF) in Toronto, looking into the prevalence and impact of less studied painful incidents among children while handling and riding horses. Genik’s research survey set out to understand common painful incidents associated with riding and to gain insight that could potentially lead to intervention through safety and educational programming.

Reconciling Two Loves: Motherhood and Horses

Updated:

February 21, 2020

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“Horses will always be waiting for you,” is a well-intentioned reassurance uttered too frequently and exclusively by loved ones who’ve never experienced the isolation of a hiatus from horses. My fiancé offered me the same phrase following the doctor’s orders to stop riding due to minor pregnancy complications that could worsen by the turbulence of a moving horse. This temporary farewell to my lifelong passion served as my first sacrifice of motherhood, and I felt the significance of it at the time.

Your Horse's Baseline Health: 10 Key Areas

Updated:

January 22, 2020

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Consistent care is crucial for maintaining your horse's health and preventing potentially costly veterinary expenses. Getting to know your horse's baseline health makes it easier to identify when something is amiss. Catching issues such as injuries or infections early allows for quicker treatment and faster recovery. Here are some key areas to focus on:

Fitness for Equestrian Kids & Youth

Updated:

March 21, 2019

As riders, younger children are best introduced to as wide a variety of equestrian disciplines as possible. There is plenty of time for them to specify as they mature and start to show clear strengths and tendencies. In the meantime, fostering a healthy sportsmanship and leadership attitude, and other qualities such as patience and self-discipline early on, will provide them with psychological tools to excel under pressure later in life.

Fitness for Kids

Updated:

March 21, 2019

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Riding can be a fantastic growth opportunity for children. Like any other sport, riding provides ample circumstances for children to learn great life skills like good sportsmanship, responsibility, commitment, and active lifestyle habits. Being in a relationship with another living creature and accomplishing tasks together adds further benefits.