At Inky Dinky Saddles, designing, manufacturing and delivering safe horse saddles for children is what we do. With that, it should come as no surprise that we know and see first-hand the plentiful benefits of learning to horse ride at a young age. Here, we want to share why you shouldn’t hesitate to get your kids in the saddle too.
Improved Balance and Coordination
For very young children, getting into their pony saddle will teach them to sit upright. As the horse moves, your child’s motor function will be actively working to find the perfect balance on the horse. These constant slight adjustments also improve their coordination.
In fact, horse riding so significantly supports and improves the balance and coordination of children, equine therapy is a popular activity for people with cerebral palsy.
Encourages Responsibility and Respect
For young children, having responsibility for another living creature and showing them respect is a really important life lesson that will remain with them in scenarios outside of riding. Horse riding for children also encourages discipline, compassion and kindness.
Supports Confidence and Self Esteem
Sitting in their children’s saddle on an animal more than 4 times their size can be really empowering for kids. Learning and mastering new skills is also a really positive and rewarding experience for children, in which their self-esteem can take a big boost.
Promotes Great Riding Technique as they Grow
When it comes to learning, children’s minds are like sponges to new information and new techniques, since they have no pre-existing bad habits getting in the way. By learning to horse ride early, they can naturally and easily develop a beautiful style that can continue to improve as they grow.
At Inky Dinky Saddle, our kids’ saddles are designed with position and posture in mind. In order to support balance and promote a great posture from a very young age, the children’s saddles don’t require the child to grip with the legs to stay in place, enabling the rider to relax with the pony.
It’s Great Exercise and Great Fun!
In a world dominated by technology, horse riding is a safe haven from sitting in front of a screen. It is an activity that is as good for the physical health of children as it is for their mental wellbeing. Being able to enjoy physical activity in the great outdoors is so important for children to learn, and horse riding is the perfect opportunity to introduce it.
There you have it; just five benefits that horse riding offers young children – and it is by no means an exhaustive list. For many parents, their child’s safety is the main reservation for horse riding at a young age. At Inky Dinky Saddles, we have developed a children’s saddle to combat this. To learn more about our handmade children’s saddles for sale, take a browse of our website, or get in touch with the team at Inky Dinky Saddles today!