The Magic of Girls and Horses

I know there are a lot of male horse lovers, but there’s just something special about the bond between a girl and a horse. Of course, this isn’t some great epiphany. Psychologists have been studying and trying to explain this phenomenon for years. Supposedly, almost all girls go through a stage when they adore horses and horseback riding. According to the experts, this usually happens around the age of twelve and has something to do with the horse being the symbol for male strength and virility.

I don’t know about all the psychological mumbo-jumbo, but there’s probably some truth to it. I, however, fell in love with horses long before the age of twelve. I’m not sure exactly when it began, but it seems almost as if I were born with this special affinity for horses. After a couple of years of begging and pleading, my brother and I got a horse when I was six years old, but since he was much older than I, he got to ride a lot more than I did. Two years later, I got a Welsh pony all my own – the best Christmas I’ve ever had.

If your daughter is horse crazy but doesn’t own a horse or pony, at least let her take some riding lessons. A few riding lessons might be all she needs to get over her equine love affair. She might find that the idea of riding a horse and the actuality of riding a horse are two very different things. On the other hand, the riding lessons could have the complete opposite effect. She might fall even more in love with horses. But that’s not a bad thing!