There is nothing more beautiful than a child interacting with a horse. It's no secret that children and their horses form a special bond. If your child has been asking and asking for a horse and you feel yourself thinking, "Well how much work could one horse be?" Unless you truly have the time and extra money for a horse, take your child riding at a local stable as you aren't ready for horse ownership.

Some children are more mature at the age of nine than others are at the age of twelve. You will have gauge for yourself how ready your child is for the responsibility of caring for a horse. Horses require a lot of work and interaction. They are herd animals and get lonely if left to stand in a stall not to mention they need exercise and lots of it along with good food.

If you have the room and the time and money for a horse, consider adopting a rescued horse, they are wonderful animals who have committed no wrong except they were owned by people who either didn't understand how to care for them or they were outright abused. Others were pegged for slaughter to become steaks in Europe where horse meat is considered a delicacy.

Take stock of your lifestyle at the moment, if your finances and time will allow room for a new companion animal in your life, take a look at the horses that are ready to go to good homes and you might have a former race horse as a new family member or perhaps a horse that needs to learn that all people won't hurt her. Either way, your child can learn the value of good care, patient training and wind up with a loyal horse companion for many years to come.