The Top 10 Health Benefits of Owning a Horse

Being able to own a horse or even just spend time with a horse is incredible and such a privilege. Horses bring us humans so much joy throughout our lives and we are so lucky to have such strong bonds with these amazing animals. 

Here is a list of the top 10 health benefits of owning a horse: 

Keeps us physically active -

Horse riding certainly keeps our body moving, however, it’s not just the horse riding that keeps us physically active. Owning a horse means completing tasks such as grooming, feeding, mucking out, raking hay, and everything in-between. 

Getting exercise by doing something you love is great and by completing all of the above duties will also give you a sense of achievement. 

Self-confidence -

Owning a horse means forming a great partnership that works for both of you. As the owner, you take on a leadership role to teach your horse and nothing builds confidence more than leadership. 

You are responsible for the way your horse behaves and disciplining your horse correctly when necessary. 

Self-confidence is also built by communication with your horse. You may have your horse because they provide the perfect companion and this will also help an individual gain confidence within themselves.
 

Reduces stress - 

Recent studies show that even a small amount of interaction with animals significantly reduces stress levels by decreasing blood pressure and hormones associated with stress. 

Owning a horse means interacting with an animal for a number of hours each day, so imagine what that can do for your stress levels! 

Exercise is also proven to reduce stress and you will certainly be getting a great deal of exercise by owning a horse. 

Provides us with social opportunities -

Some of us can find socializing rather difficult. Going outside of our comfort zone and placing ourselves in social situations can be quite daunting. Owning a horse provides you with the opportunity to socialize with fellow horse riders. 

You are automatically placed in a social situation with people who you know have similar interests to you and this is great for finding common ground and making friends.

Engages the brain and improves our mental state of mind - 

Training a horse means lots of problem-solving and this is great to exercise the brain. You will face daily challenges that will force you to think creatively and overcome tricky situations.  

Keeping our brains active also helps decrease depression, anxiety and improves our mood. Horseback riding stimulates positive physiological feelings and can reduce depression by up to 30% and well as lowering the chance of dementia by 30% too. 

Keeps us at one with nature - 

A huge advantage of owning a horse is the time you get to spend in the great outdoors. Riding and caring for your horse means you can enjoy nature at every turn. Again, being outdoors reduces stress and anxiety levels and well as lifting our mood, and allowing us to get that all-important vitamin D. 

Great for character building - 

Character building comes naturally when caring for your horse. It teaches so many factors such as ownership, responsibility, punctuality, and confidence. 

You and your horse are building your characters further with every moment you spend together. 

Teaches commitment - 

Throughout life, commitment is so important. Owning a horse is a huge commitment and something that is not to be taken lightly. 

Once you take on the responsibility of owning a horse, you are in it for the long haul. A horse requires lots of love and care and each horse deserves that too. 

You need to be committed to regular exercise, feeding, grooming, cleaning stalls, and much more. Owning a horse is a great way to really get to know the true meaning of commitment. 

Builds core strength - 

Staying balanced in the saddle will build your core muscles which will strengthen your body and improve your posture both in the saddle and out of the saddle. 

Riding is like a full-body workout, so it’s a great way to become stronger and improve your balance. 

New Challenges - 

Challenging yourself is the perfect way to feel a sense of accomplishment. Whether it’s learning something new or competing in competitions. Horse riding can always provide you with a great amount of friendly competition. 

You can compete with your horse and all kinds of levels, for fun, or more competitive. There are so many things that you can get involved with.