In the country, the term babysitter is used with horses that are specifically great with kids. For example, older horses that have previously been great competition horses in all kinds of rodeo or ranch work eventually get to semi-retire. This basically means they are no longer working hard day in and day out because they have slowed down a little. Or maybe their body can’t take the demands of competition anymore. They are after all, athletes.You are probably wondering what the heck I’m talking about…babysitter horse?
When these horses get older and have “been there and done that” they tend to become much more kid friendly. Another term you may have heard is “bomb proof”. This is a horse that won’t jump if a bag blows in the wind or a deer gets up from it’s nest in the woods right in front of them. Instead, they calmly stand there acting like it’s nothing new and voila your child is safe.
Never underestimate the importance of the babysitter horse. It has given my children the confidence that got them a strong start on horses as well as exposing them more to outdoor activities that they didn’t have in the city. We have sent them on scavenger hunts to find garbage or debris in the fields, they play tag on their horses, and we use them to move cattle from one section of the pasture to the next. The moving cattle part is my favorite!
Anyway, We took this picture the other day when our friends were visiting. Rian is on Boss our 28 year old gelding. The amount of trust I have in him and gratitude for being so great with my kids is something I cannot measure. I treasure the time he is with us and hope he lives for years to come.
