It’s said that there is something special between children and horses. It’s hard to define what it is exactly, but children are generally fascinated by the huge animals. It’s a mix of fear and the complete awe that varies from child to child—some children are very timid when faced with the huge animals while others are fearless and only excited.
When they discover that they can potentially sit on top of this large, intimidating, and majestic creature, and actually have some manner of control over it, many children become fascinated to the point of obsession. As someone who owns horses and lives on a farm, we call that “getting the bug.” There are just some kids who get the bug the moment they see a horse, even if it’s only a photo or drawing, and it rarely goes away. Those parents are in trouble; horse crazy kids are a unique breed and generally very determined.
You might be surprised to hear that horses also have a special relationship with children. For big animals, horses are amazingly sensitive. It comes from a need to detect predators and react quickly; it’s a survival instinct. But, it also allows them to read people incredibly well. A horse can size you up really quickly, they know what they’re looking for and who they’re looking
It’s not magic and though they’re not mind readers, horses can sense moods and feelings and will react to it. Children are often open books and generally more relaxed than adults. Horses will often respond quite positively to kids who tend to be less bossy and better communicators than adults.
Also, these animals tend to have unique personalities and their own version of a sense of humor. So, when a dad decided to take a picture of his daughter with some Clydesdales, he got more than he bargained for. We absolutely love this hilarious picture… what a ham!
Image Credit: The Wolf 101.5 FM / Facebook
What do you think? Both subjects in the picture are cute, and together, they just make for the happiest set-up!
