Mashari Al-Ghamdi takes a break after his riding lessons. Amal Al-Sibai Saudi Gazette Horses are beautiful, powerful, graceful, and friendly animals. Second only to dogs, horses are among the most loyal of animals to humans and they develop a strong bond with their riders or owners. Horses have excellent memory which means they can be easily trained. They remember people who have been close to them even after a long period of separation. So a horse may be your next best friend because it will not forget you or leave you. They are very social animals, meaning they live together in herds and if they are not kept close to their companions, they become lonesome.If the closest contact you ever had with a horse was at a zoo or farm and you would love to be around horses more often, you could visit one of the many horse ranches and equestrian clubs in Jeddah. Al-Aseel Equestrian Centre is one of the oldest horse ranches in Jeddah. They welcome children and offer horseback riding lessons to kids as young as seven years of age to both boys and girls. In fact, the manager of Al-Aseel Equestrian Centre told Saudi Gazette that the highest number of their members and students are in fact kids just like you, who adore horses and would like to learn something new.The children at the ranch said that horse riding has become their ultimate favorite sport activity and they enjoy it far more than basketball, soccer, and even swimming. Just like learning any new skill, horse riding requires patience, perseverance, and determination at first but then its physical and emotional rewards are worth all the effort and hard work. Mashari Al-Ghamdi, 11, has been training at the ranch for a year and a half. He said, “Riding horses is my hobby and I come to the ranch to practice every day. My father is a talented rider and a champion and he has won several national competitions. He played a major role in my growing love of the sport and is my constant source of motivation and support." Aya Al-Zuabi, 10, rides more for joy than any ambition to enter competitions. She said, “All my life I have loved horses, read numerous books about them, and collected beautiful pictures of them. Riding horses has changed my life and I can feel a strong connection with the horse I ride. “If you are kind to the horse and show your affection, it will respect you, obey you just to please you, and will never hurt you. When my horse takes off on a speedy gallop, I feel like I am flying."Some people mistakenly believe that it is the poor horse that is doing all the work and that the rider just sits there without a sweat. It turns out that horse riding is actually quite an intensive workout. “Riding horses moves many muscles in the body arms, legs, back, abdomen, and shoulders. It is one of the best forms of physical exercise, burns calories, keeps you fit, and improves your physical endurance. When starting your training, the most important step is to develop a pleasant relationship with the horse. You can win the horse's trust by giving it positive rewards such as a pat on the neck, rubbing its forehead, praising it, and offering sugar cubes, carrots, or apples," said Muhammad Ali who has been teaching horse riding to children for over 30 years. Bassam Noor, the manager of Al-Aseel Equestrian Center, said, “Over the years we have witnessed countless benefits for children when they learn to ride horses. First, it helps children develop a stronger personality and it improves their self-confidence. A young child feels very capable, special, and confident when she is able to control her horse and guide it. Riding horses builds muscles, boosts concentration and attention span, helps children focus, improves their balance and posture, and teaches patience. Children learn valuable social skills as they interact with other riders and their trainers. Even children with disabilities have greatly improved their mental skills and the function of their hands and arms due to horse riding, with supervision of course." A beginner in horse riding, Sondos Zain Alabidin said, “I wanted to try something new this summer but the first two horse riding lessons were hard and tiring. Now after several more lessons, I am much better and I feel more fit, active, and energetic. I am an animal lover and I have had almost every pet you can think of a dog, cat, turtle, duck, rabbit, hamster, and bird; so horse riding is the perfect sport for my love of animals." Can you think of any other sport or hobby that is so much fun, that children enjoy so much, and that is also one way of following the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) Sunnah and can actually gain blessings and good deeds from Allah at the same time? Horse riding and archery are the only sports that were highly recommended and encouraged by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions. In this Hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) commands Muslims, “Teach your children swimming, archery and horse riding." In another narration, the Prophet (peace be upon him) criticized idle play and stated that almost all forms of play and amusement are considered a waste of time, except for these three types: shooting arrows, training and riding a horse; and for a man to chat, joke, and entertain his wife and young children. If you are one who is curious about these remarkable animals and would like to learn to ride, you can sign up for horse riding lessons at any of the equestrian clubs in Jeddah. At Al-Aseel Equestrian Center, they charge SR800 for every 10 lessons and you can reach them at [email protected].
