With the horse serving as a mode of transportation it is the first time in a child s life where they become the driver. Even a bicycle can not compare because it doesn't have a personality or desires which motivates a horse. As an adult you can reflect back on the responsibility taken on when you learned to drive a car. Driving , or Riding as in this case, a horse requires a lot of responsibility. Not only does the child have to decide where to steer, what pace to have, and how to control the variables in between, but when the ride is all over they have to care for this large and completely dependant animal.
Riding requires a lot more responsibility than taking out the trash or cleaning the bathroom.
Daily care of horses lends itself to a strict routine. Horses, being grazing animals stuck in a domesticated environment, need to be feed at regular intervals throughout the day. If they are kept in a barn their bedding needs to be changed daily and they must have fresh water at all times. Their bodies need exercise, their coats brushing and their minds need stimulation. This is just an example of the requirements of equine management.