Every parent or guardian know that horse riding is a sport which involves an animal that can be unpredictable and volatile at times, not to mention the fact that the child himself could fall from a great height or at great speed. Parents may find themselves asking is horse riding safe for my child? Though horse riding can be risky, children can derive lot of pleasure and benefits from the sport.

Safety Equipment:

First of all your child should have right safety equipment. A riding hat is the most important thing.  It is better to  buy brand new and have it fitted properly. Some riding schools will also lend hats out, but then you should be sure about the safety of these equipments.

If a child starts learning to ride very early it can be a huge benefit for him. It becomes more natural to him to ride well and the chances of having silly accidents are  lower. The child will be more in tune with the horse and what it plans to do. The child will also learn how to avert accidents and collisions and if he does fall, he will be far more likely to get straight back on the animal.

All sports have their own risks, but accidents on horses are actually few and far between.  If your child has all the right safety equipments, even if he does fall from the horse, he should be well protected.

Remember, the child will certainly not be nervous as the parent. So, when you do take your child horse riding for the first time, you must not let your nervousness be passed on to your child. Because if he realize you are scared he may become nervous himself, which could result in more accidents and injuries.

Rock Climbing:

Rock climbing is the most familiar form of climbing which It involves climbing up or across man-made rock walls or natural rock formations. Its goal is to reach the top, known as the summit. Like all other extreme sports, rock climbing needs proper training and knowledge of climbing techniques and also the usage of specialized equipment. It requires strength, agility and endurance and is a sport that is  physically demanding as well as mentally. Rock climbers also need to have  a high level of control.

Ice Climbing:

This sport involves climbing ice formations, ie.cliffs and rocks covered with ice, frozen waterfalls and icefalls. Ice climbing is generally devided into two different types alpine ice and water ice.

Alpine ice is found on mountains and is usually climbed when trying to each the summit, where as water ice is when a flow of water has frozen, it is often found on cliffs. Both types depend on  weather conditions, and training on knowledge is essential for climbers.

Buildering:

Buildering is when you climb on the outside of buildings and other structures. It is also known as urban climbing. Buildering attracts huge crowds and media attention, calling it the modern day spiderman.

Climbers start  with smaller sections of buildings and gradually build on there skills to accomplish larger structures. Buildering can be a dangerous sport if practised without ropes and protection. It makes training a must.

Bouldering:
This sport gains new skills in climbing, and is now a popular sport in its own right. It is a style of rock climbing used without rope and is normally restricted to very short climbs to limit serious injury.  It is a great sport to develop your skills.

It is usually practised  on natural or man-made boulders (a large rock). The more experienced climber can practice at the base of larger rock faces.