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Conger, MN | I'd say go for it. It does not have to be a huge investment, at least to see how things go starting out.
If you know the people in your area, there may be a place where you could potentially get a start until you know how much you and the family will like it . . before making a huge investment in time or money.
My wife and I have "neighbors" about 2 miles away whose kids were off at college and starting their careers. They had the facilities, knowledge, and interest to fit what we are looking for. We knew them pretty well, but it is not like we were great friends or relatives. We just knew they were active people that like kids and horses.
We met the neighbors at their farm one evening when our girls were about 7 and 9, so they could get to know each other. Our kids "liked" horses, but their experiences with them at that time were very limited.
We explained to the neighbors that we wanted to get our kids familiar with horses, chores, etc. Could we come over once a week or so for an hour or two. Just to groom, feed, and lead their horses. I said I'd be there at all times. The couple was very accommodating, and I think they actually enjoyed teaching . . . and having activity around. The girls started slowly, eventually riding the neighbors' horses a bit. That led to us getting two horses and boarding them at the neighbors for much less than what a professional boarding facility would charge.
We only had the horses for 5 or 6 years, as the kids eventually got really busy with other activities, so they had to decide what to give up. We were not going to have horses that only got visited/ridden a couple of times a month. I was somewhat disappointed that they chose sports, work, boyfriends over horses, but only a little. It was a great experience and family activity. The girls are now 22 and 24, and both of them live in big cities. Their big city friends seem fascinated by many of the small town experiences, such as horseback riding.
I'd suggest doing something so the kids know it is not all fun and games, and that horses are lots of work. If they still seem passionate about it, then I'd jump in with both feet.
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Horse for kid?
