By Hope, 11
I have a virtual horse whose name is Scramble. He is a beautiful Mustang with a shiny black coat and a long thick mane and tail. I am really attached to this horse mostly because I bred him and had to work very hard for him. He is spoiled, but that is ok because I love to give him my time and every day when I am away from him, I am always thinking of fun things that we can do together.
Scramble, even though he is not a real horse, has taught me a lot of things. When I first started playing virtual games, my parents were concerned that I would get “sucked” in and never come out. They had visions of kids sitting in a trance in front of the television, not doing their homework or even participating in the family. This is not how it has been with me at all. I only play with Scramble and a few other horses for about an hour each day. I always get my homework done first and then play so that my parents are pleased. My mom even loves to watch me play so, it is fun for more than just me. Here are a few things that my virtual horse Scramble has taught me.
Patience
It took a while to figure out how to have the most fun with Scramble. I have to work at some skills in the virtual horse game very hard before Scramble would do just what I wanted him to do. It is just like when I am taking riding lessons. I have to work very hard to get the horse to do what I want him to do, and it takes patience.
How to Be a Better Trainer
I love to train horses on the ground and in the saddle even though I am not very old. My virtual horse Scramble has taught me many things about training that I can apply to my own real horses one day. I keep a notebook and write all the things down that I have learned. The training tips and techniques in the virtual horse world are very useful in the real horse world, and I am gaining a lot of training experience.
Good Stewardship
One of the most important things that my virtual horse Scramble has taught me is how important good care is to a horse. We have a responsibility not only to feed them and groom them but also to love them. When you neglect your virtual horse things go very badly. I have seen many virtual horses that are in bad shape because owners forgot to look after their needs. I usually end up adopting these horses and caring for them, as well.
How to Have Fun Without Pressure
It may seem crazy to some people that I could get attached to a virtual horse, but it is true. Me, and thousands of other horse crazy gals get together every day to share stories, tips and laughs. The real horse world, especially the show world, can be full of pressure. In fact, I have seen friends of mine turn completely against horses because they have so much pressure. Playing with Scramble in the virtual horse world has shown me how to have great fun with a horse with very little pressure. It is fun just to hang out with other horse lovers without feeling judged or pressured.
very nice article. which game is japser on? I have yet to find skill sets on bella sara.
thats great that horse games are teaching you things, but remember, not everything is completely accurate and when dealing with real horses, untill your a bit older, always ask your trainer before you try anything you see online, as every horse has been trained differently, and yours will react to something differently to your friends horse.