Every parent wants their kid to be successful in life.
You want them to learn how to set goals and keep them. You want them to learn responsibility for themself. You want them to learn how to be accountable for their own actions. You want them to learn time management so they can reach those goals. You want them to learn about hard work. You want them to see that even when life knocks them around a bit, they still need to keep pushing towards their goals. You want them to learn to control their emotions.
How do we teach them these skills?
One way is to put them in things that they are interested in and let them sort it out along the way. You let them try what they are interested in- whether it be sports, chess club, or maybe horses.
Soon you find them engaged in their interest and working hard to get better. They set goals for themselves and work to reach them. They learn how to overcome frustration and bad days. Their life has more purpose now than the day to day grind.
And soon you find, as if by magic, that they are learning those things you wanted them to learn.
But then you remember, it was never about the horse, was it?