Most city kids will likely never have the occasion to see a live horse. Those in Suffolk, at least, can see them near the road in a number of farm pastures within miles of their home, but there’s no substitute for an up-close-and-personal experience.

That’s why SCM Vision’s summer camp at Oak Grove Baptist Church took almost four dozen of its participants to the home of Anthony Boatner, who with his children Imani and Isaiah gave the kids important lessons about horses. Younger children were allowed to pet the horses, while older children took a ride.

One needn’t be a farrier or veterinarian to need to know something about horses. They are large animals and can be dangerous if the humans around them don’t exercise care. A working knowledge of many different species of flora and fauna is an essential part of a child’s education, even if he or she doesn’t live on a farm or desire a career in zoology or botany.

But the first horse ride for a child could even inspire a thirst to learn more about all of God’s creatures and become a veterinarian, zoologist, farmer or any number of other careers geared toward animals. Children need exposure to many different things if they’re going to be able to dream.

That’s exactly the purpose of the horse outing and others offered by SCM Vision’s Camp, said the Rev. Sylvia Murphy.

“We want to let these children be more exposed to culture,” she told a reporter this week.

We’re thankful for the many adults in SCM Vision and organizations like it for providing these sorts of opportunities for Suffolk children.