Hugh Jackman's parent lesson

Nov 30, 2008, 8:00 GMT

Hugh Jackman - The actor - who has two adopted children, eight-year-old Oscar and Ava, three, with wife Deborra-Lee Furness - had to learn to ride for new movie \'Australia\' and discovered similarities between raising a family and controlling a horse. © Donna Ward / PR Photos

Hugh Jackman learned about parenting by horse riding.

The actor - who has two adopted children, eight-year-old Oscar and Ava, three, with wife Deborra-Lee Furness - had to learn to ride for new movie 'Australia' and discovered similarities between raising a family and controlling a horse.

He explained: "I learn a lot about parenting from riding a horse. It's the same thing. You can whack a horse - I've seen people do it. They whack them, they kick them, they do all that and you can get a horse to do something, but I was very lucky to have two trainers who taught me how to make the horse feel it's their idea. I tell you, as a parent it is the greatest thing I've ever learned.

"No longer do my children have a bit between their mouths."

The 40-year-old star also revealed Deborra-Lee teases him about turning into his own father now that they have a family themselves.

He said: "Having children makes you learn about your own parents because I found myself, and my wife quite often says, 'Oh, hello, Chris'- that's my dad's name - because the things coming out of my mouth sound exactly like my dad, which I swore on my life I'd never do! It's the most annoying thing and it's sort of bizarre."