Description

This is an off-season FALL horse camp, perfect for homeschooled students or others with a flexible schedule! Please confirm that this horse camp date WILL NOT conflict with your child’s schedule if they attend conventional public or private school.

DATES: September 30th – October 3rd, 2024

TIME: 10:00am – 3:00pm

AGES: 8-18

THIS CAMP IS FOR: Beginner, Novice, or Intermediate riders under the age of 18 interested in western riding, gaming events, and trail riding. These camps always have a great mix of total beginners and long-time students that have done many camps and everything in-between! Everyone is welcome to join us in our camps – we always prioritize making sure that all riders are always learning, being challenged, and trying new things! This camp is a lot of fun even for those that have ridden with us before – we always try to challenge our riders, even if they have been to multiple camps!! We focus a lot on trail riding during these camps, so it is fun for everyone.

 

SPACE IS EXTREMELY LIMITED to allow for a personalized experience for all riders and our website will automatically show as “sold out” as soon as we hit our maximum, so don’t hesitate to reserve your spot! You MUST secure payment to reserve your spot. These camps often fill up 6+ months in advance, so if there a spot open, get it while you can!

This camp is geared toward TONS of hands-on and one-on-one learning opportunities!

Riders will start the horse camp each day helping with and learning about the day-to-day chores that need to be done in order to care for the horses and other animals on the farm. They will be experiencing what it really is like to care for a horse – beyond just the riding portion! They will work together to prepare stalls for their horses by cleaning them, filling hay nets, filling water buckets, preparing grain, and learning how to keep the barn a safe environment for all animals. It’s a true day at the ranch!

Once they have finished caring for their horse and the other animals around the barn, they will spend the rest of the day grooming and riding their assigned horse. Each day will build upon what the kids learned from the day before, with more and more riding time being added each day as they get more experienced and comfortable with each task.

It would be very hard to find another camp that offers more ride time than we do! Our horses are SAFE and experienced, and they are ready to take care of your kiddos in our indoor arena, outdoor arena, and on our wooded trails and fields!

Not only will each camper get the opportunity to ride, learn, and have fun, but they will also be able to enjoy spending fun days on a farm that is home to many horses, ponies, goats, chickens, ducks and pigs!

We have multiple experienced instructors on staff during all camps in addition to many camp leaders with years of equestrian experience under their belts. This way, we are able to provide as much one-on-one attention and assistance to every rider at our camps. Our main riding instructor is barn owner Mary Sansevere.

We have so many other cute animals in addition to the great horses in our program!!

 

Miniature horses, dogs, cats, chickens, guinea hens, mini pigs, dwarf goats, and one friendly turkey!

We require ASTM / SEI certified equestrian riding helmets to be worn in all riding lessons and horse camps.

You can purchase a helmet at any Tractor Supply, Runnings, Fleet Farm, Dover Saddlery, and most country stores as well. We really like the brands Troxel and Ovation for their quality and affordability, but really whatever is most comfortable for your child and certified will work! They are much safer and designed for higher impact than any other type of helmet. We do have a couple on hand that kids can borrow but cannot guarantee that we will have enough or one that fits your child, and a properly fitted helmet is required for all riding activities. It’s best for your child’s safety that you get them their own so you can ensure that they have a properly fitted helmet!

Please print out our waiver and bring it signed on the day of the camp.

WHAT TO BRING:

• 2024 waiver printed and signed
• Sturdy boot or shoe with a heel to ride in
• Rain boots, just in case it gets cold and muddy!
• Old jeans or riding pants that you don’t mind getting dirty!
• Extra layers (sweatshirt, jacket, extra socks, gloves, etc.)
• Warm/waterproof jacket in case it is rainy and we are outside
• ASTM / SEI Certified Riding Helmet
• Lunch
• Water Bottle
• Snack
• A good attitude!

WHAT TO EXPECT:

EQUINE EDUCATION: We will take time to discuss equine feed and nutrition, how much hay a horse eats per day, and other types of food horses eat and need.

FARM CHORES: They will learn about cleaning horse stalls top to bottom, re-filling water buckets, re-filling hay nets, and preparing grain and supplements for each horse and pony for the next feeding.

GROOMING: They will learn to properly use each grooming tool and groom a horse from top to bottom.

RIDING EDUCATION:

• They will learn (or review if they already know) how to tack up their horse or pony.
• How to get on and off your horse safely.
• Asking your horse or pony to stop, go, turn and back up.
• Learning an “emergency stop” and the situations that may require it.
• Working on the gait transitions. Walk, trot, canter (if ready), and whoa.
• Going over/through obstacles
• Fun obstacles will also be set up to ride over and through in order to challenge their hand and eye coordination and bond more with their horse or pony.
• We will set up games and activities to be played from horseback to promote skill development while also having fun!
• Trail riding (weather permitting)