I am running an equestrian summer camp this year of 2010. So far everyone seems to be having a lot of fun. This isn’t a large camp or a training camp for competitve equestrians, but simply a fun camp for kids 6 – 14 who want to learn to ride and have fun with horses. I do this because it is fun for me and I love horses, kids and teaching riding and horsemanship basics. The kids are a hoot! They come up with so many questions and funny comments about the horses. They are fascinated with everything a horse does.
We saddle up first thing after the kids get there and go to the ring. Most of the children have no idea how to ride, some think they know and a few have had lessons from friends and family. Their hands, arms and legs are everywhere. Thank goodness I have a group of slow, forgiving horses who don’t mind all the pulling, yanking, kicking and thrashing around done by these kids. By the end of the first day the kids are in love with the horse they have ridden. They have tacked, groomed, washed, picked hooves, grazed and loved on their horse and want to stay for more.
The rest of the week is spend working on using their hands, voice and legs to ride. They learn through coloring pictures of horses and tack the different parts of the horse and the difference in english and western tack. They learn the parts of the hoof and how to take care of it. And they have cleaned and oiled tack, cleaned a stall, learned how to feed and what to feed, learned about wormers and parasite control as well as washed their horse. I think the most fun they have on the ground with their horse is braiding manes and tails.
At the end of the week, they have a horse show where they present their horse all braided and ride a pattern they have learned over the week. They are so proud of themselves for riding their horse all alone and stand quite proudly for pictures taken by family and friends.
I am glad I have done this for these children. It has been fun for me and fun for them. I think the parents appreciate their children getting to do something for an entire week they they would not normally have had the chance to do. I so look forward to doing this next year.