OUTDOORS
H ORSING A ROUND By Katy Burbank :: Photography by Kelsey Grudle
As a kid, not much can beat a summer day full of riding horses, playing games and spending time with friends. Going home exhausted after a day jam-packed with fun and sunshine is one of the best feelings in the world.The Equestrian Center’s horse camps will give your little rider that sense of freedom found only in summertime and in riding horses. Our horse camps cater to all ages and experience levels. Whether we have beginners or “been-there-done-that” riders, we always teach and remind our campers of the fundamentals of horsemanship and safety. Your camper will learn how to safely approach, groom and tack a horse. Throughout camp, each cowboy and cowgirl will learn how to ask the horse to walk, stop, turn each direction and navigate through a pre-set obstacle course. Our instructors have spent countless hours working with children and horses, so they know when a rider needs to be led or when to let them completely take the reins and trot off alone. We strive to safely push our riders to new limits every day. In addition to hours spent in the saddle, campers will learn about what it takes to properly care for a horse. They will learn all kinds of fun facts about horses and their behavior that will make them feel like equine experts. To cool off, our campers will spend time making theme-related crafts or playing water games. Often, a pony will appear that wants to be painted from mane to hoof by the kiddos.
54 | JULY/AUGUST 2020
