FUN, FESTIVE PONY CAMP IDEAS

Text | Rhiannon Cecil

For most of us, there is nothing we look forward to more throughout the year than the Christmas Pony Camp. School is finally over, and we can relax at last and enjoy some quality time with our ponies.

Instructors put a lot of time and effort into keeping pony camp fun, but at the end of the day, all they want is for you to have the best time possible. Most instructors and yard owners will welcome suggestions from their pony camp crew. If you’re looking for some fresh ideas to spice up your last pony camp of the year, look no further - HQ Pony Mag has got you covered.

MOUNTED FESTIVE FUN

By the time pony camp rolls around, most of us will have finished shows for the year, so it’s the perfect time to let loose and enjoy some mounted games. Here are some ideas you may or may not have tried before, just to get the ball rolling.

1. Red light, Green light

First, appoint someone to be the leader (you can take turns). The leader’s job is to shout instructions to the other players and be the judge. The rules are simple — when the leader shouts, “Green light,” you must move your ponies toward the finish line at whatever pace you’re comfortable. You can gallop, but be careful - when the leader shouts “Red light,” the last pony to stop has to go back to the start and try again.

A note: Riders who pull their ponies in the mouth will be disqualified.

2. Chase Me Charlie

This game is generally for more advanced riders as it requires jumping. Everyone jumps a small fence one after the other. Once everyone has had a chance, helpers raise the jump by one hole, and everyone goes again. You then keep repeating this process. If anyone knocks a pole or has a refusal, they’re out. The last rider left wins.

3. Gymkhana games

The best thing about gymkhana is you can really let your imagination run wild. You can include anything from barrel racing to apple bobbing, potato sack races and egg and spoon races. Divide yourselves up into teams (you can ask your instructor to help with this), and make sure you have a mixture of beginner riders and experienced riders on each team. The name of the game here is teamwork, so the experienced riders must help the newer additions, as you can only win when your whole team has finished each race.

4. Mounted Christmas fancy dress

This one is easy and so much fun. You don’t have to spend a fortune on fancy dress either - you can make your own costume. Perhaps everyone should make their costumes as part of the pony camp? Dress up yourself and your pony, and let your instructor be the judge. If there are pony campers attending who don’t have ponies, split everyone up into teams and share the spoils if you win.

A note: Mounted fancy dress can be dangerous. If some ponies are bothered by the bells and whistles, don’t use these ponies for fancy dress.

UNMOUNTED FESTIVE FUN

Our ponies need to rest too, so we can’t ride them for the whole pony camp, but never fear, there are plenty of ways to keep busy while your ponies enjoy some well-deserved rest or paddock time.

1. Christmas photo shoots

Appoint an instructor to be the official photographer and get ready to dress up. You’ll need a pony for this one, but he doesn’t need to do much other than stand and look pretty! If possible, arrange to have a picture printed out so you can make a card for your parents this festive season.

2. Turn horseshoes into fancy decorations

Farriers often have spare horseshoes available. Ask your farrier if they can spare some, and get out some spray paint and glue and use your imagination. If you keep some nails in the shoe, you can ask an adult to help you bend them so you can slip a photo inside and voila - you have a gorgeous handmade photo frame to give as a gift.

3. Decorate some stables

There’s no reason why your ponies can’t be part of the festive fun. You can design and decorate some festive name plates for your pony’s stable or go all out and add some tinsel and ornaments. Just make sure you think about where you’re going to put your stable decorations. Your pony shouldn’t be able to reach or nibble on any of the decorations, just in case.

4. Make some horse hair bracelets

Before you start, ensure you have permission to take some tail hair from your pony, especially if the pony you have in mind doesn’t belong to you. If you’re allowed, take some scissors and snip a few strands of your pony’s mane or tail, making sure they’re long enough to plait and wear on your wrist. Secure the hair at one end and start plaiting until there’s no hair left. You can use glue, bracelet clips or even plaiting elastics to keep both ends in place. Now, you have a special piece of jewellery to remind you of your favourite pony wherever you go.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

What is pony camp without a little bit of learning between all the fun? The truth is, you always want to leave pony camp knowing more than you did before. Learning about ponies and how to take care of them is part of horsemanship. Try out some of these activities and test how much you know.

1. Pony trivia games

You’ll need an adult to help you organise some questions and the answers. Split into teams, and be sure to pair older and younger riders to keep things fair. Enjoy answering the questions and see which team comes away with the most points at the end.

2. The blindfold game

All you need to play the blindfold game is, you guessed it, a blindfold. You might need some tack as well, so please ask permission before you take any. Take turns blindfolding each other and see who can:

• Take a bridle apart and put it back together

• Identify everything in a full grooming kit

• Use smell and taste to identify different pony food.

AND FINALLY, 'EAT THE CHOCOLATE'

If you haven’t played ‘Eat the Chocolate’ at pony camp before, no time is better than over the festive season. To play this game, you’ll need:

• A large chocolate bar

• A knife and fork

• Some riding gloves

• A funny hat

• Some strange clothes

• A dice

Everyone must sit in a circle with the chocolate, knife and fork and all the funny clothes in the middle. Take turns rolling the dice. If a player rolls a six, they have to put on all the clothes as quickly as they can and start eating the chocolate with the knife and fork. They’re not allowed to touch it with their hands. The lucky person who rolled the six is allowed to keep eating the chocolate until someone else rolls a six. The next person who does has to take all the clothes off the previous person, put them on and start munching away. The game continues until the chocolate is finished.

Remember to have fun this festive pony camp

Pony camp is more than a cool way to get out of the house over the holidays. It’s a chance to bond with your pony and make friends with people who love ponies just as much as you do. While it’s awesome to compete and find a winner, don’t forget why you’re all there in the first place - to love your ponies and have a good time.