A Fun and Successful Kid’s Camp Presented by the Northwest Chapter Educational Experience for Kids at Coalmine Horse Camp near Telkwa

By Harley Golder, Northwest Chapter

On May 18 to 26, 2022, the Northwest Chapter of the Back Country Horsemen of BC, in the Bulkley Valley, had the opportunity to host 22 students from Heartwood School. Located in Smithers, the school functions primarily as a homeschooling program with two days a week for hands-on outdoor activities. Some of our BCHBC members had previous experience with these kids through an archery training program.

Helene Flury, a Heartwood Teacher, requested a horse care and riding clinic for a group of middle school students. BCHBC-NW agreed to host the event at our Coalmine Camp facility.

There seemed to be some initial confusion about insurance coverage on the part of the BCHBC executive. A call to Capri Insurance showed that we were fully covered by our existing policy. The students were divided into two groups of 11. One of the groups would come on Wednesday, the other on Thursday, for two consecutive weeks so that each student would have two sessions with the horses.

We decided that the instructor/student ratio should be one to one. It would be difficult to assemble 11 instructors at one time, but we thought five or six would be possible. This would enable us to work with half of the group, take a short break, then work with the other half.

We arranged for other activities around camp, for the kids who were not with the horses.

The youth ranged in experience from owning their own horse, to never having seen a horse. That gave us some latitude in matching horses to rider experience (very gentle horses for those with no experience or little confidence).

The program we decided on basically follows the BCHBC Education Program and includes hands on tack care, horse care, saddling, leading, and riding under the tutelage of our experienced members. Students would learn safety around horses; how to brush, lead and clean the horses’ hooves. They would be taught the proper procedure to saddle a horse and the safest way to mount.

On the first day, the students arrived in several vans. After a quick orientation of the facilities, we covered the “classroom” part of the program including basic safety, philosophy of horse use, and a bit of history. The students were then matched with appropriate horses and instructors.

After 30 minutes of slowly working through the “groundwork,” the students were taught the mounting process, and all were able to learn the basics of controlling the horses.

The timing was about right. The students dismounted and prepared the horse for the next student before any frustration could set in, and while enthusiasm was still high.

The same process was followed for the 2nd group, and for the next day’s groups.

For the second session, for each student, all the information from the first day was reviewed, with the kids doing most of the work. The preparation went much faster, so everyone was able to enjoy a longer time in the saddle. For many, a 10-minute “trail ride” down the camp driveway and back was the culmination of the experience. By all accounts, everyone involved had a fine time, and look forward to repeating the adventure.

The facility worked well. The large arena provided ample space for everyone to have their own training station. Some easy obstacles in the skills development area provided enough challenge for the more advanced students.

Our ability to host this event is based solely on the generosity of our members with their time, and the use of their horses. We wish to thank all the instructors for a successful event.

Benefit of Belonging: Education is and has always been a focus for the Back Country Horsemen of BC. It comes in many forms; first and foremost is simply speaking with experienced members who are often willing to share their knowledge and expertise. An event like the one featured here is a great example of how our members work with our community. Visit our website to learn about our Trail Rider Education Program, Leave No Trace, and more. www.bchorsemen.org.