It sure has been hot and humid this week! Campers, staff, and horses have been hanging in there and making the best of it, but it has definitely been a challenge to stay cool. Some of our riding classes had to be cut a bit short today due to the extreme heat in the best interest of the health of campers, horses, and staff. Tomorrow is supposed to be about the same as today was, so Day Camp will most likely be heading to the pool unless it rains.

The activities we ran today were planned to best maximize our time in the shade. In sports we played water games, consisting of relays and Drip, Drip, Drop (which is like Duck, Duck, Goose, only played with water). In Nature we made Dream Catchers using sticks and yarn. Arts and Crafts was tie-dye day, and by the end of the afternoon there were 60 tie-dyed articles waving in the warm breeze outside the Day Camp barn.

That's a lot of tie-dye!

Resident camp left in the afternoon to go to the pool, so we got to watch the horses from our main herd run out on to their grass pasture before the bus came. It's always neat to watch the horses interacting with each other and enjoying the extra room to run.

Campers and staff watch as the horses come down through the gate.

A horse of almost every possible color.

This week at Day Camp our theme is Adopt a Horse. Each group will be adopting one of our horses for the week, and will be learning how to care for it. We will hopefully get pictures of the groups with their adopted horses by the end of the week, so keep checking back!

Yesterday was a little overcast, but hot, humid, and buggy. We all made sure to drink lots of water and slather on the sunscreen! Despite the weather, we still enjoyed getting to know each other and the horses. In riding we covered the basics; how to stop, steer, and go.

The Falabella group grooming Zippy.

A momentary break in the clouds.

The Shetlands group riding.

The Quarter Horse group finishing an Around-the-World race.

This afternoon Day Camp visited Peck's food market and animal park, which is located just outside Arena, WI. It was a perfect summer day! Everyone had a great time going on wagon and train rides, seeing the exotic animals, and feeding the goats. Here are some pictures of the things we saw and did on our trip!

Wagon rides pulled by a team of Belgian Draft horses.

Molly and Dolly, Belgian Draft horses.


The Morgan group feeding the goats.


Kids were given cups of feed that could be poured into containers and wheeled up platforms for the goats to eat.

A goat eating on the middle platform.

One of the baby goats tries to eat the sign, while a llama looks on.

Here's a llama.

A swan in the pond.

The Quarter Horses in the bouncy house.

The train preparing to depart for a tour of the Peck's grounds.

The alligator was happy sunbathing.

Petting the potbellied pig.

Close up shot of the Emu.

Riding instructor Holly and the Pinto group posing with the large pumpkin.

Sully the guinea pig has been a special guest at all three Horse and Small Animal theme weeks we have run over the past two years. He loves cuddling with the kids! Sully belongs to Leah, the counselor in charge of the Arabian group this week.

Sully the guinea pig.

Sully loves attention!

Bridget, the counselor who leads the small animal activities.

On Wednesday, our small animal special guest was an unnamed 2 month old kitten who was brought in by Jenna, one of our riding staff. The campers played with her (she loves chasing markers and jumping on the fly swatter) and learned about how to care for cats, and also got to suggest names for her. At the end of the day, the two names that tied with the most votes were...

................................ (drumroll please!)...............................

... Midnight and Boots! Jenna will decide the winner tonight. By the end of the day the kitten was so exhausted from playing that she couldn't keep her eyes open. Aww!

Boots/Midnight meeting the Quarter Horse group.

Mmm, tasty markers!

Todays visitor for Small Animal Week was Huey the hedgehog! Huey is nearly full-grown, and likes to investigate things. When he is scared, he curls up into a ball, which causes his quills to stick out. He is a little pokey to handle when this happens, so wearing gloves while holding him is recommended. To calm him down if he is scared, all you need to do is blow gently in his face, and he settles down.

When he is scared, Huey curls up into a ball.

Huey visits the campers in the Morgan group while they sit in a circle on the floor.

Huey coming out of his house.

Small Animal Week August 2-6

The day camp staff are thrilled to welcome a new group of campers, and some special animal friends this week! Everyday there will be a new animal guests for the kids to meet and learn about. Today, Quarter Horse group leader Nina brought her two Boston Terriers, Ivy and Gertie, to camp.

Bridget, the Small Animal Activity Leader, letting Ivy and Gertie explore. The two dogs are mother and daughter.

Ivy loves the attention!

Here are the groups we have this week:

The Falabellas

Group Leader: Josh

The Shetlands

Group Leader: Amber

The Pintos

Group Leader: Mackenzie

The Arabians

Group Leader: Leah

The Morgans

Group Leader: Lindsey (not pictured)

The Quarter Horses

Group Leader: Nina