Equestrian Week 2023
Monday
We had a blast getting to meet everyone on Monday! The weather had some interesting
plans in store for us, but this did not stop us from making new friends, hanging out
with the horses, and enjoying the sunshine that came out later in the day. As we
were not able to ride in the morning due to weather conditions, we instead spent
time “ground driving” with our favorite pony, Stormy! To ground drive, campers hold
onto long reins that extend from a horse’s mouth far behind them so they would be
able to pull a carriage or wagon. After this, we were able to spend a “Horse Science”
rotation grooming, saddling, and reviewing some safety rules around horses. We were
even able to treat our horses to some apples covered in molasses and oats! Luckily,
in the afternoon, the weather cleared up enough for us to ride. Campers got the
opportunity to ride the horses bareback, meaning they had no saddle between them
and the horse! This really ensures that the camper can feel all their horse’s
movements and better connect with them while riding. When not riding, campers did
some horse origami and took photos with some of their favorite Hoofbeat horses!
Overall, we had a great start to Equestrian Week.
Tuesday
On Tuesday, we enjoyed a full day of sunshine and beautiful weather. In the morning,
we were able to have a regular riding lesson. Using our wonderful indoor arena, each
class worked on different skills to improve our riding. Whether working on using our
legs to steer or keeping a good position at the trot, campers had a wonderful time
giving our ponies some exercise. After riding, we broke out the braiding books and
had time to practice making our horses’ manes look beautiful. Next, campers had a
Horse Science lesson on horse sports. We even got to see some old Hoofbeat jumping
poles! After lunch, we made horse charm bracelets, rode our horses one more time,
and had “barn choice” time. For “barn choice,” campers essentially become barn
directors for a day as they help with tasks like filling water buckets and feeding
horses! It was a fabulous day of camp!
Wednesday
On Wednesday morning, we rode in our daily riding lesson as per usual. The riding
instructors noted that they were already able to see huge improvements in their
campers’ riding ability! In Horse Science, we learned all about drill teams, which
are groups of riders that ride in choreographed patterns (sort of similar to
synchronized swimming). We worked on making our own drill patterns that we would ride
in the afternoon! After this, campers got to participate in “tack races”: taking
apart and putting back together items like saddles and bridles to help us better
understand how they work. Then, we had the chance to ride our drill patterns! They
turned out beautifully, and campers were able to practice their ability to control
their horse’s speed and movements. Campers were also able to do quite a bit of
painting in the afternoon: in the Arts & Crafts room, they got to paint wooden
horseshoes, and up at the barn, they got to paint the horses! Using horse-safe paint,
campers were able to make patterns and designs on their horse’s coat. Afterwards,
they were able to give their horse a bath to wash the paint off - a fun end to an
exciting day!
Thursday
By Thursday, campers were becoming expert equestrians who were ready to ride in their
daily lesson. After they rode in the morning, campers participated in a classic camp
activity: tie dye! We all had a blast filling our shirts with colorful dyed patterns
and hanging them on the fence to dry. Campers ended the morning by learning all about
the horse sport of dressage. We even looked at mock dressage tests and learned what
judges expect of dressage horses and riders in a competition. As the afternoon rolled
around, it was clear that the weather would remain cool and comfortable, so we
decided it would be fun to take our campers and horses out for a little trail ride!
Using our “Cowskull” trails in the woods behind the barn, we had a relaxing ride
enjoying nature. Campers also worked on some “diamond art” stickers and did a
scavenger hunt around Hoofbeat. We wish the day didn’t have to end!
Friday
On Friday, we had a very full day of activities! For our morning and afternoon riding lessons, we decided to switch things up a bit by having the campers ride in an English saddle rather than their usual Western saddle. This requires a bit more balance than the Western saddle, but all our riders were up for the challenge! We also created horse collages, cutting out pictures from magazines to make our very own “dream boards.” We kept the creative juices flowing by also making some miniature horse crafts using clothespins! Next, we got competitive with some trivia races in Horse Science, and we even got a chance to look through some old Hoofbeat record books. Campers were fascinated to see Hoofbeat horses that were born in the 1960s and 70s! To end the day, we had a three-way rotation in which campers got a chance to relax and groom some horses, visit Trading Post (the camp store), and even take a ride on the Hoofbeat tractor. Though we never want the week to end, we had such a blast getting to know each and every camper. Thank you so much for a wonderful week, and we hope to see you all again soon!
