Young Equestrian Leaders Day Camp (ages 11-14)

MORNING MANAGEMENT

Mornings will be focused on the horses’ needs: bringing the horses in, feeding, grooming, hoof care, wrapping, equipment, groundwork, training strategies on the ground, first aid and some basic bodywork techniques.

During this part of the day, students will

• gain knowledge about and participate in the daily management required to maintain and improve their horse’s basic physical function

• deepen awareness of self and interpretation of equine behavior while learning techniques for helping their horse regulate its nervous system

• expand communication with their horse through groundwork exercises that challenge them to become more organized in their footwork and rope handling

• practice consistency in the process of educating their horse to new skills

• exercise their creativity in designing activities and challenges for each other that integrate new skills and strengthen their partnership

AFTERNOON LESSONS

In the afternoon, each student will have a 45 minute semi-private lesson. We will have four instructors available, each with a specialty in horsemanship, beginner riding, rider biomechanics or jumping. Lessons will be organized by skill level to meet the needs of both beginner and more experienced riders with plenty of individualized attention during lesson times! 

During each lesson session, students who are not actively involved with the current lesson will have time to work on two projects of their choice: one project to present as new learning at the end of camp and one educational activity to teach what they have learned.

These sessions expand on the concepts covered during the morning session but target

• assessing their horse in terms of the phases of training: function, regulation, communication, education and integration

• improving rider organization as the foundation for communication 

• deepening knowledge in an area of interest

LEADERSHIP

Opportunities to develop leadership skills are woven into both morning and afternoon activities:

• Each camper will be assigned a horse that will be their responsibility for the duration of the camp. 

• During the afternoon lesson sessions, each student will have the opportunity to assist in teaching one lesson to train their eye and practice peer support. 

• During the third week of each session, each student will be assigned a younger student as their buddy for the week. While they will each still receive their own lesson, they will also be responsible for supporting their younger friend during lesson times. 

• Each student will develop an activity in weeks one and two to teach some new skill or information to our younger students in week three. 

All campers will be invited to join us on the Saturday following each session for a Hideaway horse show where they can share their projects and riding skills with friends and family!

EXPECTATIONS

We will expect students to have a significant amount of independence and work collaboratively with each other. This means that this camp is not suitable for students who are extremely timid, lack a sense of self-efficacy, struggle with emotional regulation or have behavioral challenges beyond what is age appropriate. Please reach out to Kate at kate@hideawayacrs.org if you would like to discuss whether this program is a good fit for your child!

DAILY SCHEDULE

8:30 Arrival

9-11 Stable Management

11-11:30 Snack & Tack Time

11:30-12:15 Semi-Private Lesson 1

12:15-1:00 Semi-Private Lesson 2

1:00-1:30 Snack & Tack Time

1:30-2:15 Semi-Private Lesson 3

2:15-3:00 Semi-Private Lesson 4

3-3:30 Snack & Tack Time

4:00 Pick Up