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Riding Programs at Camp: Enrichment of a Different Kind
By Kathy Thurber
Horseback riding has deep roots in the history of
American summer camps, but stereotypical images of the expense and elitism
of riding may get in the way of a full appreciation of the benefit and
relevance of this activity today. Children need activities that foster
empathy and compassion, responsibility and self-control. Skill-based riding
programs provide for the development of a set of competencies that
contribute to self-esteem and physical fitness. And achieving a working
“friendship” with a horse remains a particularly empowering experience for
both boys and girls. But there are countless marketing campaigns
hard-selling what’s “hot” to buy and what’s “cool” to do with those precious
summer hours, so parents and prospective campers may need some help to
discern the benefits of learning the finer points of equitation, beginning
barrel racing, or roughing it in the wilderness on horseback.
Fundamentals of Successful Horsemanship Programs
Then, there’s the culture of celebrity. A horse show is
not a rock concert; a rodeo is not MTV. And although riding can be
athletically challenging, it isn’t football or soccer. Unlike tennis, golf,
or figure skating, you won’t easily find role models competing on prime time
television or collecting product endorsements. Nevertheless, far from
shopping malls, theme parks, multiplex cinemas, and product tie-ins, there
are many successful summer programs teaching children the pleasures and
skills of good horsemanship. The variety of programs reflects the regional
and cultural diversity of the nation, but successful programs do have a few
fundamentals in common.
• High quality horses, instructors, and facilities.
Some camps own and board horses, and others allow campers to bring their own
horses. Some camps contract with nearby stables for instructors as well as
horses. All seek to have the safest yet most capable horses to meet the
needs and interests of campers with different levels of riding experience.
• Comprehensive safety program. Safety is a top
priority and is reflected in all of the camp’s printed publications and Web
site materials. This may include listing the background and credentials of
program directors and instructors, indicating an appropriate level of
fitness or experience, recommending proper clothing, requiring the use of
safety equipment, and articulating clear behavioral guidelines.
• Identification of program elements and costs.
Available hours of riding instruction, access to horses, barn
responsibilities, and extra fees if applicable, are clearly articulated in
all print materials and Web site information so that misunderstandings and
disappointments are minimized. Whatever the structure and intensity of the
program, communicating it clearly contributes to success for both the
participant and the camp. In horseback riding, as in many things, if you put
together a group with skill levels that are not reasonably matched, you run
the risk of going from one extreme to the other - boring some campers and
potentially humiliating others.
Common Goals
Summer equestrian programs have the same goals as most
overnight camps. If you are fine-tuning an existing program or developing a
new one, it helps to recall the basics. Paraphrasing The Summer Camp
Handbook by Christopher A. Thurber and Jon C. Malinowski, good goals for a
summer horse camp might aim for the campers to:
1. Have fun!
2. Improve athletic, artistic, and intellectual skills
related to riding and the care of horses.
3. Nurture independence and responsibility.
4. Make friends and develop social skills not only with
people but also with horses.
5. Experience a new environment that involves
developing skills with horses.
6. Learn from positive adult role models how to be
respectful and compassionate with another species - the horse. Learn not to
be mean and to exercise power with grace.
As Thurber and Malinowski make clear, these goals are
true to the core ideas and ideals of camp pioneers William and Abigail Gunn,
who envisioned camp as a wellspring of “priceless memories and the spiritual
growth of children.” In today’s world of specialty camps, summer riding
programs deserve a fresh appraisal and perhaps a fresh “spin” from those who
administer and market them. Some parents are looking for programs that
combine summer fun with academic, athletic, or artistic enrichment. But
equestrian programs offer enrichment of a different kind. Children have a
chance to spend time with horses, learn to care for and communicate with
them, and gain riding skills. They meet and live with adult role models and
peers who share the love of horses, trail riding, or equestrian competition.
For parents who are looking to “unplug” their kids from popular culture,
computers, TV, and the shopping center for a few weeks, summer equestrian
programs present an accessible and affordable alternative.
Alpengirl Wilderness Horse Camp, Manhattan, Montana
Six years ago, Alissa Farley, owner and director of
Alpengirl, started her adventure fitness camp in the wilderness of
southwestern Montana with six girls. She has doubled enrollment every year
since. The success of her program is evident in the evaluations of parents
and campers and the high rate of returning campers.
Adventure and fitness are at the heart of a program
that promotes the positive lifetime effects of good eating, exercise,
wilderness, and friendship. Morning yoga, good wholesome food, daily
adventure sports, group entertainment, Leave No Trace wilderness living,
natural science education, leadership development, and personal training are
methods of meeting the program goals. The philosophy of the camp is to
connect teen-age girls with the mind, body, and spirit.
There is a strong commitment throughout the staff to
foster the development of the “mind-body connection” as the key to promoting
physical and emotional health in teenage girls. One of the strengths of the
program is the maturity and continuity of the staff: 75 percent of the
returning Alpenguides are over the age of twenty-seven, and the camp has
been able to contract with the same outfitters for the pack trip for the
past three years. Director Alissa Farley says it is important to be able to
“rely on the expertise of the outfitters.” The Alpenguides have a higher
level of medical training than the outfitters, and that increases confidence
in the health and safety of participants in the activity.
The Wilderness Horse Camp is in its second year. Twelve
girls ages fourteen to sixteen participate in a two-week program in Montana.
No experience is necessary, and Western riding is the choice, of course
“because it’s Montana,” Farley says with a smile. It includes a three-day
pack trip on the Continental Divide near Yellowstone National Park. Campers
also work on rodeo events in the indoor arena at the Gallatin River Ranch in
groups of six. Other activities include rafting, hiking, cavern touring,
visits to Yellowstone National Park and hot springs, yoga, and canoeing on
the Lewis and Clark route near Three Forks, Montana.
Who comes? “Teen girls who want adventures matched with
riding,” Farley says, adding, “They learn to pack all the gear on the mules,
to bridle and saddle the horses, and to find the trail/routes. They practice
Leave No Trace camping on horseback, and participate in an Alpengirl BBQ and
Rodeo with prizes for traditional rodeo events such as barrels and poles.”
Kathy Thurber is a freelance writer with an M.F.A. in
theater. She has recently combined her love of writing with riding horses,
writing for national and international equine publications. She will be
spending this summer coordinating performing arts programs at Camp Neshoba
in Raymond, Maine. Originally published in the 2004 March/April issue of
Camping Magazine.
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