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 School of Riding, Education for Horses

 

 

Summer camps

Summer camps are just plain fun, and you get to ride so much! It is a great opportunity for giving a great big boost to any rider’s level, but mostly, it gives us time to do things that we can’t quite fit in during the school year, in riding, but also and more especially in horsemanship, knowledge and care.  So even if you are diligent in keeping up with one or two lessons every week during the school year, it will be even better if you can fit at least one camp in your summer schedule.

The level of each camp is defined by the first rider signing up for it. So signing up early gives you a better chance to find the most convenient dates to fit your schedule.

3 formulas to chose from

Camp 1: a good option for adults who cannot afford to ride more than once/day without getting hurt, or for an intermediate level student who would rather fit in several camps with less riding rather than one big one.  We meet around 9:30 at the barn to get a horse ready for a lesson at 10:00, and we try to fit in half an hour of un-mounted lesson after the ride, making us finish some time around 11:45 or 12:00.  This is not a good option for beginners, as it takes about 5 or 6 lessons taking turns on the lunge line before the students are ready to ride each their own horse.  With only 5 rides in the week, it makes it very unfair to have to stop right when the rider has earned the right to be more independent!

Camp 2: the most popular formula. Students get to stay all morning at the barn and ride twice/day! The day starts at 8:00 am sharp! We get a horse ready and sit in the saddle at 8:30 so we can fit in a lesson in the coolest part of the day. Then we take time for an un-mounted lesson before our next ride at 11:30. We are done around 1:00.

Camp 3: is available only to advanced students.  This is for the serious rider who is not afraid to get sore legs and can’t get enough time in the saddle!  From 8:00 am till 1:30, we fit in 3 rides each day, plus some un-mounted time.  This is intense, but so much fun: to feel like a pro, riding your string of horses all morning, and the rewarding progress and understanding coming out of it!  Students coming with their own horse will work their mount only once or twice per day depending on the horse’s fitness, and use a school horse the rest of the time. You need to sign up early for this one, as I cannot fit it around a camp 1 or camp 2.  It has to be the only thing that week.  

Prices

Camp 1: $225

Camp 2: $400

Camp 3: $600

There is 10% off all camps for people who sign up before May 31 st.

Payment needs to be made upon signing up.

Riding breeches, paddock boots and half chaps are best for riding, but jeans and rain or cowboy boots are enough for beginners.  Helmets are obligatory, some are available at the barn to borrow. Riding will not be allowed in tennis shoes or shorts!

Summers in Minnesota are very hot: riders need to come with sunscreen and liquid water.

Riders in camp 2 and camp 3 should bring a lunch.  A good healthy snack is a plus though (sweets make you hungry too fast. I like almonds, but kids might like a cheese product of some sort).