Healing With Horses Summer Camp
Sights & Sounds Around the Farm: Welcome to the Healing With Horses summer camp weekly round-up!
HWH Summer Camp Day 10 -- Final Friday! Campers were excited and maybe a bit nervous to demonstrate for family and friends, what they learned over the summer. Guests were invited to be participants in every aspect of our day. From bringing horses in from pasture, grooming, tacking, and even leading from the ground. Campers mounted and rode their horses to demonstrate their ability to steer, stop, and work through various obstacles. It was a great day, filled with pride and emotion. We're so grateful for the time with each one of them, and hope to see everyone back on the farm again!
If you've not yet completed the interest survey, please do that as soon as possible so planning may take place regarding the possibility of an after school option, or episodic get-togethers over the next ten months!
As you head back to school, campers, remember -- You Can Do Hard Things! And we believe in you...
If you've not yet completed the interest survey, please do that as soon as possible so planning may take place regarding the possibility of an after school option, or episodic get-togethers over the next ten months!
As you head back to school, campers, remember -- You Can Do Hard Things! And we believe in you...
Day 9 of summer camp was rainy, but that didn't stop us from getting good work done! Trust. It's a big thing -- in life and in working with horses. Week 9 was spent doing activities with our horses to further the relationship, and continue building the confidence and skill of each camper. To us, a black tarp is just a tarp. But to horses, it's the scary pit of death that might suck them into a bottomless black hole. A square pen of plastic bottles and ropes could be killer snakes and ankle-biting monsters. Walk across a wooden plank that makes a clunking sound with each footfall? Nope! And walk thru two pillars with flags and helium balloons floating around?? No way!!
At first, most of the horses were nervous. Avoiding going thru the obstacles. But with time and encouragement, they all did it, under the guidance and encouragement of their human partners. Even sweet Molly Mae, one of our rescued ponies, got in on the action!
Remember: Friday, August 23rd is Final Friday. Campers are welcome to invite family members to join their session for a demonstration of the things they've learned. We hope to see you there!
PS: A few campers have inquired about continuing with Healing With Horses after summer camp concludes. We'll send out a survey to determine if there is enough interest to run an after school session this autumn on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Stay tuned!
At first, most of the horses were nervous. Avoiding going thru the obstacles. But with time and encouragement, they all did it, under the guidance and encouragement of their human partners. Even sweet Molly Mae, one of our rescued ponies, got in on the action!
Remember: Friday, August 23rd is Final Friday. Campers are welcome to invite family members to join their session for a demonstration of the things they've learned. We hope to see you there!
PS: A few campers have inquired about continuing with Healing With Horses after summer camp concludes. We'll send out a survey to determine if there is enough interest to run an after school session this autumn on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Stay tuned!
The weather for Day 8 of summer camp was absolutely gorgeous! After a few weeks of extreme heat, rain, and humidity, this week's weather was amazing. And a perfect day for trail riding. So, after everyone brought in and prepared their horses, we headed out into the back acreage to wind our way through the lovely trails. The sky was so blue and the plants so vibrant, it was easy to forget that we were still in the midst of suburbia. A couple of our horses got a bit spunky, and overall, riders did well! There are always things to work on, ways to improve. Just like with anything we do in life! One of the many key take-aways from the morning... sometimes the greatest progress comes after what might feel like a set-back. Stuff happens. It's how you handle the "stuff" that matters. Can't wait to see everyone next week! (P.S. I learned that it's really difficult to take good photos while riding!)
We "did a thing" on Day 7 of summer camp! After accomplishing the basics (bring in, groom, tack, walk, adjust tack, mount), we played the Fragile Egg game with spoons, while riding! It's not easy. Steering with one hand, horses stopping and starting. This activity brings more practice of remaining calm, being in control, working with our very large partners, and having fun! Then... we took the huge step of riding outside of the arena! It's an entirely different experience and set of challenges to ride in the open without being contained in a structure. It was fantastic. There were some frustrations. Some campers felt nervous. There were unsettling moments. Quick horses. Compliant horses. Stubborn horses. All of it. And everyone stayed calm, focused, determined. When asked how it felt, we heard scary, bumpy, fast, and FUN many times. Everyone did great, and they're learning they CAN do hard things. Can't wait until next week...
By Day 6 of summer camp, everyone knows the routine. We start with a relational circle then bring horses in from their pastures, groom them, tack them up, warm them up, safely mount and work on our riding skills. Today we did all of this and then played "musical chairs" on horses. Ride horses while the music plays and when the music stops, direct them to one of the colored rings on the wall of the arena! One by one, horse/rider teams are eliminated. It's all for fun, but is reinforcing skills of being in control, riding and guiding. Thank you everyone for your flexibility, which allowed HWH to work with 150 youngsters grieving the loss of a loved one, at a kids grief summer camp last Friday. We'll be back on our normal schedule this Friday with both AM and PM sessions!
On Day 5 of summer camp, after campers brought their horses in from pasture and groomed them, they learned to tack (or practiced if they learned this last week). Everyone learned to properly mount and dismount. And everyone had saddle time today! First being led from the ground by a guide, and then completely on their own! All our campers did great! At one point, one of the horses was spooked by something that fell nearby; her camper handled it perfectly! Two of our horses decided to trot for a for a few steps and our campers handled it beautifully! One of our horses and her camper weren't in the mood for a lot of riding, so after doing the basics, spent more time grooming, braiding and "glittering" her gorgeous tail. Sometimes, ya need to pivot; change the plan. Everyone was courageous, calm, and persistent...which is key in horse world, and in life. Some horses were stubborn today, and frustrating. (Aren't we all, at times?!?) But our campers persevered. Because they can do hard things...
On Day 4 of summer camp, campers brought their horses in from pasture, groomed them, and learned to tack them -- which is the equestrian word for the horse's "gear". Our morning session also completed the 1:1 round pen activity, establishing the connection -- and leadership role -- with their horse. A few campers also started the process of riding, by learning and practicing how to safely mount and dismount. It's our goal to have everyone in the saddle this week! Enjoy some photos, below...
On Day 3 of summer camp, grooming and leading were the new skills we learned. Did you know, in a herd, there is hierarchy? Horses have leaders. And communication occurs thru body language and sound. So when working with a horse, it's important for the human to establish the leadership role. Sometimes this means being assertive. We worked on this skill while walking thru the trails, and during our work in the round pen (PM). After bringing our horses in from pasture, we walked them around the arena for a short while, and then ventured out onto the trails to lead them even when the temptations of fresh grass and clover were all around. This is more challenging than you might think! Then we learned about the different grooming tools and which tool is used for what purpose. Grooming a horse is an incredibly loving, and connecting activity. It helps the horse know that you'll take care of them and keep them safe...further building trust. Grooming is also important before putting on a horse's tack to ensure there isn't any mud, burrs, or other objects that will cause them discomfort under the saddle/girth. The afternoon session then moved to the connecting phase using the round pen. Morning session campers will do this important activity when we return on July 12. Enjoy some sights from Day 3! Have a safe and rejuvenating holiday weekend and we'll see everyone back on Friday, July 12.
On Day 2 of summer camp, we focused on respect and boundaries, while campers learned how to use a lead rope and walk a multitude of horses. How to turn left and right, and back up or go forward. Horses and budding equestrians were also paired today! Disposition, experience level, personality type all go into the pairing process. When we moved to the arena, campers walked their horses over ground poles and weaved between vertical poles. Given the heat and humidity, each horse also received a refreshing hose-down. As a thanks for their work, we let them graze in delicious grass and clover before returning them to the pasture. The time spent on the ground with our horses is when relationships and trust is built. When asked, "how long before we can ride"... we explained that steps aren't skipped. For the safety of people and horses alike, everyone needs to learn the basics of horse handling, and invest in the relationship so each horse learns to trust their rider. As always, we began with round-up and ended with round-down. Campers all did great!! Can't wait to see everyone on Day 3 when we'll learn how to properly groom our horse...and tack!
