For kids who long for their very own Equine Partner - a whole week of
Horsemanship Skills Development & Essential RIDING time
FOR ENGLISH AND WESTERN RIDERS
Our SYWAH
Camp for girls is designed for
English & Western
riders ages 10 -18 yrs. An
excellent
girls' camp for riders with basic skills,
this horse camp is for those with an interest in
looking beyond
just taking routine lessons. At
some point, every child wants to take the step
towards owning their own horse -this camp is a
way of 'checking' to see if they have all the basics
down pat - JUST in case they ever get a chance at
ownership. Safety, riding skills development, and
stable management skills are all covered in this
broadly based camp week. Just 'playing around'
with horses will give our young riders tons of great
experience,and pave the way to horse ownership!
Prior experience with owning or managing a horse is NOT necessary ~ this camp is all about learning
important, universally accepted horsemanship skills that are simple, straightforward, and easy to learn.
Learning to manage horses safely makes riding more FUN, because knowledge is POWER! We welcome youths
of ALL riding skill levels, including recreational riders. Good horsemanship doesn't have to be a big mystery!!
As always, we spend MANY
hours in the saddle per day, on our safe and reliable school horses.
Riding both in the ring AND on the trail, and the girls will enjoy and develop a special rapport
with their
very own
horse for the week. Best of all, the information is presented in a fun, enjoyable
format which
allows the girls
to learn at their own speed and with the help of our staff and their fellow campers.
Between camping and
swimming & riding - what more could a girl ask for in a summer vacation?
With 4 hrs riding daily, this camp is open
to riders from Western
and English seat. Lessons are set up for maximum effect for BOTH disciplines!
And if your camper is interested in both seats - we can work with that too!
The training skills learned during the week
allow the campers to
better enjoy their potential
future mounts. Using our friendly and
playful
babies, our ready to start
youngsters
(for demo only)
and of course
our safe and well mannered school
horses,
on which the girls
will
learn
and
practice
their new skills ~ the campers will get some really
great hands on
experience
under the direction of our
friendly staff. The topics covered
incorporate
practical
techniques
from both English and Western seats
because in
reality, the basics of BOTH seats are very
similar, differing only
in the 'finishing off' of the process.
It's a real eye opener for our campers!
Youths enjoy a well designed program covering ALL the basics.
Some of the subject areas to be covered will include:
- Horse training/schooling
techniques - Safety during riding & handling
- Lungeing & Roundpen Skills for both disciplines - Practical theory in the barn and for the horse
- Classroom & riding time designed to maximum learning - Bridles Bits and Bitting technique
- Goal planning to further focus riding skills - Training equipment - Animal husbandry
- Introduction to horse events from barrel racing to cattle work to jumping a course
PLUS a broad range of ESSENTIAL Management skills from
Bathing and Braiding to Buying without Burning!
and of course
LOTS OF TRAIL RIDING
AND ONE ON ONE TIME WITH
THEIR FAVORITE HORSES
!
Throughout the week, the girls will be very
involved with working our resident babies -
it's great for them AND the campers! From handling
the weanlings yearlings & two yr olds, to learning
'sacking out' and desensitizing of the two year
olds - this camp gives a broad base of skills for
riders who might potentially purchase a YOUNG
horse ~ our camp week will have them covering a
large expanse of horse training skills development.
Last year, we had SIX babies that our campers got to
maul throughout the week - it was awesome!
Besides being interesting and loads of fun,
this
practical hands
on experience teaches critical equine
skills. The girls can safely
learn in a friendly, one on
one setting. It's the perfect camp for
the horse crazy
teen who simply can't get enough of learning
about
horses and improving their horsemanship.
Here, 14 year old Brittany ground drives a two year old
- Brittany is now training horses on her own!
As with all of our unique
programs here at the farm, the main
focus is
simple - time RIDING! So You Want a Horse camp
offers girls a chance
to socialize around the clock with other
youths who share their passion.
And, what better way to
escape the city?! This camp is not just about
important
ring sessions - we get to do lots of TRAIL RIDING. Our
forest
property backs onto the best trails in Ontario, with
stream and lake
crossings, sandy spots to canter, and many
trail obstacles to challenge
each horse and rider. While
focused on education, we of course leave
plenty of time
for swimming, socializing, and the all important R&R on
HORSEBACK! When we devised this camp during our latest
brainwave,
we tried for a combination of all our camps rolled
into one great package.
With a fine blend of camping, trail
riding,
ringwork, english and western
skills development,
plus the addictive adrenalin rush of working horses on
cattle and over fences, this camp tops them all! Meet
new friends
and
wear out the seat of your pants on horseback
- it's a truly exciting blend of fun and educational horsemanship.
As always, we go for full immersion! From
our
cozy
cabin
with nightly
crackling campfire
in an
on farm wilderness
campsite ~ to our
nightly
ritual of goofing around & relaxing
by a roaring fire or watching a movie
- it's an atmosphere
that's proven
itself to be a popular experience!
Relaxing at night and enjoying crispy
marshmallows and
comraderie
with their new
friends is a feature attraction of all our camps!
The week will be rounded out with a fun 'yardstick' for our campers!
From a dressage or reining test (very similar, different seats) to
jumping a course or working cattle - each rider will enjoy a few
relaxed 'critique' type tests (oh yes the dreaded word) because
a 'TEST' is nothing more than a measuring stick to measure
progress. It gives our campers a way to see where there strong
points are, and where they need improvement. It's actually a TON
of fun and gives a great goal - which keeps things focused and
enhances learning. Campers who are serious about owning a
horse will enjoy seeing where they are at in their riding and
barnsmanship, and will also enjoy learning about some new
disciplines - for instance, has anyone ever run a reining pattern?
Learning about horses is all about setting goals and then attaining
them - and horse ownership is no different. For those who wish to
own a horse simply for trail riding - we'll design a test for them
that will test their trail skills and safety - it will be a HOOT!
Pictured left is Penny and her favorite horse Maggie - if Penny can do it, anyone can!
Because our camp is set up for cattle, youths will
have the rare advantage of being able to learn about
cattle events. Our stable focuses on ALL the disciplines
so no matter WHAT the interest of your child - and their
potential future horse use - we've got you COVERED!
This camp is not just about expanding riding skills.
It's not just
about
spending countless hours of practical &
educational hands on time working
with our equine friends.
Our years
in the business have shown us that campers
enjoy
spending quality time just hanging out with a horse & their
new pals. There's always something to learn, even in the quiet
hours of the day. And
of course at sunset, what matters is that
every
camper enjoys their time
here at the farm. We're a small
camp that focuses on quality learning
time AS WELL AS one on one
time. Our campers come from everywhere
- from English to Western,
everyone mixes well and enjoys the experience. Camp is a horizon
broadening experience, and often, campers return yearly to
try
another of our TEN camps, with many a lasting friendship formed.
What matters most - enjoying quality time with a horse!
So if your young rider is comfortable around horses, is totally obsessed
with
riding, is comfortable at walk trot and CANTERING or learning to canter, and is keen on learning a
more in depth focus on horsemanship & equine skills - this camp is a perfect solution!
Click here
for a downloadable application form,
and a list of what to bring to camp. Best of all, for THIS camp
there's nothing extra necessary! Just bring one pair of breeches
and one pair of jeans and we're ready to roll!
Follow this link to a page we've made highlighting all
the greatest tack stores
just in case you wish to purchase something for your child's summer horse camp
experience.
We'd like to help you outfit your campers within budget!
For more information on how to sign up,
please contact
Highland Wilderness Tours
Matt & Penny Nicol, Box 211,
Maynooth, Ontario, K0L 2S0
1-613-338-2330 or toll free 1-866-RYD-WILD
info@ridethewilderness.com