Horse Camp

With a ratio of 1:2, riders get plenty of personal instruction in all aspects of riding techniques as well as caring for a horse assigned to them for the entire session.

After breakfast, campers will round up their horses, groom, and saddle them before receiving at least three hours of hands-on training per specialty day. Campers will have multiple specialty days (up to 3 days) per week where they get extra time out at their assigned specialty area. Campers are divided by ability and progress at their own pace; first-time riders are also welcome. They can improve upon English and Western riding skills while learning about horse management, health, and knowledge of how horses are used in today’s society.

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Levels of Difficulty

Level 1

Horse sense, rules for riding, approaching, leading, grooming, saddling and bridling your horse, mounting & dismounting, basic seat and hand position, basic aids and horse control, circles, reverses, begin trotting, exercises on horseback and elementary trail riding.

Level 2

Horse sense, parts of the horse and track, horse coloring and markings, the basic gaits of the horse, horse terms, balance of horse and rider, adjusting the stirrups, posting on the correct diagonal, learning to canter or lope, western patterns and obstacles, introduction to jumping and intermediate trail riding.

Level 3 & 4

Horse behavior, equipment, bits and bittings, horse care, breeds, type of rein aids, leg, seat and voice aids, ways of using the reins, improving your seat in the trot and cantor, riding bareback, leads, transitions and backing, schooling figures in the ring, western turn-backs on the rail, first class jumping and trailing riding.

Level 5

Horse behavior and psychology, horse care, soundness, conformation, parasites, first aid, movement, blemishes, types of balance, advanced aid and cues, lateral leg aids, turns on the forehand, side pass, bending and supplying, stops from the lope, pivots, lead changes, rollbacks, western performance patterns, flexion and bending, half alts, lengthening and shortening strides, leg yielding, advanced jumping and trail riding.

All campers will, to their ability, learn to ride bareback, play games on horseback, attend and participate in rodeo events, trail riding, take their horses for a swim in the pond and possibly enter a show. Jumping is offered to those who show control and discipline.

Activities also include scenic trail rides throughout Wonder Valley, gymkhana and vaulting.

Trail Blazers is limited to 10 campers per session and available to campers 10 years of age and older.