The Joy of Riding
Imagine climbing on top of a 1200 pound animal, then encouraging it to run at great speeds while leaping over jumps and navigating around a ring. Sound fun? Terrifying? A combination of both? This kind of exhilarating activity is exactly what our dedicated horseback riders work towards! They seek the thrill and excitement that comes with riding, as well as the deep connection with the horses and a growing passion for the sport.
Our campers spend years working on their progressions, gaining skill as they earn the horses’ trust and gain confidence in themselves. Some campers ride at home and are able to practice their horsemanship all year. Others don’t have access to a barn or own horses at home, so they cherish their time at camp when they can enjoy riding again. This is the case for many of the boys who were on the advanced trail ride on Friday morning. About a dozen of them rode all morning, from right after breakfast to right before lunch, enjoying the views from the “top of the world,” above the old orchard at camp.
Sam lives in DC, and told me he enjoys riding any chance he can get. Mary, the head of the barn, said that Sam signs up to come to the barn almost every day. The next thing he’s planning to work on is jumping for the first time, and today he rode trails on Checkmate, one of his favorite horses. As he dismounted from the saddle upon returning from their long ride, he said his legs were sore, but it was worth it! “The best part of the trail ride today was seeing the view from the top of the mountain. I don’t get the chance to ride at home much because I’m kind of in the city,” Sam told me.
Ryder agreed, saying that he is always excited to return to camp because it’s the only time he’s able to ride. I asked him what his favorite part about riding is, and he responded, “I don’t want to sound like a teacher’s pet, but all the counselors have always been really nice. They’re always willing to go the extra mile with progressions and stuff. I’ve had a few times where I’ve had to get progressions done and it was the last day I could have done it, and they’ve stayed after extra just to help me out.”
We ride english style, and our horseback staff instruct all levels in the ring, on the trail, or learning “ground skills” and horsemanship knowledge. Boys start out learning the basics, and no prior experience with horses is necessary. To earn their “Scout,” the first level, boys demonstrate that they can control their horse at a walk, post at a walk, correctly lead a horse, adjust their stirrups, and properly groom a horse. Julian was on the trail ride Friday as well, and was proud to have recently checked off his posting trot skills so he could join the trail ride.
If they keep at it, campers can work up to “Warrior,” the fifth level. As Warriors, they have to demonstrate a good seated trot, consistently get the correct canter leads, jump a 2’ vertical, jump a course of at least 6 jumps, know basic equine first aid, know 24 parts of a horse, know how to properly fit tack, and assist an instructor during a lesson. No matter what level campers are working on though, it’s always a fun and rewarding experience at the barn.
I asked our barn head Mary what the main things are that she hopes campers learn during their time at the barn. “Patience, how to work hard, and how to work together,” she said. “You have to work together with your horse, and work with the other riders in the ring and communicate.” She also said it was important to learn that “not everything comes easy, and hard work pays off. A lot of our progressions are challenging enough that if you don’t get it right, you come back the next day until you pass it off. You can realize it’s ok to fail and try again.”
Madalyn said that communication is also what she would hope all campers learn through horseback. “I think that learning to communicate with the horses and how to be really kind with them but still in charge is an important lesson in how to be a caring leader.” Beck shared, “I think riding is a good way to learn teamwork.” Elissa agreed, saying “I think at the same time it’s also a good chance to gain independence. You have to learn how to groom a horse on your own, tack them on your own, and how to control your horse.”
As the activity period ended, the staff said goodbye to all the campers heading to their next activities. Sam remarked, “Aw! I wish I could stay!” I’m sure the feeling was shared among all the campers, likely thinking eagerly about their next ride already.