Horsing Around
Focused all the way to the top of the wall on the final full day of activities
When boys come to camp for the first time, it’s almost overwhelming to choose just one activity to try out first. Everyone adds six activities to their schedule initially, but throughout camp, boys can change their activities around to find the ones they like the most. Towards the end of the session, you’ll often see boys changing their activity periods to allow for some extra time to spend in their favorite activity. Up at the barn today, several campers were working on progressions (or just loved spending time with the horses), and had signed up to ride all day.
Will A. had been riding in the ring this morning, but signed up again for an afternoon trail ride. He was grooming Gizmo to be tacked, and his friend Sawyer was helping him out by picking Gizmo’s hooves as he brushed. Both boys said that Gizmo was their favorite horse. He is one of the older members of our barn, but still has a lot of energy for an old pony. “I like him because he listens to me,” Will explained. “I can just say ‘canter’ and he’ll go faster without me even kicking him.” Gizmo has mellowed out in his old age, and was relaxed as the boys brushed his coat and prepped him for the ride.
Will during his morning ride in the ring!
In the next stall over, Nolan was getting Pharaoh ready to join the trail ride. “I even got to give him his present,” Nolan said proudly, holding out the new girth that the barn staff had just got for Pharaoh. Doss, one of our great barn staff, was helping Nolan put the bridle on Pharaoh. Pharaoh could tell they were about to go on the trails, and was getting excited, making it more challenging to get him tacked. “If you blow in his nostrils, he’ll blow back. That’s how the horses say hello to each other in the pasture,” Doss told Nolan. He quickly blew in Pharaoh’s nose, and Pharaoh calmed down, realizing that Nolan was trying to “say hello.” Nolan put his cheek up to Pharaoh’s nose and exclaimed, “he blew back at me!”
Nolan riding Wilbur in the ring during his morning class
Inside the barn, Nolan’s brother Colin was also learning about the horses. Instead of riding this afternoon, he had chosen to work on ground skills, studying gaits and foot-falls as part of his progressions. “I’ve been making a lot of study guides. I can’t wait to go home and tell my friend how much I know about horses!” he said excitedly, showing me his notebook full of drawings and notes. He had a complete picture of a horse drawn, labeled with 36 different parts of the anatomy. He also had two full pages of notes from their lesson on horses that work with police, plus the different gaits of a horse drawn out with their foot-falls. His favorite part of the ground skills had been earlier in the session when they painted the bone and muscle structure onto the outside of an actual horse. On one side, they painted the bones in white paint as they learned about them, and on the other they detailed the different muscles.
Mary, helping the boys tack up and get ready
This afternoon, Colin was helping Carter and Matthew put a halter on a horse and tie the lead rope with a quick-release knot. It was great seeing the three campers teach each other, and Colin was a skilled teacher. They were practicing with Wilbur, who is a huge paint horse and quite the gentle giant. Even though Carter was nearly 1/8th the size of Wilbur, he was able to put on his halter and tie him up properly. All three boys got their progressions checked off, and are working towards completing Explorer, the second of the five levels.
Heading back to the barn after a great ring lesson
Jonathan is currently a Ranger, the fourth of the five levels, and knows just how much time and dedication it takes to progress that far. He often volunteers to come early and help out at the barn, not just for the fun parts, but even for mucking stalls and cleaning tack. The barn staff have nothing but nice things to say about Jonathan, and are always appreciative of his help and his Servant’s Heart. “He helps muck stalls when he doesn’t have to,” Mary shared. Doss agreed, adding that he “comes more than he has to for just his progressions.” Jonathan isn’t concerned with only his progressions though. He continues coming to the barn because he loves it, and because he knows how much work it takes to care for the horses. Sometimes before breakfast, he sets his alarm early to meet the staff at the barn and help spread the shavings, bring the horses in, and feed them their breakfast, all before he eats his own.
Today, Jonathan was one of the boys out on the all-day advanced trail ride. Clarke and Kimry took the riders up to the old apple orchard where they enjoyed a picnic lunch before heading back in the afternoon. “My favorite part was when we played tag on the horses” Jonathan grinned, but he said that he liked it all. Tomorrow is already the final full day for our June Campers, and we know they’ll be cherishing every moment spent in their favorite places in camp.
-Annie Pharr
More Highlights From This Wednesday:
- Our Cherokee and Catawba cabins headed out for their overnights tonight! Luckily the weather was clear as they headed out to their campsites. The Tuscarora and Iroquois boys got to have pizza picnics this time, enjoying a mellow evening with their cabin mates.
- Hudson T., Hudson Y., Edwin S., and Will A. all earned Ranger in Pottery
- Sam D. became a Warrior in Pottery
- Jack B. became a Ranger in Archery
- Chris Ocana gave JP Van Buren the “Silver Tiger” Staff of the Week award
- We celebrated three birthdays today! Doss and Beau, two of our incredible counselors, as well as Philip C. who turned 11!
- The kitchen team outdid themselves again with our pizza picnics, allowing each cabin to place their pizza order with all their toppings after lunch, and pick up the pizzas at dinner time. Breakfast and lunch were also delicious, with hot pancakes and bacon and grits this morning, and chicken marinara sandwiches with seasoned fries, fruit salad, and banana pudding this afternoon.
Morning Watch before breakfast, the best way to start the day
Concentrating hard at the blacksmith shop
Another great day for sailing at Lake Summit