Horse Camp 2009

I was invited to do arts & crafts at the horse camp sponsored by the place where Rachel rides & where Rachel attended as a jr. counselor last week.

I introduced them to a little cross stitching the first day.
Day 2: Horse tail bookmarks.

Day 3: We drove into town to join Ms. Sondra @ Ruby Jane Ceramics. Extra nice reason for this craft: A/C!


Day 4 I remembered to bring my camera! We decorated wooden frames and made horse stall frames from craft sticks.

There were many things to choose from to glue onto the frames.

I manned the glue gun.

Obviously did not take a photo of myself...

Rachel is sorting & choosing. See the sun-kissed face? They rode early & late to protect the horses from the worst heat of the day (when I was there for crafts!), fed & groomed the horses plus swam in the lake & had some basic horsie instruction times.

Seeing this photo, I'm sure you are asking: What exactly are my sons doing at horse camp with all these females? What is in those plastic containers that are holding everyone's attention?
I offered & the girls voted YES to my guys bringing some of their snakes for show-n-tell. The girls started squeamish but wound up all holding at least one of the snakes - the rosy boa. Most also held Andrew's Tangelo, the much bigger & more active corn snake.
Snakes invited to a horse camp? How often does that happen?

Rachel introduces her fav dad to Pockets, the horse she's recently been riding the most.

On the last day of camp, relatives come get their kids. It's 95 degrees in the shade and so dry that dust kicks up at every step. But do they pick them up & scurry back to civilization as quickly as possible?

No! First there must be a horse show!

The girls who regularly ride at Eagles Rest were paired with camp attendees to help teach them. At this riding display, everyone saddled-up, mounted, walked & trotted around the arena, attempted to reverse direction on command at the walk & trot, demonstrated "emergency dismount" and "brake", wove between cones and "ran" the barrels.

Then campers lined up to show their most perilous trick. The accomplishment of which they were the most proud: Standing in the Saddle.

And of course, what goes up must come down. Hearts jumped into parental (especially maternal) throats.

Yes, it was a perfect landing, a "10". The crowd roared it's approval. Horses tried to figure out what the big deal was.

Then the girls untacked & we all went home for showers.