Sample Itinerary
A brief rundown of what a day in the life of a Big Oak EC Summer Horse Camp camper is like.
9 AM – 9:15 AM
Counselor/Camper meeting and check-in for day: Counselors greet campers and debrief them on the day’s activities. Campers can partake of a light snack or drink to get prepared for the day.
9:15 – 10:15
Equestrian 101: Counselors engage campers with a variety of equestrian topics such as English saddlery versus Western, horse anatomy, breeds and colors, and grooming. Campers will learn hands-on by tacking up and bathing horses, etc.
10:15 – 11:30
Tack up camp horses and start riding! Campers will start at a walk but graduate to jog as counselors see fit. More advanced riders may lope at the discretion of counselors. Crossing poles, obstacle courses, completing patterns, and mounted games are just some of the fun activities campers will do in the saddle.
11:30– 12:15
Lunch break: Campers take a much deserved break in the shade of base camp.
12:15 – 1:15
Nature hike: Campers take to the trails adjacent to camp barn. Usually included is a stop by the main barn’s breeding program to visit the broodmares and their new spring foals!
1:15 – 2
Cool down and clean up at base camp: Campers make sure tack is put up, their camp horses have water and are taken care of, camp areas and tidied, and campers are prepped for next day’s events.
On the first morning of camp, our counselors will assign campers to cohesive groups, taking into consideration each campers’ level of riding experience. Upon request, siblings and buddies are welcomed to stick together in the same group (or be separated, as some siblings seem to prefer!). Camper groups will rotate activities during the week so that one group may ride in the morning one day and at the end of the day on another. Activities are also varied to include arts & crafts, farrier and/or trainer demonstrations, water balloons/games on especially hot days, scavenger hunts, and other horsey fun.
