Camping we will go...

            Monday July 2^nd, 2012

Dear Moms and Dads, and Grandparents, Too!

            What a great couple of days we have just had.  I loved seeing some of you at the show. Thanks for coming.  For those of you who were not there, we surely took care of your kids and loved them in your stead.  We can’t wait to show you all that they have learned at the upcoming Parents’ Exhibition…or “Expedition”, as some of the kids have called it!  As a reminder, the arrival time is at 10AM. You can check in with Becky and me to chat and then we can all go to the riding rings to see the kids ‘strut their stuff’ for you. It is better not to come much sooner than that as I always worry that someone will get stepped on or bumped if everyone is hugging in the barn aisles with horses moving by! As you know, we like to keep everyone safe and sound, parents included.  We look forward to having you arrive and giving you a great time.  Please  remember to bring a picnic for all the troops you bring with you. We will serve dessert and will have plenty of drinks for everyone.  It is a great way to wrap up a session.

            Now for the low down on what has been happening.  We had a wonderful show on Saturday. It dawned bright and beautiful without being too hot. The breeze kept the bugs and sweat away.  The blue sky was amazing.  The kids who rode were just wonderful. It is no mean feat in five days to get the girls on the right ponies or horses and prepared to compete against kids who ride their own horse all year around and are competing most every weekend.  I was so proud of the campers and our staff because, to my eye, they were all so correctly mounted and in the right divisions.  A couple of kids were up against super stiff competition as they were our better riders and were showing against kids who compete “down south” for the winter and who were not on ‘camp horses’ to say the least.  I adore our horses but with us having to mount 36 kids, we clearly cannot offer the quality of mount that an individual family can do for one child. 

            The entire day really went smoothly and happily.  For the kids who chose not to ride (sparing you some entry fees!!!), they happily helped their friends and cheered on the whole team. We opened the pool area for their enjoyment mid-day and the sparkling waters were well used to cool off.  We all just enjoyed being on a farm and with each other.  Because your girls are so delightful, the whole thing came together beautifully and happily.  It was a treat to be a part of it all.

            This day ended with the Hunter Derby Classes out on the far field which we now call the Derby Field. We are building a clientele of people who are drawn to enjoying riding outside of a ring and over some fun jumps at a nice clip.  This was a great gathering of all the kids to showcase really good riding and horsemanship.  It was one of the highlights of my day!

            At the end of it all, I think all the girls had a great experience…some stretching themselves…some winning….some not placing…some trying again…some helping others…some cheering on and making decisions against competition…and some getting all blues…a microcosm of life as we know it.  I ended the day with a smile and went to bed on a Saturday night by dark!!!

            Sunday morning was a peaceful, sweet and relaxing morning.  With a movie to entertain the small ones and the leisure to sleep in, the camp fully awoke mid-day to a rolling breakfast, good books to read, friends with whom to chat, muffins to munch and generally a campers ‘day off’!  With a delicious mid-day meal under their bellies, off they went to the pool with our life guard and lots of arts & crafts to do. Several tanned while others read and still others played with the small farm animals who live right next to the pool. I drove the miniature horses and Peaches with pony carts for those who were dying to try carriage driving. We had a nice leisurely stroll with CITS helping the parade.

            Meanwhile, everyone was gearing up for the Talent Show…and Talent indeed was shown. In all my 41 years of Talent Shows, this was the all-time show stopper! What talents were displayed for all the camp to see.  Woweeeeeeeeeeeeeee…All those lessons and carpools and time spent away from ‘home and hearth’ were worth it. The gymnastics, singing, piano playing, dancing, skits, and cavorting were truly magical.  In a day and age of obesity, physical un-fitness and sloth, your girls are beating the odds in spades. They are poised, positive, funny, capable, smart, witty, able and smarts all over again. Wow and wow. I was dazzled as I sat there happily with the bugs munching on my ankles! I would not have traded it for anything.

            We then went in to Vespers where such wonderful songs were sung and words were said. I always wish that parents could be a ‘fly on the wall’ with us at Vespers every night. It is so beautiful to see all the girls bathed in candlelight as they read wonderful poems or stories that they have written.  They are all learning the camp songs that have been our tradition for now 41 years. It is the perfect and peaceful ending to a day of activity.

            Today dawned beautiful and clear as Becky and I heaved a sigh of relief as it was the day of the Pony Camping trip up the mountain.  To our delight and surprise, 22 kids signed up to come with us. We worked with the kitchen crew to organize the breakfast and dinner meals, as well as a yummy snack after riding there, setting up the tents and before swimming in the mountain stream, complete with a natural waterslide. We had the packing lists ready and everyone was excited as they dreamed of sleeping under the stars.

            Everyone was also excited to do the Hunter Pace and Treasure Hunt.  This is a great way to start the riding week after a series of serious lessons to prep for the horse show. The girls are divided up in teams with two team captains.  They then ride a five mile dirt road out through the countryside with staff stationed all the way along the ride as safety check points. The girls are scored on their teamwork and good judgment.  It is a great experience to have and the captains all take ‘their team’ to heart.  All went well on the ride despite one team getting lost momentarily and walking home in the rain on foot leading their horses…but that is foreshadowing!

            The littler kids did a fun mounted Treasure Hunt with clues which lead them all around the farm. They were great at guessing and ended up with a happy first trail ride with staff on foot.  They guessed things quickly and a fun time was had by all.

            As the kids came in to eat lunch and begin packing, the heavens opened.  Arghhh!  Becky had already loaded all the tents and equipment in preparation and the kitchen staff had our meals ready.  We had to call it at the moment because we simply can’t be out there in the pouring rain.  As luck would have it, about an hour after we decided not to go and rearranged the schedule, the blue sky returned.  We decided to keep to our decision as the ground would have been sopping wet and the firewood too wet to build a cooking fire.  The kids were good sports and we promised to take them on Thursday afternoon.  With the help of the internet we were able to see that there is 0% chance of rain!  So, camping we will go.

            The kids all chose activities…We offered Slip and Slide on the front lawn, training some of the new horses to jump better, an actual lesson for both the more beginner and more advanced riders, a Bareback lesson, and Catch Riding.  All of the other things are pretty self-explanatory, but Catch Riding is where they tack up their own horse and then spend the time switching to ride the other horses. The girls love this as they like to feel how different horses go.

            It was a fun and lively afternoon with a nice cool breeze. I am sad we didn’t go camping but the thought of everyone’s sleeping bag being wet was less than appealing. As I left for the evening to come write this and do some other farm business, they were happily eating tacos and madly planning their Pony Farm Fashion Show…a real hit with all ages. After a silly and fun evening, they will again do Vespers and sing before tucking in for a peaceful sleep dreaming of ponies and more fun the next day.

            So, all ends well that began well. The kids are getting along nicely.  The couple of kids who were homesick are thriving and all is well in the land of Pony Farm.  Thank you again for entrusting your beautiful young women to us.  We are all having a blast and enjoying every minute of the magic of summer on a working horse farm.  What could be better!

            See you at 10AM on Saturday.  I look forward to welcoming you with open arms!

                                                                                    Warmly, Boo