Last week I did something that I have never done before – I took my daughter to horse camp. My little Miss Emma spent 6 hours a day for 5 days learning about horses, and she loved it.
A couple of years ago the kids all had the opportunity to ride on a horse, and while they all had fun, something came over Emma that was a little different. She (who has a lot of anxiety and normally afraid to try new things) had an ease over her, and instantly was calm and it just looked natural. I made a mental note right then to try and give her the opportunity to ride again someday.
Well, that someday came this year, when I saw an advertisement for a horse camp at a local farm, and even though it was already a hectic week planned and I hadn’t really budgeted for it, I knew I had to let her go.
I have never seen that girl so happy in my life. Each day she came home and talked more than I’ve ever heard her talk and she would talk about the animals and what she did that day. Each camper had their own horse for the week and all learned how to do certain things each day, like put saddles on, groom their horses, clean stalls, give them shots, go on trail rides, make them turn, go fast – and slow, and on the last day they all practiced riding bareback.
She hated to have camp over with – she said, “Momma, I wish I could just come here every day!” And I wish I could let her.
Giving my daughter an opportunity like this was something that I’m proud to have done. This was one week that she will never forget – and all of my working crazy hours and lack of sleep lately was totally worth it. You have to work hard to play hard, right? I have a feeling I’ve just begun an annual summer camp tradition for this girl. J
Have your kids ever attended a horse camp? What was their favorite part?
~Melissa
