Do you remember the lazy days of summer? The thought of not going to school, no teacher asking you for your math homework, and having all day to play outside are what you likely remember.
As much as life has changed since your summer days, they remain the same in many ways – summer camp is still the best place for kids to make memories of their own. To face new challenges and overcome obstacles in a safe environment. Kids get to meet new friends, learn new skills and have fun!
As a parent, we look for not just ways to entertain our children, but also ways to help them learn and grow beyond the rigors of school. Summer camps offer many great benefits for kids of all ages. For kids that love being outdoors, horseback riding camp is a perfect blend of physical activity and learning lifelong skills such as independence, responsibility, and decision making, all while gaining self-confidence.
How does attending horseback riding summer camp help campers learn these necessary life skills?
First off, horse riding is very physical as it improves balance and coordination. Balancing on the saddle requires core muscle strength and hand-eye coordination is needed to learn to direct a horse with the reins.
Horseback riding has also shown to improve cognitive abilities, leading to enhanced learning, memory and problem solving. During their week at Bailey Oaks Farms, campers learn responsibility and team work. They are responsible for grooming and bathing their horses. Learning how to tack up a horse is also part of the program. Your child will learn to be more self-reliant and make decisions on their own as they explore these new activities. They will learn to trust their inner voice instead of depending on parents or teachers to tell them what to do. As they become more confident, they will help the others in their camp group as well. With new found self-reliance and communication skills, kids become more independent and confident to achieve things on their own.
Campers continue to build confidence and self-esteem while riding. Learning how to ride is a very hands-on experience; this is very different than how they learn in school. They will begin to learn to control the horse, an animal with a mind of its own. One of the first emotional lessons a rider learns is to act confident in the face of fear and uncertainty. Horses are very sensitive to the emotions of their riders and will often mirror those emotions. All riders increase their patience levels during horseback riding summer camp, as improvement in riding requires repetition and practice.
Enroll your child in a week of horseback riding camp and watch them blossom. Who knows, maybe they will find the perfect extracurricular activity just for them!
- Sign up for our horse camps here: Camps at Bailey Oaks Farms
- More information about our horse riding lessons for kids can be found here: Pony Club at Bailey Oaks Farms
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