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Kids & Youth
At this age, muscle development, focus and confidence are growing. Kids learn more advanced bareback exercises to prepare them for further skills required to ride on their own. Upper body strength is developed along with a growing appreciation of patience and gentleness. Kids are learning more advanced skills in the care of tack and equipment.
Equine Explorers: 8 to 12 years old
At this age we focus on building confidence by emphasizing awareness and safety around ponies. Our kids are posting bareback at a very young age. They learn early body awareness (including simple anatomy) and exercises that help develop posture and strong trunk control. Students also gain upper body strength with the use of special reins for little hands. Self-control is emphasized at this level. Lessons are private and are ½ hr to 1 hr in length. Most importantly, children learn early to respect and be kind to our furry four-legged friends.
Pony Pardners: 2½ to 7 years old
Whether your teen has never been on a horse or has ridden for many years, they will enjoy the fun activities at the barn that will help them improve their skills and grow into responsible, respectful leaders. Communication is emphasized - both with the horses and with each other. Many opportunities arise when a lesson turns into a life lesson moment. Based on availability, there are other opportunities for serious students (Barn Buddies) to learn and to earn rewards by volunteering at the barn. Just ask the Instructors (the human ones) how to qualify.
Teens: 13 to 18 years old
Every summer ELS offers fun-in-the-sun Pony Camps for kids 8-12 years old. A fun variety of activities give kids a unique camp experience. And what better than a Pony Party at a friendly barn for a kid’s birthday celebration?
Camps & Parties
Instruction at Equine Life Solutions starts early. From Intro to Ponies to Advanced Jumping Bareback, our lesson programs offer a variety of horse experiences for kids from 2½ to 18.
Lessons
Our exclusive Course in Equine Leadership & Responsibility for Homeschooled Tweens & Teens provides a unique learning experience focused on leadership and personal responsibility.
Teen Program
Our riding philosophy is to build confidence by teaching students to work with a horse’s natural motion and instincts. This begins with balanced seat riding. No matter what type of saddle the horse wears or the style of riding you choose, a balanced seat creates safety and comfort for both horse and rider. We also teach natural, mutual communication through subtle body language that the horse understands and correctly interprets. These Natural Horsemanship techniques help riders understand and appreciate their role as partner and not passenger.
Our summer camps provide a wonderful opportunity for students 8 to 12 years old, to immerse themselves in everything horse. Our 5-day camps run Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 p.m. The camps were developed with the bareback philosophy and are available for students enrolled in riding lessons for at least 2 months before the camp. Our 1-day theme camps run Monday or Friday and feature horse art projects taught by a local artist among other activities.
Past Camp activities have included:
- Daily education on many aspects of ponies using creative activities
- Stable chores and activities teach kids to care for and manage their own pony for the week
- Morning groundwork class: teaches kids to manage and exercise ponies from the ground
- Afternoon riding class: fun & games on horseback
- Making fashion costumes & clothing from grain sacks and duct tape
- Treasure hunt with puzzle clues that send the kids all over the property.
- Horse cookie/treat baking (nutrition day)
- Pizza Party
- Photography Day
- Water balloon games, races, tosses etc. in the play field
For more information, including 2011 dates and prices, check out our Summer Camps blog post.
This 10-Week course is designed to complement traditional middle and high school
curriculum by teaching leadership and personal responsibility to students age 11
– 18.
Through the medium of Natural Horsemanship principles and practices, this program provides students with a multi-faceted learning experience that involves spending time with horses and working with them in a barn, arena, round pen and pasture/paddock.
Through a combination of classroom-based and hands-on lessons, students learn how
to properly care for horses by being responsible, trustworthy and capable leaders.
Students learn how to “read” the basic emotional states that horses exhibit through
body language, and apply that understanding to properly care for and lead a horse.
Specific activities in which students will participate include: grooming, preparing their horse for riding, and leading and exercising their horse. Students also learn practical care of the horse such as proper feeding, routine health care, proper care of an equine facility, parts of the horse, anatomy of the horse, breeds of horses, colors and markings, and the names and care of tack & equipment.
Each week, students will spend a portion of their time in the classroom receiving instruction, and part of the time in the barn working directly with their horse. At the end of this course, students will have increased their listening and communications skills (verbal, written, and body language) and will have developed qualities that enable them to embody the presence and character of a natural leader including: responsibility, trustworthiness, confidence, communication, consistency, hard work, focus, and playfulness.
For scheduling & prices please go to our Blog.
Pony Parties:
With our Basic and Deluxe Pony Party packages, you can create a birthday party that your child, and his or her friends, will remember for years to come. And if there is something special you would like us to provide that is not on our list, feel free to ask; we will do all we can to help celebrate your child’s special day. For more information, check out our Pony Party blog post.
Summer Camps: