How many girls can say that they went to horse camp?
Ella Jayne was excited to attend horse camp that her mom referred to her, as a friend of Ella’s was going.
Horse camp, put on by a lady named Midge, was an excellent experience, according to Ella Jayne. “It was a cool experience because there was a lot of people there who knew what they are doing and talking about. They were good at teaching.”
Learning Horse Care & Other Responsibilities
From day one, Ella Jayne and the rest were split into two groups. Each group had duties to groom the horses, tack them, picked hooves, and other general horse care before being able to ride.
On day three, Ella Jayne said that they were able to try riding bareback at a trot. “I wasn’t tall enough to do it,” she frowns. “We did see a Grand Prix horse, and that was cool. Very beautiful.”
They had to run in the field to “feel what the horse feels” in the heat, which Ella Jayne was not a fan of.
On day four, Ella Jayne and the rest got to see the farrier at work. For those not in the know, a farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care. They combine veterinarian and blacksmith skills to assess the health of a horse’s feet and apply and remove shoes.
Ella Jayne noted that it was “a bit gross and smelled” but was surprised to learn that the shoes horses wear are nailed in.
Once In A Lifetime Experience
Her favorite part of the camp was feeding the horses. This stable boards horses for other people and they were able to help care for them. She also liked snack time and of course, riding. Megan was her favorite coach, as well as Megan’s daughter Makenzie. The horse she rode was called Amanda.
Her least favorite part was running in the field, sitting and talking, and doing trivia. Touring the trailer because it was hot out.
Overall, Ella Jayne noted that this was a one in a lifetime experience for her because she is now too old to go again.