All our camps are for those kids that are horse crazy and want to learn not only how to ride a horse, but to care for a horse too. Everyone will be assigned a horse which will be their's to ride, feed, and clean for the camp days. Kids that come to our camps learn how to take care of their horse and themselves, while having fun and meeting new friends along the way.

What do you do at the camps?

- The day starts off with a small on the ground lesson on: safety, parts of the horse, first aid, colors and markings of horses, breeds, etc. For there the horses are brought inside then kids tack up and ride till lunch. After breaking for lunch kids have a half hour break to play games or swim. After the break we tack up the horses and ride till three. At three we bring the horses in, feed them, untack and brush then put the horses out.

Overnight campers rest once the day campers are gone for a half hour then they have free time. We prepare supper and set the table/clean up the cabin. After supper we play a few rounds of capture the flag/hide and seek or any other games the girls think of. After a bonfire and marshmellows its to the cabin to wash up and lights out.

How much riding time do the girls have?

- This year we are running things a little different. Beginngers/ amateur and experinced riders will be split up for the first lesson then the second lesson everyone will be split into pairs for a more one on one lesson. All together the girls are riding most of the day about 3-4 hours probably more this year.

What do the overnight campers have to bring?

- We have attached a list above of all the things campers should bring. Please realize that cell phones/ mp3 players/ ipod are not allowed out of the cabin.

*** We are also not responsible for any lost money. Put it in a zipper pocket or in your bag. For younger children that have concession stand money you could give it to the DOWS supervisor to handle for the week.***

Is there a concession stand at DOWS?

There is a small concession stand. Everything is on display when you walk in the cabin.

When do campers arrive on the first day?

All campers should arrive between 10:00am and 10:30am on the first day. Please call us if you think you are going to be late, so we dont hold up the whole class.

When do campers leave on the last day?

On the last day campers put on a horse show to show what they have learned at 3pm sharp. We try to wait for parents so please call if you are not coming or if you are going to be late.

What qualifications does the instructor/owner have?

Sarah, the owner/instructor has been riding since she was nine years old. She competed in local gymkhanas then went on to train in Chicago. She has been running DOWS RIDING STABLE for seven years now, each summer running summer horse camps and teaching lessons in the off season.

How many kids are in the camps?

We try to keep camps under ten people, but we do take up for fifteen kids a week.That way our helpers or instructor can focus more on each students needs.

How many people are there supervising?

Including the instructor there is four to six people supervising. Many of our helpers are regular riding students that have been riding for at least two years. The have all been trained into emergency situations and first aid. We also have up to three riding students mixed in with the camp so if a child is upset/scared or being bullied we know right away.

Have another question? Please feel free to email or call us.

dows@live.ca