First Post! American Summer Camp

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emilyce

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Hi everyone! My very first post.
Just wondering if anyone has ever been to American Summer Camp to teach horse riding?
Very excited i'm going to be out there for three months riding horses all day sigh,
but also a little nervous as i'm a happy hacker with a share horse and the other girls seem to be eventers and showers with their own ponies.

Any good experiences or advice? Thank youuuu
 
Hello, Welcome to the forum!

Yes - I went with Camp Leaders in summer 2008 to a camp called Bryn Mawr in Pennsylvania. It was great - hard work though and the kids were very testing at times so just be prepared for them to not be total angels.

I went as an experienced rider having my own horses and competeing etc, however all the horse camp teachers were different. Some people had only experience of lessons and never had their own horse (even a loan one), and then their was one girl who had her own horses but on full livery all her life so had no clue how to muck out or groom! You just did what you could and the good thing is, most camps have the leaders there a week or two weeks before the kids arrive to settle in and get trained into the ways the camp do things as it's a huge culture shock for someone from the UK if the only experience of USA kids camp is from watching American films!

The two weeks we had before the kids arrived allowed us to get all the horses ready for the kids and assess which ones are well behaved and which ones jump/canter/buck etc etc. We also rode them out for trail rides too. This is also when the riding director will decide who is what ability in terms of teaching - if you're not as confident they will assign you to do more one-on-one beginner lessons and horse care sessions, whereas if you're more experienced in teaching then you may get assigned to taking trail rides, teaching jumping lessons and more group lessons for the more experienced kids.

If I'm being honest, the horse riding camp leaders work very hard as your day starts earlier and finishes later than the other activities due to having to look after the horses. We were also expected to work through our 'rest hour', whereas the other activities didn't. All in all though, I was doing something I loved so it was great and I didn't mind. Camp was hard work but the friends I made there allowed me to travel the USA afterwards and stay at other people's houses. I went to camp in 2008, however when I went back to Florida on holiday in Sept last year - I met up with one of the girls I had travelled with afterwards who lived in Orlando, plus I'd seen her when she came to stay with me in the UK two years ago! I will be getting married in the USA next year and another girl I met at camp will be coming :)

One big tip: DO NOT make plans for travelling afterwards before you get there - wait and see who you make friends with as a lot of the American leaders will want you to come with them to show you were they live and stuff. All their families were amazing and I stayed with 7 different people's familes and they all made it so sepcial for me - taking me for days out etc. I loved it and like Spooky Pony states above - they love British people and want you to see the best bits of their country and where they live. I have the USA girls and their families to thank for my absolute love for the USA and feeling so welcome - I have memories that will last me a lifetime thanks to them.

If you have any questions at all then just PM me and I will be more than happy to help :) x
 
Thank you so much guys for your replies! I am so excited now can't wait to get going hopefully will have lots of pictures to show. P'M'ed you Cheshire Chestnut
 
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