Fun activities / games for RC camp

[spider]

Could I pick the forum brains please for fun activities for a riding club camp I am organising for next year. Apart from the usual flat/poles/sj/XC lessons is there anything fun / unusual / interesting that you have experienced at a camp? TIA

 

[hollyandivy123]

depending how many people, a drill ride or dressage pairs competition, its fun its chaos but also people have to work as a team/pair

 

[J&S]

See if you can get in an instructor from your local area Trec/Working Equitation group.

 

[Landcruiser]

Where are you based?

 

[Jess1994PM]

something i used to love at camps was "chase me charlie" where one jump would start from super small and each round would get slightly bigger. if you knocked the jump you was out that round until the last person is left wins.

also obstacle courses made up of poles, cones, sheets, sometimes "scary" objects the horses might have a look at and complete for time.

of course depends on riders ability, but we had some crazy fun times back in the day!

 

[Snowfilly]

Gymkhana games are always good!

A guest speaker / lecturer?

Something different like a le trec or working equitation session?

Film night with some classic horse movies, popcorn and hot drinks

 

[Annagain]

Unmounted gymkhana games.

A quiz always goes down well for the evenings and a game of spoons has become a tradition in our riding club's camps. It's like a card game crossed with musical chairs but instead of sitting on a chair you grab a spoon. You deal 4 cards to each player (use 2 packs if you have lots of players) The idea is to collect 4 of a number. The dealer takes one card from the excess cards, decides whether to keep it or pass it on to the player to his/her left, that player decides to keep or pass on and so on. Yuo can only have 4 cards in your hand at any one time. The idea is to move it all quite fast. When you get 4 of a number, you pick up a spoon. When you see someone pick up a spoon, you pick up a spoon. There's always one fewer spoon than players. The player left without a spoon is out and you keep going until there's a winner. We've had to ban people with long nails from playing though!

The other thing that people have really liked is a sports massage - a few of the places we've been for camp have some contacts for mobile therapists. They set up in a spare room and people can book 20 minute sessions (at their own cost of course). You tend to need to know numbers in advance for that though.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

“Bucket elimination” start off with e.g. 10 buckets (or similar) and jump them then each round those that went clear jump one less 10,9,8,7 until the last person is eliminated. If you’re really good you can get down to one bucket. I managed this once at my local show which was the pinnacle of my PC days ? You’d have to use something without handles still on for safety.

 

[Snowfilly]

“Bucket elimination” start off with e.g. 10 buckets (or similar) and jump them then each round those that went clear jump one less 10,9,8,7 until the last person is eliminated. If you’re really good you can get down to one bucket. I managed this once at my local show which was the pinnacle of my PC days ? You’d have to use something without handles still on for safety.

Some cheap plastic potties filled with sand or Earth are great for this, and not very high either.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

depending how many people, a drill ride or dressage pairs competition, its fun its chaos but also people have to work as a team/pair

I used to love doing a musical ride for fun in my RS lessons it’s a great way to practice regulating the pace of the horse with a different focus. I also did an Ad-hoc pairs showing once which was interesting as I’d never ridden with that person before. Handy pony/horse was always a challenge and Le Trec is similar but more formulaic so you could add some of your own obstacles for variety. I once did an adult gymkhana but you do have to have the right temperament of horse and adapt for adults who can’t leap on and off like kids can otherwise it’s a bit of a s**t show.

 

[MereChristmas]

These didn’t always interest me but

talks by feed reps / farriers / saddlers / bridle and bit fitters etc / vet/
RAF ( helicopters) / trailer safety and servicing
theraplate
weighing
pilates for beginners
quiz
treasure hunt
fancy dress ( this is a surprise event, no outside items or assistance
allowed)
bring a photo of themselves as a child, preferably on a pony, guess who it is, and each then talk about the photo

I really enjoyed the musical ride. I think it teaches rider and horse a great deal

 

[Annagain]

Could you get one of the feed companies to bring a weighbridge?

Not only is it a very useful thing to do, it's also great to play guess the weight. Get some members (I did 8) to send you a confo style picture of their horses. Put them together with a little profile (age, height, breed, temperament etc) and then get everyone to guess their weight. Then when they get weighed, the closest to the total weight overall wins.

It's good fun but it's also really educational. I guarantee most people will overestimate the TB types' weights and vastly underestimate the heavier types'. Nobody got within 80kgs of Monty (17hh TBxShirexSecD)!

 

[terrierliz]

Trec demo/have a go, really good fun - a friend and I did a demo for a local charity camp and riders seemed to really enjoy it. Not sure what area you’re in but there should be a local trec club you could contact

 

[Winters100]

Not sure that it would work for all horses, but we quite often play 'tag' on horseback. Good thing is it can be varied according to abilities, so a novice just has to touch the rider anywhere, but the rest of us have to touch a specific place, for example the left elbow. As a note of caution it involves a fair bit of pushing etc, so not for everyone. We also sometimes do swapping horses just for a bit of fun, again will depend upon abilities of riders and what horses you have. Pull the tail off the donkey, the donkey in question being one of us with a bit of rope sellotaped to our helmet. Barrel racing is fun. Also bending poles with no saddle or bridle, we usually just take a rope around the neck, but you could also do with headcollars.

 

[Winters100]

Oh and of course a treasure hunt!

 

[spider]

Some super ideas. Thank you.

 

[Peglo]

We did a show jumping round where every jump was worth so many points, easier jumps at 5 points, harder at 10 and then the biggest one worth 15. You had say 2 minutes to collect as many points as you can and got to choose which jumps you did, in whatever order but you could only go over the 15 pointer once and if you knocked it then points were taken off. I really enjoyed it for something different

 

[Glitter's fun]

Could I pick the forum brains please for fun activities for a riding club camp I am organising for next year. Apart from the usual flat/poles/sj/XC lessons is there anything fun / unusual / interesting that you have experienced at a camp? TIA

Our local feed merchant brought scales along. Very useful and interesting.

Would there be a vet or drugs rep. who would give a short talk?

Who is there locally who would give a short introduction to their discipline? Maybe someone who drives, does endurance, Le Trec ?

Gymkhana games are always a good idea! I never grow out of gymkhana games! I won our competition for all ages. I noticed the organiser looking at me & I was so over excited I thought she was thinking "that lady is good at this". It was only after I calmed down that I realized she was actually thinking "that old lady should have let the children win" !

 

[rabatsa]

Collect old newspapers ect and have people in teams. Get them to dress one of the team members as either an historical person or in a fancy side saddle outfit by using the newspapers. A great evening entertainment.

 

[Loveponies]

Side saddle demo - have a go session. Was very popular at out Riding club.
Have a go at driving - something I was keen on trying and now drive but not overly popular generally.

 

[Goldenstar]

Well you get a bottle or two or three of gin and ….

 

[Sealine]

I enjoyed a talk from emergency services a few years ago who gave a lot of good advice on preparing for and dealing with equine related emergencies requiring ambulance or fire service e.g. vehicle fire, yard fire, injured riders etc.

I also attended an interesting lecture at the RVC about how vets and fire service work together in an equine emergency.