Pony Club Camp 2013

 

Perhaps the video will work for you. It is only about 18 seconds, so hopefully won't overheat anyone's computer.
This vid was from the last day of Hunters Run Pony Club Camp 2013. The wonderful intensive riding/learning/fun week we spend together at Twin Towers Horse Park in Dayton, Ohio.
Accomplished Olympic level Eventer, Mimi Combs, flies in from Virginia to give instruction all week. Each rider gets two rides a day, and they cover show jumping, dressage and cross country. Middlest was our participant this year, although Youngest also came as a #1 Helper-man. He was on KP, jump crew, camper maintenance, runner, water and sunscreen for Mimi duty and head chatter.  Middlest rode Nellie, the horse she acquired in December of last year. Nellie was a star! She did an amazing job all around, and Middlest made excellent progress on Nell. As usual, the company at Camp was the BEST. We have such an amazing group of kids and families in our Pony Club. I feel truly blessed with their contributions, effort, and sunny smiles. Our leaders are smart, strong, sweet women who are giving these riders an amazing start. We also had the help of a few older Pony Clubbers participate.  Sarah L gave the kids lessons in Horse Management (teeth, conformation, anatomy, vital signs, wrapping, lungeing) and Kal helped Mimi and the two did Safety Checks and Turnbacks. Aside: in Pony Club, before a rider mounts, he or she must have their equipment checked to make sure everything is properly adjusted, and correctly fit for safe riding. After a ride, their tack and pony is then checked to make sure it has been properly cleaned before being put away for the day. Safety Checks and Turnbacks.
Anyhoo ( as my friend Trish would say) here are pictures! Well, a few. I did not carry my camera most days. I took some video, and some cell phone images, but mostly I just watched with my eyes. Different than the view through the lens!

Middlest and Nellie relax between turns at the "sand mound/log" on the cross country course.

Cross Country morning was inspired by Britain. It was cool and very misty/raining. But, storm-free, and thus no deterrent to getting out on the course. Youngest was on jump crew, and helped transport standards and poles so jumps could be built where we wanted them in relation to the other features on the course.

 Middlest and Nellie had a great time. If Nellie could talk, I think she would've asked why she was only getting to jump a few jumps at a time when there was an entire course around her. She was always forward and right to a fence, and always looked a bit confused when Middlest pulled her up and waited for the others in her jump group to complete the exercise.

 She navigated everything without worries. I think this was facilitated by me taking her out on the course the evening before. Also in the rain. But she was a bit spooky and revved for our first trip out, and then calm and controlled on the course the next day. This is why in competition, you aren't supposed to ride your horse on a course before competition.
We weren't in competition, but in positive learning mode. JH (photog extraordinaire) rode her child's horse out with me- the ride was her idea, and a great one. Neither of the horses had ever been on that course before (to my knowledge) and they were the only ones at the camp who had never done so. I think it helped make Middlest's cross country day an excellent success. The biggest help though, was she just did a bang-up job!

 Doing a cross rail atop the double bank jump.

 That is me in the white plastic. If a horse can be easy around flapping plastic lady they are pretty solid!

 As Mimi said "We don't know if she'll be rusty, so she may stop or look at the ditch". The telephone poles in the ground have a deep ditch between. Nellie didn't seem rusty atall atall. She seemed thrilled!

 Here they take the first part of a coffin element.

It seems like all my pictures of Mimi are of her back. So, I made sure to show she has a front!!

 They did stadium lessons several times, and each time they just got better!

Fun breaks happen every night of Camp. Besides a swim at the local pool, the kids had a "Painted Ponies" contest, a trip to Young's Dairy for ice cream, a super soaker battle and a jumping competition- without horses.

 Youngest gets a running start!

Mimi talks over Middlest's ride with her. "So, tell me about it."

 

In all, a wonderful experience for me. And, I think, for both Middlest, Nellie and even Youngest. Huge Thank Yous to our fearless leaders, the dynamic duo of Susan and Jill. They are providing a template for success.  Thank you to Mimi, for her humor, her patience, her skills, her deep understanding of horses and her willingness to share them with our children. Thank you to Bonnie for feeding the hungry hordes, three times a day! Thank you to Jennifer for her photography excellence, and her hustle in getting every shot. Thank you to the other Moms for their supporting roles in KP, and running back and forth, sheltering from the storm. Thank you to Sarah for her smile and her forthright manner. She is real with the kids, and a kind teacher, as well as having the biggest pony in Pony Club (17.3hh and the appropriate moniker or Jambo). Thank you to Kal( shortened to protect her privacy...not many around) for unflagging energy beside Mimi, and for taking shelter in Bonnie's camper so I could quit worrying. A BIG Thank You to Toni for giving Nellie a ride in her deluxe accommodation, leaving my truck available to tow somewhere for us to sleep.

And MOSTLY, Thank You to the Pony Clubbers of Hunters Run, who worked so very hard and made the whole she-bang a success. You have all impressed and amazed me with your growth and your knowledge, your positivity and your commitment. You make me smile.