Girls Only Horse Camps

girls only horse camps

There are all kinds of horse camps for girls out there, so we often get the question, “What kind of horse camp is Rockbrook?” Well, first of all, we’re a girls only horse camp (no surprise there!). Secondly, we ride and teach lessons in the American system of forward riding, mostly hunter jumper and some dressage. This is different from horse camps that ride western. Like other horse camps, girls at Rockbrook can ride every day, are placed in lessons according to their ability and horsemanship experience, and can spend extra time at the barn learning more about the horses and their care. At the same time, girls at Rockbrook don’t spend all of their time riding or being with the horses because there are so many other activities going on at camp. Rockbrook is primarily a traditional overnight summer camp for girls that also has one of the finest riding programs around. You will ride a lot at Rockbrook and learn a lot about how to ride better, but you’ll also have an amazing time doing camp.

Equestrian Camp NC

NC Equestrian Camp

Going to an equestrian camp, a summer camp that offers a quality horseback riding program, is one of the best things you can do to improve your riding skills. It gives you a chance to ride new and different horses, learn from new instructors, to hear about different techniques, and to simply practice everything in a new environment. Along these lines, riding at camp introduces you to new horses and their different personalities. Overall, attending a horse camp program helps diversify your riding skills, experience and horsemanship knowledge. And of course, it’s a lot of fun too! 🙂

Horse Games for Girls

Ready to learn about some horse games? I’m not talking about a video game, or something that’s only on a screen. What about a game that can be played with a real horse, riding it in the real world? That’s SO much better!

Toward the end of each session at camp, we have a day of “barn games.” It’s when we come up with fun activities a little different from the regular summer camp riding lessons. Here at Rockbrook we are learning to ride, but also having great fun playing games at the barn.

Girls Horse Equestrian Camp

Red Light, Green Light

A classic horse game is “red light, green light.” This is a mounted game where girls learn to control their horse, starting and stopping on command. The goal is quick responses to the commands.

Apple Hunt

One of the most popular games is the “Apple Hunt.” This is when the riding instructors hide several apples out in the fields, and the girls are challenged to ride around and find the apples. One apple is marked, and the rider who finds it gets a special prize. They’re all great fun!

Hand Painting

Another popular horse game we play at camp is hand print painting. Colorful water-washable paint goes into a tray and then girls take turns dipping their hands into the paint to paint hand-prints on a light colored horse. It can be really creative and fun to add your hand to the horse!

Relays

Finally, Rockbrook Camp girls really enjoy the horse game that is essentially a relay. Each rider takes turns carrying a baton or other object and then riding across the ring to hand the baton to another rider, who then rides it back to the original side. This game is fast and fun!

Do you know any horse games that are fun to play? Let us know.

Be sure to check out the comments for this post… More than 300! Wow!

Girls Horses

Painted hand print horse

How many horses did Rockbrook have in its horseback riding program this past summer? With all those girls at camp wanting to ride horses, you might guess we had a lot! Some from St. Andrew’s College Equine Studies program, some from Sweet Briar College Equine Studies program, and some of Rockbrook’s own horses, we had 26 in all. Enough horses and ponies to let every rider, at every level of riding experience, ride almost every day.

Read more about the equestrian program at Rockbrook Camp.