Horse Camp FAQs

Do you need to have experience to attend horse camp?

We offer several camps for a multitude of ages and experiences. You do not need any prior experience to begin your horse camp journey.

What camp level would be best for my child who has ridden at other camps or facilities?

The initial intro camps are assigned based on age. Once you get into the camps for ages 8 and older Novice Camp is a prerequisite to attending Intermediate or Advanced Camps. Our registration process gives current camp families priority in registration for the next camp season, and Intermediate and Advanced Camps will be at capacity with current students before ever making it to general enrollment. Additionally, even if your child has prior horse or riding experience elsewhere, Novice Camp is the time where our students learn a lot of our camps foundational skills and start to establish camp friendships, by Intermediate and Advanced levels many students already have the comfort of knowing each other.

If my child is just under the age requirement for camp, but has ridden before, can they still attend?

Your child will need to meet the minimum age requirement by the first day of camp to attend.

What if my child doesn’t know anyone else at camp?

Most students don’t know anyone when first attending a camp with us, but that’s okay! We all become fast friends and have an environment that supports and promotes friendship, team work and common goals. Plus, we all love horses!

How do I register for horse camp?

Currently enrolled families will receive first priority in registering for horse camp the following year. Those families will receive emails directly to their inbox (typically in January) with all necessary information. For new or prospective families as soon as you see the current year camp dates on our website you will know registration is open. At that time the first step will be to email us at ranchrudolf@gmail.com to seek registration information.

Are there any refunds or exchanges permitted for horse camps?

Unfortunately, no. Please plan accordingly as best as possible as we have a no refund or exchange policy once you have registered for camp.

Can friends, siblings, cousins etc be in the same camp level?

Depending on age, the vast majority of our students start their camp experience in Barn Buddies, Beginner or Novice Horse Camp. Most students participate in each camp level at least two times before being passed up to the next camp level. For continuing students, if instructors have suggested one sibling attend one level and the other sibling to attend another level the family would either need to decide to split the children into different camp levels or have both attend the lower camp level (as space allows.) The child recommended for the lower camp level could not automatically jump to the next camp level without instructor approval.

Can my child bring treats for their horse?

Sorry, no. We have many animals, some with dietary needs or restrictions and do not allow any treats to be given for the safety of all animals.

Can my child visit their horse after camp?

Please bear in mind our camp horses work with many different students throughout the season and therefore cannot have visiting hours as they are likely paired up with a different student on a different week.

Can my child ride their camp horse if we come on a trail ride?

You can always make the request, but many of our camp horses stick to horse camps are do not do as much of the trail riding schedule.

My child loved horse camp, now what?

As a registered horse camp family you will receive emails directly from us with other horse programs and opportunities. We would also encourage you to check out our website for a large list of horse camps and programs including trail rides, birthday party packages and more.

What will my child need for camp?

You will find a brief description of what students will need under each individual camp description. We will also send a welcome letter just before camp with more reminders on this.

Can my child request the same horse that they had at the last camp?

Students can always make requests, but please bear in mind we will assign horses based on where we feel everyone will fit best. And we generally assign students different horses at different camp levels so they can learn with a broader scope and not just get comfortable with one horse. PS: ALL of our camp horses are amazing, they will fall in love with their next horse too!

Do you have overnight camps?

No, our horse camps are day camps. But we do have lodging and camping onsite if you want to turn it into a family vacation too.

How much riding will my child do?

Keep in mind every camp level, age group and group of students is different. We have the flexibility to adjust our lesson plan as needed to account for student needs. In most of our introductory camps we begin riding on day 2 of camp. Please also bear in mind our ultimate goals are to run a safety centered program and to build well rounded horse people, which is why riding is a component of camp, but not the whole camp. As students continue to progress up the levels and have a more established foundation, riding time will also increase.

What if my child needs to arrive to camp late or leave early?

Ideally your child can be at their whole camp experience. We understand everyone is busy, and if someone needs to leave early for an appointment, another sport etc we will do our best to work around it, but keep in mind this could limit your child’s riding time (if they will need to be picked up at a time we are due to be riding we cannot cut the ride short for everyone, your child will need to miss that ride.) Arriving late is not ideal because we keep building on what we have learned, so although arriving a few minutes late is okay missing a half day or more could limit what the student is able to do (they can’t jump into riding if they haven’t learned how to saddle their horse yet.) Please make all attempts to have your child attend their camp level in its entirety. Partial refunds are not available for missed camp time.

As the parent, can I stay while my child is at camp?

The majority of our camps are drop off camps, where the parent drops off and then comes back to pick up. Please refer to individual camp descriptions.

This looks like great fun - do you have camp for adults?

Actually, yes! Check out our Adult Horse Class description for details.