Can I choose the horse I want to ride?
On Sunday’s arrival day all the students are interviewed. The horses are selected by us for each student once their riding ability is evaluated. It is very important to select the proper horse suited for each rider’s ability to ensure the rider has an enjoyable and learning experience. Presently we have approximately 50 horses of various temperaments suitable for all levels of instruction. Quiet mounts for beginners to the challenging type that requires experienced riders.
Who determines what level I will ride in, and how do I advance?
When you first arrive at camp we do an interview and put you in a preliminary group. If you turn out to be a better rider than the rest of your group, you will be moved. If you are a quick learner, you can have the opportunity to move into a higher level. This can be done at any time. The final decisions are made by your instructor.
What kind of horses do you have?
Aspengrove, has a variety of Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Arabians, Welsh, Paints, Appaloosa, Halflingers, as well as mixed breeds ranging in size from 12 hand Welsh to 17 hand Thoroughbreds. We do not favor any breed but make our selections by choosing horses that are safe, have good personalities and are well schooled.
Do I get the same horse the whole time I am there?
Yes, you do not have to share a horse. It is like having your own horse for a week or two. Each horse has its own large paddock with a run in shelter. You are responsible for mucking the paddock, fetching the horse and leading the horse to the tack up area, grooming and tacking up and untacking your horse.
What if I am a beginner with little horse experience?
We have 5 tack up assistants for each group of 10 students, so there is always someone available to help you catch the horse and show you how to groom and tack up your horse and lead him correctly to and from the riding rings.
How much riding do we do?
You get 2 – one hour riding lessons each day, as well as 2 – one hour theory lessons. With all the grooming, tacking up and untacking that totals to about 6 hours a day and then there is always the paddock cleaning which must be done twice daily. The day is pretty much taken up working with and riding horses. This is horse camp and that is what everyone comes here for. HORSES! HORSES! HORSES!
Will I be able to do jumping?
If you are able to show that you have control of your horse in a safe manner than yes you will be able to do jumping. If this is your first riding experience, perhaps not, it all depends on how quickly you advance and your natural ability and determination. If you have already taken lessons and are comfortable around horses, of course you will be jumping. We start each lesson warming up doing flat work and then commence to jumping and for the beginners, we work on the position over ground rails.
Can I bring my own horse?
Yes, you can bring your own horse. There is no extra fee for bringing your own horse. We supply the feed. If you have your horse on special grain, we recommend you bring your own feed. Horses must have veterinarian certificates stating all shots and worming are current and horses must be shod or trimmed prior to arrival. Each horse has its own large paddock with a run in shelter.
Can I bring my own saddle even though I do not have my own horse?
You can bring your own saddle, but you may not necessarily be able to use it. The saddle must fit your selected mount properly.
Where do we stay?
We have cedar chalet style cabins with bunk beds, dressers, porch and electricity, housing 4 students each. A new cabin, built a few years ago has room for 6. Bathrooms and showers are in the cook house, which also houses the staff and the dining area and kitchen.
Can I share my cabin with a friend?
Yes, if you are similar in age.
How many students per cabin?
There are 4 students per cabin and 1 cabin has room for 6.
Are there counselors in each cabin?
No, the children are in each cabin by themselves. We found this makes for a more enjoyable and fun sleep over experience. The counselor’s residence is very close by. The evening staff is on duty until all the students have gone to sleep. If you have an emergency during the night there is staff to assist you.
Where do your campers come from?
Our campers come from all over the world. We have some come as far away as Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, France, Germany, Peru, Japan, Hawaii, as from most part of the United States. The majority come from Washington, British Columbia and Alberta.
What is the average age of the students?
Our students range from 8 – 17, but the average age is 10 – 14. We always make sure that each week has enough of each age group to enable everyone to have a good time.
Do most campers come with friends?
About half of our 30 student capacity, come by themselves. We make sure everyone is teamed up with a buddy as soon as they arrive. As there are only 4 students in a cabin and 30 students total, it is much like a classroom, everyone gets to know each other quickly and new friends are made almost instantly. All the campers have one thing in common which makes everyone very, that being they all love horses!!!
What do we do in the evenings?
The evenings are spent playing games, everything from treasure hunts, building forts in the bush, scavenger hunts, capture the flag, soccer, crafts, camp fires, talent night, karaoke, charades, Pictionary, trampolines and many more.
What kind of food do you serve?
Breakfast includes fruit juices, fresh fruits, assorted cold cereals, bread for toast, bagels with cream cheese, assorted jams and peanut butter and every day we have a different hot homemade choice of either, buttermilk pancakes with berries, plain or chocolate chip, waffles, French toast, sausage, scrambled eggs, and oatmeal. Lunch is buffet style with soup (our famous chicken noodle is a favorite) Bread and buns with toppings of tuna, assorted meats, cheese, pickles, all kinds of vegetable toppings, egg, peanut butter as well as a variety of salads. Once a week we have macaroni and cheese and hot dogs, and grilled cheese.
Child friendly dinners comprise of: Sunday homemade barbecue hamburgers, beef, chicken or vegetarian and corn on the cob. Monday, Spaghetti with meat sauce or vegetarian tomato or some campers prefer just plan with parmesan or butter, Tuesday roast beef, mashed potatoes, peas, carrots, sometimes fresh beans, Wednesday, Tacos, soft or hard shells (make up your own with your favorite toppings) Thursday, chicken breast strips with pasta, either marinara sauce or alfredo and rice. Each of the meals includes various salads as well as vegetables with dips.
We always have homemade desserts and well as muffins and cookies for afternoon snacks. Juice bar is always open.
Do you accommodate vegetarian diets?
Yes, we have enough of a variety for vegetarians.
Can the parents come and visit their children?
We discourage parents dropping by. One of the reasons for sending your child to camp in to encourage independence. We have a horse show each Friday. Parents can come and watch their child’s improvement and progress. At the end of the horse show each camper is presented with ribbons and a special individual award.
Do you suggest more than one session?
We recommend at least 2 weeks as progress tends to increase and compound with each successive week.
What if my child has to be flown in? Do you have transportation available from the airport to camp?
We do airport pickup and delivery, as well as pick up and delivery to and from the bus station. Cost is $40 each way from the Kelowna International Airport approximately ¾ hour away and $20. from the bus depot. For our U.S. customers we recommend getting to Seattle and then using Horizon Air from Seattle to Kelowna, as they provide 4 non stop flights daily to the Kelowna airport. Vancouver and Calgary and Toronto are the other airports which offer direct flights to the Kelowna airport.
If we stay for more than 2 weeks what do we do on the weekend?
As the horses need time off and so do the instructors, we do not provide any riding on the weekend. Weekends give the campers a change to catch up on their sleep, relax and play games, do their laundry, help with the farm chores and explore the 100 acres property. Sometimes if the groups are not too large we take the campers to the local beach for a swim or other town outings.
Are we allowed to phone our parents?
We do not allow phone calls except for students staying for more than one session and calls home are allowed on the weekend. Calls can be made in certain circumstances like birthdays or severe home sickness. Phone contact usually makes the homesick camper more upset. There is a phone easily accessible to be used in case of emergency. Please no cell phones! They are too disruptive and one of the purposes of camp is to promote independence and self reliance. We store all cell phones and if absolutely necessary for your child to call, they can ask to use their phone.
Do you have a supply list?
There is a supply list on the web site which you can print out or we will send one out with our information package once you are registered. Please NO knives, cigarette lighters and cigarettes, cell phones, game boys, stereo systems, boom boxes, video players, excessive candy or junk food.
How much spending money should my child get?
We no longer have a concession, so the only money needed would be to buy clothing from the store or if you child is staying consecutive weeks. Sometimes we take them to the store or town for treats.
What is your staff ratio?
We have 1 to 2 ratio in the tack up area.For the lessons there is 1 instructor for each group of 5.
What do you do about homesickness?
When a camper is homesick, we make every attempt to keep her busy in activities and concentration on the aspects of camp that she considers fun (horses). If the homesickness persists, we call the parents to make the parents aware of the situation and ask for suggestions in make the camper more comfortable.
What happens if a camper becomes ill or injured?
We have staff certified in First Aid and CPR. Emergency medical services are less than 20 minutes away. Our staff will telephone parents or the designated emergency contact person if a camper experiences a medical condition that prevents her from participating in camp activities for more than 24 hours, or if the camper must see a physician for any reason.
What is your refund policy?
Registrations may be cancelled on or before April 15th for a full refund minus a 10% administration fee. For refunds after this date, we suggest you purchase cancellation insurance through a travel agent.