FOUNDER’S BLOG…

WISHING YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

On behalf of all the farm staff and the horses, I want to wish each and every one of YOU a most joyous, healthy and happy NEW YEAR. 2009 promises to be a great one here at Pony Farm. We want to have you share it with us!!!! We send all our best wishes to you and your family in hopes that you had a great Holiday season together.

We miss seeing you for camp or lessons. The farm is kind of empty without people all around. The horses and ponies are all so fat and furry. They are not the least bit concerned about the bad weather we have been having. They seem to be happily enjoying their vacation from being ridden. Each January they get the whole month off to just relax and rejuvenate their spirits and bodies. They work so hard the rest of the year that we like to give them this treat. We give them extra yummy food and lots of good warm blankets on the really cold days. I know they appreciate it.

Before we give you more horse news, we would like to tell you about several important upcoming events….First of all, we will be hosting the PONY FARM SUMMER CAMP OPEN HOUSE on SUNDAY, JANUARY 4^TH from 1 to 4PM. If you are interested in either our summer residential camp or our NEW summer Day Camp, we hope you will join us!!! We want to tell you all about the ways that we have fun with horses and ponies in the summer months.

The PONY FARM SUMMER CAMP is for girls ages 8 to 14, with a Counselor In Training Program for girls 15 to 17. We have one, two, three and four week options. Girls from all over this country and the world come to stay with us. They live in the lodge and, for the first time ever, this summer will also be living in the beautiful old farmhouse which used to be the Stage Coach Stop between Montreal and Boston. With the lodge and the farm house as ‘home away from home’ and 60 horses & ponies to enjoy, everyone has a great time….Take a good look at our website and see the new slideshow all about summer residential camp!!! Imagine YOU being in the pictures…swimming with the horses, going in a horse show, on a pony camping trip or an all day picinic drive or ride. We do it all!!!

This summer we will be officially beginning a PONY FARM SUMMER DAY CAMP as well. This will be for kids 4 to 10 years old. Day Camp will have its own headquarters out in front of the indoor arena. With their own little four horse barn, Clubhouse in the Caboose, riding ring and picnic lunch area, it will be a dream come true for local kids who want to ride and enjoy the farm in the summer months. The campers will enjoy the farm animals….goats, miniature horses, lambs, chickens, ducks, banty’s and miniature donkey. They will also get to swim in the pool, grow flowers and vegetables in the gardens, and enjoy the many trails, woods and fields around the farm. We don’t want YOU to be a stranger here in the summer!!!!

For kids that are not interested in either sleep away or day camp but want to come and ride, we will also offer riding lessons in a series for YOU!!!! We have had a big call for this from our lesson programs and feel it is very easily accomplished with a new riding ring and the use of the indoor arena. Adding the trails and dirt roads right out our ‘back door’, we can offer a full set of lessons when day camp is not in session. We hope you will keep us in mind as you begin planning your summertime fun!

Another new and exciting thing that we will be doing this year is that we will offer a variety of Riding, Driving and Horsemanship Clinics with great teachers from all over New England. We think there is a real need for this. I am going to be on the top of the list for each of them. I love to learn….as do the rest of the staff. All of the instructors are most eager to keep up their own riding and working to improve each and every horse. Keep reading this Blog for upcoming details about this. We will be beginning our monthly series in February, after the horses’ get their well deserved rest.

In preparation for the coming of Spring lessons and camp, as well as the exciting new clinics, we are getting some good training time in on the newer horses and ponies. The two stars of this training program are Ben and Jerry. Despite their rocky early life, they are truly in love with people. They adore working and being handled. They are going so well in harness too. We are about to do the last two steps of the tire drag and the PVC pipes to get them ready to really put to a training cart. They look most handsome. I am thrilled needless to say…I can’t wait to give you a drive in the lovely new Wagonette with Ben and Jerry in a beautiful new pair harness. That is my New Year’s promise to myself is driving them as a pair all over the countryside with lots of friends and lots of delectable picnic lunches….What fun that will be. I hope you will join me with Ben and Jerry in 2009!

Bonnie and Clyde are also getting some good schooling. Heather Wile, a long time lesson student then teacher, and camper and then counselor, is home from her last year at college. She has been riding both of them nearly every day. They are jumping like little troopers. It is such fun to see how much they, too, love the attention. Heather and the rest of the training crew have also been working on our lovely big new horse called Brooks. He is a steel gray Canadian Thoroughbred cross who is coming 4. He is about 17 hands tall and is a lovely mover. He too is so willing and eager to please. We are getting him ready for spring lessons and summer camp.

In addition to these bigger horses, we have been working on the “MIGHTY MINIS”! They are learning to lunge and trot round and round with a rider on them. Both of my Granddaughters, Morgan and Megan, have been riding them every day of their vacation, sometimes twice a day! They have learned how to post and just giggle as they zoom around. Their little western saddles fit both the girls and the minis. What a great site to warm a Grandmother’s heart….sure makes all the work totally worth it.

We will soon be getting Jazz, the pinto mini mother, going under saddle and driving the pony carts. She is so quiet and gentle that I know it will be easy to do. I can’t wait until we can also drive her baby, “Pizazz”….He, too, is such a little love that he will come to it easily. Won’t they be adorable as a driving pair!!! With Ben and Jerry, Bonnie and Clyde, and Jazz and Pizazz all driving as pairs, it will be quite something around here.

Speaking of other fun “horsey news”, we think that Willie, our newest horse that has been donated to Horse Power is pretty terrific too. He is a great big black horse who used to be a Caisson horse who pulled the caskets of important soldiers in Arlington Cemetery. Willie was one of the eight horse hitch which pulled President Regan’s casket to his final resting place. We are so excited to have him as part of our horse family. He is not only very beautiful and proud, but he is going to be a terrific Vaulting horse in addition to driving horse. He will do lots of good work at Horse Power, our therapeutic riding program….but he loves trail riding and all day picnic rides, too. He is a man of many talents…and handsome, to boot!!!

We are also eagerly looking for a few more horses and ponies to buy toward the end of winter so we have some fun new ones for both lessons and camp….We love our troopers but it is always good to get some new fresh faces to add to the farm family.

Speaking of adding to the farm, soon we will be adding two bottle baby lambs and a baby miniature donkey to our small animal family. We will get our chickens and ducks back once the weather gets warmer….Having lots of eggs and fun baby chicks for everyone to enjoy. We also are really excited to be starting our vegetable and flower seedlings for the gardens. We are thinking about having a small Farm Stand here at Pony Farm so that we can share our produce with our friends and neighbors….I am really excited about that project. I guess I am an eternal farmer and lover of all that is ‘farms’….goats, sheep, veggies, eggs, and even bunnies, all furry and cuddly.

Mostly, however, I love having people come to enjoy the farm….Seeing our boarders lavish their love on their horses, and the farm staff and students and campers pour out their hearts to the horses, makes my heart glad again and again. I surely am in the right ‘job’…a good life’s work for sure. Now…all we need is you. I do hope you will hurry up and come to visit. I also hope that we see you lots and lots in 2009, making the farm complete.

Until then, stay healthy and happy, knowing that you are welcome here anytime.

Have a great NEW YEAR…..

Most warmly, Boo McDaniel

Specialty Weekends- We Miss YOU!!!!!

Pony Farm Fun and YOU are invited!!



Dearest Pony Farm families

Oh how I do hope you are still checking my blog!! I miss all of you soooo much and can not believe summer is nearly over!!
But the fun continues….we are excited to offer these special seasonal weekends to our fantastic Pony Farm families AND new friends, as well. Spread the word!!

We’re offering~

Harvest Festival Family Weekend Sept. 26-28
Fall Foliage Family Weekend Oct. 10-12
Mother/Daughter Holiday Weekend Dec. 5-7
Mother/Daughter Holiday Weekend Dec. 12-14

Bring your family, grandparents, best friends…come enjoy a wonderful weekend of riding in the indoor ring, the trail, English or Western saddles, lessons..

Driving carriage or sleighs…

Hikes to suit any ability…

Obstacle courses in the barn…

Charades…picture taking…sing-along camfires…

Much more!!!! Massage anyone?


These weekends do fill up, so register early. You can call Lauren Riccio at the farm office (603) 654-6308 or send an email to laurenriccio@yahoo.com for registration and pricing info.

I simply can not wait to see you all again, and fall on the farm is indeed special!

With much love,

Boo

Wrap up for Session Five

Thursday August 14th, 2008

Dearest Parents and Family Members,

Here I am back again, with a whole day lapsed between when I promised I would write and Thursday morning. I feel so badly that I have ‘fallen down’ on the Blog job but it is because I ‘stood up’ for your kids!!! On Tuesday morning after I wrote you, I had the mental picture of coming back after a great day with the kids and writing to you while they did barn chores & before the camping trip….That was not to be and here goes the tale of weather….

On Tuesday morning, the kids were so eager to ride and try out their riding groups. As you may remember, the staff had really worked hard on getting everyone on the right horse—not too big, not too, too fast, too slow. This was the day to see if the changes and riding group placements had been accurate. We senior most people went around to the groups to check everyone out. With one or two more switches, the kids were all good to go. We sure do encourage them over and over again to let us know if the group is too easy or too hard….They really do feel part of the process.

So, after a good ride under their belt, we got planning for the afternoon activities despite a ‘possible thunder showers’ weather report. I had promised the kids from last session that we were going to have a pony camping trip….With the weather never letting up, I had not been able to come through on that promise. So, this time I felt I could not have been gone for the best two days while I was at the wedding and then not come through with my promises for this session….However, even if it had been sunny, it would have been sodden underfoot at the camping trip and the rushing river would have been too deep to cross with the horses who were going to come with us. In short, it would have been really unpleasant. So, I came up with the bright idea of a camping trip at my house, a Pony Farm version of a gigantic slumber party….They were thrilled and so excited, much to my delight.

So, we split the groups in half by rooms and the littler kids came on Tuesday night and the bigger kids on Wednesday night. So, as I was feeling good about this exchange for a woods camping trip, I went about the rest of my day.

On Tuesday afternoon before the camping trip, the kids had their camp Portraits taken. These are pictures of each girl with her horse or pony. They will be available for you to view them on Saturday and purchase them is you so choose. Many of our families have pictures of their girls each year they have come to camp. It is really a fun momento but we do stress that you do not have to buy them!!! While the kids were taking turns doing that, I got two miniature horses and two smaller ponies harnessed up and ready to go driving with little carts and carriages. I dearly love driving and am the main one who runs that activity. Driving can be darn dangerous if you are harnessed up right or hooked properly to the carriage. Having driven all my life, I like to be the safety checker to get it done right and keep it safe. I dearly love driving, maybe even more than riding, as it is so sociable! The kids all love it too.

The other option was for the kids to do “Slip and Slide”. With the weather having been sooo horrible, we have not done a mandatory Camp Swim Test. We just felt it was cruel to make them swim in freezing water. So, this is another ‘wet’ activity that can happen in lieu of actually swimming. What they do is take a huge tarp and I mean huge…and spread it out on the front lawn of the lodge which has a small slope to it. They then ‘grease’ it with shampoo so it slides really easily. Then, the hose is applied and vola, a huge hit on the farm….simple fun is the best kind! So, they ran and jumped and slid their hearts out in singles, pairs and trios…it was a big hit and they did not freeze to death luckily!

So picture this, everything is all set up, the harnesses on, the tarp readied and the photographer and assist with camera in hand….the kids poised…and guess what…more rain and some distant rumblings of thunder….I thought I really might shoot myself!!! It is sooo hard to feel like you are disappointing the kids but it is even harder to have to switch up activities and reorganize at the drop of a hat…60 plus people and 60 plus horses has a lot of moving parts!

But, we persevered and drove in the rain, the pictures got taken between rain squalls and the kids adored the driving, despite being all wet….Whew, I thought we are going to get through the afternoon without thunder and lightening…Not five minutes later I looked up at the sky and there was the biggest, blackest and most ominous cloud I had ever seen rolling in over Pony Farm….I don’t mind rain or thunder rumbles, but I surely do mind lightening and thunder and harsh rain pelting down on us….So, in we all hurried, having had plenty of fun doing as much slipping, sliding and driving and posing as we could squeeze into the moment…

Everyone got to the barn safely and we unharnessed and fed the horses. I thought well this storm too shall pass and I will continue on with my plan for blogging you. Little did I know the real boomers that were to come. We had to gather all the kids out of the barn and bring them to the lodge because the thunder and lightening was truly crashing down on our heads. It was a frightening storm. I felt I needed to be with the kids and keep them peaceful and thinking of other things. Also, I worried I might fry my computer. Thus….I “stood up for your kids” while I “let you down”…I think it was the right choice and I bet you do too…

So, with barn chores nearly done and the storm receeding, off we trooped with Rooms 1 though 5 for our big excursion to my house. I had told them that it used to be the Stage Coach stop between Boston and Montreal. On the way down I told them how the horses would rumble in and stop by my front door. Then, the horses would get quickly switched to fresh horses while the people got something to drink and went to the ‘necessary room’. They were so excited to come in the actual Stagecoach entrance laden down with their sleeping bags, PJs, sweatshirt and bathing suit….We immediately built a fire in my great big fireplace, with lots of helping hands….We cooked hot dogs, veggie dogs, with a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the side, of course. We had cucumbers out of my garden…a proud garden mother am I…ate chips, apples, carrots and lots & lots of ‘dogs’ roasted over the open fire on sticks we had picked. The kids were such fun…not one cross word, one butt in front of the line to get the food and no one got poked with the cooking sticks….Pretty great average.

Then, we divided into 4 groups and went out to play with the farm animals…One gang went to swim the ducks; a second to play with the bunnies and guinea pigs in my sunroom; a third to play with the new baby chicks; and a fourth to jump the goats, miniature horses and donkey (well, try to jump the donkey…they didn’t get ‘stubborn like a mule’ out of no where!). I have to tell you that it is a most delightful sight to see these kids simply and purely and abundantly loving these animals. They just really enjoy being with them whether they are sitting there gently stroking a bunny or tenderly holding a baby chick in their hand or gleefully running with a mini as they both fly over a jump. My grass in my front yard will never look manicured and perfect…but I sure would rather see these kids gleefully running and jumping and playing with the animals and each other than have a spotless lawn!

After that, I decided to bend the rules just this once and let them have an evening swim with the light on in the pool. So, armed with the baby goat on my lap and three staff people helping watch, they had a blast….They looked like a bunch of young seals cavorting in the water. It was really fun and a great way to get their hands clean for S’mores…What is a camping trip without S’mores! So, they bundled quickly into their PJ’s and we reused our sticks to cook countless S’mores. Man, can those kids pack away the chocolate….For both groups of kids, we ate 3 bags of marshmallows, 6 packages of Graham Crackers and 24 bars of chocolate…much to my pleasure no one threw up in my house….
So, with the candles burning brightly, it was time for story telling…I am very opposed to ghost stories as it seems stupid to have kids in the dark, in a strange place and away from family …and then tell the scariest stories we can think of to tell….Not happening on this lady’s watch. But, stories I did tell…They were so eager to hear about how we got this horse and what was the history of that horse and what was the bloodies time at the farm with a horse or how did this one die…so, we got our share of tales but not one ghost appeared to scare little ones. It was so funny as they begged for more I could also see kids silently dropping into dream land. Pretty soon only two kids were awake and we all decided to call it a night. It had surely been a huge success compared to camping out on the wet, cold ground in the trees next to a swollen stream….Here’s to lovely old houses with great stories to tell.

Wednesday finally dawned beautiful. Everyone was really jubilant about seeing the sun. Like milk, it does a body good and the mold and muck begin to disappear. The girls actually got a full lesson in rings where the mud puddles were not 3” deep. All the groups were great. Two more groups went on a trail ride to make sure they would be ready and comfortable for the All Day Ride which is just about to happen today…but more on that in a minute.

The kids had also been excited about seeing two of our newest horses driving. So, while they rode in the morning and had lunch, I gathered a team of some of our year around staff that do the carriage driving to hook up Willie and Alyanna…Willie is a Cassion horse that was given to us from the Army. He had been one of a six horse hitch who had driven President Regan to his final resting place in Arlington Cemetery . He had also done many military parades….So, without a “hitch”, we hitched him up!!! We have recently gotten a new carriage and he sure made a beautiful picture. By next summer, he can give families rides on the Parent visiting day. We also hooked up our beautiful Arabian which is on long time loan to us…She was a dream to drive and had obviously done it a lot….So, we are thrilled to have a total of 15 driving horses and ponies….It sure makes for a fun selection for driving activities at camp. I love to drive with the kids and remember one of my favorite little kids from the past saying this…
“You know Boo, if more people traveled like this there would be way less wars!” I fear, lisp and all, that she was right….but that’s for another discussion!

The afternoon stayed bright and sunny…for a fabulous change! The girls got to practice their “Specialties” which will be part of the riding demonstration that we will do for you on the Closing Day. Their choices are the High Jump called the Puissance, Vaulting which is gymnastics on the moving horse, Bareback Riding and maybe a little jumping, Courses and Lines of jumps, and Cones Driving with the smaller driving ponies. They had all signed up for their specialty event….Everyone got their first choice, although I was amazed that 13 children chose driving over the riding options….much to my delight, of course…So, off we all went, smiling in the sun.

The afternoon went off without a hitch….no lightening….We hardly knew what to do with a good day but it was all smiles. The horses got fed and snack time happened…and then I gathered up the whole group….I shamelessly bribed them into picking rocks for 15 minutes. In our efforts to ‘green up’ the farm through recycling and rotate pastures, while reducing the number of horses we have during the school year, we asked everyone to help pick rocks in this field that we are reseeding and resting for a year. The kids went at it and we called them “Rock Stars”….We picked three bucket loads of the tractor full of rocks…A job that would have taken the 3 maintenance folks all day and then some was done in 15 minutes. When you put 55 people to a task, its amazing what can happen. The kids were thrilled to be helping their horses and I was even more delighted to have the pasture that you first see when you come to the farm all green again….So, take a look at what your daughters did when you come on Saturday. It is the field on the right side of the road as you drive to the lodge….Yipee…Ice cream sandwiches and popsicles are the treat for this afternoon.

So….last night was Take Two of the Camping Extravaganza….The older girls came this time. I was alittle worried that they might think it was corny to come sleep on my floor instead of real camping…but they came, the very last one of them. What a total blast we had. Because the weather was great, we made our fire in my fire pit and lit torches to see….We played equally heartily with the farm animals after dinner….then had a great swim…everyone went in this time as it was warmer….the goat still got to help supervise and then it was time for S’Mores…They cleaned the cupboard again of every last marshmallow and piece of chocolate….How do they stay so beautifully skinny with the ability to down that much sugar!?!
This time we told stories, again with the goat in my lap, around the fire pit. There really is something magical about fires…It just sooths the soul in a way that TV or computers just do not….They begged for more stories and my voice was getting worn out…finally at 10:15 we all agreed we better hit the sack so we could be well rested for our All Day Ride….I checked that all the Farm Animals were fed and correctly put up for the night and fed my own dogs….by then, there was not a peep…All was quiet on the PF front.
I do want you to know that the kids that were not with me had a great time too. They played a great game in the barn called Personal Scavenger Hunt…This is a game where silly questions or requests to sing or dance a song are given by the staff. The kids then have to run down the aisle of the upstairs barn where we store the hay and slap the table…They then must try to sing their song or give the answer to the question. They adore this game. I however am really getting old because I can’t answer even one question….The only one I do know about is Miley Cyrus….put that is it!!!

So, today, we are off on the All Day Ride…We will ride in several Western Saddles and take saddle bags filled with our yummie lunches…with some added candy to spice up the day! We will ride about 11 miles. This is my favorite all Day Ride and it is one of the highlights of my summer. We will take 21 kids and 5 staff, so it will be a ride of 26 horses. I am leading in my cowboy boots, western saddle, rope and best horse…Yipee…I am going to be pretty stiff tomorrow as I have not ridden very much during camp because they always want to drive!!!

The kids that are either too little to come or chose to stay home are being treated to a big Gymkhana….meaning games on horses….There will be games like the Toilet Paper Game, Rock & Spoon, Sit a Buck, Slurp and Burp….to mention a few. There will also be Gambler’s Choice….one of obstacles for the littler ones and one of jumps for the bigger ones….The harder the obstacle or jump is the higher the points received for successfully doing it….The riders are given 2 or 3 minutes and they get to choose their own line, trying to guess what their horse will or won’t do….The one with the highest points wins…..and everyone has a great time…So, they will surely not be bored….

Tonight, after their Thank YOU Treats from yesterday….and a good dinner, they are going to play Counselor Quest….another all camp favorite (and one that I thankfully don’t have to play after riding all day long!). This is a version of Hide and Seek…the staff are assigned point values depending on their role at camp. The kids then are divided into teams and the teams have to track down and find the staff without letting other teams know any secret locations…Staff plan carefully all week where they think they can best hide not to be seen….The long and short of it is the kids love to find the staff and the staff pride themselves in great hiding places….Everyone loves it…

Tomorrow, we will have our final lesson in the morning and then one more practice for our Specialties in the afternoon….During Rest Hour, they will write their Candlelight Ceremony piece about what their experience here at Pony Farm has meant to them. We will then get started packing and get everyone dressed up for the last night of camp for the 2008 Season….wow, where did the summer go…It just flew by, making the statement of “Time Flies When You Are Having FUN” so true….

After a steak and special Veggie option with Goat cheese non the less, we will have our Candlelight Ceremony with the torches burning, the pool all decorated and the song books prepared….This will be bitter sweet for me and the staff as we have truly loved this summer. What a phenomenal group of kids we have had all summer….It is truly my pleasure and privilege to be a Camp Director ….Little did I know those 37 years ago when I started camp with my two best friends (at 17 no less!) and eight little girls that I would still be doing this!!! Wow, it has been a great ride.

Let me end by just quickly reiterating the plan for Saturday so you will all know the scoop. We ask that you arrive at 9:30AM, armed with a picnic lunch. You kiddos will all be at the barn tacking up with the riding and specialties well organized. We will give you a little Orientation at about 9:45 about where to go and what to see. You are also free to take a few minutes and load up the car while the lodge is not filled with kids. We will have them well packed with their ‘stuff’ on their beds…(I often think this is the biggest feat we accomplish each session!) You can also settle up with Kris is you have any outstanding bills or camp store purchases…The pictures that we took this week will also be available for you to see. If you like them, you pay the photographer directly. We don’t’ let the kids see them ahead so you don’t feel cornered into buying them…but, they are pretty darn beautiful!!!

Then, you can go off to enjoy seeing your daughter ride. I hope and think you will see good progress, despite lousy weather….Following the riding which should end about 11:30 to 12ish…the kids will do the final feeding and come up for lunch. We ask that you pack a picnic for your family. We have done the food in the past and can never guess how much or how little to cook because we did not know how many extra people were coming…so, at the cost of food and our new ‘waste not want not’ policy, we will provide the drinks and several yummie desserts for you….

Following all of that, we will say our fond farewells and “can’t wait to see you next years”!!! I can’t wait to meet the new parents and tell all parents how great their kiddo is….It has been such fun…

I am off to the All Day Ride….Am I not the luckiest person in the world….

Have a super day and see you soon.

Warmly, Boo

Happiest Hello from Session 5!!

Tuesday August 12th, 2008

Dearest Families of Pony Farmers, New and Old,

What a dear group of girls I was lucky enough to go up to camp to see this morning and for lunch. The new kiddos who came in on Sunday have settled in so well and seem all smiles. They all crowded around me like I was a visiting dignitary…It was such fun to come home to their welcome. They are indeed adorable. The ones that had been here last week are great too. They have kept such a great spirit despite our deplorable weather….It has rained off and on again today…What ridiculous summer weather we have had all season….But, to their huge credit, they have been troopers. They rode in the rain…..with some patches of sun…this morning with nary a complaint. They make it fun to be a Camp Director!!!

So, let me catch you up now that I am home from the wedding. Several parents wrote asking when I was going to write again…It made me feel great that folks read the blogs…I love writing them and giving you a bird’s eye view of the daily happenings. So, now that I am back from sunny Washington, DC, here is the next installment…

The kids that had been here last week were soooo great getting the farm and barns ready for the new kids to arrive on Sunday afternoon. Kris said that she tried to keep them dry and comfy in the lodge, but they insisted on helping do the prep for the new arrivals….(Yet one more example of a great group of children!!!) Kris also said that the Opening Day for only 11 new campers was a real treat. The difference of welcoming 48 kids versus only 11 ‘newbies’ was really a pleasant treat. She also said that the parents of the new kiddos for this session were so great…thus, no homesickness this time around! Hooray. The other great thing is that we have the full compliment of staff so each group has at least one Counselor in Training helping the Senior Summer riding instructors. The three least experienced groups have two CITS, thus a ratio of 3 staff to 4 to 6 kids…. A lot of teaching can get done with that much good help. So, I am thrilled that, by moving the dates earlier in the summer, we have been able to keep all our summer staff until the very end. Other summers we have tried to go one week later and it was just plain hard without the full number of teachers and support staff with the college kids going back to school. So, we are off to a great start…if only the weather would perk up!!!

After meeting parents and seeing the proposed match for their horses, the kids who had been here before did some feeding and turn out while Kris oriented the new kids. Everyone had a good dinner and then got to do some introductions. They also did Bag Skits which is such a camper favorite. How this goes is that each room of kids gets a bag into which they put 6 items. The things they gather range from a hair brush, to a sock, to a decoration or a book..to name a few usual items. Then, the bags get switched and the roommates are tasked with coming up with a skit that uses these items. The hairbrush becomes a microphone…and so on…The skits are really fun to watch as everyone is so creative. We also think this is a good way to get the roommates to know each other better and to start working together. Both kids and staff love this event…Staff even get into the act making up their skit…Everyone has fun and gets to feel more comfortable with each other.

After Bag Skits, they had Vespers and Good Night Circle. This is our way of ending the day on a peaceful note. We light the birch log with a candle for each room and each house. In the glow of candlelight, the CITS tell why they keep coming back to camp year after year. It always makes my heart glad when I hear their reasons. It also lets the new kids know what the camp experience can mean, now and later on! I do believe that friendships and memories are made that last a life time….Maybe this is why I have done this for 37 summers!!!

After this Vesper speaking, the kids then sing songs out of the camp songbook. It is fun to see the kids that have been here before helping the new kids learn the ‘old favorites’. Then, everyone holds hands and Good Night Circle begins. This is a time when the kids and staff tell what they were most thankful for that day. I love this time together as I so believe in gratitude and appreciation. These kids are sooo lucky to have the families they have…and each other…and good food to eat…and gardens, ponies, farm animals, etc…etc…They are so dear about remembering their families and their pets too. It is just plain a genuinely lovely way to put some closure to the day and settle the kids down to get ready for bed. It also makes thing feel cozy and comfy…making homesickness flee…

Then, on Monday morning while I was being held at the airport due to thunderstorms on the East Coast (arghhhh), the kids were broken up into several bigger riding groups to assess the horse matches and divide further into riding groups. We take this so seriously. Having the right mount…and then the right amount of challenge is critical to successful learning and a great camp experience. The staff works all morning long to make the necessary switches and then to place the kids in the right groups. They sure do take their job seriously.

Riding groups were announced after Rest Hour…and they tried to ride again…but the thunder (luckily without lightening) boomed and the rains poured…so, they were given the opportunity to do Natural Horsemanship (partnering with your horse using specific techniques and horse instinct practices) in the indoor arena…or learning how to groom and tack up more independently….or a movie….Kris said that the kids that had battled the weather last week were just plain cold, wet and tired. She thought that a movie would be just the right thing with everyone so that they could snuggle up and not end up sick!

Oopps, I get so involved in writing this and telling you all that is happening that I lost track of the time…I need to go driving with the kids and the miniature horses….all four carriages…right now. I will write a second installment to catch you up after I drive and the kids are doing barn chores…Stay well and I will resume soooooon…Off to play with the kids….

Fondly, Boo

Session Wrap Up Information!!

Friday Early Morn’ August 8th


Dearest Pony Farm Families, All,

Salutations and Good Mornings to you from the rainy north country….Like in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe where there was the land of eternal white winter…I feel like this is the land of eternal rain and gray clouds, some of which produce thunder and lightening…These poor kids have been doomed with weather BUT…..they have been FANTASTIC SPORTS…What a bunch of troopers. As we head out again in the pouring rain to do some outside activities, they complain not at all. They are surely coming home with wet clothes galore but they sure have been super about it all. I am dazzled with them and the staff, who have also been terrific sports. Not one groan or grump when they have to go stand in the torrents AGAIN…..I give everyone a lot of credit for fortitude.
We have had a wonderful time despite the weather. I can see friendships forming that will last well into the future. We are going to be sad to lose our kiddos that are leaving on Saturday but glad they have been with us for one week. We hope they will return in a mighty way next year for two weeks…
I left off on Wednesday morning when, guess what…it was pouring…The staff and I divided up the kids into their riding groups. We rotated two groups at a time in the indoor arena and did Gymkhana Games that were ability specific. The group that was to follow got all tacked up and mounted so that everyone could maximize their riding time. It worked really well and the kids all got to ride at least for an hour and a half.
Meanwhile, the other activities that were rotated through all during the day were Poster Making (with prizes for categories, of course!), watching a Stablemanagement Educational video about Equine First Aid or playing with the Farm Animals (you are right, they ALL chose the Farm Animals in the rain!!!), and a combination of bracelet making, door room hangers and horse treat making at my house. We had a blast making “I didn’t buck today” treats and “Stud Muffins”…I downloaded the recipes off the internet that morning. The kids adored making the horse treats and begged to do more. It was too cute how eager they were to give their pony his or her treats. I loved getting to be with every single child that day. With the ACA visit on Tuesday, I felt like I had missed out on being with them…Also, I was supposed to lead the All Day Ride on Wednesday…so, I was happy to be in and dry while getting to be with everyone! I loved the day, despite the weather.
On Wednesday night, they played Personal Scavenger Hunt in the indoor arena…thank Goodness for that building. This is a great game where the kids get into teams and have to sit together about 20 feet away from a table at which the counselors are sitting. The counselors spend all sorts of time thinking up fun and funny questions or songs. The kids that know the answer or can sing the song or dance the dance have to race to slap the table. They then have to answer the question or do the dance. It is a riot…Of course, I never know any of the answers…Oh, to be 12 again!!!!
After our lovely Good Night Circle, the kids went to bed nicely. I am happy to say that all the vestiges of homesickness are GONE….Hooray…everyone has settled in nicely and is fully engaged….It is fun to see and a good tribute to the campers and staff.
Yesterday, (Thursday)…..we had our usual morning of lessons in the riding groups under cloudy-but dry, skies. Afternoon choices in activities were vaulting, carriage driving, bareback riding or taking the mini horses, goats, and the dear donkey swimming in a nearby creek. THAT sure was a hit and easily the most popular choice!!
Then last night we offered a Horseless Horse Show which is always hilarious. The girls act as the horses and have to jump, canter, etc while the staff decides who will win the trophy and ribbons.
This morning we have dry skies again and all the girls will be riding in their groups and practicing for the riding exhibition for YOU to enjoy on Saturday!! At our morning meeting, they all decided they’d like to chose from between a lesson in Natural Horsemanship this afternoon, or free riding (more practicing!!) or…something we call Catch Riding, which is when each girl tacks up her own pony, but then is able to switch horses and “try out” another horse or pony that she’s been curious about. It is a fun way to give someone else a try!! Tonight, which is the last night at camp for many of the girls, we will have a Special Closing Ceremony and Dinner. This is just a very sweet, special way for us to reflect on our time together, eat a yummy meal and dress up just a bit (clean clothes!!) Many of the girls will be going home tomorrow (tired but happy!) and if your daughter is one of them, here is what you should know: Please plan to arrive in time for their 10am Riding Exhibition. Once you get here, staff can tell you exactly where your daughter will be riding. Bring a picnic and enjoy lunch with us. Pony Farm will happily provide drinks and desserts. We will all eat together before sad goodbyes and fond farewells. Saying goodbye to their ponies might just be the most difficult!!
If your daughter is staying on for an additional week, you are most welcome to come visit and take her to ice cream or dinner. Just please let Kris know!! All of the girls staying the next week will have the opportunity to ride tomorrow afternoon and we will gladly have a picnic lunch for them, so if you can not make it—NO WORRIES!! Your treasure is in great hands!! Kris has a great movie planned for a lowkey Saturday night.
I have soooooo loved your daughters this week and have so much respect for how these awesome young ladies braved more than our fair share of rain and really came together as a group!! It has been such a pleasure this week for me as Executive Director to get to know and cherish each of them. Fond farewells indeed!!

Rainy Hellos!!

Wednesday Morning August 6th, 2008

Dearest Pony Farm Families, One and All,

I send all my best greetings to you from here at Pony Farm. I am smiling as I think of your kiddos still snuggled up warm and day in their bunkbeds. It is seriously raining this morning, ruining our chances for our All Day Ride. It sure makes me glad that I do not run a tent camp….arghhh!
But….back to the beginning. First, let me apologize for not writing sooner. With the Opening and Closing Day all in 12 hours of each other, Sunday gets hectic. I also knew you would want me to be with your kids rather than writing you! Also, I hope you read the letter that detailed what we did on Sunday night.
This group has the most new kids of any session of the summer. As you all know, our procedure is that once a kiddo comes to Pony Farm, she and her family can select which session she most wants to attend. It seems like the most popular times to come to camp is in the middle of the summer. The first session is too close to school and/or many kids have not yet gotten out of school by June 15th. This last session is often when families take vacation together, thus making it hard to have camp happen in the middle of that….thus, other sessions were practically filled with returning campers…and this session has way more new campers. Both things are good as it is better if you are new to be with other newbies. If you are the only new kid on the block, I think it is harder to get into the swing of things and we fly through the orientation because everyone knows the ropes…..
So, with this all in mind, we have spent extra time letting everyone really get to know each other and the ways of camp. On Sunday night, we each took a room of girls and played the M&M Game. With questions like “What is your favorite present ever?”, “What was your best vacation?” and “What was your most embarrassing moment?”, we passed the M&Ms around and munched as we answered the questions according to color of M&M….Following this, each room took turns introducing their roommates and staff member. We learned some fun things about each other and the friendships took root. After this, we all came up with a list of ALL the things they want to do this week and next. In order to do all the things, we would have to be here at least another month! Their list does show great energy and enthusiasm for the farm and the ponies!
With a bit more intros about bedtime and what to do if you need help in the night, we all gathered around the birch log with a candle for each room. The candles were lighted and our evening ceremony began. The Counselors in Training each spoke about why they come back to camp year after year. It always makes my heart glad to hear their words. It also moves me that they are returning for their 5th, 6th or 7th year. With all the great adventures to be had in this world, I am honored that they chose to come back to Pony Farm time and time again.
We then all hold hands to do Good Night Circle. This is a time when the girls are encouraged to voice their gratitude about their day or their time. Kids and staff alike thank each other for nice things that happened, or for their families (yes, they do love YOU!!!), their pets, their horse or their life in general. I am always happy to hear that they really are appreciative and realize how lucky we all are in a world which has such strife and struggle. I was once told that I got to live in a world which is how life should be and my friend had to live in the world as it is! I would pick this any day and any way…and have for the last 37 years! I do feel extraordinarily lucky. It is equally pleasant to hear that the girls feel lucky and grateful for their lives. Good Night Circle ended with teaching the girls one or two favorite camp songs and then they tip toed off to get ready for bed.
The staff and I wait until they are changed and in bed before we go around to ‘tuck them in’. Of course, the older girls don’t need this as much. They love to sit on their beds and speak of the bigger world….I focus on the little ones, many of whom this is their first night away from Mom and Dad….I admire their stuffed animals, their horsey quilts, their sweet blankets….They each get a hug and a kiss…and off they go to slumber land. On this night, we had only one kiddo who was homesick….The rest were troopers and everyone got a good night sleep…which hugely helps in the homesick department!
Monday dawned mostly sunny….It has honestly rained so much that any little rays of sun feels like a brilliantly sunny day. All of the girls hopped out of bed to begin their first real day of camp. All throughout the day, we do lots of orienting about how to feed, how to safely catch the horses in the fields, how to tack up and groom, and where to go for their lessons. The kids who already know this help with the intros…and are good sports hearing all of this again when they know the info like the back of their hand!
With the groups divided up into 5 larger groups, soon to be further divided into 8 riding groups, off everyone trooped after breakfast to get ready to ride. Three of us went around to each ring to help the riding instructors sort out who would be best matched with whom. It is like the Sorting Hat in Harry Potter. The kids are strongly urged to tell us what they think…The horses also help tell us who is right for them and who needs to find a new partner…By the end of the morning, we have made several switches of mounts for the girls. Everyone happily dismounted and went to feed their horses and themselves.
During lunch time, the staff and Jessy, our Head of Riding, along with Lorna, our General Manager, and myself, all sit down and pour over the lists and notes. We break all 48 girls into 8 riding groups according to experience. We have some super riders who have ridden all their lives with us this session. We also have kids that have only ridden a little…all of which is great. The kids in Group 1, our least experienced riders, are all able to Walk and Trot independently. The kids in Group 8 are more than ready to rumble and roll over big courses….so, it gives great variety for the staff and the right challenge for the kids.
After lunch and Rest Hour, we gathered the kids back together and announced the horse matches and riding groups. We again stressed how important it was for the kids to tell us if the horse was not right or the group too hard or too easy. We tell them that “we don’t want to bore them, scare them or work them to death”! I feel confident that most of the kids are able to express what they need and help us help them get the right horse and group. So, off we all went to try out the groups and matches.
By the end of this second ride, this time in the right group, we still made a few switches to make it all just right. Now, the kiddos could learn how to do the main barn chores and start taking care of ‘their’ horse. After good intros about turn out and how to do barn chores, and a good solid snack in their tummies, off they trooped to neaten up the barns.
Meanwhile, Kris and I, and the Key Staff, were busily organizing the final paperwork for the American Camping Accreditation visit which was to begin at 7:30 the next morning. We got each blade of grass clipped, each scrap of paper picked up, and each I dotted and T crossed. Kris had very much taken the lead in getting the reams of paperwork completed. The process has over 200 standards in areas such as Health Care, Food Management, Program, Employee Practices, Child Safety and Development, to name a few. Each standard has several parts so it is no mean feat to prepare. We have been gathering everything from the insurance policies summaries to the legal paperwork to the Pediatricians’ report, to the inspection from the plumber, electrician, fire chief and ambulance and police chiefs with their criminal background checks on every employee…..Every one of these standards or sub sections are geared to creating a safe, educational, creative, healthy and fun experience for YOUR child.
We take our ACA accreditation extremely seriously. It is our ‘report card’ if you will. This whole process is like a really good consult to make sure every single risk management piece is in place so that the kids are free to have ‘safe fun’. This happens every three years. This visit marks our 10th time of being accredited.
I am most pleased and proud to tell you that we received a 100% accreditation score. The ACA Visitors were most impressed by how articulate and capable your children are. They remarked several times that they were so poised and so fit, slender and beautiful. They were truly happy to see children that were bucking the national norms for obesity. They arrived before breakfast and left mid afternoon yesterday. I think they share our love for Pony Farm and our pride in running a good, tight ship!
With ACA done and done with a flair, Kris and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. We feel like we can truly enjoy the campers and staff for the rest of the summer! And…enjoy them we will.
During the paperwork review portion of the visit, the campers and staff all got their Camp Portraits done by Donnie, who doubles as our Camp Nurse. They also cleaned their tack and groomed their ponies, building that terrific bond that is so common for girls “between toys and boys”!
Camp snack time, barn chores, showers and dinner then took place. All of this built to the fun Fashion Show….a camp favorite. As the clouds built for the all day rain of today, no damp spirits were found in the lodge as the kids geared up for their trip down the Run Way.
The Fashion Show is one of the camp favorite evening activities….Each room is assigned a theme to dress to….the littler ones have to dress like Disney Princesses, the middle ones like types of animals or farmers or Computer Nerds, and the older ones get to dress like boys or the staff….They sure do have imaginations, you children!!!!
Each room picks a piece of music that is played while they walk the run way….meaning from the kitchen to the middle of the room…with everyone cheering and clapping. It always delights my soul that the kids can have such fun without one moment of TV, DVDs, computers or Face Book….Hooray for simple fun on the farm!
Following an excellent Fashion Show filled with great creativity, we then passed out the song books of all the favorite PF songs. We sang several of the long time favorites with the lights dimmed and the candles burning brightly. We had such fun and sang so much that I forgot to do Good Night Circle….might be because I was tired!
Again, after the singing, the girls all tip toed off to bed to get some good rest….and be ready for today….
And ….today is just plain gross out. It is cold and rainy….I am bending my brain as to what to do…With several kids only staying one week, I hate to miss riding. I was all geared up with my cowboy boots, western saddle and saddle bags to lead the All Day Picnic Lunch ride. All the kids had wanted to come and we had chosen the ones that were only staying for this week, promising the rest that I would take them again next week….However, with the rain pelting down, I surely can’t take them at all today.
My plan is to divide the girls into groups of two riding groups and rotate through the indoor arena…playing gymkhana games which are appropriate to their riding levels. While they are not riding, my idea is to make horse treats at my house while we do an arts and crafts project for part of the time. Another activity is to have a Poster Contest with prizes….the theme being Partnering with your Horse or Equine Safety….The final fourth of the time would be spent in the downstairs barn with the Farm Animals….grooming, leading, doing an Obstacle course all under cover….
So…with these plans in mind, I am about to troop up to the lodge to see what the staff thinks….Mostly, though I will promise you that we will work our level best to give your kiddos a great day despite the lack of cooperation from the weather. I am soooo sad not to do the All Day Ride as it is one of my favs of camp. I love packing up the lunch in saddle bags, riding western, tying the horses to a tree and eatting in a big meadow, looking down at three states….It is what kids should be doing on a summer’s day!
I hope you have enjoyed this rendition of our activities. I love writing this and savoring each moment. I hope it helps give you a birds’ eye view of what we do here at Pony Farm. We sure love your kids and enjoy doing camp….I guess that is why I am still doing this 37 years later!!!
I would like to update you about this weekend before I sign off…We will have a nice Lesson Demo for the parents who are coming to pick up their children on Saturday. You will be able to see your child in her class with her instructor. The only worry I have is that we might not be able to use the three Outside Courses due to such rain….I hate having to double up the groups in the rings…but with 8 groups and only 5 rings without the use of the 3 Outside Courses, I fear it might be so….We pride ourselves on small group lessons….so please know that this is not usual….
If you can arrive by 9:30, you can see the Community Meeting planning for the lessons. Then the kids will tack up while you load up your child’s stuff. Following the lesson, we will have lunch all together. We will provide drinks and desserts for everyone. Please do bring a picnic for yourselves and your camper. Following this picnic, we will all say goodbye and pass out address sheets so that the kids can all stay in touch.
For those of you who have children who are staying for the last week, feel free to come visit. You could see her ride, have lunch with us and then maybe take her out for ice cream. However, IF YOU CAN NOT COME, PLEASE KNOW THAT IT IS FINE….We will surely keep her happy and busy….We will have an afternoon swim with the life guard (it can’t help but stop raining by then!!!), play with the farm animals and generally have a great afternoon on the farm….We would love to invite you to be a part of life on the farm here!!!
So….I hope this helps you to know all that we are doing. We miss you but love your kids….Stay well and see you soon. Could you please turn off the rain button!!!
Most fondly,

Boo

More fun news for YOU

Thursday July 31st, 2008


Dearest Families, One and All,

What a huge week we have had…My head is happily spinning, just like the lighted rides and the cascading fireworks of the Cheshire Fair. It has been quite something and your kids have been simply TERRIFIC. I could keep this bunch forever, I might even try to see how I would pay for all their colleges!!! They are such fun and so game for anything and everything. It has been a real treat for me.

I can tell that the staff shares my enthusiasm as they are usually beginning to drag as we head into Session 4 and 5. They are all giggles after the long days of teaching and horse fun. They are ready to go camping, on the all day ride or drive, set up the gymkhana or go play with me and the kids in the indoor during a thunder storm! It is such fun to see all the ages of camp get along so well. Anyone who tells me kids don’t want to work or know how can go jump in a lake somewhere. What a great group of young American women. The world will be in good hands when both the staff and the campers grow up and decide how they are going to contribute to the world….It makes my heart glad!!!

Let me back track to Monday and Tuesday night’s camping trips. More than 30 kids signed up to go so we surely had to do two nights. Actually, it is really easier to do two back to back as one group sets up the tents and the second group takes them down. It makes for a much more leisurely arrival and departure, leaving plenty of time to swim, sit by the fire and explore the stream…not to mention play with the ponies and horses we bring.

So…with high excitement and lots of organizing accomplished on Monday…there we sat with the rain pouring down and the thunder & lightening flaring all around us….The weather forecast was for a little cloud cover, not a flash flood. We decided to postpone the trip and do a little more PF Olympics. One of the events was to be Stable Management…which means that the kids use all their knowledge of how to do the Evening Barn Chores. With the staff helping as usual with the feeding and turn out, and then available on site in the event of an emergency, the kids are left to build a team to do the best job possible for the ponies and horses. Wow, did this gang do a bang up job…They figure eighted all the bridles, which is what they would do in a very fancy “yard” in Britain! They raked their hearts out, scrubbed water buckets, cob webbed!!! They even washed some of the windows…Never has the barn sparkled like it did after these kids really set to work. What a miracle to see. Now, if we as parents could only harness this power to get their rooms cleaned on a school morning!

As the sun peaked out and I rechecked the weather report, off we set at about 5:30PM. Never have I had such a late start to the trip but I felt confident that we could set up camp, settle in the horses, get dinner and cook S’Mores before the darkness of night descended too much. I surely was right. Those kids really tucked into setting up the tents. We had all three big tents ready, despite a mix up of tent poles from the last trip, by the time the riders arrived with the horses. We bring enough horses to have each girl get to ride in either the trip up to the site, an evening ride, a morning ride or the ride home. We also bring a counselor horse.…This time we needed 5 horses. These are carefully selected from among the horses owned by the farm as we do not want to risk hurting a camper’s horse or a leased horse. It is not mean feat to have to spend the night in the dark tied to a tree. Luckily there are truly never any bugs but it still is a different experience for a horse to spend the night camping. Certain ones love it because they get lavished with attention. Seeing the girls drapped over the ponies as they are lying down in the sunlight which is streaming through the tall trees is a picture worth more than a 1,000 words! It makes all the effort and sleeping on the hard ground worth it for me!!!

So with tents set up, sleeping bags laid out and the fire burning brightly, we set to cooking hot dogs over the fire. With chips, dogs, cole slaw and oranges, we were pretty full…and then the marshmallows came out. With the same sticks and lots of gusto, I can’t tell you how many S’Mores were eatten. No one went to bed with an empty stomach.

Next, we sang by the fire. We had also told countless stories by a previous night around the Fire Pit at the lodge, but there always seem to be more stories to tell. We focus on the horse stories rather than Ghost stories. It just seems silly to get them all nervous before I casually sent them off to bed in their tents. It is often the first night outdoors for many of the girls and I just don’t ‘do’ Ghost stories for that reason.

On the second night, we hosted Pony Farm Idol. The girls gathered together and came up with songs that they could perform. Again, seeing their beautiful glowing and healthy faces in the firelight, singing their hearts out without a moment’s self consciousness convinced me of two things. First, you all have done an amazing job as parents…and secondly, that the woods and fields and horses and farms are good for kids. I just love this time of singing and dancing. It is just plain simple joy…

Everyone tip toed off to their sleeping bags and went to sleep without a hitch. They were truly tired I think! The staff and I stay up until we are sure everyone is asleep and then we too fall into our bags, ready to dream up more fun for the next day.

On the Tuesday night trip, we had gotten to the grounds at the usual time so we were able to take the Evening Ride without it being too dark by the end of the ride. However, for the Monday trip, we had to do two Morning Rides before we left to go home. Sadly, I could not do those as my dad is still not doing very well. I had to take him with my mom to a round of doctor apt. to follow up his hospitalization, so I missed the fun of the morning of the first trip. The girls swam in the mountain pool, splashing in the cooooold clear water and enjoying taking exploration trips up and down the rushing mountain stream. One of the benefits of all the rain is that the stream is really rushing and there is a big fountain of water that runs over our smooth rock from which we slide into the pool. It makes for easy entry into the cooooold water but it sure is refreshing.

Each morning we love cooking breakfast over the fire. We eat scrambled eggs galore, sausage o’plenty, cook toast and drink OJ…Of course, there are a few left over marshmallows that go down the hatch pretty well too! Following that, we clean up camp and then are set to explore the area, ride some more and return to camp by 11:00 to get unpacked and help with noon feed. Luckily rest hour follows lunch, so it is a good time to store up some energy for things to come.

Meanwhile, ‘back at the ranch’, the kids had great fun as well. It is so funny that the older kids mostly choose to stay home from the camping trip. They get to speed through barn chores and then do more elaborate and slightly older evening activities. On the first night, they held a great sounding play. It even had some political overtones as one of our 3rd Year CITs has just returned from being a Senate Page in Washington. She is very into the green candidates and ready to save the world…so I guess it was very good and most entertaining. Good for her! On the second night of the camping trip, they played a rousing game of Capture the Flag…I am glad to have missed that because it sure entails a lot of running. I would much rather sit by the fire to hear them sing than to have to run after flags and capture territory…each to her own!

The campers who did not go on the trip also got a lot of serious, good instruction. With smaller numbers, they got quite a bit of individualized attention. One of the activities that happened was the Puissance, another big camp favorite. It is where the instructors set up two jumps with a very specific amount of space between them. It helps the horses and ponies find the right place to take off to jump. The first jump stays the same and the second jump goes higher and higher until the counselor stops the rider, or the kiddo says its time for her to stop, or the horse says it by running out. In all cases, we are very careful when we do this but it is great fun to test the limits in a well managed manner. The kids love it. The staff stopped it at 3’9”…so that is pretty darned high!

After morning lessons, lunch, a good job of barn chores and rest hour with showers….off we went to the Cheshire Fair. This is truly a highlight of the whole summer, with many staff returning from former years or sessions this summer. It is quite an event. We rent a large bus to get to the fair in Keene NH. With wild ride, carnival games, all the best junk food you can imagine and loads of horse and farm animal events and exhibitions, there really is something for everyone. The girls did it all….Not one girl missed a check in meeting and everyone stayed together in a great way. Not one girl was left to ‘hang with the staff’ because no one wanted to be with her…This is such a great thing for everyone. Hats were bought, fried dough and french fries were eatten, the horse show watched with delight….and then the fireworks set it all off. With a glorious display, we all were mightily entertained.

I took a car load of kids home who wanted to go alittle early. These were the kids that had spent all their money in the first hour and eatten a ton of cotton candy. They were happy to talk like magpies on the way home and then hit their pillows hard when they got back to the lodge. The other kids came in about 11, happy, tired and ready to retire too. A grand day with not one ‘boo boo’ was had by all.

Today, they are sleeping late, thus allowing me time to write this. These kids keep me hopping so it is hard to find time to write. Between all the kids want to do and getting ready for our big American Camping Association accreditation visit which is scheduled for next Tuesday and my dad, I sleep well at night!!!

I would like to tell you just a bit about ACA Accreditation as we are proud of the work that we do. This visit happens every three years, making this about our 10th time of being accredited. We feel this is so very important as it assures you of our good management of your children. It is not enough that the kids love camp. In this day and age, things like Criminal Background Checks, water samples, nursing procedures, sound, careful financial management, temperatures in the friges and vehicle logs are also most important. Although I knock on wood every morning and say my prayers every night, it is not just prayer and luck that keeps kids injury, sickness and accident free. It is detailed, highly organized and carefully thought out planning that goes along way to having never had a severe injury in 37 years nor had camp sued for anything. We are extremely proud of all that we do in the background and before camp even opens that makes camp what it is today. Thanks to excellent input from families over the years, the guidance of ACA, and the accreditation process, we are truly proud of the camp we run. We hope you might take a look at our materials that we have prepared for Tuesday when you come on Saturday. I think you will be impressed by the detail and depth of what we need to do to achieve a good score. We are shooting for a fabulous score….Let’s see what Kris and the team can do. We will let you know in upcoming materials but keep us in your thoughts next Tuesday when our visit will take place. It will last all day and we think we will do very well indeed!

Today, the girls will have one long ride instead of two. They will do their Gymkhana, which is games on horse back. They will compete as Olympic Teams and accrue points f or their team. The final scores are building for the prizes tomorrow night at our big Dress up Dinner and Candlelight. They will compete in games such as Gambler’s Choice, Sit a Buck, the Cracker and Soda Race, String Reins and more depending on their levels. They will compete within their own riding groups, bringing back the points to their team. This will end with a late lunch and rest hour. This afternoon, they will do a shortened afternoon of driving the minis, vaulting and bareback. These will be the Specialties that they will do for you on the Exhibition Day.

Tonight, they are doing the last of the Olympic Events…a game of knowledge of current movie, singing and dancing stars…This is a game I just can never play. I am definitely not in the swim of current stars for teens. They adore this game and it is hotly planned by categories by the staff. Everyone loves this and luckily I get the night off. My girls and grandbabies are coming, along with my sister and brother to see my dad and to celebrate my birthday tonight…Yipee…

Tomorrow, the girls will ride in their lesson groups for one last practice before you arrive. They will then swim, write their Candlelight speech about what camp has meant to them, play with the farm animals one last time and pack. This day will culminate in showering and dressing up for a special dinner. We will then gather around the pool to float candles out into the pool in heart shaped tins adorned with flowers. With the lights twinkling and the torches burning brightly, it is a beautiful site to behold. I love hearing what the experience has meant to the girls. It is most rewarding to an old camp director to hear their beautiful words and watch how much their love each other and their ponies. I sure beats the heck out of what else they could be doing!!!!

Then, Saturday is here. I am NOT eager to return these great girls to you but I guess you probably are as eager to have them back as I was to get them! We will expect you at 9:30. We will have the exhibition events ready for your review. We hope you are impressed by all that the girls have learned. Despite the rain, we sure have packed in a lot. We hope it shows.

Please do remember to bring your picnic. We will provide drinks and dessert for all. The entire event should be sadly over by about 1 or 1:30….With your kids happily packed and in the car, the tales will begin. I hope they are as happy in hindsight as I think they have been in reality.

I do hope you will also plan to attend one of our off season camp family events. We will have a Harvest Festival weekend in September, followed by a Fall Foliage Farm Weekend in October. The pumpkins for both carving and pies are growing like mad, as are all the decorative gourds and Indian corn. We will have lots of fresh veggies out of the garden to eat and loads of fun. We will then turn our attention to the two Mother Daughter Weekends during the first two weekends in December. Next year, we will have our Father Daughter and our Spring Fling….so, lots of fun times lie ahead. We love these weekends because we can see our favorite campers again before next summer…and we get to know the parents, too! It is a terrific time of riding, carriage driving, singing, sitting by the fire, fun theme crafts and events, some shopping if desired…therapeutic massage and reiki….and lots of good food that someone else fixes and does the dishes…Do try to join us…Dates will be forthcoming and …wait until you see all the work that is being done on the lodge right after camp is done. We think you will be impressed by the ‘facelift’ it is going to get.

So, I end as I began, by thanking you for lending us your children. They are truly terrifically fun. It has been a joyous and happy two weeks. Here’s to you as parents and them as kids.

All my very best and with huge fondness,

Boo & all the staff…..