Starting a Horseback Riding Summer Camp

If you own your own stable, or if you currently teach lessons at one, then you might be able to set up a horseback riding summer camp. This is a great way to attract new lesson kids, make extra cash, and have a lot of fun with great groups of kids. Summer horseback riding camps usually attract lots of attention because there are ‘horsecrazy’ girls and boys all over the country.

Starting a horseback riding camp is a lot of work, but it is well worth it in the end. Many times, kids try summer camp to see if they like riding horses, and then sign up for lessons in the fall. If you already have lesson horses, an arena, and the equipment necessary, then it is just a matter of organization and planning.

Before you begin, here are a few questions that you must answer:

1. Does your insurance policy cover summer camp programs?

If you already teach lessons, then chances are that your liability insurance coverage will cover a summer camp. Just to make sure, however, you should check with your insurance company. In case of an accident, you want to have the proper coverage.

If you don’t have insurance at all, visit the Markel website. Markel covers farms and horse owners, and they have excellent package rates.

2. How many students can you handle at one time?

The answer to this question depends largely on your staff, volunteers, and the number of horses available. If you have ten lesson horses, then you probably won’t want to have classes containing more than seven students. If you have a student for every horse, and one of your horses becomes sick or injured, then one child will not have a horse. It is important to plan for those types of contingencies.

You should also consider space, tack, and the age level of students. Caring for thirty eight-year-olds during an eight-hour camp session is harder than you think! The amount of staff or volunteers should have at least a 1:1 ratio with your campers.

3. How will you advertise?