Horseback Riding At FLC

Riding at Forest Lake Camp is a truly wonderful experience. Not only are we blessed with dedicated and hard-working horses and staff, but we are also spoiled by the  hundreds of acres of trail rides to explore.

I have been the riding director at FLC for two years and it has been an amazing experience to teach incredibly talented riders as well as beginner riders.  There is nothing more rewarding than watching campers improve in a sport they are clearly passionate about.Campers come down to the stable to ride and also just to be around the horses. So many campers that ride at FLC

love to come down to the stables for stable management periods where they throw themselves whole heartedly into mucking out stalls, clearing fields and brushing the horses.

My first year at FLC I taught junior camper Jack Williams to ride. He was incredibly enthusiastic throughout the whole summer and was desperate to improve. His last ride of the summer we took a trail ride down to the lake and he took a tumble off of his horse. He came back the following year even more determined to succeed and not only conquered the ride down to the lake, but also started to learn how to jump.

There are so many campers that stand out to me in terms of  their riding and ability and positive learning attitudes.  Some of those many campers are Theo Mentezelopoulos, Cate Smith, Gina Martinez Rico, Kaya and Hans Pedersen and William Clegg. They all share their love of riding and being at the stables.

I have learned so much from these inspirational campers over the past few summers and I have fantastic memories of each and every one of them. I would love to continue to see them develop with their riding and encourage other children that come to FLC to try riding! Life is all about trying new things and gaining new experiences.  With such supportive campers and staff around to help, there is no better place to try then Forest Lake Camp!

– Stephanie Key – FLC Riding Director 2014 & 1015

Being the assistant riding director this summer was my idea of the perfect job. What better way to spend my summer then sharing something I love with others. I not only was a part of helping campers improve their riding skills but enhancing their care and affection for our camp horses.

There are several highlights that stand out when I think back to my days spent in my ring. The more prominent ones come from some of my first time campers who started the summer with little confidence and a bag full of nerves and ended feeling extremely proud of themselves for overcoming fear and tackling something new.  It is wonderful to see campers have the ability to strive in a unique sport like riding

One camper who stands out in this respect is Charlotte van de Linden. Having been thrown into a jumping lesson with senior girls, Charlotte was extremely nervous and unsure of how she and Domino would tackle the lesson. After encouragement and support from myself and the wonderful senior girls, Charlotte attempted her first jump with Domino and did an unbelievable job. After that she couldn’t stop. What was special about this was Charlotte also made a connection with Domino; she put her trust in Domino who didn’t let her down. At the end of the session Charlotte entered the camp horse show and did a wonderful job. The horse show is a fantastic experience for our riders to see just how far they have come.

It is an honor to teach campers. Many do not have access to riding throughout the year so to be able to offer
such a fantastic program in the summer means a lot to all those involved. Thank You to everyone who makes riding at FLC so special. -Harriet Young, assistant riding director

Horseback riding at FLC is one of my favorite activities to do at camp because of the great horses and staff. My best experience there was when I was practicing jumping.  I suddenly leaned too far forward and almost fell but my horse Nemo saved me by letting me hang onto his neck until my counselor Steph got me up again. That was exciting! My favorite horse is Roux, aka Jacob, because of his elegance. He runs gracefully and we made a great connection over the summer. -Elias Capriles, Camper 

Horseback riding was my favorite part of the summer. I feel so lucky to have been given the opportunity to help out as much as I did down at the stables. The thing I loved most was seeing how much the campers enjoyed learning to ride, always eagerly anticipating their next lessons. It was wonderful to see the excitement the riding lessons created amongst the campers.  They loved being around the horses and aimed to spend as much time as possible at the stables, riding and helping out with stable management. The horses were a main topic of conversation throughout the summer; the girls who did riding in my cabins (particularly Hannah Smith, Talia Yustein, Sam Nelson, Emma Blanck and Kenzie Kelly) would nearly always mention their lessons with Steph and Harriet as particular highpoints. Having been involved with the program myself, it was extremely rewarding to see how much joy the girls experienced as a result of their riding lessons. I loved hearing about (and often witnessing) the campers achieving certain riding goals in their lessons, such as completing their first ride on a horse, the first time they cantered, the first time they jumped and winning prizes in the horse-show at the end of each session.  I can’t wait for it all again next summer. – Jessica Cooke, Counselor Riding Instructor

I do not ride during the school year so I always look forward to riding at camp. The riding staff this year were absolutely incredible. From their positive reinforcement I was able to learn to jump. I enjoy being in the ring and learning new skills. My favorite horse is Roux. – Lily Yustein, Camper

I think horseback riding is a very good and fun activity and I really enjoy it! The directors are really nice and funny, the horses are pretty and there is always more to learn! Each week you have the opportunity to earn ‘Rider of the Week’ and get  amazing burns on your Recognition Stick. Out of all the  cool sports at FLC, riding is my favorite at camp and it can be yours too! So sign up for horse back riding at Forest Lake Camp and have fun! -William Clegg, Camper