All Ages All Levels Horse Camp

Age 8-18

Base Tuition $1400; Restoration Rate $1700

Session Size: 18 campers

This is Ekone’s most famous program for going on 38 years, with an emphasis on horses and tons of other ranchy fun mixed in. We’ll ride every day, and there will also be crafting, kitchen projects, secret pals, games, swimming in the pond, rope swings, ranch chores, and adventures in the woods! 

Our approach to horsemanship emphasizes the special relationship between children and horses. Everyone spends time grooming and caring for the horses, learning safe ground habits, and building relationships with horses from the ground while taking care of their minds and bodies.

As for riding, we ride primarily bareback, especially with beginning riders. 30+ years of experience have taught us that children learn to ride much faster bareback, gain their balance more quickly, develop a more empathetic relationship and better communication with the horse, and are actually safer without the trappings of tack to get tangled in and distracted by. For more advanced riders, we may progress with our wide selection of western and English saddles. We ride primarily in bitless bridles, keep our horses barefoot, and work toward providing the most species-appropriate lifestyle we can for them.  

All riders can expect to get out on our beautiful trails, best seen from between the ears of a horse. All riders will gain balance, rein skills, and learn the gentle progression of cues that we use at Ekone to communicate with horses in a respectful and collaborative way. We offer individualized coaching tailored to each rider, balancing challenge, adventure, safety, and comfort for both horses and riders. Many riders will practice trotting; very few will canter in this short week, unless they ride extensively at home (we just don’t have enough time in a week to develop this advanced skill). Advanced riders should consider Wrangler Camp or Advanced Riding Camp!

Campers can expect to spend time with the horses for half the day, and to spend the other half playing, working, crafting, exploring, and adventuring around the ranch. We never know what we’re going to do until we make our Possibilities List on the first night, and see where the enthusiasm of campers and staff takes us!

*Note about Session All Ages session (July 20-25)

This session is inclusive of our younger riders (ages 8 & 9), but it is important to consider your camper's readiness for this session. This would be a good choice for a younger camper who exhibits lots of independence and is confident being away from home and with kids of all ages, including teenagers. This is a good fit for a younger camper who already has some experience riding. This would not be a good fit for an 8 or 9 year old camper who has never been away from home or who struggles with homesickness. If your younger camper will need some extra support, please consider our Young Rider sessions - they are designed with these campers in mind!