Horse Camp

 This morning my son started horse camp.  We live in a city of about 100,000 people, but we are surrounded by farms and open spaces if you drive about 10 minutes.  Well, if you walk out my back gate, there are cows in the field.  That's one of the reasons we bought our house, because it sits on the very edge of the city and I really doubt they will build next to it because we have a drainage creek right next to us and then a hill with a drainage pond in between.  I think we will be on the edge of the city for a long time.  But, I'm sure that's what other people thought before they started building like crazy a few years ago and expanded the city in all directions.

 So, my son has seen horses before.  But for his birthday I asked him what he wanted to do.  He said he wanted to go horseback riding.  He's never really shown an interest in outdoor things.  So, we searched all over for a place to go horseback riding.  When we were in Colorado, I found a place close to my dad's and sent an email through Facebook.  They got back to me the next day and said to call them, they rarely checked their Facebook page.  No problem, I called and left a message.  They then called me back and left me a message saying they rarely answered their phones because they were always out with the horses, but to keep calling them.  That really didn't make any sense to me.  Since they had emailed me back, wouldn't it have made sense to just answer my questions via email since they said they rarely answered their phones?  I didn't really have time to call them over and over hoping to catch them in the office.  I guess they really didn't want my money.

 So, we got back and found this local horse ranch that was having a horse camp.  They promised to teach the kids to ride and take care of a horse.  They even promised to let the kids pick up horse poop!  What could be better?

 There are three kids in the camp and it runs from 9-noon, which is good because it got over 100 today, but not too bad in the shade.  The kids learned the colors and markings of the horse, how to catch and bridle a horse, how to get a horse ready to ride-that took forever!  They learned how to walk a horse (or have the horse walk you) and how to ride.  Then, putting the horse away also took a long time.  You have to do everything in reverse.  It isn't like driving a car where you get in and just go.

 My son said he really liked the way it felt to ride the horse.  He liked the rocking of the horse.  I guess going to 74 different places looking for boots and ordering the riding helmet online with express shipping was worth it.

Maybe we will have to get our own horse.  I could keep it in the spare bedroom.  I doubt my husband would notice another pet. :)