Horseback Riding Camp Teaches Kids Responsibility

It's all fun, games, and horseback riding for the kids at Wesleyan College's Equestrian Camp.

"My favorite thing to do is horseback riding," says camper Carley Braman. "And since that's what we do here, that's what makes it so exciting for me."

Karsen Ochs says her horse, Charlie, is a beginner's horse, and she was a little nervous to ride at first.

"Once I got used to it, then I was like, 'hey this is really fun!'" says Ochs.

Courtenay Bun, the camp's barn manager, says the campers are learning more than just how to ride.

"They learn about the safety; how to take care of them. We try to teach them that if the horse gets sick, they need to take him to the vet," says Bun.

Campers say caring for the horse is the fun part.

"When we untack them, we water them down with a water hose and make them clean and stuff like that," says Ochs.

The kids say they're learning a lot about taking care of animals, and one camper says she knows what the horse may be thinking when she brushes them.

"I think they're like, 'Oh, that feels so, so good!'" says Paige Suk.

After hosing down the horses, campers find ways to cool themselves off with water games.

The camp runs for six weeks, and new campers come in every Monday.

The camp is full for the remainder of the summer, but sign-ups for next year are as early as February.