Is there a difference between pony camp and Pony Club camp?
While most people will refer to Pony Club camp as pony camp and vice versa there is actually a difference although the main difference is the organizer and a lot of the activities will be the same.
Pony camp (also referred to as horse camp) is an event that can be run by anybody (although some countries may require the organizers to meet certain requirements). Pony camp’ can be held at a riding center, a farm or a range depending on the land that the organizers either have or have rented. Some pony camps will specialize in a particular discipline but many will give you the chance to try your hand at a lot of different disciplines, although the different disciplines do tend to be either English or Western disciplines rather than a range of both.
Pony Club (Established in the UK in 1929 the Pony Club now has branches across the globe and is open to anybody under the age of 25 regardless of whether or not they have their own pony) camps are open to all members of the Pony Club or any of its international branches (some of which are listed below). At some Pony Club camps, you will also get the chance to take some of your qualifications but this does largely depend on the length of time of the camp as well as if your country has its own set of qualifications.
International Pony Clubs
Both camps can range in duration from half a day to an entire summer with some covering other holidays such as Halloween, Christmas and Thanksgiving. While most pony camps will provide a horse or pony for you Pony Club camps that last longer than a day usually require you to have your own pony.
What can I expect at pony camp?
The activities you do at pony camp will differ from camp to camp and can even change for the same camp from year to year but as a rough guide your day will look something like this:
It doesn’t matter whether or not you’ve brought your own pony you’re likely to do the same sorts of activities. If you don’t have your own pony then you’ll be given one for the week. This pony will effectively be yours for the week so you’ll be in charge of feeding and grooming him along with skipping and mucking out his stall. The only difference between your own pony and a camp pony is that at the end of the camp you’ll have to give him back.
| Time | Activity |
| 7:00 am | Wake up |
| 7:30 am | Feed ponies |
| 8:00 am | Breakfast |
| 8:30 am | Skip out |
| 9:00 am | Groom & tack up |
| 9:30 am | Lesson |
| 10:30 am | Snack |
| 11:00 am | Stable management lesson |
| 12:30 pm | Fun quiz |
| 1:00 pm | Lunch |
| 2:00 pm | Trail ride, beach ride, farm ride, etc |
| 5:00 pm | Clean tack |
| 5:30 pm | Talk or demonstration |
| 6:30 pm | Feed ponies |
| 7:00 pm | Dinner |
| 8:00 pm | Check ponies |
Day camp
Day, or even half-day camps for that matter, are different. The time you arrive will be dependent on whether you’re there for the day or just half of the time but typically you get to spend a lot of the day riding. As well as riding though you might be expected to help groom the ponies but will also learn about good stable management and horse care. A lot of day camps will also have a quiz at the end to help test your knowledge in a fun way. If you’re taking your own pony to a day camp then you’ll likely be spending most of the day in the saddle on a trail ride or taking part in gymkhana games.
Download a free handy printable PDF packing list
Page 2 – Everything else you’ll need
I hope you found this article helpful. If you did I’d be grateful if you could share it please as it would really help me.
Recommended products
Over the years I have tried hundreds of different horsey products, from various blankets and halters to different treats. Some I’ve loved, others I’ve hated but I thought I’d share with you my top all-time favorite products, the ones I never leave the yard without. I’ve included links to the products (which are in no particular order) that I really think are great.
- Horse Knots by Reference Ready – If you’re like me and enjoy pocket reference guides then you’ll love this knot tying guide. These handy cards can easily fit in your pocket or attach to the saddle for quick reference. They’re waterproof, durable and are color coded to make them easy to follow.
- Mane ’n Tail Detangler – Even if you never show your horse you’ll need to detangle his tail from time to time (and possibly his mane too) which is always a challenging chore! I’ve found that if I run a little bit of detangler through my horse’s tails every few days it stops them from getting matted up and makes combing them easy, even if they’re coated in mud. I don’t know if I should admit to this or not but it also works wonders on my hair.
- TAKEKIT Pro clippers – Over the years I’ve tried a lot of different clippers and while some were obviously better than others I found these to be by far the best. They are heavier than a lot of other clippers but for me, that’s a good thing, it makes them feel more sturdy and hardwearing. On top of that they have a range of speeds so are just as good for clipping your horse’s back as they are his face. I also like the fact that they come in a handy carry case but that’s not for everybody. The company that makes them is super good and incredibly helpful too, a real bonus these days. The only thing I wasn’t keen on was the fact that it doesn’t come with any oil, but that’s not a major problem as it’s not difficult to buy lubricant.
- Shire’s ball feeder – There are so many boredom buster toys out there but I like to use these every day, regardless of whether or not my horses are bored. I find that it helps to encourage my horses to problem solve by rewarding them with treats (or pieces of fruit) but it also mimics their natural grazing behavior which helps to keep them calm and de-stressed.
- Horse safe mirror – This is a strange one that many people are surprised about but I like to put horse safe mirrors in the trailers as well as in the quarantine stalls. It helps to prevent the feeling of isolation by giving the impression of other horses being around. Being herd animals horses can get extremely stressed when they feel that they’re on their own but with these stick-on mirrors, they believe that at least one other horse is with them.
- Rectal thermometer – I know this isn’t glamourous at all but it’s vital for your horse’s well-being to be able to check their temperature and a rectal thermometer is the easiest way of doing this which is why I’ve added it to the list.
Shopping lists
I’ve also put together a few shopping lists of essential items that I’ve found helpful over the years. I’ve broken the lists down into different categories rather than put everything in one massive list 😉
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