This morning I have Winter Break Camp on my mind—kids will be out of school in a week or less and they will be out here at the barn.
Here at the LEC we looking at Winter Camp slightly different than we look at Summer Camp. First it is cooler outside! Which can actually be more fun than brutally hot—if everyone dresses well! It also means that we will spend a part of the schedule inside the heated lounge. Inside also means that everyone has to ride inside along with the Show Training horses getting worked. So we don’t always stay right on schedule. Winter Camp is flexible whereas our Summer Camp schedule is strictly regimented—every 45 minutes we rotate. At Winter Camp, we groom horses, tack them up and have a hot chocolate break, ride and then have a warm up (and probably more hot chocolate!) . . .
But this post isn’t really about all the fun at Winter Camp.
It’s about planning all of the fun at Winter Camp.
Usually if we are going to have a camp, I try to plan out what each day will for their activities—trying to get this done a week or so in advance.
So here I am sitting in front of the computer typing, with a blank sheet of paper next to me which has at the top of the page—WINTER CAMP SCHEDULE.
And this morning I’ve drawn a blank.
But I have a secret for finding the inspiration I need—
A couple of years ago I posted some post about a page I had found on the internet, in one of my late night stalkings. And I’ve used it many, many times since then.
And here it is—lessonsintr.com
This website/blog was started by and is managed by Cindy Linsenbardt. It was started in 2012, and has grown and grown. Cindy works really hard at always keeping the information updated and fresh, and always has new stuff added. I’m taking a quote from Cindy on her website, “. . . saving riders from boring riding lessons”.
Now Cindy is a PATH certified therapeutic riding instructor, so the website and the activities are geared towards the therapeutic rider. But most of them work perfectly for smaller kids and lots of her lesson plans are awesome boredom busters, especially when have to ride round and round inside all winter! I often borrow ideas from her website and it really helps me as I’m staring at a blank sheet of paper, and need inspiration.
Hey, don’t forget if you need inspiration, new ideas and a way to refresh yourself and your riding lesson program to join us in February, 2018 for the Riding Instructor Workshop. The WorkShop is a 3 day professional development seminar all about riding lesson programs. Check out the website at ridinginstructorworkshop.com.