I Spy Christmas in July….... Explore the arena, with the help of your human and equine teammates, using keen observation skills (sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste) and creating problem solving skills to find all the hidden Christmas treasures. When all the treasures are found, create your own Eye-Spy jar to take home and enjoy.
Frosty the Snowman heard that it is Christmas in July in Nebraska and has decided to check it out. However, Frosty was not expecting such a “warm” welcome. Your child’s mission is to solve all the riddles and clues to find Frosty before he becomes one “hot mess.”
Communication requires not only listening but also hearing. Join our herd in learning how communication plays a vital role in learning horsemanship skills or husbandry skills (as they are called in the equestrian world.) Your child will have the opportunity to enter into the “unspoken” world of a horse as they learn and practice what it takes to take care of them.
Onomatopoeia, what? BANG, SNAP, WHOOSH - words that go with a sound. In this poetry program students will take time to listen to their surroundings and create a poem using onomatopoeia words. Listening, brainstorming, drafting and completing a poem to share with the other participants paired with a craft illustrating their chosen horse buddy.
A haiku is an unrhymed three-line poem, based on a traditional Japanese poetic form. Creating a Haiku poem will require your child to use the whole-body approach, using all their senses and their keen observation skills. Your child will sync with their horse buddy to not only create the lyrics, but also create movement.
A Cinquain is a five-lined poem (hence the name) and is a favorite poetic form for many children because, as one said: “They are easy and fun to write and they don’t require a whole lot of words!” This unique poem also reinforces basic grammatical parts of speech as demonstrated by our very own horses. Your youth will create their own special “Cinquain" plate to take home.
Did you know that spending time with horses isn’t always about “doing” but it is also about learning to be present and staying focused which translates into developing “self-organizing” habits? Each student will be tasked with focusing on one horse to learn horse markings, breeds, color and its unique characteristics. Students will be responsible to organize their time each day in order to complete each “necessary” task working toward the final goal. On the final day, students will show-case their “self-organizing” skills by presenting a detailed report describing their horse to their teammates.
Your child will discover new adventures as they learn about the “wild” days of the old West. Fire up your child’s enthusiasm with fishing, campfire stories and snacks, panning for gold, horse-themed crafts, scooping horse “apples,” learning to lasso the runaway calf and many more. Horse time is included. Connect with an authentic wild west experience while learning some fun skills. It’s time to giddy up and hit the trail with your little cowboy or cowgirl.
Parents: Does your child become "shy" in front of others? Speaking up in front of a crowd? Then this is the place to be. With the help of our four-legged teachers, your child will have to opportunity to practice is public speaking skills with confidence. Participants will be introduced to writing a simple poem (or choose a pre-written one) and will practice public speaking skills to a horse, a friend, a new friend and a group.
Your child will apply their skills as they learn to trust not only their horse, but, also their other teammates as they travel through the challenge course.
Calling on all 2023 volunteers! Whether you volunteered in the arena with the children and the horses, at a fundraiser or an event or sponsored one of our four-legged teachers. This is event is just for you!
Knowing what signs to look for to stay healthy is essential for not only humans and, but also, for horses. Join us as we get curious and learn about the heart, breathing and the gut. There will be lots of hands-one activities as we check our own and the horse's vital signs.