As a special treat exclusively for Macaroni Kid readers, Kettledrum Farm is offering $25 off summer horse camp if you sign up before April 30th and say you found out about them on Macaroni Kid!
Just the thought of horses makes my girls squeal. They love to spend time petting, brushing, and riding them. Summer camps are an excellent way to spend a lot of time with horses, riding and learning. I visited Kettledrum Farm at 116 North Georges Hill Rd. in Southbury, CT and met the owner, Maggie Buck. We had a very informative conversation about her summer camp philosophy. Read the article for more horse cuteness.
Maggie is a knowledgable horsewoman who hosts Post University Equine Studies students as they learn about the horse business. After meeting some friendly horses, I was able to take a tour of the farm.
Kettledrum Farm is much larger than I could see from the road. We started the with the large riding areas. The first was outdoors and set up for jumping. The indoor ring is completely enclosed to protect the rider and the horse from the elements.
Then we went for a walk down a trail with paddocks on either side. It was nicely integrated with the natural environment. This is also the area where Kettledrum has a wooded walking trail that campers may experience. What a great, free experience that my kids never experienced at other summer horse camps they attended.
In summer horse camp the kids will learn about horse care, horse anatomy in a very interactive and fun way by "painting" the horse and getting to wash them afterward, tack care, and, of course, riding. Maggie cares a great deal about safety. She generally has a staff member for every 3 kids in the camp.
There is personalized interaction since Maggie only registers 5 kids for summer camp at a time. A small number of campers also assures that everyone gets adequate riding time. Maggie uses a variety of horses during camp so campers can gain experience handling different horses and learning their temperaments.
Here is Maggie showing off one of the summer horse camp favorites, Kelly:
Kettledrum runs its summer camp from late June 25th to August 20th from 9 am to 12:30 pm for $275 per week. As a special treat for Macaroni Kid readers, if you call and register before April 30th, you can save with a $25 discount!! That's $250 a week for a horse camp with real riding instruction, personal attention from the owner, low enrollment, and safety-consciousness. Call early to reserve a place and make sure you mention Macaroni Kid to get your discount.
My favorite part about meeting Maggie was seeing her interact with the kids. She was supportive and respectful and helped both my 12 year old and my 10 year old feel comfortable. If you have a 12 year old, you know how they chafe at being treated like children. Maggie's approach to coaching is very positive.
See more information about Kettledrum Summer Horse Camp in Southbury, CT by checking out the flyer below (click for a larger picture) and call 203-264-0462 or email kettledrumfarm@charter.net soon to take advantage of the reduced price. Don't forget to say you found out about it on Macaroni Kid.
I had a unique opportunity to see Maggie in action when someone came for a pony ride (if you call in advance, you can bring kids as young as 4 in to ride informally!). Maggie interacted really well with the little girl and explained about how to be safe when approaching a horse. First Kelly, the horse, was brushed and her hooves picked and then she was saddled. The girl was 4, so she could not participate as much as the campers will, but Maggie kept the girl involved the entire time. You can see how happy she was on the Macaroni Kid Facebook page.
*Kettledrum Farm is a paid sponsor.