Never a dull moment at Sprucelands horse camp.

Oh my goodness. This is fun.

Move this way. That's right. Now move that way.

Hey! We're really getting this, don't you think?

We also had some fun up at the indoor arena. On the first Wednesday night of our fourth session, Kimberly Clark visited us and led the kids in an evening of Zumba. I guess you call it a Zumba Party. It seemed almost like an exercise session. 

I never knew the kids could twist and stretch and contort their bodies as much as they did while doing the Zumba exercises. There was music of course and that gets a bunch of teenagers moving quite freely.

Thanks Kim for a great lot of Zumba fun.

Kim was terrific at guiding them through different moves. She went straight for an hour and so did the kids. I think they slept really well that Wednesday night. It was pretty obvious they were having a great time, and it fit in really well with Whacky Wednesday. They were dressed up in their oddly matched clothes, something that apparently Zumba folks do too.

Then on our trail pace Saturday, there was a barn dance in the indoor arena. That is always a hit of every session. Either we have a karaoke night or we do a barn dance. This time around it was the barn dance with all kinds of popular country music bouncing off the indoor walls.

YMCA! YMCA!

Now move out to the circle.

There were line dances, the ever popular YMCA, dances I can't remember or spell. One thing the kids tried this time was doing the Magdalena (spelling?) in a circle. They did the basic dance walking in a large circle and then moved to the inside and came back out to the circle. I really enjoyed watching that. It was a different twist to a dance that has been with us for a while.

Something wonderful that happens in our barn dances is that I see campers free themselves up. Where they are so busy with the horses all day long and keeping up with daily routines, they can just let loose and be their rhythmic selves as they feel the music.

Micheala really got into the line dances.

Such was the case with Micheala. She was one of our younger campers who really loves to dance and fit right into the beat of country music. We loved having her here fourth session. She was a terrific addition to Sprucelands, always smiling and bouncing into the fun.

I hope it's okay that I am catching up with fourth session now. The bronchitis I landed during that session really slowed down my updates to everyone. Now that I have a little time I can share the fun and relive memories, something that keeps me upbeat when it is suddenly so quiet here.

Comments always welcome.

Sprucelands loves the Sports Toto.

We can do this. Yes we can!

During our fourth session, we had a tremendous lot of fun. In fact, there were all kinds of evening programs that caught our fancy and made us laugh. One such evening was the Sports Toto.

The camp was divided into teams. Then the leaders of the evening would ask for one or two players from each team to come to the front of the room. Sometimes they would say, "We want two players who like ice cream," or "Send us a player who loves to watch TV." Generally, the requests had absolutely nothing to do with the task they were asked to do. Didn't matter. Just added to the fun.

I am the champion of the world.

Each team then voted on who they thought would win the event. Of course, not knowing what the event would be was part of the fun. They just voted either for their team mate or another player and prayed their selected player would win.

So then the leaders would bring out the supplies needed for the task at hand. There was everything in the mix at this Sports Toto. Players were asked to carry small balloons on a spoon from one end of the room to another. Some fed whipped cream to each other. Others wound their partner in toilet paper.

This is really difficult with one ply paper.

At the start of this post,  you see photos of four players who had two ping pong balls and a cool whip container. The container was worn on their head. Their job was to bounce the balls on the floor hard enough so they would bounce high enough to scoop them up with their cool whip container. Lots of laughs and Bria won!

I especially got a kick out of an exercise where each player was given ten ping pong balls. Five had a red stripe on them and five had a blue stripe. There were two cafeteria trays. Their job was to switch the balls so that when finished the four blue ones and red ones were on opposite trays. They couldn't use their hands. They could only blow them.

What fun that was. Three players took about a minute and a half to make the switch. Rose got to laughing with everyone else. Amber was very determined and Jenna got so silly that she made everyone silly with her.

Then our counselor Anna laid down and in 38 seconds flat she made the switch and stood victorious. Amazing. In fact, she did her stint so quickly that I never had time to get a photo. We were all so amazed.

One step at a time. One step at a time.

Hey! This tastes really good.

I love Sports Toto night, partly because everyone participates at one time or another. There's honest, genuine competition over novel events and the teams win only when the vote they placed on a player works. It is a game night that was brought here from Switzerland. I loved it so much that we incorporated it into our camp years ago and it has been popular ever since.

Comments from you are always welcome.

Our horse Thunder is unique and special.

Thunder has a brand on the left side of her neck.

Just recently a family asked about our horse Thunder. They wanted to know if our horse Thunder was the same horse that they used to call Buffalo Gal because their horse Thunder was from Buffalo, Wyoming.

I have directed these folks to our blog. In fact, I am happy to say that because there is a search button in the top right corner of the blog, it is easy to trace Thunder's history at Sprucelands, at least since 2007 when the blog began.

If you try searching stories about her, you will see how she has aged over the years. She is still very spunky and probably one of the most popular horses in the barn during summer camp and spring/fall clinics. I do give her the coldest winter months off though because she gets a little spunky for riding lessons. That is her time to just enjoy being the mustang she was born to be.

There are all kinds of stories about Thunder. The first story we know about is how she was trained by prisoners. I always tell anyone who works with her that she is totally trustworthy. Yet she keeps a watchful eye on you because she doesn't totally trust you. I also make a point that there is a lot of goodness in prisoners. Thunder is a living example of the solid training and good care they gave her.

Interesting 'do'! Thunder is so patient.
You can see under her forelock how she is turning white.

When Thunder first came to us, she was very skittish about her back end. She was nervous when being approached from behind. Even pats on her backside were a reason to move away. At times she would spook a tiny bit. So we worked with her. Now she is foolproof quiet.

I remember the day we went to pick her up from where we bought her. She was in a pasture with sheep, goats, miniature ponies, chickens, and more. As we talked with Thunder's owner, there was a pesky miniature trying to mount her. While she was tolerant, I wondered if some of her nervousness came from his persistence. Today that nervousness is gone.

Two other things scared Thunder. One was fly spray. The other was the vet. It has been a lot of years at Sprucelands now though and the fly spray piece has been resolved. We can spray her just fine. And believe it or not, she stands perfectly still for vet procedures.

I think the handling she gets from our wonderful campers is the trick. She loves being pampered. They brush and braid her thick mane and tail. Sometimes the results aren't totally flattering but she accepts their love and gives hers back.

Kids like to 'just be' with Thunder. It's fun to watch.

We purchased Thunder from a woman who was ill with cancer. Apparently, she knew she couldn't keep up with her animals so was selling them. She was very sad about seeing Thunder go because she loved Thunder very much. I am happy to report that Thunder has been an integral part of our school horses all these years, a recipient of affections that connect horse and rider, soul to soul.

As I look at Thunder's papers, she was captured in Buffalo Creek in October 1988. At the time, the papers indicate she was three years old. That makes her 26 this year. I'm guessing that's why our dear Thunder is turning white under that lovely black mane of hers. She's getting up there. You would never know it though. She does trails, jumps and consistently carries her beloved riders to infinity and beyond. This is one little pony that makes a huge difference to anyone who loves her. We are so happy she is in our life.

Comments? Love hearing from you.

Tag and belly laughs go hand in hand.

I will free you! Micheala saves the day!

These two versions of tag were fresh additions to the summer fun at Sprucelands. I have no idea what you call either one of them. They were played on what we call Tag Night.

The first version of tag started out with an 'it' who ran around and tagged people. When a person was touched, they dropped to the ground to create what looked like a bridge. In order to get freed from their stance, a free group member needed to scurry under their bridge. Then they were good to go again.

I'm trying. Really I am. Oh my gosh. This is too funny.

I had a laugh with this one because larger campers and staff members really struggled to get under those bridges. Most of them ended up in honest belly laughs and doubled up on the ground totally powerless to move. What fun! ~ and of course that's the object of the game.

Another addition was a terrific game that I would call Hello. The group formed a large circle. The 'it' this time started around the circle shaking people's hands and saying something like, "Hello. How are you?" Eventually the 'it' would hang on to a person's hand and interact three times, changing the conversation a bit each time.

Make the circle bigger everyone. Stretch out and drop hands.

Hi. How are you? 

When the two interacted three times, that meant the 'it' had picked them as the lucky one. They would drop hands and the two would run in opposite directions around the circle.

The object was for the 'it' to get back to the place of the person they picked before that person made it back. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn't. When it worked, everything was good because the displaced player was now the new 'it'.

Run, Anna, run!

The anticipation of being the picked runner was really fun to watch. No one knew whether the first handshake would become three interactions or just one. With every handshake, you could feel the tension and excitement build. And of course, when the run was on, there was a huge amount of cheering. Just another evening of fun at Sprucelands.

Comments welcome as you pass on through.

Creating a caring atmosphere at Sprucelands.

Sarah says it all.

Here's a quick explanation to my slow blog entries. I've been having trouble being at the computer whereas I've been down with a bronchial/pneumonia thing. As respiratory summer viruses go, this is the pits.

When I saw Sarah's photo from one of our earlier programs, the photo says it for me. I've closed my eyes and slept for hours, pushed everyone away because I couldn't think and needed time to start recovery. The hard part of this bronchial thingy is that doctors tell you they can't do anything because it's a virus. Then when it becomes bronchitis or pneumonia they medicate you. Meanwhile, I've had to keep camp moving.

Learning how to interact with new people is the name of the game.

So from that explanation let's jump into activities at camp. I've got a fun bunch of photos from the start of last week. Most of the pictures here are from our very first night together when everyone was getting acquainted. 

I do believe there is a process at Sprucelands. The kids come into camp and then there is an initial judging  that takes place. They check us out. They watch each other, assessing who they want as friends and who they don't. I think that first step in making friends happens almost anywhere. Who is safe? Who is not?

Just turning the camera from one view to another changes my perceptions.

When I observe the kids through a lens, again I have an intimate way of wondering what they are thinking. Who interacts easily? Who has a wall up around them as protection? Who jumps right in and doesn't care what people think? Who is reaching out to anyone and everyone?

As you stand in the middle of the group with me, just notice how moving the camera from one view to another can change your perception of what is happening. This particular activity was all about finding others who liked the same things you like.

Chants begin and cheers for their favorites make the evening totally fun.

For example, the group was told to find others who like the same color. The kids buzzed around, asking others or shouting out loud things like, "Purple here. Anyone who loves purple." Others were shouting out "Yellow" or "Blue" or  "Chartreuse" or "Indigo Blue" or whatever unique color they could come up with. Watching where they group themselves helps me - again - to know them better.

All kinds of topics were covered so campers and staff discovered where they had common ground. I think they went from horse colors and breeds to sports, foods, books, states of origin, ice cream, sneaker brands, etc. The spirit builds believe it or not and the barriers break down as the noise level increases.

Right here. You've got it! Uh-huh!

Some of our campers get into the swing - so to speak - and let loose in fun ways that get laughs from everyone. It's contagious too. When one camper begins their silliness, so do others. Spontaneity breeds acceptance and that whole judging piece that was alive at the start of the evening falls by the wayside. 

I tell my campers that's one of the miracles of Sprucelands. We accept each other for who we are. I've said it in thousands of previous blogs. As a result, we get campers and staff here who are well prepared to open up their hearts and welcome others in. It doesn't mean it's always easy because we have to work at our friendships. However, we are committed to creating a caring atmosphere, and that we do very well. 

Your comments are always welcome.

Life 'on the bench' gives me a birds eye view.

Hi Mom! Hi Dad!

Getting to know the campers in a new session is such fun. They come into Sprucelands with bundles of enthusiasm, ready to tackle their two weeks and invest in a great camp experience. Those who rolled over their session reach out to the new campers and make best friends very quickly.

I love our camper energy. I envy them their energy. Fact is, they recharge all of us on staff so that we can move full steam ahead toward a fantastic closure to a wonderful summer.

The excitement about what lies ahead is priceless. Of course all that excitement builds as the riding program gets started and they connect with our horses. It also intensifies for those who truly immerse themselves in the camp spirit, committed to making this experience memorable.

Look what I found on the bottom of your foot.

Some of the beauty of summer camp is that I cannot predict ahead of time how things will play out. Because the kids are so spontaneous and because they let themselves flourish here, there are always surprises, surprises that become part of Sprucelands history. Practical jokes. Singing. Silly moments where someone makes a crack and everyone erupts into genuine belly laughter. Talent shows. Hit the deck and more.

The kids always gather outside the camp lodge before meals. Hoppers set tables inside while the rest of us wait outside on the bench. Often this is a terrific place to plant myself with the camera. The kids interact, giggling and laughing as they come up with stories about their day. Doesn't matter whether it's the first day or the last day, life 'on the bench' gives me many reasons to smile.

You never know what  you're going to see before meal at Sprucelands.

Observing the kids here also gives me information about how they are relating to other campers. I keep my eyes open for anyone who sits alone or looks sad. I look for friend combinations and am intrigued as one camper reaches out to another, including them in the fun. Through my lens, I get a feel for how every individual is fitting into the group.

I guess I'd say that we like letting the kids 'just be'. They learn the ground rules and function very well within those reasonable expectations. One of the concepts we confront head on are cliques. They are not acceptable here and while that is difficult to enforce, we generally make it happen. Built into our program are a multitude of opportunities to totally mix up.

Now here is a special gal.

At lunchtime, everyone can eat at any table with any campers and staff members. That is a wonderful addition to the day because any possible cliques quickly dissolve. Then of course evening programs provide us with another chance to explore relationships interactively.

So session four moves forward. I'm having the time of my life even as I crashed with some kind of bronchial virus that's going around. Guess it's a summer thing. Certainly slowed me down. Doesn't seem to bother the kids though. They are moving ahead full steam.

Comments welcome always.

A personal thank you to our riding staff.

Our riding staff participates everywhere.

Before moving on, I want to pause and applaud our riding staff. They are doing such an excellent job this year. They manage safe horse and rider matches. That is so important to the success of a good riding program. On top of that, they schedule classes and teach lessons while overseeing trail rides and drill team.

If that isn't enough, they also participate in and help with evening programs. There is not a day goes by that our riding staff isn't moving forward with a smile, investing in campers, riders and fellow staff.

I think of the job they are doing and the people they are. Their growth has been real and genuine. They are dedicated, sensitive, get-it-done gals that have a huge investment in making sure that Sprucelands has a quality, caring program.

What is wonderful for me is looking at how these little girls have grown into young women. I started with them seven or eight years ago, teaching them to ride while watching them grow through different roles: clinic helper, counselor, riding instructor. Now they are touching the very core of our camper spirit. They are running the show, quite literally, and I am so proud of them. Just look at how they make their riders smile.

While standing back and having my own feelings about all this, I have a sense that life is taking them full circle as well. They teach. They plan out those drill team patterns. They support and then judge riders, all the time applauding accomplishments and giving feedback. Their kind, very caring input, helps their students grow.

Don't you wonder what they are thinking?

When they stand at the fence to view the results of their hard work, they cannot help but think that all this is happening because of their commitment. They have given riders skills. Those riders will take those skills with them and use them as they might, joining equestrian teams or showing or riding trails and handling horses safely.  As good teachers, they can enjoy the fruits of their solid leadership.

Hats off and thank you to Tarrah, Alie and Kristen.

One day years from now, I do believe Tarrah, Alie and Kristen will reflect on this and other summers. I pray they realize how their positive attitude influences all Sprucelands. When they get notes from campers in the future, I know they will smile because camp was in their life and they joined with me to make a huge difference in rider confidence one day at a time.

Comments from you make my day.

Third session horse show was phenomenal.

Third session ended with a wonderful horse show. I must confess the kids outdid themselves with three drill teams and outstanding riding. Didn't matter whether the classes were beginners, intermediates or advanced, all the riding reflected individual progress.

I know some parents couldn't be here for the show. So I will upload a few photos here. That way you can immerse yourself in the fun and pride of the day as ribbons were won. It's that whole fly on the wall concept. Take a look at these.

Thanks, Patti, for a great ride.

'Cmon Honey. You can do it! So can I.

I love the photos that show just how a rider has tackled a challenge and succeeded. Sometimes they move forward with sheer determination to show their stuff. I love the smiles that say, "Look at me! I'm actually doing this." And then there are jumps that no one imagined would go so well.

Here's a partnership.

Hi Dad! Look at me and Navarre.

Of course, I always tell our kids that it's not about the ribbon. Sure feels good though when they are surprised with a color that both surprises and amazes them.

Sprucelands riders understand that the ribbon is feedback on their attitude in everyday riding classes, their hard work and connection to the horses, and their ability to stick to their challenges, never giving up. Even in a horse show class, if the ride is difficult and the rider doesn't give up, that is to their credit.

We ask each rider to tell us what they want judged in the show. That's so helpful. It means the judging is not about the judges and their personal preferences. Individuals are judged on the skills they want evaluated.

This younger team really turned everyone's heads.

What a difference that makes at the show. Everyone stays optimistic, upbeat and eager to show their folks what they and their horse can do. Afterwards, the kids can ask for their horse show sheets to see what the judges had to say about their performance. Many save their comments for scrapbooks at home.

Talk about amazing. These guys could win a prize.

There is also a huge pride at our horse shows. Sometimes I see it in an expression. Other times I watch as ribbons are shared and stories are told regarding their performance. But then there is the drill team, and that takes everyone's breath away.

We were also honored with a performance from our riding staff.

As I said in an earlier blog, there was a camper/CIT drill team and also one for staff/CITs who are more advanced riders. Then a third drill was added by our riding staff. Just four riders doing wonderful patterns and feeling totally proud of their leadership in this special camp.

I don't know what to say. I'm so happy about how nicely the kids have learned and then given back to the horses, their riding, and each other. This has been an amazing group. This has been an amazing summer.

Comments from you are always welcome. I love hearing from you.

Drill teams are amazing during third session.

Organizing a drill team is a challenge beyond our wildest dreams.

One of the activities that began this week was drill team, and that means there will be an event created for the horse show on Saturday. That's right. In fact, there will be more than one drill team. There is a drill team for campers/CITs and a drill team for counselors/advanced riders.

First the drill team maneuvers were planned out and drawn on paper. Second those hard copy maneuvers were handed to the riders so that they could move into the actual practice stage on the tennis courts.

Make your line straight. Watch your partner.

Okay. This is where your lines split and go in opposite directions.

Over and over again, rehearsals have been happening on the courts. With papers in hand, the kids have walked and walked through the drills so that the drill pattern becomes part of them. It helps a lot to have that paper for reference. I know many of the kids are visual learners so the papers act like a map, guiding their every move.

It is interesting watching the precision with which they must master the patterns. Timing is vital. Partners must watch each other carefully, all the while making sure they are communicating subtly with their horse so their horse does exactly what the pattern on paper dictates.

I laugh. If you were to glance at the tennis courts, it looks this week like we are running a drill team school. Two drill teams practicing at the same time. In actuality that's a whole additional phase for riding a horse. Knowing that you have gotten to the point in your riding where you can give subtle cues and keep straight lines is pretty phenomenal and very rewarding.

On Wednesday night, the barn staff was in charge of evening program. So the drill teams did a practice run on horses and we all watched, me snapping photos of course. It was a bit difficult because already it is getting darker here by 8:00 p.m.

Camper/CIT drill team

Advanced Team

Anyway, all the work on foot is now transferring to horseback. It will be polished for your viewing at the horse show on Saturday. There are some rough edges that get smoothed out. With practice riders get a feel for keeping straight lines and managing just the right amount of space between their horse and their partner's horse.

Pretty amazing, isn't it? I'm in total awe and usually very moved by watching these rides. For me, as the owner of Sprucelands Camp, I become particularly emotional because many of these riders I have taught from their very first lesson on a horse. Now they are riding with such balance and sophistication.

Matt is wearing the black shirt in the lower picture on the left. He plays football in college. I said to him yesterday that he should have his football team here to show them how well he rides horses. In fact, maybe riding horses would benefit them as players. He laughed and said, "I don't think they could do it. Riding horses is a lot harder than playing football."

Comments welcome. Hope to see you at the horse show on Saturday. (10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.)