Horse Camp Feedback

"God didn't create schools. He created families, because that was his plan for the training and nurture of children." ~ Mary Hood

The kids had an awesome time at the horse camp at Mooikrans during the September holidays. Thank you, Melinda, for arranging it.

We’ve just started off our new term this week and since Melinda needed feedback from the kids, I figured I’d incorporate it into their school work. Although neither of my boys are avid writers, I was quite surprised at what they came up with.

Jesse:

I loved spending a week on the camp at Mooikrans. It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it and hope to go again. It was awesome but it did get very cold. I loved being able to make new friends and learn new things. It was fun to experience new things like sleeping in a sleeping bag, riding horses, waking up at six every morning. It was a great learning experience. I enjoyed every part of it.

When we started with the horse riding, I was a bit nervous but I did get used to it the more we rode our horses. I especially enjoyed the outride. It was fun to be able to ride out in the fields with so many of my friends and to be able to herd cattle was also pretty cool.

I enjoyed all the activities we took part in during the week, among my favourites were border patrol, water games, it was a bit cold though and the obsticle courses. It would have been cool to play games like open gates in the big open space and if you could find a way to heat up the dam, that would be awesome. Other than that I loved every bit of the camp and really want to come again.

Misha:

In the school holiday I went to a horse riding camp. It was so much fun that I wanted to stay for another week. We played a game on Sunday night called border patrol. Me and my brother got caught but I didn’t care because it was fun.

On Monday morning we drank tea and coffee and then we went to get our stuff for the horses. My horse’s name is Bakkies and my brother’s horse’s name is Koning. I was scared at first so they let me get off. We went to swim in the dam and we ate square cupcakes, nicknaks and drank juice because it was my birthday.

On Tuesday we rode our horses again. I was scared a little bit less than I was before.

On Wednesday we went for an outride on our horses. Later we filled up the little balloons with water and played a lot of water games. We threw the water balloons at everyone. My team won, Jesse’s team was in second place.

On Thursday I rode the horse and I wasn’t scared at all. I was so proud of myself and so happy. Gavin made me know I shouldn’t be scared. I only got off once because I needed the bathroom and before I went to the bathroom, my brother, Jesse went to the bathroom because he wasn’t feeling so well. After I went to the bathroom I came back and stayed on the horse even longer, not being scared. I was so proud of myself that I forgot my mom and dad weren’t there. Then I went to my brother and told him. He was proud of me too.

On Friday I Before I rode my horse, I caught him. We went into the dining hall and ate hot dog. We received our certificates and rosettes for completing the Cowboy Course. Then I rode my horse, Bakkies for the show when my parents were there. When I was done with that I went out and the other children rode their horses in arena a.

After everyone finished riding their horses I asked my parents if they were proud of me. They said they were very proud. I said that the horse riding camp makes me want to stay another week or come back next year for my birthday again.

~ ~

Up to now, Misha hasn’t really done many essays, because he has still been struggling with reading & putting sentences together. I wasn’t actually planning on letting Misha do an essay, but he decided on his own that he also wanted me to type what he had to tell. Of course for now, I still type for him, whilst he narrates due to his handwriting issues. When we finished, he was extremely excited that he was able to do an essay and such a long one at that… with that came a new boost to his self confidence.

Now that’s what I call progress… I’m slowly starting to see the change in teaching strategies pay off. Now I see the benefit of leaving what a child struggles with until a later stage… wait until he/she’s ready, then try again. It’s amazing what difference that makes… it also reduces loads of stress & frustration.

Gavin, Elna & Nico

Thank you for your contribution to the kids having such an awesome time.

Mooikrans Equus is a horse riding centre and holiday farm, situated on the escarpment of the Mpumalanga Highveld, 27km from Morgenzon on the R35 route to Amersfoort.

• A variety of educational, psychotherapy and social programs are available.
• A broad spectrum of programs is compiled for schools, groups and individual youth- or child to choose from. Programs include leadership development and training, educational programs, a series courses which also include all aspects of natural horsemanship (Western/cowboy) and DIY programs for youth/children groups.
• The goals of all the programs are to build the character of each visitor through the development of self-image and self-confidence simultaneously enjoying a holiday. Here the horse and horse riding plays a significant role. The horse is used, as the horse needs the rider’s attention during all times: brain and body work together to achieve success. Mastering the horse during this process leads to a healthy self-image.

   

  

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  SA Home Schooling Blog Carnival #14