If your child has a love of horses, an English riding camp may be the perfect camp for them this summer. Unlike traditional horseback riding camps, these camps focus not only on teaching your child about horses, their care and upkeep, but also give them lessons in English riding technique. With specialized equipment, English riding skills prepare your child for a sport that can involve dressage, cross country jumping and stadium jumping. Some camps may include all of these activities while others may specialize in eventing or hunter-style English riding. Many English riding camps also include other camp activities such as swimming, hiking, crafts and so on.

Equipment to Bring: Your child should bring any specialized riding clothing they may have, such as helmets, boots, breeches, gloves and so on.

What to Ask the Camp Director: Before signing up, be sure to inquire about the ratio of horses to campers, and find out exactly how many hours of instruction they’ll be getting each day. Further, inquire about any accreditations the instructors may have.

Learning Skills: Children who attend English riding camps should come away with a basic understanding of English riding skills as well as basic skills in how to care for a horse and all the riding equipment.