Camp Riding Skills Checklist

For many kids, horse camp provides a place where they can develop new physical skills and learn important social skills such as teamwork and leadership. Some camps require prerequisite skills, and without those skills your child might not gain everything he could from the experience. Include basic riding skills on your list of pre-camp preparations, and check with the camp for further prerequisites.

  1. English or Western

    • The two main riding styles are English or Western. Western is more popular in the United States and features a larger and deeper saddle. This style of riding evolved from ranch riding. Only one hand is on the reins while the other is free to do work such as lassoing a calf. A light touch on the horse's reins starts the animal turning. English riding is more showy than Western. Riders keep both hands on the reins. English riding includes side-saddle, which was historically more popular with women wearing skirts. The rider sits sideways on the saddle. Make sure your child knows the proper riding style for the camp she is attending.

    Mounting Up

    • Mounting up means getting onto a horse, and, although it seems basic, controlling the horse's movements while getting on its back. A good skill checklist includes several styles of mounting, such as mounting from the ground without help, using a mounting block and mounting with help. Once mounted, the camper should know how to adjust the stirrups and tighten the girth, which is the strap that helps keep the saddle in place.

    Walking and Trotting

    • Walking a horse involves controlling the horse at a slow speed. When walking the horse, the rider needs to use the reins to turn the horse, and needs to learn how the horse's body moves under her own body. A skilled rider moves with the horse. A trotting horse moves faster than a walking horse, so the rider needs faster and more refined skills to stay in control.

    Controlling the Reins

    • The reins steer a horse and skilled riders know how to use the reins both directly and indirectly. A direct use of the reins pulls the horse's nose and bends its body toward the direction you pull. A horse responds quickly to the pull, and once it starts to turn the rider should release pressure. Using the reins indirectly uses the rider's body position to help turn the horse. When the rider turns his body toward the direction he wants the horse to turn, the horse follows. A third method, called neck reining, works on horses trained to turn away from the pressure on the reins. The rider needs to have the skills to control the pressure on each side of the reins.