Here it is, an insider’s view of pattern camp.

Actual camp participants have written about their experiences at the farm last week. A total immersion into horses produces stories of learning, struggles, and lots of fun.

Of course, all names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Read on to learn why Knollwood Academy Kids cherish their annual week of camp with their friends, and the best lesson horses in the world:

Monday

For the first section of this week’s blog, Keep the Change Ma’am and Hylee’s Pink Fox will be covering Monday of pattern camp!

We all arrived at Knollwood and Instructor #87 told us horse assignments for the day! We all began the process of grooming and tacking our horses. We headed down to the nice cool indoor arena and warmed up.

When working on a pattern, Hylee’s Pink Fox and Lime Green were fighting over who would get to go fourth because they both wanted to go in the middle of eight patterns.

In the afternoon, Instructor #87 had an interesting approach to a pattern. Everyone (including the horses) closed their eyes and caught up on some sleep while one lucky horse and rider pair got to do the pattern. Instructor #87 explained the pattern element by element, and we were shocked at the end to see the full pattern we had completed.

We rounded out the day by taking care of the worlds best lesson horses and going home to AC and our beds!

Tuesday

While Tuesday was a half day due to the weather, it was still 100% fun!

We arrived to the barn at 7:15 in the morning to ride at 8:00 and beat the heat! We also had a blast with the best lesson horses in the world! During our ride, we worked on challenging patterns, beginning with a fun clover leaf pattern that featured some no stirrups!

 After we worked on that pattern, we all asked Instructor 87 to let us try pattern 100 of the UPHA pattern book! Not only is this the final pattern of the book, but it is a super fun pattern! It was fun to try it with all the different lesson horses and personalities.

We then took care of our horses, who were drenched in sweat. They enjoyed nice lukewarm baths to help cool off. During lunch, we drank lots of Gatorade and water to stay hydrated.

We also sang happy birthday to Way Cool Kiddo!  

Wednesday

Day three of pattern camp Starts off with better weather than Tuesday. It was warm but not deadly hot.

The theme of the day was learning to fail/ Not bring afraid to fail. The pattern Campers learned that if they mess up it is okay.

Then later in the day there were games and the pattern campers had fun doing relays and playing steal the crop. Honey Bee was enjoying herself by being allowed to go fast.

We finished the day by learning the importance of sunscreen, as many of us went home really burnt.

 Always a blast at pattern camp!

Thursday

On Thursday, day 4 of pattern camp, the first  thing we did was do some patterns in the big outdoor.  We challenged ourselves by doing the harder patterns in Instructor 87’s book.

After we all took care of our horses by giving them baths and drying them. Then we all ate lunch at the picnic tables, worrying about the spiders because one time we all freaked out over one being in Captain Krunch’s hair earlier in the week.

After we all prepared for the pattern challenge for our next ride. For the pattern challenge we all write our own patterns and a trivia question to go with it. Instructor 87 will pick someone’s pattern and read out the trivia question and whoever gets it right gets to do the pattern.  We complete the patterns and each author got to coach the rider who did the pattern they created. 

 After we put our horses away we all got prepared to go to Lime Green and Hylees Pink Foxes house for a pool party to cool off from hot hot week so far.  But when we were backing out to leave Knollwood we hear honking behind us, then a crash. The trunk was open!! Luckily Lime Greens shiny Freedman saddle didn’t fall out the back!!

Friday

What have I walked into? While instructor 87 traveled for some much

.needed R and R, I, instructor 8, am spending the day with the campers.

After some brilliant early morning discussions about the pool party, and a number of topics, it was time to learn all about judging. We divided into 2 groups so everyone had the chance to show and to try their hand at the really difficult job of judging.

Of course, this was to be an equitation affair, so each judging panel used the early morning to create patterns suitable to the riders in each split.

After assigning call judges and ringmasters for each group, judging teams were ready.

Classes were, shall we say, spirited, and competition was fierce. I will say that the second split consisting of Hylee’s Pink Fox, Way Cool Kiddo, Captain Crunch, and He Sings the EMO Tunes provided all of us with a most creative interpretation of a center point. Even master counselors M and H were scratching their heads. This does not happen very often.

After taking care of the best lesson horses in the world, we met in the cool of the lounge to discuss placings and opinions. This, of course, led to a brilliant discussion of sportsmanship, being kind and inclusive to everyone, and what Knollwood Kids can do when they encounter mean girls. They have no home with these ladies. Trust me.

After a lovely lunch in the shady café area, it was time for games on the school horses while the academy horses rested.

Fred gave it his all in a thrilling game of ‘fastest trot,’ and almost won!! He showed great improvement over last season when his enthusiasm got the better of him and he showed his cantering skills, much to the delight of Captain Crunch.

We finished our week with popsicles, and watching Baxter, Murphy, and Sport walk onto the rig and head to Oshkosh to join the other horses for the Saturday academy performance.

What’s coming up?

July 4 Holiday

We’re closed on Monday July 4. All lessons will be credited.

ASAW Summerfun Horse Show

July 7-10

Wisconsin State Fair Park

All lessons are cancelled on Saturday, July 9 so all of Team Knollwood can travel to the show and cheer for each other at the 11:00 academy session. Lessons will be credited to your account.

The Friday night finales of the show features the UPHA Horsemanship Challenge, pitting riders from participating barns against each other on horses new to them in a winner-take-all test of horsemanship.

Each barn is limited to three riders, and Allison, Margit, and Richie will be representing Team Knollwood.

It’s a blast to watch!

Lexington Junior League Horse Show

July 11-16

Team Knollwood will be competing at Rolex Stadium in the Kentucky Horse Park. You can watch the livestream on Richfield Video!

Knollwood Knockouts Car Wash and Brat Bash

July 17

Fox Brother’s Piggly Wiggly in Hartland

All club members are asked to sign up for a shift or two to help the club in their biggest fundraiser of the year. You can sign up here, or in the school barn lounge.

Knollwood Summer Show August 19-21

Knollwood Summer Entries continue through July 15.

You won’t want to miss the event of the summer.

See you soon at the barn, or at the in-gate!