We hear that Ekone teens are hungering to spend some time with horses this summer (and the horses tell us it's mutual). So, we've created one more session of this special new offering!
HORSE & LAND
STEWARDSHIP CAMP
Dates: July 10-16, Session 6A Ages: 12-17 Tuition: $900 base rate, $1200 restoration rate, scholarships available Email Caitlin, summercamp@ekone.org, to apply.
In this special combination Land & Horse Stewardship Camp, we'll explore and practice being good stewards of the nourishing land of Ekone, and of the bodies, minds, and hearts of our equine friends.
With a small group of other awesome teens, you'll spend your days learning, playing, working, going deep with horse care and connection, and getting down and dirty with projects around the ranch and on the land. This is an excellent program for any teens who may want to volunteer or work at Ekone or a similar place in the future, who want to deepen their knowledge of and relationship with horses, and who know (or want to find out!) that working together with friends in service to something bigger than us is pretty much the most fun thing ever!
We know that horses are a big draw for campers and wanted to offer a way to involve Ekone teens at a deeper level in our horse care strategies that help improve the health and happiness of Ekone’s horses. This is your chance to learn a ton and dive deep into the horse-human relationship! There will be an equal balance of stewardship of the horses and the place—check out the Possibilities List below for more specifics about what could be offered during the week, and get started on your own list of things you'd like to do, learn, share, and experience!
Note: Our CampDoc registration system isn't as adaptable as we are! The language in there will be outdated and confusing ~ please email Caitlin, summercamp@ekone.org, to apply, rather than linking through our website.
Possibilities List
Horse Possibilities
Care of the horse’s body
Learning and practicing horse bodywork and/or massage
Learning and practicing different groundwork exercises with horses to help strengthen, stretch, and/or relax their muscles
Overall horse health care
Preparing and delivering individual supplements and/or medications to horses who need them
Learning more about all the considerations that go into feeding and other horse management logistics (all while getting that delicious hay to the horses!)
Horse facilities maintenance
Checking and fixing any fences that need attention
Scrubbing water troughs (mud fights optional!)
Cleaning horse tack
Horse observation and connection
Spending non-demanding time sitting with/near the horses, perhaps with a cup of tea 😊
Centered-Riding-Inspired lessons, to help the horses find greater relaxation in movement by working towards relaxation in our own bodies
Taking the horses on a trail walk--like walking a dog, only a whole lot bigger!
Playing with baby Zephyr (she’s not such a baby anymore)
Note: It's possible, but not guaranteed, that we'll spend some time riding, if and when it benefits the horses, but this is not a riding-focused camp.
Land Possibilities
All the chores that keep the ranch running!
Feeding the horses, pigs and chickens
Learning about how the off-grid system works and how we get power and water
Moving firewood into woodsheds for the winter
Tending and loving Ekone's beautiful and productive garden
Weeding, planting, harvesting
Learning how to make the best salad ever
Reaching an understanding with our arch-nemesis Quack Grass
Hiking to secret spots on Ekone land
Checking for invasive weed species
Getting to know native plants and wildlife
Learning about Ekone’s forestry project that helps keep the land safer during wildfire season
Understanding more about the history of the land and the Native people who lived and still live here
Hiking down to Rock Creek to swim in the Mermaid Pools
Checking the trails for obstacles and/or damage
Pruning back trees and bushes that might get in the way of your nice walk
Making sure trail signs and markers are in good working order and easy to find
Unfencing~ removing old barbed wire fences for the safety of wildlife, horses, and people
Making sure the facilities are in good working order
Fixing the garden fence
Possibly helping with the new Yummy Tummy kitchen construction
Figuring out where those darn squirrels keep coming from 😉
Plus whatever else is needed in order to be in stewardship of the land and to the horses during the week you're here--the list is pretty endless and the needs are ever changing!
Click Here to apply for a session (unless you're applying for a Horse & Land Stewardship session, in which case email Caitlin, summercamp@ekone.org, to avoid confusion!)
And~ we DO still have scholarship support available. Please spread the word to families in your circle for whom tuition may a barrier. We also welcome your introductions to organizations, schools, and community groups who may be interested in co-creating a spring or fall program for underserved children or families!
We can't WAIT to see you in person at Ekone again!
With great anticipation,
from the whole camp crew.
p.s. Want to help make an Ekone experience possible for a deserving kid, family, or community group? Please consider donating to our scholarship fund! Thank you!
Sacred Earth Foundation stewards 1,138 acres in the upper Rock Creek watershed, and is the home of Ekone Summer Camps and White Eagle Memorial Preserve.
