Sounds like a truly nice trail ride and great family time. You can't complain with only two very reasonable startles/spooks with minor reaction. She is turning out to be a great horse, isn't she? Lucky you - you have some great area to ride with a large variety - even ghosts!! You'll have to tell me if you ever have an encounter - lol! On our trail ride Sunday it was just my daughter and me and we mostly just walked together and it was really fun. Yesterday Anna and Lily were ahead of us (we had our trainer with us) and had some time together. I was a little apprehensive but they didn't get too far ahead and they enjoyed some trotting and a couple of good canters. Horse is a much better trail horse than expected. Her previous owners told us that she'd never be a trail horse and that she hates it. Not anymore!

That's a great idea, I will just give Diane a call and we'll see where it goes. Thanks for all the great info! Hopefully we'll see you at one of the camps!

You should talk to Diane. She might want to do a lesson prior to see where she would fit best. We took them out alone. My hubby and I walked with her while she rode. Twist was really good. Two things startled her: a plastic bag, and a bird that dive bombed her butt. The bag was 2 quick shuffle steps, the bird was a butt tuck and a small leap forward. For some reason she's a target for birds. She's been dive bombed 3 times in a month! I am going to start borrowing one of Diane's horses to take her. We have a place that doesn't need shoes, and is about 2 miles away. We walked for 2 hours. It's mild, but has hills, pastures, dikes, water, and ghosts...it's a former mental hospital! It's fun.

Glad to hear you got Twist out, first time right? Did she go with other kids at the barn? How fun. My daughter has only trail ridden a handful of times but she LOVES it. As a matter of fact we went yesterday and the day before (I even trailered!). Lily has limited trail experience, as in almost none, and every now and then will stop, look and snort but Anna can get her past anything. The last couple of days I am on foot and Anna rides - not the optimal set up but she loves it nonetheless. She'll go ahead at a trot or canter and then come back to me and then go out again, etc.. She definitely prefers to go with other riders but a walking mom will do in a pinch.

Well, if Anna was with kids just learning to lope, or new at it, she would not enjoy it nearly as much. Anna is a pretty advanced rider for her age. On the other hand we don't do much ground work other than showmanship (but not much) and taking the horse out for walks - we've never done Clinton Anderson work.

Most of the kids close to her age would be in the 1st intermediate camp. Not much experience on the trail course, kind of a mix between loping and learning to lope, but they do a lot of arena trail course stuff. The last camp at the end of July is spent out of the arena most of the time, reining, cow work, trail course, etc. but most of it is done without walls in the hay field. It's really a combo of the kids and horses. It depended on what horse we got what camp she would be in. Also, the last camp needs the horses to know the groundwork that we do since the kids do some of the Clinton Anderson Advanced stuff too.

We took Twist on a trail ride this weekend, and through the trail course yesterday and she never reacted to anything. She's a really good girl.

Oh, and I would not consider our horse advanced when it comes to the trail course stuff if that makes a difference. Is the skill level based more on horse or rider? Well, it's late and I'm tired and I'm probably making way too much out of this!! Off to bed for me!

So are there different intermediate camps for different riding levels? How does that work? Do you need to take one before another? I know she'd love to ride with someone her own age but it's equally important to ride with kids that are riding at the same level. Are the kids her age (just turned 11) more of beginner/novice riders? We don't keep our at a stable so my daughter doesn't have any friends to ride with. The girls in her club really only show their horses and most of them are senior level and if she goes trail riding with anyone it's usually someone MUCH (as in 40 years) older which isn't quite the same. However, I think she would get bored if she wasn't with a group where she was learning and challenged. What would you recommend?

My daughter will be in the last camp because she's been riding out there for 4 years, and her horse is even more advanced than some of the older girl's horses. She hasn't ridden with kids her age for a while. I have mixed feelings. She rides with much better riders, but she rides and spends her time with a bunch of high school girls...I don't need that attitude any sooner.

I haven't emailed Diane yet as I had to figure out how to work it out with my son that week. Turns out that there is baseball camp both weeks of the horse camp - how perfect is that?! What camp week is your daughter going to? I am thinking of late June before it gets too hot. My daughter will be very excited if we can make this happen and it would be extra fun to know that there is a girl her age that will be there!

You should definitely email her and tell her your situation. Tell her that you've been talking to Joni, she doesn't know who Fowl Play is :)

Sounds like your horse was really worth the wait. It's funny how the right ones come along. I think you'll find that your horse will be the perfect fit in so many ways and your daughter will have a great future with her.

Our horse definitely gets hot sometimes and my daughter can get so frustrated! She (horse) is also super sensitive, but I don't mind much because it is teaching my daughter some much needed patience and she has to control her emotions - not an easy task! Just in the last week we've had 2 lessons that show my daughter how the horse will shut down (or pitch a fit!) when she gets too frustrated but within 10-15 minutes she will be totally into the ride when my daughter calms down. Daughter gets tense - horse gets tense. Daughter calms down, horse calms down. It's amazing and it has been challenging for my daughter. Our horse is becoming a wonderful teacher for my daughter and I'm thankful for her.