Summer Camp

TACO's summer camp is a week long camp held in July or August from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. We provide transportation for those campers in need or you may bring your child.

Each morning, we start out with songs and a breakfast snack. Campers then break into three different groups and alternate through three stations of arts and crafts, horse education, and horseback riding. At the end of the day, the campers join back into one group for an afternoon snack and entertainment.

In arts and crafts, the campers participate in range of activities from making picture frames and stepping stones, to painting horse shoes and making a piece to go in the Orange County Fair 4-H Auction. The proceeds from the auction piece go directly to TACO to help fund future camps. All of the items made, with the exception of the auction piece, will come home with each camper once they are finished.

During Horse Education, campers workto expand their knowledge about horses. Campers learn about different breeds and colors of horses, along with how to groom and care for them. They practice grooming, are shown how to clean stalls, and learn about the amount of work it takes to care for a horse. Campers are also taught about different styles of riding, along with the different types of feed that horses eat and nutritional information about them. They also have the opportunity to paint the body parts of a horse!

The riding portion of camp is taught by Susan, a TACO committee member and the owner of Elmwood Farm Equestrian Center. She has over 30 years experience with horses and has taught lessons for 15 years. She has been teaching at the TACO camp since 2001. During the horseback riding area, campers are introduced to the horse that they will be riding every day of camp. For the most part, campers ride the same horse and have the same horse leader and side walkers daily. Each camper is accompanied by a horse leader and two side walkers to help them. Once they are on their horses, they start the day out by stretching and loosening up their muscles. Each day, there are different activities they participate in on horseback. They work on steering, trotting, and walking over ground poles daily. Other activities they do include finding certain colored objects around the ring. They must steer their horse to the object, pick it up, and return it to the instructor. They also enhance their hand eye coordination by dropping balls into buckets off of their horses and placing small rings on the top of stands. Each year we work to incorporate new activities into this area of camp!

At the end of each day, campers are gathered in one area and provided with a snack during the entertainment. Our entertainment in the past has been motorcycle sidecar rides, roping demonstrations, Orange County Sheriff's Office K9 Demonstration, Orange County Fire Department and Rescue Squad Demonstrations, magic and juggling acts, and even pony cart rides.

On Friday, we have our annual horse show. Each group is able to show off what they have learned about riding over the week to their fellow campers, the judge, their parents, and other spectators. After the horse show is over, we have a pizza party and other activities for the campers to enjoy.