Games camp this weekend and time for the pool!

Before summer gets here, we have one more shot at a games camp.  We hold games camps periodically on Saturdays so the kids can play a variety of games on horseback (like the egg and spoon class, ride-a-buck, flag pole race, etc) and spend the day goof ing off at the barn.  Riders win ribbons for every class, and after a morning of crazy horse time, we move on to other things like playing in the pool, bathing the horses, and if time – a trail ride.  The next games camp will be in the fall.

It is getting hot out there though and it’s time to set up the above ground pool. The pool is our savior in the summer time!  Campers love to cool off after a hot morning riding the horses. It’s a relaxing way to spend part of the afternoon and to fend off heat exhaustion. Florida summers can be tough, and we take every precaution to keep the kids as cool as possible. More info on summer camp can be found here:   http://www.rrranchlithia.com/Camps.html Camp starts June 8th and will continue throughout the summer.  We offer week long day camps for beginners and advanced riders.

Summer camp discounts!

Summer camp is right around the corner, and R&R Ranch is proud to offer numerous discounts for this year’s summer camp season. After all, who couldn’t use a break in these hard times?  Our regular camp price is $175 per week. That includes camp from 9-5 M-F.  For those who can’t make it for the whole week, we will take daily campers if we have room for $50 per day. That’s a great way to test out to see if a little one is ready for camp, or to squeeze in a day here or there.  For campers that want to come for more than one week, camp is $165 for the second week and $150 for the third week. Pay for three weeks up front, and it’s only $150 for each week. 

This year we are excited about our “refer a friend” program.  For every friend you bring who stays for an entire week of camp, you receive a $15 discount. Bring enough friends, and you can come for free!  It’s a great time to organize the neighborhood kids for a camp outing!

More info on our camps can be found at http://www.rrranchlithia.com/Camps.html

Spring show was a lot of fun!

OK – I can admit  it – the barn shows can be a lot of work for both instructors and horses, but it is worth it to see the smiles when the ribbons are handed out.  The kids worked really hard and competed in classes ranging from beginner walk/ trot to 2′3″ over fences.  It was the first show for some and I’m happy to report that all riders kept their nerves under control and did a great job!  Only one horse was a stinker (Nellie hates our home shows but loves to show away from home).  Nellie tried to exit the arena early with Allie, but Allie got her back on track and made her do her job.  Such a silly pony!  The other horses behaved beautifully.  The kids continue to impress me with their sportsmanship!  Competing against all of your friends can be hard, and all of the girls were so mature about both their wins and their losses. 
I’d also like to thank Terry at the Equine Corral for sponsoring the show. Terry provided the awards for our 6 division winners.  Pictures will be posted soon!

Wow, Wow, Wow! Another awesome Dressage weekend!

We are just back from the Lakeland Dressage Association’s Spring Fling Show, and once again have some incredible news to report.   Attending this show were Alex Perry and Snickers, Andrea Knapp and Rosie, and Melody Schubert with R&R Ranch’s Olympic Knight.  Alex made the move permanently to training level and rode T1 and T2.  Her scores were a very respectable 58 and 64 earning her a 2nd and 5th place. Go Alex! 

This was Andrea’s first show with her new horse Rosie, and the first dressage show for either of them.  The judge was very impressed with Rosie’s beautiful trot, and despite a few nerves, the pair scored a 66 and a 68 at Intro A&B earning them a 1st and 2nd place!  WOW!  

Andrea and Rosie displaying their first dressage ribbons.

Melody and Nick knew they would have a tough time beating last show’s performance where they scored in the upper 60s at Intro and earned two blues/ Champion Intro Jr/ High score of the show.  But luckily they were up to the challenge.  Unbelievably, they scored a 66% at T1, and two 78.5% at Intro!  WOW!  WOW! WOW!  Once again the pair earned Intro Jr Champion, 3 blue ribbons, and High Score of the entire show!

I was so proud of these girls and their horses, my face still hurts from smiling!  It’s truly an honor to be their instructor!

Spring Break camp wraps up – Prep begins for SUMMER CAMP!

We just finished Spring Break camp, and  – BOY DID WE HAVE FUN!  At this camp we had a mixture of beginner campers and advanced campers.  For several of the beginner campers, it was their very first chance to ride a horse, much less brush them paint them (yes – paint them), groom them, saddle them, and even help feed them!   It also seemed to be the week for baby animals as we have three batches of baby bunnies that got spoiled rotten by the campers. We also got to spend time with some new puppies and our young goats. 

Advanced campers were in for a special treat as we have a new pony (Junebug) at the barn that is in for training.  Alex and Allie were able to sit on Junebug’s back, and by the end of the week, Junebug was trotting under saddle.  Training a new horse can be VERY exciting – even for the advanced kids who have spent so much time at the barn, you’d think they’d seen it all.   Junebug is not only adorable, but very smart and sweet and was a wonderful experience for the advanced campers. 

Now we are prepping for our spring horse show (April 25th), a dressage show (April 18th) and of course – summer camp!

This year, summer camp will feature more horses and more animals.  Beginner campers can start out attending for a week of camp for $175. This includes a trail ride, time with all of the animals (goats, pigs, ducks, chickens, bunnies, and more), lots of games, and new this year – movie time on our 109″ projection screen!

For those who want more of a horse experience, 3 additional lessons can be purchased for $50. This gives the campers more one on one time with the instructor to learn more about control of the horse. 

For those who want to attend camp, but are feeling the money/ time crunch  – we offer day camps all summer for $50 /day.

Advanced camp will start June 15th and will feature horse jobs. Many kids want to have a career with horses, but few understand what that entails.  This camp will introduce campers to several equine related jobs and list the ups and downs of doing what you love.  

Camp starts June 8th. If  you’d like more information about camp, visit http://www.rrranchlithia.com/Camps.html  You can call 813-546-9862 or email us for more information hollywinkeljohn@yahoo.com.

A Great Night at the American Invitational!

OK – so I’m a bit late in posting this, but we’ve been very busy with Spring Break camp. 

Last Saturday (April 4th), over 100 students and parents from R&R Ranch attended the American Invitational.  This year, we were very fortunate to get seats right by the competitor’s section so we got to watch greats like Beezie Madden study other competitors while waiting for their turn to ride (sect 115).  Just being in Raymond James Stadium is exciting, but for many of our students and parents, this was the first time they were able to see truly great riders perform in person.  It’s an inspirational experience for many riders and the students always return to lessons focused and determined.  One of these days, I’m sure we’ll see a rider at the Invitational who got their start at R&R!

Spring Break Horse Camp!

At R&R Ranch, we always offer Spring Break camp for the kids in Hillsborough county to coordinate with the local school’s spring break. This year, however, we are offering Spring Break camp up to our friends in Polk county as well. They will be having spring break March 30th through April 3rd. While we can’t fit in a full camp, we will be having camp for them on April 2nd and 3rd. Day camp is only $50 per day.  Campers will get to go on daily trail rides, play lots of games, spend lots of time with the horses and farm animals, and even enjoy a hayride or two!  Camp is open from 9am -5pm for ages 5-15. If you’d like more info on camps, please visit http://www.rrranchlithia.com/Camps.html. You can reserve a spot in our camp by calling 813-546-9862 or by emailing hollywinkeljohn@yahoo.com.  We are located in Lithia (just south of Plant City).

Congratulations to Andrea on purchasing her first horse!

We have a new horse at the barn and a proud new owner!   Andrea has purchased her first horse, a 10 year old Thoroughbred named “Rosie” (registered name Iron Sneakers).  Rosie is an ex-racehorse with eventing training, but we will be using her for dressage and hunter shows.  Not only will Andrea be riding her, but she will also be doing lessons for a couple of our more advanced riders.  As Rosie is an ex-racehorse, she can be a bit speedy! 

Andrea and Rosie have bonded so well, it’s exciting to see their daily progress. This is what horse ownership is all about – truly enjoying your horse!  Rosie will go to her first show on April 18th -a schooling dressage show at Cason Farm in Plant City.  After that, she’ll compete in our barn schooling show on the 25th, and then prepare for SEHJ on May 19th.  We can’t wait to show her off!

Spring Break and Summer Horse Camps

Spring Break is only a few weeks away for Hillsborough County and Summer break won’t be far behind that.  That must mean it’s time for horse camp!   R&R will be hosting camp Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm for riders ages 5-15 over spring break week (April 6-10) and over the summer starting June 8th. If school is out, camp is open! 

This will be R&R’s seventh year hosting summer camps, and camps keep getting better every year.  A typical day at camp starts with grooming and saddling the horses for a morning trail ride. All riders enjoy a trail ride with the older riders getting to go out for a long ride while the younger riders are led on a shorter pony trail (20 minutes). Before going out on the trail, riders spend some time in the arena getting basic instruction on controlling their horse. Experienced riders can skip this part and go directly out on the trail (guided by staff members of course!)  As there are usually around 20 campers, not all will be out on the trail at the same time. Those waiting at the barn will spend time learning how to groom and saddle a horse as well as caring for our many petting zoo animals (bunnies, pigs, ducks, chickens, and goats). Once everyone has returned from the trail, all climb on the hayride so they can enjoy lunch in the shade of the back pasture.

After lunch, riders who have signed up for extra lessons will get to spend one on one time with the instructors improving their riding skills ($50 extra will earn the rider three mini lessons during the week).  All will get to partake in water activities (pool and bonzai slide) and all riders will get to play afternoon games.  When the heat is too much, we have a 106″ projection screen in the camp house that is perfect for winding down with a movie.

So what about the advanced riders?  Advanced and repeat campers are always welcome, and we tailor their experience to suit their abilities.  Advanced campers get to ride the long trail in the morning and help the staff with the care of the horses.  Those paying an extra $50 per week will receive 3 camp lessons allowing them to practice their skills at walking, trotting, cantering, and jumping depending on their riding level.  Advanced riders are welcomed throughout the summer. 

There is one week set aside for advanced riders only.  This week is geared toward the horse enthusiast and focuses more on horse health, nutrition, show prep, and care.  Advanced campers receive daily lessons rather than trail rides. This year, our advanced camp will  have an emphasis on equine related jobs! 

Camps tend to fill up fast, so if you are interested in signing up for one or more weeks (ask about our full summer pricing!), please email us or call 813-546-9862. More info on camps and tons of photos can be found at http://www.rrranchlithia.com/Camps.html

Trail riding discounts – great time to hit the trails!

Every once in a while, we don’t have a pressing horse show commitment, and can take a break to enjoy the trails.  We have been doing a LOT of trail riding lately, and have taken out a variety of groups. 

Every Wednesday mornings at 10, a group of ladies hit the  trail for “therapy”.  It’s a great chance to relax and laugh among friends – not to mention to vent about anything that’s on your mind!  Newcomers are welcome to join us for $30 per person for use of the horse.  Absolute novices are welcome as the horses are safe and quiet, and we keep the ride pretty mellow.

Our weekends always have several trail groups going out.  Lately we’ve had 3-4 groups go per weekend day.  We can take out up to 9 riders at a time, and all ages are welcome to participate. The trail travels at the speed of the least experienced rider, so more advanced groups can pick up the pace a bit.  The cost of a ride is $35 for an individual, or $30 each for two or more riders.  Got 6 or more riders?  You’ll only  pay $25 per rider. We also have days where we offer discounted rides to everyone. You must be on our email list to hear about these days. To join our email list, email me hollywinkeljohn@yahoo.com and let me know you want to be notified of trail discount days. 

We are often asked about the age limits.  We only take riders over the age of 8 on our hour long trail.  Younger riders aren’t left out though!  Small kids (as young as one) can be led on our pony trail (20 minutes) for only $15 each. Parents can join them on their own horse, or walk along with the trail. If you want a longer ride than that, we have a medium sized trail for parents and kids age 5-8. This trail takes about 45 minutes, and one of our staffers can walk along with your child to make sure they are safe at all times.  For more information about trail rides, please email me at hollywinkeljohn@yahoo.com, or call me at 813-546-9862.  More info on our facility can be found at www.rrranchlithia.com.  See you at the ranch!