Barbara Lawlor, Boulder County. In the summer, between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., a group of children ages 8 to 18 gather round the Rising Sun Ranch on Lazy Z Road to partner with a horse for the day. On Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays, they learn how to groom their horses, how to catch and lead, saddle and bridle, how to mount and how to ride.

Most of all they learn how to communicate with the horse in a natural way, using balance and leg to ask the horse to move as directed. The students learn either Western or English Balanced Seat and when not learning all about the care of horses, they are riding in small groups twice a day.

Rising Sun owner Sheila Ranegar has given lessons to generations of young riders, some of whom have returned to help with the summer camp. Children who have grown up into horse careers have said that Sheila’s Summer Camp was a life changer for them.

First a rider learns to sit bareback, feeling the horse’s muscles move, understanding the rhythm of the walk, trot, and canter. Then the groups learn obstacle courses, guiding their horses over and under and around objects, getting them comfortable with pushing a large blown up ball with their nose and knees.

On Saturday, June 27, the summer camp riders participated in a show for their parents, displaying the skills they have learned so far.

The audience, most of them using their phones to take pictures, sat around the rails of the Rising Sun arena, under umbrellas, watching with pride as their children sat straight in the saddle, relaxed, knowing they could make a large animal respond to their hands, legs, and switch of weight indications.

The camp will continue through July with the next parent show on August 1 and more gymkhana’s and events through fall.

For more information contact ranegar432@yahoo.com

Results:

Group one

Bareback

1. Lilyanna riding Lakota

2. Preeine riding Deno

3. Myla riding Kenai

Equitation

1. Lilyanna

2. Myla

3. Preeine

Obstacle Course

1. Preeine

2. Lilyanna

3. Myla

Group two

Bareback

1. Abilene riding Joey

2. Mirabelle riding Kenai

3. Julia riding Dandy

Equitation

1. Mirabelle

2. Abilene

3. Julia

Obstacle Course

1. Abilene

2. Julia

3. Mirabelle

Group three

Bareback

1. Allison riding Kenai

2. Abby riding Deno

3. Bella H riding Joey

4. Bella L riding Lakota

Equitation

1. Allison

2. Bella H

3. Abby

4. Bella L.

Obstacle Course

1. Abby

2. Bella H

3. Bella L

4. Allison

Group four

Bareback

1. Rowan riding Velvet

2. Sidney riding Joey

3. Cora riding Kenai

4. Ainsley riding Titan

Equitation

1. Rowan

2. Ainsley

3. Cora

4. Sidney

Obstacle Course

1. Cora

2. Ainsley

3. Rowan

4. Sidney