Skye Ackenbom
Equestrian Program Director
Questions? Call 800-873-3223
The Equestrian Program at Camp Friendship was developed to provide a fun, safe experience with horses for girls interested in refining their skills in many phases of horsemanship. We enrich each camper's ability, knowledge and enjoyment of horses through a safe and structured sequence of experiences progressing from fundamentals to the finer point of equitation.
Riding Director
Skye Ackenbom, daughter of owner/founder Chuck Ackenbom, grew up in the Camp Friendship equestrian program. For many years she was active as a counselor and certified instructor before taking over the role as Riding Director in 2005. As a junior competitor Skye rode to many championships at the local, state, regional and rated levels. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and finds running the equestrian program at Camp Friendship the perfect opportunity to combine her love of horses with her love for working with children.
The Horses
Our horses can be described as wonderful, friendly, versatile, personable and safe. Over 90 horses are owned and maintained by the camp year round. This gives us an advantage because we know each horse very well. Campers are matched with horses based on size, ability and personality. Once a horse has been assigned, then the camper is responsible for its daily care including grooming, tacking and un-tacking and stall upkeep.
The Facilities
All the horses are stabled in our new 2005 state of the art stables. The barn is located right across from the campers living quarters. There are 4 outdoor riding rings including show and jumping ring. There is also a spacious indoor arena for rainy days which includes lights and its own watering system to help keep the dust down. The 733 acres of open fields and trails through the woods are the mainstay of the program.
Theory
Campers will participate in a theory lesson each day to enjoy learning about something related to horses. Theories are hands on whenever possible and topics may include
first aid for horses
feed and nutrition
horse management
dental care/aging |
show preparation
tack cleaning
safety around horses
horse anatomy |
careers in horses
grooming/bathing
braiding/clipping
trimming and shoeing |
Riding Staff of five run a year-round program at Friendship Stables. Twenty summer staff are recruited from equestrian colleges and teams all over the United States and abroad. Friendship strives not only to have counselors with riding and teaching expertise with horses but those who also love children.
As the staff comes together each summer, they are trained in safety procedures and instructional techniques specific to this program.
Please click here to request Equestrain Camp Color Brochure