Many riding camps offer campers the option of bringing home a camp horse at the end of the summer. Camps save on the upkeep costs of their horses, and some lucky campers get to enjoy having “a horse of their own” for the year until it’s time for the horse to return to the camp in the early summer. But is bringing home a camp horse a good option for your child?

Horse Suitability

Before you agree to take home a camp horse, assess how suitable the horse is for your child. Does the horse have any physical issues that would limit his use? Is he a well-trained mount that your child can benefit from over the course of a year? Carefully consider the horse’s size, too – if your child experiences a growth spurt, will he or she still be able to ride the horse come spring?

Remember that you’re not essentially getting a free horse for the next nine months or so; you’ll have to pay for the horse’s upkeep. No matter if you have a barn of your own or if you will be boarding the horse at a local facility, the costs of keeping the horse will be significant. Therefore you will want to go over the horse in a manner similar to how you would evaluate a horse you were considering purchasing.

Winter Riding

When bringing home a camp horse, your child will probably have the horse for the fall, winter, and spring, depending on the camp’s agreement. The camp will require the horse to be returned by a certain date, usually a month or so before the first camping session starts. Therefore, a lot of your child’s riding time with the horse will take place during the winter. If you live in a cold climate, you will want to make sure that you have easy access to an indoor arena. If you don’t, the value of the riding time your child can get with the horse will be decreased.

In Case of Emergency

Before you agree to bring home a camp horse, discuss who is responsible for extra bills the horse incurs while it is in your care. You will likely be expected to pay for farrier work, but you should discuss who will pay the vet bill if the horse becomes sick or is injured. Are you responsible for the bills if the injury occurs while your child is riding the horse? What happens if the horse gets into a grain bin because his stall door is left unlatched? Go over the expectations of the agreement until you fully understand them, and make sure that everything is written into your lease agreement.

Bringing home a camp horse for the year can be a great learning experience for a child who doesn’t yet have a horse of his or her own. But your situation has to be right to make bringing home a camp horse worth the financial investment.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/43158397@N02/5129640709

Original Source: Should You Let Your Child Bring Home a Summer Camp Horse?