My Training Program

Camp Kelly for Horses

Camp Kelly focuses on foundation training for ponies, horses and wayward mares out of our little boarding school at Looking Glass Farm.

Frequent Parent Questions:

What will my horse learn?

First, we focus on everyone learning their ground manners.  As Pat told me once, you must teach them to be good citizens first.

Brief Curriculum Overview:

All Campers will learn:

• to respect the human’s space (i.e. not smush people or run over them for fun or out of fear).  Therefore, they will learn to lead safely, back out of the handler’s space and be respectful during turnout.
• learn to “catch” the human.  This avoids hours of begging, chasing and then more begging to get your horse to come to you.
• Basics online: backing, moving the shoulders over and hindquarters so handler can easily gain control or horse. Circling, sending to obstacles to help horse’s confidence.

Pony Pre K:

Pony Pre K is for baby horses (1 plus) that know almost zero.  They learn all of the above, as well as how to pick up their feet, behave for the farrier and vet, tie, load nicely in the trailer, clipping prep, begin pre-saddle prep including cinch placement, learning to pony from a saddle horse, long lining and accepting the bit.  All Pre K Campers go on field trips to get confident with new places.  We travel to obstacles courses, trails and visit shows to see how the big ponies do it.

Kelly Kindergarten

All Kelly Kindergarten Campers are horses ready to be backed. These horses are 2 plus. They do ALL of the above as well as: accepting the rider as a friend and leader, learn stand at the mounting block and not go forward until you ask.  They will also learn to turn, walk/trot/canter/ trail ride, basic arena work. I do require that they have a vet’s permission to be started.

Foundation Training

Every horse needs a foundation for whatever they do- that includes trail riding, eventing, dressage, driving and every discipline under the sun. 

A horse that has a good foundation knows the difference between what is pressure and what is not.  They respond appropriately to pressure without reacting and blowing up, which can be very dangerous!

They are solid citizens.  They load, tie, can be ridden on a loose rein, go on a trial ride, and have three nice gaits.  They are a safe ride.

This is absolutely what you need before you put the dressage or any other icing on.

Difficult Dudes and Wayward Mare Program

Kelly often gets the calls,
“your my last ditch efforts, if you cannot fix him, then he/she will just live in the pasture forever.”
Or: “my horse is trying to kill me”

These are horses that have been pretty messed up one way or the other.  I take these horses after a weekend evaluation to see if I am the right person to help them.  If I am not, I have a network of trainers that can.