Ashford Farm Day Camp 2015
PO Box 586
Lafayette Hill, PA 19444
610.825.9838
Dear Parents,
Camp is just around the corner and here is some useful information to help you prepare for the summer.
Save the Date: Saturday, June 20 Day Camp Open House & BBQ
Necessities:
Riding gear (see below)
Sweatshirt – to be left at camp for cold days
Shorts
Bathing suit, towel and flip flops
Waterbottle (please label it carefully!)
NO CELL PHONES, iPods, or iPads
No Jewelry
Each camper will have the use of a cubby hole for all their belongings.
Dresscode For Riding: (camp specials offered at Bucks County Saddlery)
Jeans or riding pants – no shorts for riding
Hard soled shoes with a small heel or English riding boots
Riding helmet (an updated, approved helmet – must be NON ADJUSTABLE, this is a NEW Policy at Ashford Farm. The adjustable helmets are not safe and are not allowed to be used in lessons.)
Inexpensive crop, gloves
Shirts must be long enough to tuck in – please NOTank Tops
Campers may leave their hats, boots and crop at camp. Please be sure that your child’s name is on all of his/her belongings. Lunches will be refrigerated; please send lunch bags only, no lunch boxes. We encourage campers to bring water bottles and there is a soda machine ($1.25).
DRIVEWAY POLICY: Another issue that has arisen is driveway safety. We are now directing clients to use the front driveway to ENTER the farm, and the back driveway to EXIT the farm. In order to help things run safely, please keep speed down to 15 mph on the driveway. Remember, it’s your child’s safety we’re protecting!
Special Events/Field Trips: Permission slips will be sent home a week in advance. Field trips are an additional expense. Please take a few minutes to read through all the information. Campers not participating in the field trip may not attend the sleepover.
This year the field trip locations may change, but the dates will be Thursday, July 9 and Thursday, August 6. Both with a sleepover and next day early dismissal.
.
Transportation: If your child is signed up for transportation, we will call you with the schedule the week before camp. The children will be picked up and dropped off at the end of your driveway. If your child is sick or not riding the bus on a given day, please notify the driver ahead of time. (call to check availability after June 1)
Parents providing their own transportation, or involved with a car pool, are asked to drop the children off no earlier than 9:15 in front of the stable. Pick up is at 3:45 in the same location.
Before & After care: is available from as early as 8 AM, and as late as 6 PM. You must sign up and pay for this in advance, please contact us to sign up.
Horse Assignments: Every week your child will be assigned a new horse and partner. A great deal of thought goes into choosing the appropriate horse for the students and their particular needs. Sometimes they are lucky and they get their favorite horse, and then everyone is happy. However, there are times when the horse they are assigned is not to their liking. To become a skilled rider, it is essential to be accomplished on many different horses. If the instructor feels that your child is over mounted or in any danger, be assured that they will be remounted immediately. When the children are nervous or tentative in any way, we encourage them to express their feelings to their instructor. This enables us to encourage them to deal with their fears first hand. Please assist us by encouraging this philosophy at home; it greatly enriches our relationship with your child.
Medications: It is a fact of life that some children take medications to help them focus and enjoy life. If your child takes medication for school, they also need it for camp. We need their complete attention while riding and handling the horses. Therefore we ask you to keep them on their prescribed dosage.
Messages: During the day the staff is busy with the campers. If you need to call, feel free to leave a message on the machine; this will be picked up at lunch time (1:00-1:30). Key contact people are: Caroline Canavan & Jessica Kulp.
**New Campers: If your child has not had at least 2 or 3 riding lessons here at Ashford, please call Caroline today to schedule an appointment.
Any questions?
Please call 610-825-9838
Ashford Farm 2015 Day Camp Itinerary
Saturday, June 20 (4:00-6:00)
Camp BBQ
Meet the staff
Get to know fellow campers
Monday, June 22
1st day of camp
July 9-10
Field Trip / Sleep Over
Early dismissal Friday 10th: 12:00 noon
(Transportation home)
Friday, July 17
Camp Horse Show
(NO Transportation home)
August 6-7
Field Trip / Sleep Over
Early dismissal Friday 7th : 12:00 noon
(Transportation Home)
Friday, August 14
Parents Day – Potluck Lunch
Last day of camp
Early dismissal: leave after lunch
(NO transportation home)