★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“My daughter’s experience [E-G Youth Summer Camp] was above and beyond our expectations. She came back a confident and happy girl, very proud of having successfully faced the challenges of the experience. Lucinda and her staff were topnotch- caring, capable, and fun. It was truly a life-changing experience for her.“
Vivian D.
/
Belmont, MA
ADVENTURE ON!
Discover the transformative experience of our Equine-Guided Youth Summer Camps, designed to foster:
- Self Awareness and Empathy: Through interactions with horses, campers learn to understand themselves and others better.
- Leadership Development: Camp activities focus on building leadership skills through relationships, teamwork, games, challenges, and service.
- Responsible Decision Making: Campers are empowered to make thoughtful and responsible choices in a supportive environment.
- Equine Education: Learn valuable horse wisdom and develop essential equine handling skills.
- Gentle Horsemanship: Experience light and non-forceful approach for horsemanship and riding.
Join us for an unforgettable summer camp experience in which youth leadership is strengthened through horsemanship, outdoor challenges, and teamwork. We encourage a positive “can-do” mindset and confidence in every camper.
OPEN
5-DAY SUMMER CAMP | AGES 9-12
June 23-27, 2025 Monday-Friday
Monday-Thursday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
and Friday 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
OPEN
5-DAY SUMMER CAMP | AGES 9-12
July 7-11, 2025 Monday-Friday
Monday-Thursday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
and Friday 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Experience Youth Summer Camp, in partnership with horses
Since 2009, we’ve been dedicated to empowering youth to realize their natural strengths, develop natural leadership skills, and foster creativity through engaging activities. Our Equine-Guided Education program offers interactive leadership exercises and daily activities alongside swimming, trail walks, somatic-bareback horsemanship, riding, crafts, animal observation, and nature skills. So, while we emphasize partnership with horses and offer mounted riding opportunities, please note that this is not a traditional horseback riding camp. Join us for a week of leadership development, teamwork, experiential learning, creativity, and fun-filled experiences, creating lasting connections with future best friends.
5-day Youth Summer Day Camp
Single Child
REGULAR RATE – $525
Family Rate – per child, for 2 or more
REGULAR RATE – $500
- Registration: Complete a hard copy of our form and email or mail it to us. Our address is on the form
- Payment: Call us to process credit card payment or send a check with registration
- Once registration and permission forms plus payment are received and processed, you will receive the full confirmation and information packet via email. Then, we will email this a second time, one week before camp begins.
“Leadership Strengths”
“Thank you for offering such a great [youth summer camp] program. My daughter’s confidence has increased and she has identified her strengths as a leader – and recognized areas she can improve. All this presented in a positive way, with no judgement. Thanks for the positive program you have developed and for presenting in such a confident, loving way.”
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
— Vic G. / Montpelier. VT
“Her World Grew”
“I can’t say enough about this program. I loved how it focused on being with the horses and learning from them without dominating them. Her world grew that week. Thank you for offering this program, it is incredibly special.”
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
— Laura L. / Jericho, VT
Create meaningful connections
with our excellent equine guidance
Lucinda Newman, Certified Equine Guided Educator and Instructor, personally leads each camp assisted by competent, compassionate staff. She LOVES the bonding that happens between youth and horses! Over the course of two decades, Lucinda has deepened her experience in guiding youth through team development horsemanship-and-riding-learning. She is also Mom to an awesome young man attending college for Management and Engineering. To learn more about Lucinda, visit here.
We welcome campers at Horses & Pathfinders for a good dose of outdoor fun and adventure, guided by gentle horse friends in a safe environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the horse-guided activities really be useful to my child?
This program holds the potential to provide opportunities and exercises for kids to grow around a set of common interests and abilities, and to gain a sense of their natural, functional leadership within a set of shared values. Peer mentorship often takes a front seat in the camp experience, with young people working to gain the trust and cohesion of others – peers and horses. Through learning and genuine encouragement, campers become equipped and empowered. Success as we define it, is not exclusively personal, but moreover social. It is less about “I did it!” and more about “We did it!”
What makes Horses & Pathfinders camps different from others?
In a natural setting, children have the opportunity to participate in creating ways that appeal to who they naturally are (talents, strengths, gifts, styles) and in ways that are collaboratively-driven, rather than right/wrong, correct/incorrect, autonomous approach. They provide a stimulating, purposeful play on a level playing field while encouraging creativity and social engagement- all with horses! When at camp, young people learn to set their own boundaries, to develop in an environment that is not necessarily focused on a competitive end, to interact with one another, and to be involved in a collaborative way with their peers. This is holistic leadership and team development at its most adventurous!
What is so awesome about summer camp?
We have a lot of testimonials from previous campers who say that they “met their best friends” here because when they are at camp, they meet people who get to know them better than anyone from school, building strong relationships while being happiest. The amazing thing about our camps is that the horses and the environment really open young people up to be who they naturally are in the moment (their natural leadership) and so they feel accepted, appreciated and loved for it. Leaving camp can be a bummer to some only because their youth colleagues, the horses and the environment had such a memorable impact. But they can always come back to visit the horses!
How do we register?
The registration process is quite simple. You can register by either primtiong and mailing the registration and permission form with a check made payable to Horses & Pathfinders. Or you can send the registration by email attachment to: Team@horsesandpathfinders.com and call during business hours with a credit or debit card – we use Square payment system that is confidential and does not save your information. Keep in mind the registration timeline, though. You can enroll right up until one week before camp starts but since this camp typically fills up quickly, (there is a limit of 10 students per camp) and there is an early bird registration discount, you’ll want to stay on top of things.
Our general camp fee includes:
- Access to the facilities: barn, horses, swimming area, trails
- Teaching, mentoring and direct oversight by Lead Coach, Lucinda
- Supervision by trained staff members
Once we receive registration and permission forms plus payment are processed, you will receive the full confirmation and information packet via email. Then we will email this a second time, one week before camp begins.
How long does camp last?
Equine-Guided Youth Leadership & Horsemanship Day Camp is a full 5-day camp: Mon – Thurs 9:00am-4:00pm; Fri 9:00am – 3:00 pm
Girls’ Teen Camping Summit is a 4-day + 3 night camp: Monday drop off at 9:00 am; Thursday pickup at 2:00 pm
What is your cancellation policy?
Refunds are subject to a $25 non-refundable processing fee and will be given according to the following schedule, if requested:
• At least one month before the first day of camp, you will receive a full refund
• Less than one month before the first day of camp, you will receive an 80% credit to another program at Horses & Pathfinders, valid for 1 year.
• We are unable to provide partial refunds if a child misses one or more days of camp due to illness or some other factor.
• We reserve the right to cancel camp programs due to low enrollment or any unforeseen circumstances. If this happens, a 100% credit will be issued, valid for one year from notice.
Can I receive a receipt and/or the EIN for tax reporting purposes?
Absolutely! Feel free to reach out to our dedicated team email address for this information: team@horsesandpathfinders.com
What will the campers do on the first day to make my child feel like they have an important place at camp?
Those first moments are crucial to a camper’s enjoyment of camp. We begin the adventure immediately: engaging in mind-opening horse-related exercises and learning each other’s names.
What do Horses & Pathfinders camps specialize in?
All great camps share those attributes: getting youth out of their day-to-day routines and placing them in settings in which their personal interests, natural leadership, and talents are engaged and valued.
We believe sincerely in the educational, social, and recreational value of each of our camps. And our programs specialize in Team and Leadership development with the unique twist of learning from horses who are naturally excellent teachers when it comes to being social communicators and collaborators.
Need further assistance?
Do you need help finding the answers you need? Let’s have a conversation.