0 Students on horses at the equestrian center

Creating Memories: Summer Camp at the Equestrian Center

August 3, 2026

By Hannah Williamson 鈥19

Summertime at the barn is my favorite time of the year.听Houghton鈥檚 campus is a bit emptier, the students have gone home, and听things听seem to be听quieting down . . . but not at the听Equestrian Center.听In fact,听it鈥檚听quite the opposite. The Houghton equestrian program听hosts听and听organizes听two large,听recognized dressage shows at the start and end of the summer鈥攁nd听sandwiched听in听between,听we听keep busy running听multiple weeks of听equestrian camp听for horse-loving听youth.

Over the course of the summer, 黑料科听runs听five听weeks of girls鈥櫶齩vernight residential听equestrian听camp for听riders听ages 10-18,听and one week of day camp for girls and boys ages 7-14, hosting upwards of 100 campers.听The goal of our camps听is to create a fun and safe environment where听campers听will see and feel God鈥檚 love lived out while learning and growing in their horsemanship skills. We听welcome听riders听of听all levels听and听experience听to join us for听a great week听at camp.

During their time听at camp,听riders听are able to choose what听skills听they would like to work on.听They听have the opportunity to use one听of our amazing听lesson听horses,听or听can bring their own horse for the week. Campers are able to work on听dressage, hunters, jumpers,听eventing, and/or western听during their time at camp. Whether they are brand new to horses, improving current skills, or听experienced riders听eager听to try something new,听there is an opportunity for听everyone.

Hannah Williamson on a horse outside

I think it听is incredible how听broadly known听Houghton鈥檚听equestrian camp听is. We have campers听who听come from all over the country and even internationally. In recent summers, I听have had campers come听from as close as just down the street to as far as California, Florida, Saudi Arabia and even Russia.听I always ask听the campers coming from farther away how they heard about us. Sometimes,听they have a Houghton connection听through friends, family, or their church,听but often they reply, 鈥淵our camp is one of the first ones to pop up when searching for best overnight equestrian camps.鈥

Our听small equestrian camp program听is听such a big draw that can lead to potential听college听students who may otherwise not have听discovered Houghton.听Many summer听campers have turned into听Houghton听students听who听become involved in our Equestrian Program by either听pursuing a major or a minor in an equestrian field.听Every year, we听have students in our incoming class听who听have been campers, some years as many as five students. Many听incoming students听have shared that their time as a camper听impacted听their college decision in choosing to come to Houghton.

Students in our program, whether having been a camper previously or not,听can have the opportunity to work over the summer as a camp counselor and/or instructor. This is a great听hands-on learning opportunity听for current students to build on their leadership skills and better听prepare听themselves听for future jobs in the equestrian field.听For听those听who听started as campers,听it听can be a fulfilling full-circle moment to be on the other side of camp听to听help campers听create听special memories.

Coming full circle is听something I understand well.听Although I听didn鈥檛听attend Houghton鈥檚 equestrian camp, my start with horses kicked off at Royal Ridges Retreat, where I was a camper at their equestrian camp. I later听worked as a camp counselor and then as a camp听wrangler.听Those experiences led me to pursue听my degree at Houghton and听then听stay on to听direct听our summer camp program.听Looking back, I never would have thought that my start in summer camps would have been so听influential鈥攂ut听here I am,听15 years later,听able to give all of the campers听who听come through Houghton鈥檚 equestrian camp those听special听summer camp memories that will听stay听with them for a lifetime.

Hannah Williamson 鈥19 has served at Houghton since the summer of 2019 as the Assistant Equestrian Program Director and Equestrian Events Coordinator. Her role as the Equestrian Camp Director officially started the summer of 2022 after having worked as a counselor and assistant director in听previous听summers. She holds a听bachelor of science听in equine studies from 黑料科 and is a Certified Horsemanship Association Instructor and Equine Facility Manager.听
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