Horse Camp

Nestled in the groves of the Historic Greenbelt of Riverside is a Quarter Horse show training barn.
 MQH offers a full service horse facility. MQH offers boarding, training, lessons and sales, and Horse Camp. With a wide array of horse activities, horse camp is a educational and memorable experience for young riders and horse enthusiasts. Along with hours of riding, campers learn about veterinary and hoof care.

Beginning in 1999, Mettrick Quarter Horses saw the need for a comprehensive and inexpensive way for families and children to find out if horse ownership was right for them. Offered in a four day program, children experience many hours of riding coupled with instructional games and experiences to learn anatomy, care, and upkeep of horses.

Starting with the proper way to handle a horse on the ground, MQH makes a concerted effort to keep each child safe and at ease with a twelve hundred pound horse. Learning grooming, saddling, and bridling lays the foundation for a lifetime rapport with the gentle giants.

A routine visit from the friendly veterinarian explains the maintenance of teeth, de-worming, and general health. A scheduled minor surgery allows for a more in-depth look at horse ownership. The veterinarian gives the campers a chance to give vaccines and listen with a stethoscope both the heart and the gut sounds, giving each student an interesting and realistic view of horse ownership.

The farrier shows how every horse has different needs for his feet and shoes. Giving a history of horse shoes and advances in technology, the blacksmith explains his role in the care and management of the riding horse. From building special shoes, to the nails still used to fix the shoe in place, each camper has an opportunity to learn about the demands of this ancient art.

Riders get to enjoy hours in the saddle! Riding different mounts over an extended period of time, rounds out the experience of horse camp. Every camper will learn to be comfortable on a variety of suitable horses, each unique in their abilities. Unlike other summer camps, MQH horse camp has one main theme, learning to ride! Participants are encouraged to ride Western, English, and bareback. Each rider is allowed to be comfortable at their own level. Some riders are daredevils and others more reserved. Regardless of their skill level, every camper will have wonderful, lasting memories of Horse Camp at MQH.