We are not just a camp ~ and that makes a difference!

Most camps operate for six to ten weeks during the summer and are closed the rest of the year.  In the spring, they hire staff, do maintenance, and get ready for the campers.  Horses may be offered as part of the activities, but they are "packer" horses who know the drill and who can do it on their own, so students don't learn anything on them, they are just passengers.

As you can see from the rest of our website, we are a working farm, selling and training horses 24/7, 365 days a year.  Campers join in and experience living and working on a real horse training facility. 

Whether your child wants to stay for a weekend, a week, a month, or the full summer session, they will learn about horses and farm management from the ground up.  Part Dude Ranch, part Bed and Breakfast, ALL about horses!! (We are NOT a Bed and Breakfast for families and adults, we are for children's summer residential camp only.)  It is a chance for your child to have a home away from home and be part of a horse farm family.  Activities not only include riding and working with horses, but whatever else we need to do:  move hay, get sawdust (and visit a real sawmill) show horses to clients, drag the ring.... it is always busy on a farm and your child is part of the events both large and small. We eat family style and provide a home away from home. 

We think everyone should have a chance to win a ribbon and go in a show.  Every Friday evening, we have a fun show here at the farm.  It has classes for everyone, from fitting and showmanship to over fences classes.  It includes games that give everyone a good shot and there are rosette ribbons enough to go around.  This year one of our 9 year old campers got the jump on everyone by winning the Egg and Spoon class going away!!!  

There is no extra charge for this event, for as many classes as they want to go in.  It's been rated as one of our best events and everyone has fun.

This is a very informal camp, the attention is individual, and parents report the students have really enjoyed their experience.  Since we have many campers who return year after year, they bring siblings and friends, we think we must be doing something right!  We have students from all across the United States, from Germany and this year even from Madagascar,

We rely on our website, our information, and our willingness to talk to parents who inquire to provide parents with confidence in our camps.  We post many photos showing what the campers do here. 

But we do NOT give out names for references.  First, it is a matter of privacy.  I don't know that I would want my name and phone number given out to strangers over the internet as a home with children.  I don't know I would like to be put in a position of having my privacy interrupted at random intervals throughout the year.  I am not going to even ASK someone to put themselves in that position.  It puts my parents or children in the position of "selling" my camp for me.  I wouldn't do that. I respect the privacy of those who come to camp here, and I will do the same for you.  If you want to know more about the camp....come and meet us, talk to us on the phone.  Read the entire website and see how it reflects who we are as people.  That is probably a better representation than references...who gives out a BAD reference???  All references do is prove that you can get SOMEONE who will pretend to have attended and say something nice.  They aren't random...they are ALL coached ahead of time...so are they really as good as forming your own opinion of who we are and what we do here?

Our campers have come from CA, OH, LA, TX, FL and NY, and of course from FL to NH along the East Coast.  We have international campers and international riders and counselors.  We place a premium on promoting good sportsmanship and team working skills.

We are not a high-end riding academy, don't expect everything to be spotless, newly painted and top of the line.  Most working ranches aren't like that.  We work hard, train horses, have serviceable, safe facilities and welcome your child into our home as part of our family.

At this time we are limited to only 11 students per week, so instruction is very personal. 

Pick up and drop off at Charlottesville Airport is free of charge  other arrangements available upon request.

"Love means attention, which means looking after the things we love.  We call it stable management." 

George Morris, Olympic rider and trainer.

Click here for Camp Sign up form

 

Please read other pages in this website to see our outstanding qualifications, how we train, what our philosophy is.  We run a working training, lesson and sale barn, and we are pleased to say we have acquired a good reputation over the years.  This is a working family farm, not a commercial boarding facility, so it does not need to be as fancy or as much of a show place ~ it needs to be functional and good for training horses..

We take a SMALL number of young people who are very interested in learning about horses and the horse business into our home every summer ~ and give them the opportunity to learn about horses, horse training, and to ride lots of different horses which will help them tremendously in developing their skills.  Students ride hunt seat, dressage, western and even gaited horses ~ just to get the experience. 

We give lessons all year and sell horses as far away as Michigan, TX, and Maine with many repeat customers.  We do NOT have junk lessons horses that follow each other, but we DO have nice horses which we train, show, and sell.  We buy horses from a network as far away as TX and OK, and the careful selection of those horses, the training and matching them to their new owners is something we take pride in and something which is valuable for anyone who wants to train, or just own and love horses. 

To Contact Us for More information,

When I was growing up, I was an only child and my parents were very busy.  I spent a lot of time with my trainers.  Mac McHugh and his wife Maggie, imbued so much into my personality, that it would have been impossible for me to have been me without them.  The best parts of me are from them, honesty, interest in things of all kinds, a sense of humor and good plain horse sense.  Mac is gone now, but Maggie is still training winners and working for the Pacific Coast Horse Show Association.  A part of this concept is based on my desire to pass on the same love of horses and love of life that they have passed on to me.  Mac, I know you are gone now, but here's to you!

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Copyright © 2003 Hidden Creek Farm

This site is updated several times a week, including whenever we add or sell a horse, or when we learn something new about a horse.  We are constantly riding, trying, testing, showing and trail riding our horses so we know what they really are before we sell them.