Happy Trails to You

While Munchkin and I were staying at the cabin, we had the opportunity to volunteer at Happy Trails Horse Camp for special needs individuals. We had previously taken the orientation and training, so we were all set to start when we arrived at the cabin. Each camp session lasted 3 days and saw a new set of campers/riders. Each day the campers were divided into 2 groups (they stayed in the same group all week for continuity when at all possible) to allow for more personalized attention to each individual. While one group was riding, the other group would be working on crafts/activities, and then they would switch.

Munchkin worked with the group that was riding the horses, and I worked with the crafts/activities group. It was such a blessing to see how each person grew from day to day. Riding horses was quite therapeutic for each of them, and it showed in how they handled themselves not only around the horses but around those involved with the camp. The first week was so rewarding that when we heard they needed volunteers for the next week as well, we signed up for another week of camp.

The camp week was wrapped up with everyone (volunteers, campers, and parents/caregivers) heading over to the horse arena for closing ceremonies. Each camper had their coach say a little something about them and their accomplishments, and then the camper (if able) said something they liked about the camp. They then received their certificate of achievement and ribbon. We concluded by signing Happy Trails and saying a cowboy goodbye. While not all campers wanted to participate, almost everyone did, and they enjoyed it. One little boy said his favorite part of the camp was making new friends; this was from an extremely shy boy who didn’t like to talk. It was a beautiful moment.

One young man was there both weeks, so we had the opportunity to really get to know him. He always brightened my day even if he could be a handful at times. He was developmentally delayed, so at 21, he was more like a young child. On one of our final days together, he saw Munchkin’s picture on my phone and recognized her as she was his riding coach. He asked if he could text her. (His idea of texting was just hitting the keys, but it was something that he really loved doing.) I allowed him to use my phone to send her a text. He grinned and laughed the entire time that he typed away. He then wanted to go take pictures of the clouds that he loved, so these pictures are the ones that we took together.

Each of our campers were unique and had challenges to overcome. They had good days and bad days, but for those who continued to come after the first day, the camp was a wonderful experience where they were able to come out of their shells – if even only a little bit – and grow. The truth is that the volunteers did some growing with them as we joined them on the journey. We look forward to volunteering more in the future as life allows.