ASU Equine Center offers Horse Camp for youth aged 10-16

June 4, 2009 -- Arkansas State University-Jonesboro is offering ASU Equine Center Horse Camp sessions this summer for youth aged 10-16. Beginning Horse Camp will be offered Sunday-Wednesday, June 14-17, and Advanced Horse Camp will be offered Thursday-Saturday, June 18-20. Maleigha Light is the primary instructor for both camp sessions. Enrollment is limited to 14 students per session. Registration closes Monday, June 8. The ASU Equine Center is located at 3207 E. Johnson Avenue, in Jonesboro.

While the camp is primarily designed for students who are able to bring their own horses, Light notes, “We can provide a limited number of horses, but those horses will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.” Topics to be covered will include horsemanship, showmanship, grooming, tack and attire, equine health care, and equine behavior and psychology. The camp fee is $295, with a $75 nonrefundable deposit, due by Monday, June 8.

The $295 fee includes rooms in a university residence hall, insurance, meals, instruction, and bedding for horses. Students are to furnish their own linens (sheets, blanket, pillow, towels, etc.), horse feed (hay and grain), and their own saddle rack if they are bringing a horse. Students should bring spending money for snacks and recreational activities.

In addition, students will need to complete a preliminary assessment form to help determine which camp they should enroll in. The form is available online at http://www2.astate.edu/dotAsset/152381.pdf. The completed form should be faxed to (870) 972-3885, or mailed to Arkansas State University-Jonesboro, % College of Agriculture, P.O. Box 1080, State University, AR 72467.

Once the preliminary assessment forms have been received and students’ ability level is ascertained, students will be sent an application form to complete. The application form and the nonrefundable $75 deposit should be mailed to the address above. For information about the preliminary assessment form, contact Mike Johnson, ASU farm manager, at (870) 897-6567 or e-mail him at mjohnson@astate.edu.

For more information, visit http://www2.astate.edu/a/agriculture/Equine/horse-camp/index.dot, or call Maleigha Light, instructor, at (501) 658-1486. E-mail Maleigha Light at maleigha.proffitt@smail.astate.edu.    

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