Butler Camp & Butler Equestrian

This summer, Butler Camp continued to provide a safe, fun, and classic camp experience to enrich each camper's development through play, teamwork, exploration, and challenges. Although COVID changed the look of our normally large summer camp, we rolled up our sleeves and got creative with our "Camp-In-A-Box" offering as we waited to hear if and when we could have campers on campus.

Our incredible 22 acres at Butler allowed us to safely bring campers and counselors together and offer a wide variety of activities like archery, ropes courses, zap-line, geo-caching, frisbee golf, and bush-crafting. While at the same time, creeks and trails around campus and those that join the Seneca red trail presented many opportunities for our campers to go explore the amazing outdoors! This also allowed us to fine tune best practices for our return to school in September.

We are excited to begin our planning for summer of 2021 and our 40 year anniversary!! We look forward to serving our community and we hope to see you soon!

In fall 2019 I joined the program, in partnership with Jessica Hall, creating a Co-directorship. We have become quite a team, creating an equestrian program that is both fun and safe! 

This past winter the Butler Equestrian Pony Club hosted their first Horseless Rally for Capital Region Pony Clubs. At this Rally members learned strategies and requirements for mounted rallies, as well games and activities that reinforced the horsemanship and leadership skills Pony Club instills. Parents were also presented with their roles within Rallies and Clubs/Centers so they could better facilitate their members’ learning. This was a great bonding experience for our club’s members and for parents to meet other families from the area. 

As Butler Equestrian prepared for their Spring Session, the program  was forced to shut down due to the COVID crisis. But a silver lining was to be had as the Butler Equestrian community came together in support of the program by donating lease and lesson fees. Once Butler Equestrian was able to slowly open, Butler Equestrian created COVID cleaning protocols and policies to assure students  safe return. The most positive side effect of this? The Lease and Lesson Program truly grew! Parents were excited for their children to be outdoors, remain safe, and enjoy their passion! Lessor parents commented on how their child’s independence and riding skills improved with their participation in the lease program. Though the Equestrian Program was unable to operate Equestrian Camp this year, the Lesson Program was able to extend welcome to new and returning students.

We are grateful to our community for remaining with us during these crazy times. We truly feel that we've come out of the shutdown a stronger program!