Horsepower
The horse barn is a popular place at camp, and here are a few reasons why.
The Animals
There are 7 horses, 2 goats, 3 llamas, 2 bunnies, 2 donkeys, and 2 miniature horses in the horse barn. Two of the horses, Hawk and Chip, have been at Victory Junction since its opening in 2004. Mary – one of the two miniature horses – is 34 years old.
“Mary is the perfect princess,” says Kelsey, barn director. “She does whatever the campers want her to do.”
Mary also makes frequent appearances in our weekly Stage Day performances. White Top the Llama is a camper favorite.
“He’s an old, grumpy llama. But everyone loves to play with him,” says Kelsey.
The Accommodations
For campers in wheelchairs, the Horsebarn has the Handi-Move. The Handi-Move is a machine that lifts campers out of their wheelchairs and places them onto a horse. When they are finished horseback riding, the machine then lifts them off of the horse and places them back into their wheelchair.
Some campers have difficulty spreading their legs, so riding a horse can be a discomfort. The Horsebarn has therapy pads that allow campers to horseback ride comfortably.
To accommodate campers who are unable to hold themselves up, we use a technique called “Back-riding”. A counselor or volunteer rides along with the camper to provide support their back.
The Activities
Our counselors craft games and fun activities to make our campers’ visit to the Horsebarn an unique experience. “Musical Poles” is a game many of our campers enjoy. In this game, a number of poles—one less than the number of campers—are placed on the ground. While on horseback, campers must circle around the poles as music plays from a speaker. However, as soon as the music stops, campers must guide their horse over a pole. The camper left without a pole loses that round of the game.
Campers can also play with the goats, hold the bunnies, tease the llamas and paint pictures on the side of a miniature horse.
The Wells Fargo Stage Coach
In 2004, Wells Fargo donated an authentic Wells Fargo Stagecoach to Victory Junction. There are only five of these stagecoaches in the world. Campers love to climb inside and take pictures.
At Victory Junction, we believe that every child no matter their illness or diagnosis, should enjoy normal childhood experiences. There are many facilities of camp that give our campers the opportunity to face fun challenges in a safe and medically-sound environment.