At Benbrook Stables, Spring Break and Summer Horse Camps are designed to give children something increasingly rare — a real connection with animals, nature, and themselves. Through hands‑on horsemanship that includes grooming, tacking, care, and riding, campers learn far more than how to sit in the saddle. Horses become partners in growth, teaching patience, responsibility, and trust. By the end of camp, many children who arrived shy or uncertain leave confidently leading their horses, building friendships, and discovering a sense of pride that lasts long after the barn doors close.
Benbrook Stables, you have Spring Break Camp and Summer Horse Camps coming up in Fort Worth — what inspired you to create these programs, and what makes them especially meaningful for kids?
Our Spring Break Camp and Summer Horse Camps were created out of a desire to give kids a meaningful, hands-on experience with horses and the outdoors. In today’s world, so much of childhood happens indoors or on screens, and we wanted to create a place where kids can step outside, connect with animals, and learn something real and tangible.
Horses have an incredible way of teaching life skills. At camp, kids don’t just ride, they learn how to groom, tack, care for, and communicate with the horses. Through that process, they build confidence, responsibility, patience, and trust. Many kids arrive a little nervous, but by the end of the week they’re leading their horse, riding with confidence, and feeling proud of what they’ve accomplished.
What makes our camps especially meaningful is that we focus on true horsemanship and personal growth, not just entertainment. Kids form bonds with the horses, make new friends, and gain skills they’ll carry with them long after camp ends. For many families in Fort Worth, it’s also a chance for their children to experience agriculture and animal care in a safe, welcoming environment.
Seeing a child fall in love with horses for the first time or gain confidence they didn’t know they had and that’s really the heart behind why we created these camps.
Your camps go beyond riding and focus on full horsemanship skills like care, safety, and communication — why was it important for you to design the experience this way?
It was important to us to design the camps around full horsemanship because riding is only one small part of understanding horses. Horses are incredibly intuitive animals, and building a relationship with them starts long before you ever get in the saddle.
We want kids to learn how to care for, respect, and communicate with the horse, not just ride one for an hour and be done. When campers groom, tack, lead, and work around the horses, they begin to understand the responsibility that comes with caring for such a powerful and sensitive animal. It teaches patience, awareness, and confidence.
Safety is also a big reason we focus on horsemanship. When kids understand how horses think and how to properly handle them on the ground, they become much safer and more confident riders. It empowers them rather than making them dependent on someone doing everything for them.
Most importantly, this approach helps kids develop a true connection with the horses. They learn that horses aren’t machines. That relationship is what makes the experience so meaningful and memorable for them.
You emphasize responsibility, leadership, and confidence through hands-on learning — what changes do you most often see in campers by the end of their time with you?
We also see a big increase in responsibility and independence. Horses rely on people for their care, so campers quickly learn that their actions matter, whether it’s properly grooming, tacking, or making sure the horse is comfortable and safe. Kids take a lot of pride in knowing they’re trusted with that responsibility.
Another change we notice is leadership and teamwork. Campers encourage each other, help one another learn new skills, and celebrate each other’s progress. By the end of camp, many kids who started out quiet or unsure are speaking up, helping others, and feeling proud of what they’ve accomplished.
Overall, the biggest transformation is that campers leave with confidence in themselves. They realize they’re capable of more than they thought, and that sense of accomplishment stays with them long after camp ends.
You’ve mentioned that even shy or hesitant kids often leave with a boost in confidence — can you share an example of how working with horses helps unlock that growth?
One of the beautiful things about horses is that they respond to energy, confidence, and trust. Kids quickly realize that the horse looks to them for guidance, and that moment can be incredibly empowering.
We often see campers who arrive a little shy or nervous around such a large animal. At first they may hesitate to approach the horse or speak up. But as they start with simple tasks like grooming or leading the horse, they begin to see that the horse responds to them. That realization builds confidence step by step.
A great example is when a camper who was initially afraid to even touch the horse ends up confidently leading their horse to the arena or riding independently by the end of the week. The horse becomes a partner in that growth. Because horses are so intuitive, they often help kids regulate their emotions and build trust in themselves.
By the time camp ends, many of those same kids are standing taller, speaking with more confidence, and proud of what they’ve accomplished. It’s not just about riding, it’s about realizing they can do something they once thought was too scary.
For families considering enrolling their children at Benbrook Stables, what do you hope kids take with them long after camp ends?
For families considering Benbrook Stables, our biggest hope is that kids leave camp with big smiles, great memories, and a huge boost of confidence.
There’s something pretty magical about watching a child go from a little nervous around a horse to proudly leading, grooming, and riding one by the end of camp. When kids realize they can work with and care for such an incredible animal, it makes them feel strong, capable, and proud of themselves.
We also hope they leave with a love for the outdoors, new friendships, and plenty of fun stories to tell, like learning to tack up a horse, trying a roping lesson, or laughing with friends in the barn. Horses have a special way of bringing kids out of their shells and helping them discover confidence they didn’t even know they had.
If campers leave feeling braver, happier, and maybe a little horse-crazy, then we know we’ve done our job.
Links:
- Facebook: facebook.com/
benbrookstablestexas, facebook.com/ campbenbrookstables/ - Instagram: @benbrookstables
- Website: benbrookstables.com/
camp - Tiktok: @benbrookstables.com
- Link to video
