Mini Camp 2026: Three Unforgettable Days

From 18–20 July 2026, Cumberland Foxhounds Pony Club held its annual Mini Camp: a two-night, three-day extravaganza filled with ponies, learning, laughter and plenty of ice cream!

This year, 20 children and 17 ponies joined us for camp—and, after several years of rather mixed conditions, the sunshine finally came too.

Day One: Riding, crafts and camp friendships

Camp began with the arrival of excited members, their ponies and an impressive selection of homemade cakes. Once everyone was settled in, it was time for the activities to begin.

Our riders enjoyed dressage, with Deb Walker from HighDyke Equestrian, and show jumping tuition, from Dannii Little, giving them the chance to develop their skills, build confidence and receive helpful feedback. Away from the arena, the children got creative with a craft session, tried their hand at fishing and learnt about equipment safety during stable management.

There was also plenty of time to catch up with old friends and make new ones—one of the things that makes Pony Club camp so special.

After a busy first day, everyone tucked into a well-earned lasagne, followed by ice lollies in the sunshine.

Day Two: Cross-country, wildlife and a very warm hack

Day two was every bit as busy.

The riders tackled cross-country with Deb Walker from HighDyke Equestrian, encouraging their ponies over a variety of fences and learning how to ride confidently and safely across open ground.

Later, the group headed out for a hack, with a very welcome refreshment stop at the Mason’s Arms in Gilcrux. With temperatures rising, both riders and ponies were glad of a slower pace—and the children later cooled down with a lively sprinkler session back at camp.

The day was not just about riding. Pony Creative helped our members learn how to plait, while Pet Encounter Cumbria brought along some fascinating creatures for a wildlife session. This gave the children the opportunity to work towards their Pony Club Wildlife Badge while learning about animals they might not usually meet.

After a delicious turkey dinner—and yet more ice lollies—the day finished with hobby horse jumping. Even after a full day of activities, there was still plenty of energy left for one final competition!

Day Three: Horsemanship, badges and presentations

The final morning arrived far too quickly.

Members worked towards their Trimming and Rider Safety badges before taking part in in-hand and ridden horsemanship sessions with South Lakes Horsemanship. These sessions helped the children understand how ponies respond to unfamiliar objects and situations, teaching them how to communicate clearly and build trust from both the ground and the saddle.

There was also an obstacle course created with pipes loaned by Drainwise Civils Ltd. It proved to be a brilliant test of balance, agility and teamwork.

Following another round of ice creams, it was time for the presentation. The children were recognised for their effort, improvement and individual achievements before ponies were loaded and everyone headed home—happy, tired and already talking about next year.

More than just riding

Mini Camp gives our members the chance to experience an enormous variety of activities in a friendly and supportive setting.

Over three days, the children rode in several different disciplines, cared for their ponies, learnt practical stable-management skills, completed badge work and tried activities they may never have experienced before. Just as importantly, they helped one another, made friends and became more independent.

It was wonderful to see how much every child and pony partnership progressed in such a short time. Some overcame nerves, some tried something completely new and others discovered skills they did not know they had.

The success of the weekend was perhaps best summed up by one of our adult helpers, who told us that, after attending more than ten Pony Club camps over the years, this was the best camp they had ever been to. It was an incredibly special compliment and a wonderful reflection of everyone who worked so hard to make Mini Camp happen.

That is what Pony Club is all about: learning, friendship, teamwork and having fun with ponies.

A huge thank you

An event of this size is only possible with the support of many generous people and local businesses.

We would like to thank:

• Aspatria Farmers for sponsoring our camp T-shirts and bags.
• LCD Print & Stitch for producing our fantastic camp kit—and surprising every child with a pencil case.
• Carrs Billington Cockermouth for donating treats for all our ponies to take home.
• Pony Creative for providing excellent stable-management resources and helping members learn how to plait.
• Louise Stables and Hayley Airey for being fantastic stable-management instructors.
• Drainwise Civils Ltd for lending us pipes for the obstacle course and providing sweets and drinks for the children.
• Flizer Little for the sweet cones.
• Tina and Lil for preparing our lunches.
• Tina for running the craft sessions.
• The Old Bank Tearooms for our very well-received evening meals.
• Gilcrux Springs Trout Farm & Fishery for helping the children with their fishing.
• Pet Encounter Cumbria for a fascinating wildlife session.
• The Mason’s Arms, Gilcrux, for keeping everyone refreshed during our warm hack.
• Dannii Little and Deb Walker of HighDyke Equestrian for their excellent tuition and encouraging feedback.
• South Lakes Horsemanship for the valuable in-hand and ridden horsemanship sessions.
• Mick for photographing the weekend—we cannot wait to see the pictures.
• The Cumberland Foxhounds Pony Club committee for the enormous amount of work involved in bringing everything together.

Finally, thank you to our brilliant children, ponies and parents. Your enthusiasm, teamwork and support made Mini Camp 2026 such a success—and the cakes were particularly impressive!

Organising camp is no small task, but seeing every member grow in confidence and achieve so much makes it all worthwhile.

If your child loves ponies and would enjoy learning new skills, making friends and taking part in activities like these, Cumberland Foxhounds Pony Club would love to welcome you.

Same time next year?