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"Jenna Camp"
. Adult Horse Connection from Ground Level
Follow the lead of Ekone’s herd and their #1 fan, our herd manager Jenna, into deeper relationship with, care of, and service to these inspiring, intuitive, and gentle teachers.
Thursday, May 16th — Sunday, May 19th, 2024
Ages: 18+ years
Capacity: 10 participants
Tuition: $600 (base rate), $750 (restoration rate)*
Most human relationships with horses tend to be very human-centered, focused on OUR goals and needs. In this camp, we’ll focus on the desires and needs of the Ekone horses, tending their bodies, minds, and hearts, while learning about them and about ourselves while we’re at it.
We’ll spend the long weekend sharing ourselves with the horses while keeping our feet on solid ground (well, mostly 😉). Without the pressure to ride, so many possibilities and opportunities for sweet connection are opened up (which is not to say that one cannot also seek connection while riding!). Exact curriculum subject to participants’ interests and what the horses tell us, but may include any/all of the following:
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Horse bodywork
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Tea time (non-demanding time)
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Relaxation & Conditioning work (to help the horses feel better in their bodies)
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Blowing softly into their noses 🥰
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Hand grazing
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Trail walks
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Feeding
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Telling them how wonderful they are
Participants can choose to spend full days with the horses, or spend the morning with the horses and the afternoon in a choose-your-own-adventure time, ideas include but are not limited to:
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Hiking (we can provide a trail map and directions)
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Reading by the pond
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Your own artwork or journaling
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Rope swings…you are not too old, we promise!
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Naps or other unwinding from your busy life
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Solo sits by the canyon
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You may also join the Ekone staff and volunteer team on projects of the day if you'd like. This program will overlap with our May Work Party, focused on grave digging and garden tending. 🌱
Some logistical notes
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We’ll arrive after lunch time at about 2pm on Thursday, land with each other, sketch out our time together, and dive in!
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Of course, all meals are provided and will be delicious!
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Lodging options include our open-floor-plan shared bunkhouse, your own tent or vehicle, local AirBnBs, or hotels in Goldendale
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Departure Sunday after lunch
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We obviously love kids but this camp is for adults—participants must be 18+. If your teenager would like to participate, look at our Horse Connection Camp!
Requirements
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Experience around horses is helpful but not necessary; we’re good teachers, and so are the horses!
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Willingness to put safety and the well-being of the horses above personal goals
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Deep appreciation for the little things
Why “Jenna Camp”?
Well, Jenna is an extreme Horse Nerd. She came to summer camp at Ekone for the first time at age 11 and has had experience both taking and giving riding lessons since her teenage years. She joined the Ekone herd year-round in 2016, assuming the role of herd manager in 2018. A handful of phenomenal mentors, both two-and four-legged, have been (and continue to be) pivotal in inspiring Jenna’s deeper interests around being in service to the horses. Some of her current inspiration and interests include:
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Studying the Masterson Method (a modality of horse bodywork) as a field work student
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Exploring both tangible and not-so-tangible horsemanship and human-ship that prioritizes relationship over obedience and proper physical development over buckles & ribbons**
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Making strides toward implementing an ever-more species appropriate lifestyle for the horses in her charge
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Asking questions of the horses (everything can be a question if we neither assume nor demand)
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Asking questions of ourselves, to include: “what is the next question?”
*$600 base rate, $750 restoration rate, with 2 spaces offered at pay-what-you-can sliding scale for folks who would not otherwise have access to this experience, with a priority for BIPOC or other marginalized identities.
**Some excellent additional resources to consider if you also identify as an extreme Horse Nerd 😉:
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The Masterson Method Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork
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Emotional Horsemanship by Lockie Phillips
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Sharon and Laura Wilsie’s Horse Speak & Precision Equine Body Language Skills
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Celeste Lazaris’ Balance Through Movement Method Pillar Work
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So many more! Just ask
Please contact us with any questions! jenna@ekone.org | 509.773.4536
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