AFTER SCHOOL HORSE CAMP

If you've struggled with what to do with your kids after school. You now have a new option for those horse lovers of yours. Sherry Panttaja of Orange Park Acres has started an after school enrichment program called HOOFPRINTS EQUESTRIAN PROGRAM.

Sherry has always been a proponent of kids doing their best in school before they are able to go out and have fun. She organized and supported a BMX team for grade school kids when her son was young. The young men were not able to be part of the team if they didn't keep their grades up. A huge incentive for those little tykes who thrived on showing off their riding skills. The team had the prestige of being supported and sponsored through her bike store in Orange.




Now, with her daughter in elementary school, she has taken the opportunity to start an after school homework group with the lure of horseback riding.




Sherry sits with the kids and helps while the kids do their homework. She carefully observes and aids when needed while preparing an afternoon snack.

When the homework is finished, the girls go out to the back forty. Here she has several horses for the kids to choose from.




The kids learn to groom and tack up the horses, then practice about 1/2 hour of skill building with barrels, poles obstacles and the round pen. This insures that the horses are responding to thier rider before getting to go on an hour trail ride. They return, untack, muck and clean stalls, blanket the horses and learn to feed.





Sherry has started riding when she was five years old, showing Western riding on Arabians and Quarter horses. She has also helped her family raise Peruvian Pasos and Miniature horses. She continues her horsemanship training by regularly attending lessons and clinics. Still living on the ranch she was raised on, she is a veteran of the trails she uses for her lessons.

Students donate their old boots and gear to the program, benefiting the new students that join.

"My favorite part is doing the trails and trotting"

- Taylor Geissler, 9 -

"Sherry helps us out with our homework and doesn't yell at us!" "That way we get
it done fast in our group and we get to have popcorn".

- Samantha Chasteler, 10 -

For more information: contact Sherry Pantajja (714) 343-4965
Prices: $40/day: 3 to 7 pm, Mon. through Thurs.
$40/hr. Private: Friday, Sat., Sun.
Who can join: CoEd, ages 6 and up.
Call for summer schedule