As the new year begins and we reflect on the blessings of the past twelve months, we are filled with gratitude for our community. Warm Beach Horsemanship is blessed by a generous support network, the many hands of devoted volunteers, a valuable circle of horsemen and women, a team of passionate leaders and teachers, and everyone’s (yours, mine, theirs, ours) prayers. Every prayer over our students, horses, volunteers, staff, instructors, and facility is heard and answered.

In each season of 2023, there were many highlights. Spring brought hope for the new year as we conditioned horses for the activities of the busy lesson season and Pony Clubbers prepared for events.

April brought Aly (our Barn Manager) and me (Meg- Assistant Horsemanship Director) to the team! Subsequently, we hosted the in-house Mock Rally which was a wonderful practice performance opportunity for Pony Club. We also tackled numerous volunteer projects last spring and by summer we were excited to have our new Volunteer Coordinator (Heather)!

The summer season was filled with camp, lessons, clinics, hay harvest, and ample learning opportunities for students. We transitioned into fall before we knew it and kept busy with lessons, the beginning of CHA conference preparation, and The Lights of Christmas!

The horsemanship crew had the opportunity to work closely with other staff and volunteers around Camp leading up to, and throughout, the event. In the winter we continued with The Lights of Christmas, hosted a Warm Beach Horsemanship (WBH) Pony Club Christmas party, and (big thanks to the covered arena), we have winter riding lessons that kicked off in January 2024.

In 2023 our team experienced welcomed growth, adding leadership team members, and participating in professional development. We expanded our Pony Club, held horse camp for our students, and explored fresh ideas for the future. We brought in some new horses for our lesson program and said goodbye to a few.

With new voices on the team, we broaden the ministry impact as well as the educational breadth. God has blessed so many lives within this program, my own included. The sense of camaraderie experienced in this extraordinary line of work is truly unmatched.

As I consider every victory, hurdle, and change we faced this past year, I thank God for bringing us here. His plans are greater than our own and I eagerly await the next chapter.

“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

For more information about Warm Beach Horsemanship visit https://www.warmbeach.com/camps/horsemanship/

-Meg Rudy

Assistant Horsemanship Director

Warm Beach Camp Horsemanship