Riverdale Stables Summer Camp

Riverdale Stables runs a summer day camp from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday on 20+ acres in Van Cortlandt Park in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, just 15 minutes north of Manhattan. Campers take daily group riding lessons broken down by level, covering both flatwork and jumping when appropriate, with instruction from career riding instructors. The camp includes horsemanship instruction covering grooming, tacking, bathing, basic equine healthcare, feeding, and stable management. Riders get hands-on barn time and supervised independent riding (hacking) in the afternoons. The program features weekly planned activities including arts and crafts, pony auctions, talent shows, gymkhana days, riding Olympics, and informal horse shows where children compete for titles. Students must be comfortable at walk and trot; those new to Riverdale are required to take an evaluation lesson before enrollment. Riders are assigned horses and learn care responsibilities through daily interaction with their mounts.