Retiring the Equestrian Program
October 2025
After 30 summers with horses at Sandy Hill, we have made the difficult decision to retire our equestrian program. Horses have been a beloved part of camp from the beginning, and we know this change will be disappointing to many campers and staff who have made memories in the barn over the years.
This decision comes after careful review of the long-term needs of our aging herd and the increasing difficulty of maintaining the program at the standard we expect. Over the past few summers, we reduced the number of lesson hours as the horses slowed down, trying to strike a balance between their well-being and still being able to offer the program. Half of the sixteen horses we purchased in 2017 — many of whom we had leased for years before that — have now retired or passed away, and it is no longer practical to replace them as they age out.
The horses have always lived off-site for nine months of the year and only spent the summer months at camp. Their off-season barns are their primary homes, and camp has been their summer workplace. Because of that, we are first contacting the barns and organizations that have cared for them to see which horses may remain there permanently. From there, we will look for other good permanent homes as needed, prioritizing safe and well-matched long term placements for each horse.
At this time, there are no plans to bring the equestrian program back in future summers. If you or someone you know may be interested in purchasing a Sandy Hill horse and providing a long-term home, you are welcome to complete the interest form below. Submitting a form does not guarantee availability or placement — it simply allows us to follow up if a horse becomes available after we complete conversations with our existing partner locations.