How do you teach a child to face challenges, be team oriented and treat others responsibly? Pam Rich believes working with horses can be the key. By learning to ride, she says a child learns many of the important skills they will need as an adult.

Pam Rich owns and operates the Happy Daze Farm which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. She gives private lessons and operates a summer riding camp.

The farm, located on 100 scenic acres overlooking Berlin Pond, comes to life for three weeks each summer with children at riding camp. Along with Bonnie Hall, her sister, and Shelby Purchase, her daughter, Rich is proving that learning to ride can be fun, educational and a very healthy experience.

"I love working with children," says Rich, who is also a para educator at the Orange Center School.

Rich, who was brought up a stone's throw from her home/horse riding camp, has ridden virtually all her life. She says teaching riding to children is one of the most rewarding experiences she can imagine.

When she works with a youngster Rich finds that child growing in many important ways. "It's a challenge to them and it requires team work with the animal," she notes. "It also teaches the child responsibility when they have to take care of the needs and health of that horse."

According to 17-year old Shelby, a U-32 junior who has a slew of riding ribbons to her credit, a camper will find much to learn and love about "taking care of the animals."

But, beyond the care of the animal, says Shelby, are also many other positive aspects of riding. "It's a sport, it's competitive and it builds physical strength," she notes.

Shelby says her riding experiences are very positive. Last fall she competed in the New England Equitation finals in Springfield, MA, along with 125 other junior riders. While she wasn't a finalist, she says the experience was very rewarding.

It is this first-hand experience as a rider and her youth that make Shelby a valuable camp instructor and, in her mother's words, "A role model and a big sister," to the campers.

Rich, in her early 40s, has been a riding instructor since age 18. Her students have done well in the competitive Vermont riding circuit. She is a member of the Vermont Horse Show Association and shows throughout Vermont.

"The campers who come here," Rich adds, "are coming to be better riders. When they get their own horses they will know how to better care for the animals."

Happy Daze Farm holds three camp sessions this summer. Each five-day session can accommodate up to 12 campers, both boys and girls. Early in the week the campers participate in group activities aimed at learning trust. These early lessons also teach teamwork with their horse and with their camp partner. At this time they learn to care for and feed their horse, or pony. The farm has eight skilled horses and ponies for the campers to ride.

As the week progresses the campers soon learn or improve their riding skills under the watchful eyes of Rich, Hall and Purchase. By Friday the campers have honed skills and learned new ones. That afternoon they proudly show off their new and improved skills in a demonstration for family and friends.

Rich says the camp fills up fast as many riders return year after year, but there are always slots for new campers in each of the three camp sessions.

For more information about Happy Daze Farm, the camp, separate riding lessons or leasing a horse, contact Pam Rich at 229-9551.