Dressage is a French word that means training. Dressage has ancient roots. It was recognised as an equestrian discipline during the period of the Renaissance.

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There are two types of dressage; classical dressage and competitive dressage.

Competitive Dressage

Competitive dressage is an immensely popular equestrian pursuit. It is a worldwide sport that ranges from novice standards to the Olympics.  When competing in a dressage competition, horse and rider execute a series of movements within a dressage arena this is a “test”. The performance is judged and marks are given for each movement accomplished and for the horse’s way of going. A score is given to determine the rider’s position in the competition.

Many different breeds and types of horses and ponies compete in competitive dressage.

By far the most popular breed is the continental Warmblood horse. Warmblood horses excel at competitive dressage. Warmblood horses possess good looks, elegance and are extremely athletic, intelligent horses, they have a cooperative willing nature and they also boast superior movement. Warmblood horses are bred for performance. Warmblood registries follow meticulous breeding programs to develop the ultimate dressage horse.

Classical Dressage

Classical dressage was developed from cavalry movements when training their horses for combat. Horses were taught movements that were above the ground these are called “airs” or “schools”. They were to help their riders flee if trapped by the enemy and to aid their combat techniques.

Classical dressage or “High school” is an equestrian art form, where horse and rider work in harmony.

Baroque horses are used for classical dressage. Their ancient roots can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula; modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar. The Baroque horse group consists of the Andalusian, Lusitano and the famed Lippizan.

The group named “Baroque” is taken from the extravagant baroque style of art and architecture. The baroque group of horses have an amazing floaty elevated action; they are intelligent horses with majestic looks and an exceptionally trainable nature.

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Summer is here. What better way to enjoy the summer than go on a camp. Students of all ages, from seven to eighteen or nineteen, love going to camps.  They learn to live away from their families, staying with their people of their age group. They also learn to be independent. This in turn helps in developing their personality. There separate camps for boys and girls, and also coed camps. In a real life situation, a person has to interact with men and women. So, it is a good exposure to send children to coed camps.

Camps have to be chosen according to individual tastes. Some might like academic camps, while some may be interested in fine arts. Still others might be interested in sports. Different camps cater to individual needs according to their age and interests.  When it is a coed camp, some points must be taken into consideration. First, the policies formed by the camp. The type of projects that would they would take up and whether they would work in groups in the various projects. The living quarters should be clean. The amount of interaction between the boys and girls and the length of stay should be taken into account. Care should be given to the security arrangements and the supervision that they get. The number of counselors in ratio to the number of students, hours of curfew and the number of visits allowed by outside persons, should also be known. The safety factor should be given importance. There should trained people knowing first aid and CPR. There should also be hospital nearby.

After all these factors are considered, the type of camp according to individual interest should be chosen. Camp life makes a person more mature and helps them learn to handle difficult situations. 

There are different kinds of camps to choose from. There are Academic camps which lay emphasis on educational development. One such camp is Seacamp Association, Inc. Florida.  Sports camps are also popular. One such is ‘Trapeze School New York – Bean Town’, Massachusetts. The participants can learn juggling, fly on the trapeze and other tricks from the circus that comes to town. There are also sports camps giving them coaching in soccer and basketball. There is also one at Pennsylvania, “Sixers”. There is traditional vamp at California called, ‘Camp Ocean Pines’. There is camp for Performing and Fine Arts located at ‘Long Lake Camp for Arts, New York. There is another camp for Performing and Fine Arts at Berkley.

There are also tours for teens with travel such as the iD Tech camps, where there is study abroad program with film making in Spain. This involves staying with a host family. They are exposed to the Spanish language and culture. There are also adventure camps; one such is Sea Trek BVI, British Virgin Islands. There are also cyber camps, where they are taught about computers, computer gaming, web Page Designing. They are located in California, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington.

Some of the camps are Camp Walt Whitman for boys and girls. This is a coed camp in New Hampshire. There is ‘Camp Friendship’ in Central Virginia. They have coed traditional camps and also adventure camps. They have more than fifty activities.

Coed camps are healthy and prepare on to handle real life situations, in addition to enjoyment and socializing. Children and teenagers should be ready to go to camps, especially coed camps. So, why don’t you start now and join a camp today.