Amy and Amber
Authors: Kelly McKain
For all you fab Pony Camps fans, with love xxx
With special thanks to our cover stars,
Chloe and Nutmeg, and our brill
photographer, Zoe Cannon.
www.kellymckain.co.uk
Entry One: Monday morning – quickly scribbling this – we’ve just arrived
Entry Three: I’m in bed! It’s the first chance I’ve had to write in here since lunch!
Entry Four: Tuesday – we’re off in a minute!
Entry Five: Tuesday, hanging out in the kitchen after tea
Entry Six: Wednesday, just after lunch. Kayla’s in a mood with me and I don’t even know why!
Entry Seven: Wednesday, before tea. What an afternoon!
Entry Eight: Wednesday – after lights out, writing this in bed by torchlight
Entry Nine: Thursday after lunch
Entry Eleven: Friday morning, in bed!
Entry Twelve: Friday, back at home I just want to finish off this diary before I forget anything!
THIS DIARY BELONGS TO
Dear Riders,
A warm welcome to Sunnyside Stables!
Sunnyside is our home and for the next week it will be yours, too! My husband Johnny and I have two children, Millie and James, plus two dogs … and all the ponies, of course!
We have friendly yard staff and a very talented instructor, Sally, to help you get the most out of your week. If you have any worries or questions about anything at all, just ask. We’re here to help, and we want your holiday to be as enjoyable as possible – so don’t be shy!
As you know, you will have a pony to look after as your own for the week. Your pony can’t wait to meet you and start having fun! During your stay, you’ll be caring for your pony, improving your riding, learning new skills and making new friends. Add a beach ride and a gymkhana at the end of the week, and you’re in for a fun-packed holiday to remember!
This special Pony Camp Diary is for you to fill with your holiday memories. We hope you’ll write all about your adventures here at Sunnyside Stables – because we know you’re going to have lots!
Wishing you a wonderful time with us!
Well, I can't believe we're actually here at last! Me and my best friend Kayla have been saving up for ages to come to Pony Camp. Our parents said they'd pay half the money if we earned the other half, so we've been round washing cars for our neighbours and Mum's had me cleaning the bathroom twice a week for the last month!
Me and Kayla have been since reception class and now we're in our final year at Juniors, and we've ridden together most Saturdays for the last two years. Her dad drove us down here (we're from Bromley, near London). My mum and dad, and Kayla's mum are coming to pick us up so they can watch the gymkhana â I can't WAIT for that! But there's so much exciting stuff to do before then â it
says in Jody's welcome letter that we're going on a beach ride â how fantastic! I've never been on one before and I'm really excited about cantering along the sand with my pony. I can't believe I'll have my OWN pony â well, for a week anyway! I wonder which one I'll get?! Oh, it's all so brilliant here I feel like I might just BURST like a balloon!
I'm writing this lying on my new bed â I've got the bottom bunk and Kayla's in the one above. She's starting off her diary too. It's great we're sharing a room. We've unpacked and I've put my video camera in the drawer with my jodhs and T-shirts. Dad gave it to me when he got his new one and I can't wait to start filming our fab holiday adventures! We've just met Millie and her mum Jody, who'll be looking after us this week. It's Millie's
room we're sharing and her bed's over by the window, all messy and covered in cuddlies and mags! She's SO lucky â I wish we lived here all the time too! Jody's given us a timetable of what we'll be doing, which I'll stick in this diary.
Pony Camp Timetable
8am: Wake up, get dressed, have breakfast
8.45am: Help on the yard, bring ponies in from the field, do feeds, etc.
9.30am: Prepare ponies for morning lessons (quick groom, tack up, etc.)
10am: Morning riding lesson
11am: Morning break â drink and biscuits
11.20am: Pony Care talk
12.30pm: Lunch and free time
1.30pm: Prepare ponies for afternoon lesson
2pm: Riding lesson
3pm: Afternoon break â drink and biscuits
3.20pm: Pony Care talk
4.30pm: Jobs around the yard (i.e. cleaning tack, sweeping up, mixing evening feeds, turning out ponies)
5.30pm: Free time before dinner
6pm: Dinner (and clearing up!)
7pm: Evening activity
8.30pm: Showers and hot chocolate
9.30pm: Lights out and NO TALKING!
Kayla read it out and we got so excited thinking of all the things we'll be doing that we had to have a big squealy hug and dance around the room! A whole week to spend together, with our own ponies to look after, riding every day and having secret girly chats every night. Heaven!
Oh, Millie has just stuck her head round the door and said it's time to go down to the yard. I feel a bit nervous about meeting everyone. Thank goodness me and Kayla came together.
Gotta go â bye!
