Switch Willo Stables

Here at Camp, we do a little bit of everything… horseback riding, barn lessons, barn chores, swimming, arts and crafts, indoor and outdoor games… the list goes on! But when those Texas afternoons heat up, we’re always looking for fun new ways to cool off together 💦☀️

Our incredible Counselors in Training (CITs), Junior Counselors, and Senior Counselors are the true heart of Camp!! 🤎🐴

They work so incredibly hard to help keep our campers and horses safe, encourage campers during their lessons, share their horse knowledge, solve problems, and do a thousand and one other little things that make Camp such a special place to be.

For many of them, this is their very first job!! What a privilege it is to watch them step into leadership and service with such joy. We talk a lot about tenacity at Camp, and they all go above and beyond to exemplify just that.

After all of today’s fantastic horse shows, we ended the week with our patriotic parade (or, as we like to call it, our “fancy festive walk”). Campers, and counselors, and families marched all around our beautiful Switch Willo Stables property!! It was quite the sight!! The horses were definitely sticking their heads out of their stalls to see what all the festive commotion was about! 👀🐴🤎

These are the little moments that become lifelong memories. Wishing all of our camp families a safe and joyful Fourth! 🇺🇸

It’s the little moments that stick with you forever 🤎 That’s the JOY of days at Camp Switch Willo 🐴🤗

“What is your favorite part of Camp Switch Willo?”🐴🤎 some of our Campers gave the best answers today 🥹✨

Before Camp starts each morning, Switch Willo Stables is quiet. It’s hard to believe our little hidden oasis of Austin has been welcoming riders since 1963!!

We LOVE when our campers fill our property with life and fun. But every morning, there’s a peaceful moment to remember all the generations of riders who have loved this place over the years… and it’s really special 🤎

Every day at Camp Switch Willo, we make time for Barn Lessons! 🐴 Today, some of our campers learned how to groom with our sweet horse, Moo, alongside one of our Sr Counselors.

They practiced using each grooming tool safely, learned what each one is for, and talked about what to look for while caring for a horse!!

Learning to groom is one of the first steps toward becoming a confident, independent rider🐴🥹🤎

Our wonderful counselors turned Camp Switch Willo into one giant water game afternoon with hoses, buckets, sponges, and some good old fashioned FUN!!! Some of the best summer memories come from the simplest traditions 🤎💦🪣🧽☀️

One of our favorite parts of a lesson is the conversation that happens while learning the fundamentals. We talk about what felt different, what worked, what didn’t, and what our horse might be trying to tell us.

Those coaching moments are where our riders begin to develop their own inner voice: how to encourage themselves, work through challenges, make adjustments, and ride with confidence!!

And… those are skills they’ll carry with them long after the lesson is over 🤎

Barn Lessons are a big part of Camp Switch Willo! 🐴 We want every camper to build a strong horsemanship foundation through grooming, cleaning / learning their tack, spotting colors and markings, and knowing the parts of the horse.

One of our favorite things is watching our Jr. and Sr. Counselors step into mentorship roles and share what they know. Many of them have grown up at Switch Willo, own/lease horses here, or ride in our lesson program… so campers get to learn from folks who truly love horses and life here at SWS. 🤎