HAPPY CAMPERS

UNDER a heat filled blue sky, amid the rolling plains of Meath, you could be forgiven for thinking you'd stumbled across a sort of medieval fair cum cowboy ranch as lines of hot, sweaty ponies and horses are rubbed down by children whose homes for the week are two huge striped tents nearby. In fact, it's the annual Meath Pony Club Camp in full swing.

The children pack a bag for themselves and another for their mounts in preparation for this action packed week. For many of the younger ones (they range in age from 11 to 17) it's their first time away from home alone, and their first time to be fully responsible for their pony.

"The first night there is quite a lot of squealing and rushing around as everyone gets to know each other," says District Commissioner Mrs "Jimmy" Wilkinson, who is responsible for the camp organisation. She's not talking about the children here, but the ponies. They are put into three big fields at night and then rounded up in the morning.

In the girls' and boys' tents it's equally hectic. While officially it's lights out at 11, the campers - nestling in sleeping bags on lilos and camp beds - say they seldom get to sleep before 2 a.m. and every couple of nights someone is honour bound to attempt to cross the dark field from the girls' tent to the boys or vice versa.

Since there are two parents on an all night vigil in a caravan half way between the two, the chances of success are remote. But then that's half the craic. And craic is part of the reason why these children pay £100 to come here for a week.

"They come for two reasons, says Jimmy. "The first is for the fun, the second is to learn more about riding. It's great. They learn such a lot. They have to feed, water and groom their pony. They have to look after their tack (bridle and saddle, etc). There's a tack inspection each evening and a prize at the end of the week for the person with the best kept tack."

Pony clubs are affiliated to hunt branches and were devised to teach children riding skills and horsemanship. Today there are pony club branches almost nationwide, many of which hold summer camps. But the Meath is one of the few to stick with the tradition of residential camps and one of the last under canvas. While most pony club campers own their own ponies, others who ride regularly with a riding stable borrow one for the duration.

They have two two hour rides each day (graded to suit the rider's experience) although occasionally the afternoon ride is swapped for a session on stable management. The children (and ponies) do dressage, show jumping, cross country, and basic riding skills. When mounted they must always wear a riding bat and body protectors to safeguard spine, ribs and internal organs.

In the mornings they have to wear a jacket, pony club tie, white breeches and, for the girls, hairnets. In the afternoons dress is less formal. By all accounts, they learn a huge amount within those few short days and not just about equestrian matters.

"Brian Garvey has given us this wonderful place for the camp this year, and while the instructors are salaried we have voluntary helpers and parents who enable us to run the week successfully." As Jimmy speaks a team of mums prepares, on rickety tables in a big tent, chicken a la king for 80 hungry campers plus 15 or so helpers. The children wash their own knife, fork and plate afterwards, the mums do the rest.

"There are talks each evening," says Jimmy. "Last night we had the jockey Francis Woods, who was very good. Another evening Dan Fox is bringing along polo ponies. And then there is a disco on each Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Yes, you do have romances; in fact I know quite a few married couples who met at pony clubs."

Romance is quite high on some of the campers' agendas. I asked a group of girls absorbed in grooming their ponies, what was the best thing about pony camp and they all replied, in giggling unison: "The lads!"

Susan Oakes, who is 13 and here on Silver, claims: "I love all of it, the riding, the talking and messing - last night five of us dyed our hair bronze! I have a boyfriend too, he's from `The Moy' (a riding school), and he's called Niall or Neil but I don't know his second name." She laughs. "I don't think anyone ever gets bullied. The older ones are told to, look out for it but it doesn't happen. If you re new you might feel a bit strange the first day and get homesick; but once you meet other people it's just great!"

"When you're coming here," says 13 year old Claire Brogan, "you have to remove the hind shoes from your pony so if it kicks another horse they won't get hurt. You have to bring feed for him, your tack, a grooming kit, sprays for little cuts . . . The ponies get very tired, especially after the first night when they've all been galloping around. By the second or third night they're exhausted and they all settle straight away!"

CLAIRE's current paramour, Ricky Geraghty (16), whose natural blonde hair changed to bronze since he arrived, says he is here to "to learn, plus the other aspect".

He grins. "You make a lot of new friends." Ricky rides every day at home and particularly enjoys hunter trials an event where you compete over a pre set cross country course of rustic jumps. His horse, Dunane Peg, "loves big ditches and jumping over poles. I learn a lot here about stable management, feed and rugs and tack . . . It's very enjoyable."

Ricky's pal Garret Sheridan (15), who has just finished his Junior Cert, has a little difficulty with dressage which, Jimmy Wilkinson says, is a scaled down version of exactly what they do in the Olympics. (The dictionary describes dressage as "the training of a horse in obedience and deportment".)

My horse, Baloo, is very big and I think he's confused by dressage. He doesn't really understand it. He likes cross country stuff and even mounted games you know, relay races and that on horse back. He's only five, so he's still learning, but the camp is very good for him.