Timberlake Ranch Camp | Faith, Life Lessons, and Horsemanship In the Heartland

Nebraska has plenty of wonderful experiences for visitors and native Huskers alike. For kids, summer is a chance to explore, make new friends, and try something new—and what better place than a summer camp tucked along the Platte River?

Timberlake Ranch Camp  is a 500-acre children’s and family camp near Marquette, Nebraska. With camps, activities, and volunteer opportunities for a variety of ages, Timberlake gives kids and families the chance to step away from the everyday and truly “Escape Normal.”

Timberlake offers several different camp experiences for kids, from Day Camps for those who want the camp experience without an overnight stay, to their traditional overnight camps, as well as specialty camps like Horsemanship Camp, where campers get the traditional Timberlake experience with an added focus on learning, caring for, and riding horses.

This past summer, our daughter, Evie, had the opportunity to experience Horsemanship Camp for the first time. While she has always enjoyed her annual week away at Timberlake, adding horses to an already-loved camp experience made this year especially meaningful.

When we asked her, “Which camp do you like the most?” she enthusiastically, and without hesitation, told us:

“HORSEMANSHIP! It was the absolute best!”

Check-in allows for family to help their camper settle-in and meet the Cabin Leader their child will have for the duration of their stay. Evie loved her time in "Fort Timberlake" cabin and her Cabin Leader. 

Evie shows off what she learned during camp for her parents and family. Evie is riding "Luna". 

Camp Week in A Nutshell

Horsemanship Camp begins Sunday afternoon. After check-in, campers settle into their cabins, meet their Cabin Leader and Junior Cabin Leader (JCL), say their goodbyes, and head off to orientation, dinner, and chapel.

You’ll quickly find that faith is at the heart of Timberlake. Camp activities are rooted in faith-based principles and learning about the love of Jesus. It isn’t an overbearing or “beware-or-else” experience. Instead, children are invited to learn about the incredible gift we have been given through our Savior, Jesus Christ. Whether your family is new to Christianity, has followed Christ for generations, or is simply curious, you are welcomed.

Days begin with breakfast, devotions, and Bible study before campers head to their first activity. At Horsemanship Camp, that means learning barn and horse safety before getting hands-on with the animals.

Here Evie participates in one of the many activities that Timberlake affords its campers.

(You may find more about Timberlake Ranch Camp here, or read the Timberlake Statement of Faith here.)

After lunch, more activities central to the camp the children are attending are planned. By mid-afternoon, the kids are swimming, playing games, and relaxing before dinner. After a fantastic meal, all camps and cabins are brought together for worship and a short sermon at chapel. The evening is then filled with games, snacks, and fellowship around campfires before bed. Wash, rinse, and repeat until Friday morning! 

Learning Horsemanship 

Each day, Timberlake’s Wranglers teach their new cowboys and cowgirls the fundamentals of safely caring for and riding their assigned horse — everything from approaching and leading a horse to saddling, mounting, and riding with confidence.

Evie had this to say:

    “Riding was very fun. I really liked caring for the horses. My favorite part was brushing them.

    The Wranglers were very helpful and kind. My favorite lesson was learning about the parts of the saddle and how to put it on the horse.

    Luna, my horse, was the tallest in the stables and she rode very evenly. I couldn’t have asked for a better horse to learn on.”

Horses hold a special place in my heart. I was raised around Arabian show horses on my family’s farmstead in northwestern New York. Seeing our daughter not only enjoy riding and caring for horses, but crave more time with them, moves my heart beyond words.

And the horses weren’t the only part that left an impression.

When it came to faith, Evie was especially impacted by daily devotions and worship:

    “Worship and chapel were some of my favorite activities each day. We sang a lot, and I really enjoyed all of the Brandon Lake songs.

    One of the best faith lessons was the obstacle course. Every obstacle represents something in real life. After each one, our Cabin Leader taught us a short lesson about our faith and how God is there to help us and give us strength through every step of our journey.”

Of course, there was plenty of plain old summer-camp fun, too.

Swimming, the water trampoline, “blob,” slushies, soft pretzels, soft-serve ice cream, night games, campfires, s’mores, and time with new friends all made Evie’s list of highlights.

And apparently, Timberlake knows the way to a camper’s heart:

    “Dinner was amazing every night! My favorite meal was the sloppy joes!”

When we asked if she wanted to return to Horsemanship Camp next summer, there was no hesitation:

    “YES! And someday I would like to help the camp by being a Cabin Leader.”

I think that says about everything a parent needs to hear.

Dressed for Success

Summer camp requires the right wardrobe, but Horsemanship Camp calls for a little extra preparation. Working around large animals means clothing needs to be comfortable, practical, and safe.

From bottom to top, this combination proved just right for Evie:

• A solid pair of work or Western boots
• Relaxed-fit straight-leg, barrel-cut, or boot-cut jeans
• A solid belt — fancy leather and buckle optional
• A relaxed-fit tee
• A good hat — Evie rocked her Treaty Oak Revival ball cap, but a ball cap or Western hat will help keep the sun off your face while riding

A Special Thank You to Strobel Manufacturing

We also want to give a very special shout-out and heartfelt thank you to Strobel Manufacturing in Clarks, Nebraska, for granting Evie a scholarship to attend Timberlake Ranch Camp.

Strobel offered this incredible opportunity to its employees, helping their children experience summer camp. Because of their generosity, Evie was able to spend a week learning about horses, growing in her faith, building friendships, and making memories she is still talking about.

As parents, opportunities like this mean more than we can adequately put into words. Thank you, Strobel Manufacturing, for investing in your employees and their families and for helping give kids like Evie an experience they’ll carry with them long after camp is over.

If you know someone looking for an amazing, faith-based summer camp for a child of any age, be sure to check out Timberlake Ranch Camps. You may just find your child coming home already begging to go back.

Until next time, God bless.

See you on the trail, Partner.

— Drake