Photo by Charmain Z. Brackett Laurel Swanson, Fort Gordon Hilltop Stables worker, demonstrates to holiday camp participants how to groom a pony. Some children may have spent their holiday break playing with the newest version of Guitar Hero, but a handful of them were outdoors grooming and riding horses at Fort Gordon's Hilltop Stables.

"These are my diehards," said Heidi Mohr, facilities manager, of the faithful children who repeatedly attend camps and other special events at the stables.

Most of them are like Dahja Wright who would love to have a horse of her own.

"I love horses," said the Lewiston Elementary School third grader.

However, a horse is not the average household pet as children attending the camps quickly find out, Mohr said.

"They learn to groom, saddle, bridle, wash and feed the animal," she said.

All of the care aspects are taught before the child ever gets on the horse, and they aren't simply shown how to do these tasks, they do them themselves.

At Christmas and New Year's, the children only had a few days of camp, but during the summer, there are other activities children participate in such as field trips and swimming.

Although the camp is only for children between the ages of 7 and 13 yearsold, some children don't want to leave Hilltop.

"They start as campers then become volunteers and later paid staff through college," said Mohr.

Laurel Swanson attends Harlem High School and has been associated with Hilltop's programs for about six years.

She started as a camper.

"When I was too old to be a camper, I took the volunteer test," she said.

She enjoys being around the horses and teaching the children about caring for horses, she said.

The next single day camp is Jan. 19. Hilltop Riding Stables isn't just open for camps. There are guided trail rides for people on Saturdays and pony rides for younger children.

Also, children can have birthday parties at the stables.

People who have their own horses can board them at the stables or use the trails to ride on.

For more information, call (706) 791-4864.