The youngest horse whisperers­? Kids earn their equine stars at summer camp

The children who attend summer camp at Cedar Hill Farm make any city-dwelling adult want to venture to a nearby farm, don some cowboy boots and mount a horse.

In a small ceremony last Friday, Aug. 5, children ages 5 to 12 showed off their horse-handling and riding skills at Cedar Hill, owned by Mark and Becky Holt. The kids completed a weeklong summer camp with local resident Stephanie O’Neil, an established competitor in horse jumping, showing, and dressage.

Out of the frying pan

The statistics are hard to ignore. In Buncombe County, 28 percent of kindergartners — and 39 percent of fifth-graders — are overweight. New U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines released this month propose the first major nutritional overhaul of school lunches in 15 years. Based on recommendations by the nonprofit Institute of Medicine, these guidelines would […]