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I looked at Camp Kanata, since they seemed to be a very popular local choice. But when I saw this on their website (below, italics mine), I realized they're not quite what I'm looking for.
The camp experience is quite secular, despite the principles listed on the website.
CMA (Camp Mary Atkinson) is a great girl scout camp! You want to look at the North Carolina Coastal Pines website and click on camps. There are several weeks with the horse theme -- we register online now so it tells you the number of openings left (I think). They are accepting applications now. If you have any questions, DM me or post it here.
My daughter has done the horse camp there for the past (ahem) SIX years. In fact, she has aged out so now she does the WIT program (wrangler-in-training -- to be a horse camp counselor). The lady who has the horses at CMA has been doing it for years. It is English but they don't allow jumping or gallup and only occasionally do a trot (depends on the class). They usually have mostly newbies doing the horses although girls who have been bitten by the horse bug do go back again and again like my daughter. They usually do the horse stuff in the morning and then do all the usual camp stuff in the afternoon. Note: the girls stay in canvas platform tents -- and are NOT air conditioned. I understand there is another GS camp that offers horseback and their cabins are air conditioned -- it is a bit closer to the coast. CMA is in clayton. not sure which one that is.
You do *not* have to be a girl scout to attend. Although they allow the GS girls to register earlier.
The Raleigh area camps used to fill up 100% very quickly...BUT since the council combined with the coastal GS council, this council's girls now have more camp options (including air conditioned camps!) PLUS many Wake schools have gone year round. What this means is that the camps have had openings the past few years in most every week which has been unusual but is GREAT for folks wanting to send their kids to camp.
Please note: Horseback camp IS more expensive than the other themed camps going on the same week -- so when you see the price, know that you *could* do a less expensive option the very same week at the same camp.
I was a camp director in my former life. The American Camp Association is your best resource for locating summer overnight camps in our area. Here is the link Find a Summer Camp | American Camp Association You can narrow your search in any way that you want. There are many outstanding camps in North Carolina and I am sure you can find one to fit your needs.
My daughter's favorite GS camps are at Graham and Hardee. Her least favorite is Atkinson (not sure why) but all the girls seem to have a preference for one over another. I think all three of them have sessions of horse camp, but they do fill up very fast and registration is going on now.
My 6th grader is doing a week of horseback riding camp at Graham in June.
Here's a link to their brochure: http://www.nccoastalpines.org/home/camps/2012_Camp_Guide.aspx (broken link)
My kids went to Camp Cheerio for a couple years and absolutely loved it. It was in the mountains so they were outside the whole day but it wasn't as blistering hot and muggy as it is in the rest of the state. Kanata is in Raleigh and from when we were looking at sending them there, we realized that none of the buildings had AC...no AC in summer in Raleigh when they were going to be running around outside all day? No thanks. That may have changed now (this was 10 years ago). So Cheerio it was They had everything there....horses, canoes, kayaks, climbing elements, all of the sports, arts and crafts, and target sports (Bbs, archery, skeet, etc).
The one major caveat was that Cheerio was much more expensive; near $800 a week vs. Kanata which I believe was only around $500 a week.
It's camp. Most GS camps don't have AC either, but it's in the woods, they do a lot on the water, swimming etc. They are very aware of what activities they plan during the hottest parts of the day. No complaints from my kids and they beg to back every summer despite the heat. Maybe girl scouts are just tough
I know you said you're looking for a non-denominational camp, but I just have to recommend Camp Chestnut Ridge if you're looking for something with a horseback riding concentration. It's affiliated with the Methodist Church, but it's really not an over-the-top or in-your-face Christian environment. I went there a couple of summers when I was a kid and while I was raised in a very non-religious home, it was no problem at all. Yes, at camp they did say grace at meals and there was a tiny bit of Bible study, but I would call it a horseback riding camp first and a Christian camp second. There were also kids there from other faiths and I remember meeting quite a few Jewish kids and at least 1 Muslim kid as well, though there could have been more - not really my main concern when making friends at 9, ya know?
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I second this one! I know the equestrian director and she is FABULOUS! Worth looking into.
I'm looking for a non-denominational overnight summer camp for my daughter who will be a rising 7th grader. As I browse other posts, I'm coming across more Christian affiliated camps, so I thought I'd ask outright here about those camps which have no religious affiliation.
Can you clarify this? Most people have an understanding that *non-denominational* means that it is Christian in faith but not belonging to a particular denomination (Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist). It can often mean that people of different Christian would feel welcome as the focus is on things that unite Christians, not the teachings/policies that can often divide them.
Some *non-denominational* organizations are also very welcoming and accepting guests who don't adhere to core Christian beliefs.
It almost sounds like you are looking for a secular camp. I might be wrong.
You are not wrong at all, bazers. You are right on the money! Secular is the word I should have used, rather than non-denominational (a holdover, I think, from how such programs have often been described up north) and I appreciate your clarification of my thinking/writing.
So to clarify--I am looking for a secular overnight camp with horseback riding program, hopefully one of three weeks duration or less. Thank you!
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I know the equestrian director and she is FABULOUS! Worth looking into. 
