We offer Girl Scouts, along with all our clients a safe, fun, hands on educational experience. Our facility is open year round with a few options of activities, including merit badge achievement.
Per our most current resources, here are some of the Girl Scout/Brownie Badge Earning Options.
Junior Girl Scout Horseback Riding Badge |
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Brownie Bit 'n' Bridle Badge |
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Brownie Pets Badge |
1. Find out what care different pets need
2. Keep a pet comfy
3. Help a pet stay healthy and safe
4. Make a pet feel loved
5. Feed a pet
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General Fun/Educational Outing |
This option would include: grooming, tacking up, leading, riding, feeding treats and gaining general horse knowledge. |
All of the above SFS can easily provide for up to 27 participants, but we will need good communication, coordination and organization to achieve.
Girl Scout participants are divided into groups. The maximum amount in a group for riding is 9. Each group has an activity to do: riding; grooming, tacking, learning activity, game - groups will rotate every 40 - 60 minutes. For instance, Group 1 rides, while group 2 grooms, handles, learns about horses and ponies, and tours the barn, while Group 3 tours and has another learning activity or demo. Entire outing takes around 3 1/2 hours, depending on group size. Here is a sample time line:
Group 1: 9 participants |
Group 2: 9 participants |
Group 3: 9 participants |
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1pm |
Riding in arena |
Groom/tack/tour/Q&A |
Demo/learning activity |
2pm |
Demo/learning activity |
Riding in arena |
Groom/tack/tour/Q&A |
3pm |
Groom/tack/tour/Q&A |
Demo/learning activity |
Riding in arena |
If the end riding goal is for all to be able to ride a pattern or maneuver an obstacle or perform a task, then 1 outing will cover this. If a goal of being able to canter or go on trails, we will need to schedule additional riding sessions on to achieve goals that require more skills and practice. No more than 9 girls can ride at one time for safety and attention needs.
If there are less than 18 riders, the process is organized a bit different. the following is a sample time line:
Group 1 : 8 participants | Group 2: 8 participants | |
1pm-130pm | all groom and tack up | all groom and tack up |
1:30- 2:30pm | Riding in arena | learning activity/demo/tour |
2:30-3:30pm | learning activity/demo/tour | Riding in arena |
3:30pm -3:50pm | Q&A or Optional Hay Ride/Game | Q&A or Optional Hay Ride/Game |
Our facility has a lighted outdoor riding arena, indoor riding arena, bridle paths, wooded trails (only available for intermediate and advanced riders), 2 bathrooms, wash area, 2 water coolers, seating and picnic area, and several well trained horses and ponies. The observation room can be used if it is a rainy day and where we can play a game if the hay ride is substituted. Otherwise the outdoor grassy hill picnic area next to the outdoor arena is available for your use. You will need to provide adequate supervision as needed, depending on group size. We have a well trained staff and qualified volunteers to help with the Sun Fire activities with plenty of one on one attention.
We have many helmets of every size available to use or they may bring their own helmet, bike helmets are okay. For those using our SFS helmets, a surgical cap will be provided to be worn under the helmet as a protective barrier. Participants need to wear long pants and footwear with a 1/2 heel at least. We also have lots of different size boots to borrow for those in need.
Feel free to bring food/ drink/ snacks, as long as everything is picked up and disposed of properly prior to departing.
Also, Sun Fire Stables requires an Indemnity Form each of the girls will have to have signed by their parents for our facility prior to the start of the event. This form can be found on our website. Please be sure the Girl Scout Association receives their own required horse activity form filled out.
The SFS calendar on the SFS website displays our schedule. Use the helpful key on the bottom of the page to better understand it. Changing to a "week" view is also helpful. The calendar is not interactive, but is a tool to use to help plan, request and schedule events.
Please email your request(s). Once a date and time is set, it will be posted on the SFS calendar.
Once a date is confirmed with me, but prior to your Girl Scout event, please schedule the required tour with my husband Dean (262-210-7598) to familiarize yourself with our facilities, rules and policies before the participants arrive. You will be able to have all your questions answered then as well as important details and suggestions to help the event flow smoothly and be a great experience for all. He tours after 5:30pm weekdays and on the weekend when available, and often while I am teaching lessons. Please be sure to schedule tour well in advance to allow availability. A $50 deposit is to be submitted at or before the tour to secure your date for the event.
Pricing options are:
Type of Outing | Cost Per Rider | Hayride Option-Additional charge |
General Fun/Educational Outing | $38/participant | $5/person |
Brownie Pet Merit Badge Outing | $42/participant | $5/person |
Brownie Bit 'n' Bridle Badge Outing | $44/participant | $5/person |
Junior Horseback Riding Merit Badge Outing | $48/participant | $5/person |
The pricing depends on what the Girl Scouts plan to do on their outing at SFS. The badge earning is quite a bit more involved, requiring additional critters, tack, activities, and staff/volunteers to be able to include demos and tack knowledge of both English and Western riding disciplines, as well as care & feeding of horses and ponies necessary to accomplish requirements of the GS Horseback Riding Badge. These areas are not covered in the general fun/educational event.
If a hayride would like to be added- it is $5 additional/person. Those who only want to do the hay ride, it is $5 per person for the hayride for those who were not riders. If inclement weather, the hay ride could be omitted or substituted for a horse related game.
Payment is due in full the day of the group activity. Check made payable to Sun Fire Stables or cash payment is accepted and may be given directly to me with the necessary paperwork or payment placed in the secure SFS Black Metal Box outside the Parlor.