Horses

From September until May, several opportunities exist with the Greater St. Louis Area Council’s herd of horses. Come out and enjoy a trail ride, horse-drawn hayride or horse camp! View the brochure.

To reserve a spot, visit our online portal: Online Reservations

Horseback Riding Lessons

Registration and more information

Horsemanship Merit Badge Skill Center

Registration Closed

The Horsemanship Merit Badge Skill Center provides Scouts with knowledge of how to care, groom and ride a horse. In addition to learning how to safely ride and care for horses, Scouts who earn this merit badge will gain an understanding of horse’s instincts and behaviors, as well as humane and effective methods for training horses. The skill center begins with a Zoom orientation session and then is held in Nagel to work on horsemanship and riding skills. The next horsemanship skill center is scheduled for fall 2020.

Trail Rides

Boy Scouts, Venturers, and Explorers can hit the trail, beginning and ending at Nagel Base. Approximately 10 horses are available for each 1 1/2 hour trail ride, and each horse can handle all levels of riding experience — beginner through advanced.

September through October 31, December 1 through May 15th, Saturday and/or Sunday

• 1 1/2 hour ride.; $20 per person

Hayrides

Come down to Nagel for a tractor-drawn hayride! This is a great outdoor activity for Scouting units of all ages. There is one wagon available and each hayride wagon holds a maximum of 10 people. A minimum of two adults for the wagon is required. Hayrides can be reserved in one-hour blocks and come with the use of a picnic area.

• March 1 through May 15 & Sept. 1 through Oct. 31
  • Saturday: 5-6 p.m., 6-7 p.m., 7-8 p.m.
  • Sunday: 5-6 p.m., 6-7 p.m., 7-8 p.m.
  • $75 per wagon

Hayrides are not offered on Saturday nights during heavy camporee weekends.

Horse Camp

Spend a week at an advanced riding camp cantering around the property and learning more about horses. There are many trails to be ridden, competitions/games to be played on horseback in the riding ring, and other activities to further your horsemanship along with a chance to show off your advanced skills in a Cavalcade at the end of the week. Other activities while at Horse Camp are swimming, skeet shooting, climbing tower, ropes course, campfires, and much more.

• 1st week of August

Sign up coming January 2021! Maximum number of participants is 20. The Greater St. Louis Area Council Trail Guide Committee provides adult leadership for Horse Camp.

Things to Know

Reservations
Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance at a Greater St. Louis Area Council office or online at stlbsa.org/activities/camping/rsvp/.

A minimum of 4 and a maximum of 10 horses can be reserved for trail rides. A maximum of 20 people are allowed on a hayride wagon.

Age Requirements
Who can use the horsemanship programs? Any registered member of the Boy Scouts of America and their respective adult leaders may use the programs.

• Hayrides: Tigers, Cub Scouts, Webelos, Boy Scouts, Venturers, and Explorers as well as leaders and parents
• Trail Rides:  Those 11 years old or older
• Horse Camp: Boy Scouts, Venturers, and Explorers 13 years old who have completed the 8th grade — or age 14 by the start of camp

Clothing
Dress according to the weather. When riding it is best to wear long pants and boots or hard soled shoes (no tennis shoes please). If the weather looks like the possibility of rain bring rain gear. For cold weather rides; dress warm in layers, wear gloves and ear protection (riding helmet must still be able to fit properly over stocking cap). The trail guide or camp ranger will not permit any Scout or leader to ride if the rider is ill-prepared or dressed inappropriately.

Horses & Equipment
Only horses and equipment owned by the Greater St. Louis Area Council are used on trail rides, hayrides, and any other horse-related programs and activities.

Leadership
Every trail ride has a trail guide from the council’s Trail Guide Committee to lead the ride. Units going on a trail ride or hayride are required to have the necessary adult leadership for the ride: two adults minimum on the trail ride; two adults minimum on each wagon.

Picnic Areas / Recreation Hall
Just off the parking lot at Nagel Base are two picnic areas for your unit to use before or after your hayride. Picnic areas are on a first-come, first-served basis, but are big enough to handle more than one unit.

If your unit prefers to stay inside you can reserve the Nagel Recreation Hall. The Rec Hall has kitchen facilities, fireplace, tables and chairs, and a furnace for those cool nights. The Nagel Rec Hall is a great place to hold a pack meeting, troop court of honor, or a Venturing crew/Explorer post activity.

Restrictions
For safety reasons no one can ride who is over the maximum weight limit of 230 pounds. Weight will be checked at camp. Rangers and/or trail guides have the authority to restrict any person from taking part in a horse-related activity who may pose, in their opinion, a safety risk to themselves, others, or the horses.

Cancellations and refunds policy
Refunds will be given when the trail guide and/or ranger cancels the ride due to weather or poor conditions. All requests for refund by the unit must be made in writing to the Camping Department four weeks prior to the date of the scheduled ride.

Getting to Nagel Base
Once inside Beaumont, follow the main road where it ends at Nagel Base. Along the way, you will pass Cub World, Emerson Center, Camp May pool, and several camporee fields. The road winds around for approximately 2.5 miles from the Beaumont entrance to the Nagel Base gate.

Units should arrive at Nagel Base at least 30 minutes before the scheduled trail ride time or hayride. Morning trail riders saddle the horses, afternoon riders unsaddle the horses. All riders wear an equestrian helmet provided by the Greater St. Louis Area Council while on the trail ride.