Our retreaters learn what it really means to own a horse. They shovel, groom, saddle, feed and water, and if not, they don’t ride. They essentially become part owner of a horse for that week.

We limit the size of our retreats. This gives each child more one-on-one time with the counselors and the horses. Your child will not be lost in a large crowd.

Safety and security is our No. 1 priority, whether that is horse safety or other dangers. Once our retreat begins, no one is allowed on the ranch property except the staff and the kids.

We use western pleasure trail horses. Our herd is a mixture of breeds and all are gentle and ready for that first-time rider or someone who has not ridden in quite some time. Our trail rides are led by an experienced guide. We are proud of our excellent safety record.

Rawhide understands the day and age we’re living in, so we work hard to hire good people. Each staff member is First Aid and CPR certified.. We are also proud of our caring and knowledgeable employees and our low staff to camper ratio.

It’s not your typical camp cabin. The décor is “classy rustic” throughout with furniture custom-designed and handcrafted by the Amish. Sleeping rooms accommodate 2-4 kids and have their own private baths. The large gathering rooms lend themselves to the Old West parlor. They contain leather chairs, sofas and fireplaces — the perfect environment for curling up with a book or making new friends. Our retreats are coed; both the girls and boys will be staying in the Buck Inn. But the room assignments will be same-sex and roommates will be similar in age.

When sending your child to our horse retreats for the first time, we recommend the beginner session whether they have horse experience or not. We do not attempt to retrain your child, but show them the way we do things. The more examples of variety a horseman experiences, the better they will become. The only time we will correct any prior horse knowledge is if it puts someone in a dangerous situation. Our intermediate retreat is geared for those who already know how to ride and care for a horse. We will not teach the riding skill but fine tune it.

Typical Day
7:30 a.m. — Rise and shine
8 a.m. — Feed and catch horses
8:30 a.m. — Chow time
9:30 a.m. — Lead horses to barn and tie up
10:30 a.m. —Groom and saddle Split into two groups, A and B

A group
11 a.m. — Leave for trail ride
Noon — Lunch on the trail
12:30 p.m. — Back in the saddle
2 p.m. — Return to ranch

B group
11 a.m. — Arts and crafts
Noon — Lunch and clothing change
1 p.m. — Water games
2 p.m. — Change into work clothes

Groups switch (minus the lunch)
4:30 p.m. — Unsaddle and release horses
5 p.m. — Dirty work (manure time)
6 p.m. — Roping lessons
8 p.m. — Evening campfire
9 p.m. — Showers and pajamas
10 p.m. — Lights out

One week (Sunday-Thursday) $475
This includes:
Retreat DVD
Retreat shirt
Picture
Arts and crafts made
Lodging
Meals
Snacks
Water bottle

Click here for registration form

Click here to download our brochure