Camping & Outdoor Activities

Equestrian Program

The Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, Inc. offers a comprehensive equestrian program for girls of all ages and all abilities. Approximately 6,000 girls and volunteers enjoy the equestrian program every year. This includes 200 regular riding students, 1,800 summer camp students and 3,500 troop riding lessons.

The equestrian programs are operated out of three of the council's eight camp facilities - Camp Misty Mountain in Armuchee, Camp Pine Acres in Acworth and Camp Meriwether in Luthersville. Experienced staff and volunteers teach the girls about horse care, stable management and both English and Western riding during year-round programs and summer camps. The council offers an affordable opportunity for girls to ride and learn about horses as well as valuable experiences that help build courage and confidence while teaching the responsibility of caring for horses.

Equestrian activities include:

• Troop, group and individual riding lessons (Western and English)

• Horse care and grooming
• Try-it and badge activities
• Equestrian weekends and over nights

• Trail riding

• Horse shows

• Vaulting

• Wrangler in Training leadership program

• Various riding and horsemanship clinics
• View equestrian activities

Get involved as a volunteer!  After attending volunteer training sessions, girls and adults assist the barn staff with program delivery and care of the horses and facilities. Contact Gloria Driggers to learn about volunteer opportunities and training.

Between the three camps, approximately 65-70 horses are housed and cared for on site. The horses range from Shetland ponies to a Belgian cross.

A comprehensive program at a great price! Donations to the Annual Fund and Adopt-a-Horse help to keep our program affordable and accessible to all at a significantly lower price than other area riding programs.

We need your horse stuff!

Running an equestrian program is expensive and we need your help! Your donation will help ensure that an outstanding equestrian program will continue to be offered to every girl.

Gently-used or new items are needed in either English or Western: saddles, pads, bridles, bits, stirrups and stirrup leathers, riding gloves, XS new helmets, paddock boots, halters, pad racks, brushes, lead ropes, horse blankets & sheets, sponges, water hoses, fly spray concentrate, pitchforks, shovels, brooms and wheel barrows.

To learn how to make a donation please contact Gloria Driggers.

Riding horses builds courage, confidence and character

Girl Scout Susan says thanks

I feel that I owe Girl Scouting an enormous debt of gratitude and want to say thank you in some way.

I first rode a horse at Camp Misty Mountain when I was 12 years old and the experience changed my life. I went on to work as a wranger in training, wranger, and assistant riding instructor at Camp Pine Acres every summer until I graduated from high school. My memories from camp are some of the happiest of my life and I can't begin to express how much they helped to mold me into the person I am today. But beyond that, learning to ride at camp exposed me, for the first time, to what I consider my life's passion-horses. I would never have begun riding if I hadn't been able to try it at camp, and I can't imagine my life without horses.

Girl Scouts allowed me to become the bold, compassionate, devoted equestrienne I am today and for that I am overwhelmingly grateful.

-Susan W.