Meet the Horses

The Girl Scouts - Diamonds Horsemanship Program gives girls of all ages and abilities a chance to ride and care for horses in a safe, fun and challenging way. Girls are placed into our program based on age AND ability. We teach riding from the “ground up” rather than “saddle down,” with a portion of each lesson spent on barn chores because it is important for girls to learn responsibility by caring for their horses.

Riding and working with horses helps build physical, mental and social skills, boosts self-confidence, teaches problem solving and self discipline - and, it's fun!

Mission Statement and Program Goals

Meet our herd and learn some fun facts about each of them!

Chili: Chili is an old rodeo horse with probably more skills than we’ve already discovered. He is gentle enough for level 1 riders and advanced enough for upper levels. He has the most spunk out of all of the horses when they are doing groundwork exercises for behavioral upkeep. When he’s really proud of himself for workouts without riders, he jumps and snorts around the arena to show off how big and brave he is. Chili is the kid at school who is cool because he doesn’t care if he’s cool. To keep his spot in the middle of the herd, he has to boss around the new guys a bit but gets along well as long as everyone is minding their manners. All beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but Chili is one of our best-built horses, very true to Quarter Horse breed standards. He’s very muscled with a beautiful dark brown coat with black points and a black mane and tail.
Elsa: Elsa is likely the most beloved horse in the herd. Standing roughly 4 feet at the withers she’s a gaited pony with infinite patience for our young riders. Although we don’t know her specific age, Elsa is somewhere between 25 and 30 years old and was set to retire in 2022. We haven’t found a home worthy of her quite yet so until that happens, we are happy to have her at our facility.
EZ: EZ is the head of our herd, what you would think of as the captain of a sports team! Even though he’s a long timer at camp and boss of the herd, just like many of us there’s always room for professional development! He and Tuff spent time with a horse trainer in early 2022 to build confidence by exposing them to various elements and situations. He has a lot of go in him, so he’s a horse more suitable for upper-level riders. Sometimes he seems aloof to love because he’s always watching out for the good of the herd, but he’s been in the program for almost 15 years and has brought smiles to thousands of girl, volunteer and staff faces. He’s a handsome red bay who happens to be really good at dress-up for programs and events.
Hudson: Hudson is the MOST “childlike” horse and another class clown. Because of his young age, he is still very curious and playful and likes to play with arena toys He’s the smallest, weighing about 400 pounds less than the biggest horses. No one can ever replace our beloved retired Elsa, but Hudson is here to help fill in the gap for kids and adults who are intimidated by the size of others in our herd. Hudson is the “brother” to Hugh since they came from the same family. Hudson wasn’t actively ridden before coming to camp but with steady effort, he’s back in shape and ready to work.
Hugh: Hugh is a gentle giant who came to camp in early 2022 out with Hudson. He’s a light brown/blue-eyed dream boy and his gaits (walk, trot, canter) are as dreamy as his looks so he’s super comfortable to ride. He was once a competitive Western Pleasure horse, trained for a super slow, collected trot and canter. He, like Hudson, was not work-ready when he arrived but exercise and good nutrition has him looking and feeling good. He’s currently at the bottom of the herd in the pecking order. He doesn’t seem to mind and stays out of almost everyone’s way. Even though he’s at the bottom of the rank, he still takes time out to pick on little brother Hudson every now and then!
Lucy: Lucy was donated to camp in 2022 by Angela and “Bucky” Long. The Longs have been patrons of Camp NOARK for years and knew Lucy would be loved and well cared for by Girl Scouts – Diamonds. She’s another gaited horse and is a half Belgian, heavy-boned draft horse. She’s a sorrel with a flaxen mane and tail and a bit of red roan coloring. She loves attention and snacks. Lucy can be timid about new things or places but as long as she trusts you, she will do what you ask. She does not spook easily; she is laid back, easy to ride, and low maintenance. She’s always in “granny gear” and does not get in a hurry so she will be perfect for new riders. Lucy is also at the bottom of the herd hierarchy right now, but that’s probably only a matter of timing. Female horses tend to rise through ranks fairly quickly, and since she’s our only mare currently, she’ll have those boys in their place in no time!
Sooner: Sooner is a tried-and-true Girl Scouts – Diamonds horse. He prefers leisurely work over athletics any day and does great with riders of all levels. He is second in line to EZ and has the personality of the captain’s right-hand teammate. He’s laid back and confident and everyone’s friend in the pasture. He’s sorrel in color and has a droopy bottom lip that provides many laughs, as well as somewhat small ears that remind us of a teddy bear.
Tuff: Tuff is one of the most “childlike” horses and he is loved for it. He is eager to please and loves to play and cuddle. Because he’s so playful, he spent a month at the trainer with EZ in early 2022 to remind him he has to work as well as play! He’s another class clown! He’s not a jock like his buddies, but they allow him to hang close because of his personality. He’s a gaited horse, which means he has a fourth gate between walk and trot, specific to this category of horses. He has golden eyes and a white mane and tail, so “majestic” and “unicorn” are often words used by our girls to describe him. Tuff is only 12 years old, so he has many years left to help girls in the program.

Our horses have gone rogue and made an Amazon Wishlist for the barn! We have to admit, they have picked out some things that would be great additions to the barn not only for them, but for Girl Scouts visiting camp!

Amazon Wishlist

Adopt a Horse and Stall Sponsorships

"Every horse deserves, at least once in its life, to be loved by a girl."

Girls and their horses…anyone who has ever seen a girl whisper secrets into a horse’s ear or wrap their arms around a horse’s neck knows that girls and horses have a special bond.

The Girl Scouts – Diamonds Horse Program provides low-cost access to equestrian programs for thousands of girls, equipping girls with the compassion and confidence to succeed in the arena and in life. It costs nearly $2,500 each year for EACH horse to provide feed, tack and grooming supplies, riding equipment for girls, and vet, dental and farrier care – will you be a sponsor and investor in our horse program to make sure we continue to provide our girls and horses with the best riding and leadership experience?

Check out how you can be a sponsor or help equip our new barn and arena below, then use the secure online donation forms to make a pledge or immediate gift, or call or email our fund development team, 800-632-6894/email, for more information.

Horse Lover - $2,500

Horse Lover $2,500
Give our horses all they need for a full year!

Adoption Certificate, info sheet and photo of YOUR horse!
“Horse Coordinator for the Day” opportunity at an equestrian event or camp (fun behind the scenes tour of barn, recognition opportunity with girls and special SWAPS to take home).
Social media shoutout announcing your horse adoption.
1-night stay at Camp NOARK with a private horse lesson for your family/troop.*
Invitation to exlusive, seasonal "Sunday Horse Hangouts." Bond with, groom and love on your favorite horses and build your horsemanship skills.
Invitation to exclusive donor event at camp.

* *Horsemanship activities dependent upon each rider's age and skill ability; can accommodate groups sizes of up to 8.

Stall Champion - $1,200

Stall Champion $1,200
Equip our brand-new stalls with all their necessary gear!

Exclusive plaque recognition on stall for one year.
Social media shoutout announcing your stall sponsorship.
Opportunity to decorate your stall.
Private horse lesson for your family/troop.*
Invitation to exclusive donor event at camp.
Invitation to exclusive seasonal “Sunday Horse Hangouts." Bond with, groom and love on your favorite horses and build your horsemanship skills.

*Horsemanship activities dependent upon each rider's age and skill ability, can accommodate groups sizes of up to 8.

Wrangler Sponsor - $500

Wrangler Sponsor $500
Help equip our riders and programs to be the best they can be!

Two free riding sessions during weekend horse program events*
Private horse lesson for your family/troop.*
Invitation to exclusive donor event at camp

*Horsemanship activities dependent upon each rider's age and skill ability, can accommodate groups sizes of up to 4.

Barn Friend - $100+

Barn Friend $100+
There are so many opportunities to help warm our horses’ new home! Gifts of all sizes are important – and so very appreciated – to help us purchase items for our horses and our program for girls, such as: