St. Croix Horse & Carriage Society, Inc. has been promoting horse and carriage driving for over 40 years. Our members enjoy a variety of equine driving related activities including: pleasure drives and fun days, driving clinics, carriage and sleighing events and competitions, distance driving, wagon trains, horse camping, and researching, restoring, and building horse drawn vehicles. Experience levels range from “driving since I could hold the lines” to “thinking about buying a horse and taking lessons”.Being an experienced carriage driver and owning a driving horse is definitely NOT a prerequisite to membership. If you are new to driving, SCHCS is a great place to find people and resources so you can have fun as you learn. Already drive? You found the right place. If driving down the road is getting a little old, you are welcome to join us for for something new!
Here's what we do: We organize Drives and Fun Days (and weekends) in "wheeled months" and we generally organize a sleigh party when the snow is right in "runner season". Monthly Program/Meetings at 7PM the FIRST Wednesday of the month from Sept. through May at the Scandia Town Hall located at 14727 209th St N, Scandia, MN. (This is south of Elim Lutheran Church, behind the skating rink, and across Olinda Trail from the Gammellgarden Museum. Doesn't that sound like somewhere in Minnesota?) Programs cover a variety driving topics, including driving safety, camping, first aid (equine and human), equipment, turnout and much more. A short business meeting is held after each programs to keep things running smoothly.
We hosted the Carriage Association of America's National 2011 Conference where all things sleighing were showcased. It was FABULOUS and brought people and horses from all over! In 2011 we conducted a local one day workshop titled "Tools for Better Communication" in April, and in 2012 we organized a two day desensitization clinic with Bob Johnson of The Common Horseman to help us get ready for some summer fun. And speaking of fun, we decided to venture into the world of competitive driving (kind of) by hosting our very own fun-day/Continuous Drive Event (CDE). Complete with a 4K pace, a dressage test, and a cones course. This year we've got a Traditional Day of Driving (Sebeka Rules) scheduled. We tried this last year, but got rained out. We have lots of fun. You can ride your horse, or even just help out if you aren't up for driving at an event.
SCHCSI is a member of the American Driving Society , Carriage Association of America, and the North Central Driving Clubs Association.
Two SCHCSI members have served as president of the CAA: Steve Osborne -1973 and Vicki Bodoh -1991. Two of our charter members, Joan and Roger Berg, were chosen as "Minnesota Horse People of the Year" in 1997.
You are cordially invited to attend a Program/Meeting. If you want to join and can't make the next one, click here for our Membership Form and Waiver. Just print it out, fill it out, write a check and send it in. If you are hosting a drive click here to print the Event Waiver For Facebook users: Take me to the SCHCS Facebook Group
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