St. Croix Horse & Carriage Society, Inc. has been promoting horse and carriage driving for almost 40 years.  We enjoy a variety of equine driving and 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.  

Our members' experience ranges 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. 

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". We have Program/Meetings at 7PM the first Wednesday of the month (sometimes the 2nd one) 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 (of course), camping, first aid (equine and human), equipment and much more.  A short business meeting  is held after programs to keep things running smoothly. 

Last year as we hosted the Carriage Association of America's National 2011Conference. All things sleighing were showcased and it brought people and horses from all over! (It was GREAT) We also conducted a local one day workshop titled "Tools for Better Communication" in April.  This spring 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) on July 14. There will be a pace, a dressage test, and a cones course. We have a a wonderful dressage judge, but can still use a few volunteers to man stop watches, ring bells and reset the balls on the cones.  No prior experience required. If driving down the road is getting a little old, you are welcome to join us for for something new!  

The Carriage Courier, our newsletter, keeps us current on club and member news, and the lending library is open to all members. 

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 2012 MEMBERSHIP FORMJust print it out, fill it out, write a check and send it in. Uffda!  
                    
                           
                                  We would love to hear from YOU!
     
 
               
               Hope to see you at one of our outings!