Three Mornings in the Saddle. Five Days at Camp
Saddle Crew is built for the camper who has been asking to ride a horse for as long as you can remember. Three mornings of this program happen off-site at Golden Reins Equestrian Center in Annville, where campers learn English and Western riding, practice grooming and handling, and spend real time with real horses under the instruction of trained equestrian staff. The rest of the week is a full Gretna Glen camp experience.
No riding experience required. Every skill is taught from the ground up, starting with how to approach a horse and working toward confident, supervised riding by the end of the week. Campers leave knowing more than how to ride. They leave knowing how to connect with an animal that weighs ten times what they do.
Two Sessions
July 5-10
FULL / Waitlist
July 19-24
Open for Registration
Real Riding. Real Camp
Mornings with horses. Afternoons and evenings in the full Gretna Glen experience.
Mornings at Golden Reins
Three mornings off-site at Golden Reins Equestrian Center in Annville, PA. Campers travel together with Gretna Glen staff and spend the morning riding and learning.
English & Western Instruction
Certified equestrian instructors teach both riding styles. Campers learn balance, basic commands, and the fundamentals of safe, confident riding.
Grooming & Horsemanship
Riding is only part of it. Campers learn to brush, tack, handle, and build trust with their horse. The ground work is where real horsemanship starts.
Full Camp Afternoons
Swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, archery, sports, campfires, worship, Bible Discovery, and all the classic Gretna Glen moments. Every afternoon and evening is full camp.
More Than a Riding Lesson
A week with horses does something that is hard to explain until you see it. Campers learn patience because horses demand it. They learn confidence because a 1,000-pound animal responds to calm, clear communication. They learn respect because horsemanship is half riding and half listening. By Thursday, kids who showed up hesitant are leading their horse across the arena on their own.
The Gretna Glen half of the week gives it balance. The mornings are focused and skill-building. The afternoons are the classic camp week that Saddle Crew campers come back year after year to experience alongside new friends who share the same love for horses.
WHERE YOU'LL STAY
Campers stay in cabins on Gretna Glen's main campus. Cabins feature bunk beds, a changing area, and a modern shower house built in 2018. Saddle Crew is a mainsite program, so campers eat in the Dining Hall and have full access to main campus facilities between riding days.
WHAT PARENTS SHOULD KNOW
No prior riding experience is needed. Every skill is taught from the ground up, and Golden Reins pairs campers with horses matched to their experience and confidence level.
Gretna Glen is ACA-accredited, meeting over 300 health, safety, and quality standards. All equestrian instruction is led by certified staff at Golden Reins, and helmets are required and provided.
Off-Site Transportation
Gretna Glen staff transport campers to and from Golden Reins on riding mornings. All transportation is included in the program cost.
WHO THIS PROGRAM IS FOR
- Kids 9 to 12 who love horses or have been asking to ride
- Campers looking for a program with a real specialty focus
- First-time riders ready for a guided, confidence-building introduction
- Returning riders who want more hands-on time in the saddle