The Port Arthur News
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There is nothing more satisfying in the mind of the youth than riding on a horse. This is exactly what the Scouts in Troop 86, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Groves, will cherish in their memories as they grow older. February 24th through 26th, rodeo team roper, Mark Sunday, invited Boy Scouts to camp at his place in Fred, Texas. While there, Sunday led the boys and taught the Horsemanship Merit Badge.
Friday, February 24th, 11 Boy Scouts and their leaders converged and set up camp and began lessons on Horsemanship. The Scouts learned the safety rules while being around horses, the care and grooming of horses, how to bridle and saddle a horse, and much more.
After going over the basics and fundamentals of the horse, the scouts learned how to mount a horse and rode the horse through the prescribed paces as required by the merit badge.
Besides the merit badge requirements, the Scouts also had the opportunity to learn and practice proper roping techniques. The Scouts then moved on to actually roping and wrestling live calves. The Campout ended with the Scouts going on a short Trail Ride.
Scoutmaster Brian Hill commented, “There is nothing like camping and riding horses in Fred, Texas.” Hill also said, “You know you have a winner when you can see it in the faces of each Scout with that big smile on it.”
In addition to horsemanship, some of the Scouts had the opportunity to work on the Pioneering Merit Badge by doing rope splicing. Asst. Scoutmaster James Bares said, “These Scouts don’t realize it now, but when they grow older, knowing how to splice a rope can come in handy in all sort of jobs they may end up doing. I had them doing the 'Eye Splice' and the ‘whip' which they became quite proficient at.”
“All and all”, Hill said, “This was one the most enjoyable campouts we’ve been on.”
