Girl Scout Rodeo

Being that Paige is the only girl in her entire one-room school this year, I try my best to ensure she gets enough 'girl time' outside of school.  This past weekend it was all about Paige...from her last soccer game and end of season soccer party to the Girl Scout Rodeo we attended.

The Girl Scout Rodeo was a last minute add for us.....the event needed a cow for exhibition and I had two girls that were so wanting to go but I didn't get them registered before the cut-off day.  It all worked out, they got their cow and I was able to register two anxious cowgirls.  

After Emma, our resident 'lap cow' {heifer} was loaded into the trailer, the girls and I headed over to Novato Horseman's for the event.

Once arriving at the event, Paige was SURE she could unload Emma, who happens to be a pregnant almost 2 year old heifer, from the trailer all on her own.......but she had to settle on feeding her the hay and finding the hose to fill her water bucket instead.  Once Emma was settled, Paige and her friend, Hailey, began their day with around 75 other eager Girl Scouts.

The girls were grouped off and watched demonstrations on how and why a horse wears shoes and needs his hooves trimmed.  They learned that trimming a horse's hooves doesn't hurt the horse and keeps the horse's hooves in shape and healthy.

They learned the difference between a horse and a mule....

They got to go on a covered, horse drawn wagon ride down the street and back.

You can't have a Girl Scout function without having a few fun craft projects to make.  In this case they decorated cowgirl hats and......

decorated their very own stick horses.

The morning flew by and soon it was time for lunch where were serenaded by Cowboy Dan throughout the lunch hour.

With tummy's full, the girls made their way to the arena for horseback riding demonstrations that included barrel racing, shooting from horseback and some ground work with a horse.  They totally got into it, especially with the girl horseback riders in the arena.....Girl Power for sure.

To finish off the day, the girls were called into the arena to race their own stick horses they had made earlier that day....Yee Ha!!

In groups of six, they all had their chance to race.

Other activities they were happy to participate in included line dancing inside the club house and roping.

Roping picture taken by Kristi Steadman

Such a full, fun-filled day.  Just before leaving, my two cowgirls did a last minute check on Emma who was waiting patiently inside the trailer and off we drove.