Troopers are required to take equitation for two periods a day, using horses to develop leadership skills. They select from all the other activity electives to fill the four remaining activity periods.

Troopers are in a Cavalry unit and as such start with beginning riding and progress upward as their skills develop. As this takes place they will be exposed to trail riding, rough riding, jumping, cavalry maneuvers, mounted parades, cross country, horse showing, horse management and a fun-filled Troop hike on horses and living in tents. In addition they compete in all the
activities, sports and competitions on campus.

School of Horsemanship Overview

DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS

• 317x104 ft Riding Hall
• State-of-the-art Stable and Box Stalls
• Over 100 horses
• Turn-Out Paddocks
• Several miles of trails
• Horses turned out on beautiful 80-acre pastures for one, two or three weeks - five times a year
• Virtual Tour

HISTORY

Equitation at Culver is a tradition dating back to 1897. The Culver Military Academy purchased for its use the mounts of the famous Squadron “A” of Cleveland, which in March of that year had been the inaugural escort of President McKinley. These mounts were all black, and the Culver Cavalry unit was christened the “Culver Black Horse Troop.”

TROOP HIKE

This is an 8 mile hike around and beyond campus, over differing terrain, and takes the campers out of their comfort zone and teaches teamwork and the Culver ideal of leadership, using the horse as a tool.

The Hike is compulsory for the Troopers, and the girls who are enrolled in horsemanship sign up for the Hike. All Troopers and 30 girls participate and go in separate groups each with supervising staff members. Each are three days and two nights under canvas in tents. Horses are tied to picket lines.

Activities include trail rides, free rides in the confines of the 80-acre pasture, games, swimming and a movie each evening. The campers divided into groups and tend to meals and the care of the horses over the 24- hour period.

MOUNTED DRILL TEAM

The Summer Mounted Drill Team is composed of the best riders in Troop and the ladies' mounted unit. The team performs before Garrison parades and at special events on weekends.