Equestrian Facilities and Activities
Four of our regional parks offer horseback riding. The Tradewinds Park stables are County-operated and offer trail rides, pony rides, camps, and field trips. At Tree Tops, riders bring their own horses, as they do to ride the equestrian trails at Long Key Natural Area & Nature Center and Vista View Park as well.
Horse Camps & Junior Farmers' Camp
Registration for all camps will be available online or at the park office when in session. For additional information, call Tradewinds at 954-357-8870.
TRAILBLAZERS HORSE CAMP
Dates: To be announced
Mondays-Thursdays, Times to be announced
Ages 9 to 14
Fee: To be announced
Registration: To be announced
Tradewinds Park & Stables (north side), 3600 W. Sample Rd., Coconut Creek 33073; 954-357-8870
If your child is wild about horses this is the camp for them! Campers ride horses and learn different aspects of horsemanship and farm animal care. There is a maximum of 12 campers per session. Campers may sign up for all four days or by the day.
JUNIOR FARMERS' CAMP
Dates: To be announced
Mondays-Thursdays, Times to be announced
Ages 5 to 8
Fee: To be announced
Registration: To be announced
Tradewinds Parks & Stables (north side), 3600 W. Sample Rd., Coconut Creek 33073; 954-357-8870
Junior farmers will get an introduction to basic farm animal care (think chickens, goats, and pigs); participate in hands-on agricultural learning activities and crafts; find out how to feed, groom, and maintain farm animals; learn how to care for and groom ponies and go for a pony ride. Sessions are limited to 8 campers and campers can sign up for a day or for all four days.
Guided Trail Rides
The trails are currently closed until further notice.
Tradewinds Park & Stables is now open for guided trail rides every Saturday and Sunday at 9:30AM, 11AM, and 3PM.
All rides must be reserved no later than 3PM the day before the ride, although they can also be reserved several weeks in advance. Please plan ahead. You must call 954-357-8720 to schedule a trail ride. All group rides are $35 plus tax per person. Private rides are unavailable at this time. Rides must be paid for at the time of booking. The park's regular weekend/holiday gate entrance fee of $3/vehicle (for 8 or fewer occupants) and $20/vehicle (for 9 or more passengers) will be in effect.
If you reach the stables voicemail, someone will call you back before 3PM or on the following day. Your reservation is not complete until you have spoken directly to a stables staff member to confirm your reservation time.
Even with a reservation, you must arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of your ride time.
Trail rides are one-hour long and follow the mostly shaded trails of the park. All riders are assigned their own horses, and all trail groups have one trail guide leading the ride. Depending on the size of the ride, there may be an additional trail guide at the back of the group. No double riding is permitted.
Riders must be a minimum of 9 years old or 52 inches tall. Riders appearing to be close to the height line will be measured before they are assigned a horse to ride. Any rider under the age of 16 is required to wear an ASTEM/SEI-certified riding helmet, and helmets are provided.
The maximum weight limit to ride is 225 pounds. For the health and safety of our horses, we follow our weight restrictions very strictly. All riders will be weighed upon arrival for their ride using a professional doctor's scale to verify the rider meets the weight restriction. Riders stand on the scale fully clothed, and the scale will provide a "yes" or "no" reading without revealing the rider's specific weight. If you would like more information about our weight restrictions and the weighing process, email TradewindsEducation@Broward.org.
Closed-toe shoes and long pants are required to ride. Shoes like Crocs™ or slip-on clogs are not allowed. Insect repellent and sunscreen are also recommended.
Pony Rides
Offered on Saturdays, Sundays, and designated holidays from 11AM to 3PM, weather permitting. Children must be shorter than 52 inches tall to ride the ponies. The cost is $3/child plus tax per ride or $9/child plus tax for four rides, with payment taken at the park's General Store. The park's regular weekend/holiday gate entrance fee of $3/vehicle (for 8 or fewer occupants) and $20/vehicle (for 9 or more passengers) will be in effect.
Educational Farm
The park's farm complex adjacent to the stables includes farm animals that can be seen from outside the fence during park operating hours. Public farm tours are offered every weekend, weather permitting. The tour times are 11:30AM and 1:30PM The cost is $3/person plus tax for a 20-to-30-minute hands-on tour. Tours are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration closes 15 minutes before the start of the tour, or when each group reaches its maximum limit of 15 people. For more information visit the farm’s home page.
Equine Photo Shoots
If you would like to take photographs with one of the park’s horses, you may rent a horse for a one-hour photo shoot for $50, the same price as a private trail ride. This includes a handler for your session but does not include a photographer. Photo shoots may be scheduled only on weekdays, and your photographer must acquire a film permit before the day of the photo shoot. For more information on how to obtain film permits for your photo shoot, or to schedule your session, call 954-357-8720.
Scout Programs
Tradewinds Park & Stables currently offers three Girl Scout Badge Programs: the Animal Helpers Badge, the Voice for Animals Badge, and the Horseback Riding Badge. There are two Boy Scout Badge Programs: Horsemanship and Animal Science. These programs allow each scout to meet all the requirements needed to obtain his or her badge, which will be provided by the troop leader. Additionally, the stables offer a Scouts' Barnyard Trip and a Scouts' Pony Ring Trip as fun and educational activities where no badges are earned.
With the exception of the Horsemanship and Animal Science Badges, all programs are offered on Saturdays or Sundays at 1:30PM, and reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance. Call 954-357-8720 for reservations.
The Boy Scouts Horsemanship and Animal Science badges require multiday programs. For additional information and registration requirements, call 954-357-8720.
Scouts' Horseback Riding Badge
This program is a two-hour crash course in all the necessary points scouts must learn to obtain their Horseback Riding Badge. The program includes a 30-minute trail ride as well as education on how to tack, groom, care for, and work safely around horses. This equestrian experience is for scouts who are more than 52 inches tall or who are at least 9 years old. The cost is $40/scout. Minimum five scouts, maximum 10.
Scouts Animal Helpers Badge
This program is a 1.5-hour course in the connections between humans and animals, including how animals provide humans with food, fiber, and labor; how animals help keep people safe; how animals help people emotionally and physically; and how animals are trained. The program includes hands-on interactions with horses and livestock animals. It does not include riding. The cost is $20/scout. Minimum five scouts, maximum 20.
Scouts Voice for Animals Badge
This program is a 1.5-hour course about the relationship between domesticated animals and humans, including animals used in science, agriculture, and sports. Scouts will learn about issues of animal welfare and animal rights when working with animals. The program includes hands-on interactions with horses and livestock animals. It does not include riding. The cost is $20/scout. Minimum five scouts, maximum 20.
Scouts' Barnyard Trip
The Scouts' Barnyard Trip provides lots of hands-on experience with the animals on our farm. This all-ages event also includes a farm tour and an explanation of how to groom, feed, and maintain the farm animals. The barnyard trip lasts approximately an hour. The cost is $20/scout. Horses and ponies are located at the stables and are not included on this trip to see farm animals.
Scouts' Pony Ring Trip
The Pony Ring Trip includes one trip around the pony ring per scout and a hands-on tutorial on how to groom, tack, and maintain the ponies. This 1.5-hour program is for younger scouts who are less than 52 inches tall. The cost is $30/scout.
For further information about stables and farm programs, contact us at 954-357-8720 or TradewindsEducation@Broward.org.
