National Outdoor Badges – Riding

The Outdoor awards recognize Scouts BSA, Venturers, and Sea Scouts who really get into outdoor activities. The five are for camping, hiking, aquatics, riding, adventure, and conservation. There is a center badge which is earned when the first badge is earned also. There are also gold and silver devices which can be attached to the badges for additional achievements.

I wrote previous  posts about the camping award and the hiking award. Today I am promoting the riding award. When I first looked at this badge, I didn’t realize that riding covers horseback riding, bike riding, motor-boating, or skating,

I think this series of badges offers a challenge to older scouts who might be getting a little bored. Present the information to your youth leadership and let them think about if they want to incorporate it into their program.

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You can learn more about this program at the BSA website.

National Outdoor Badges – Riding

1. Earn the First Class rank, Sea Scout Apprentice rank, or complete Venturing Ranger Award requirements 1-6.
2. Complete at least one of the following:
   1. Cycling merit badge or Ranger Cycling/Mountain Biking elective and 100 miles of cycling
   2. Horsemanship merit badge or Ranger Equestrian elective and 20 miles of horseback riding
   3. Motorboating merit badge or Ranger Watercraft elective and 100 miles of motor boating
   4. Skating merit badge or Ranger Winter Sports elective and 20 miles of skating
3. Complete 200 miles of riding activities, including cycling, stock riding, skating, motor boating, mountain boarding, (including ATV or PWC riding at an approved council program), under the auspices of the Boy Scouts of America, including the miles in requirement 2.

A gold device may be earned for each additional 100 miles of riding. A silver device is earned for each additional 400 miles of riding. The Scout may wear any combination of devices totaling his current number of miles of riding.

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