One with the Herd

An Overnight Awake Ranch Leadership Camp for Girls

August 17-20, 2026 | Ages 12-15
At Awake Ranch in Mulino, Oregon

Where girls build confidence, self-trust, connection, and belonging through horses, nature, and shared experience.

There is something many girls need that the modern world offers less and less of:

Time outside.

Real connection.

A break from screens and social pressure.

Supportive mentorship.

A place to listen inward.

A community where they can belong without having to perform.

One With The Herd was created to meet that need.

This is not a traditional summer camp built around packed schedules, constant stimulation, and surface-level entertainment. It is an immersive overnight ranch experience where girls spend four days outside — riding, learning, creating, caring for animals, connecting with each other, and growing in confidence through meaningful experience.

At Awake Ranch, girls learn through horsemanship, nature, movement, creativity, teamwork, and shared responsibility.

The goal is not perfection.

The goal is not performance.

The goal is self-trust, emotional steadiness, confidence, connection, and belonging.

Healthy herds are built on attunement.

They communicate clearly.

They respond honestly.

They regulate together.

They create safety through presence, not performance.

Throughout the week, girls practice these same principles through their time with horses, the land, and one another.

Everything during camp is built around five core Herd Principles:

  • Trust Yourself: Girls are invited to listen inward, notice what is true for them, and build confidence from the inside out.

  • Connect Before You Perform: Horses do not respond to image or social strategy — they respond to presence. Girls practice showing up as they are and learning that real connection matters more than appearance.

  • Regulate The Herd: Strong leaders know how to steady themselves. Girls learn simple tools for emotional grounding, breath, awareness, and nervous system regulation.

  • Support The Circle: A healthy herd depends on mutual care. Girls practice encouragement, inclusion, respect, and how to contribute to the wellbeing of the group.

  • Care For What Sustains You: Through caring for horses, goats, and the ranch itself, girls experience the pride and grounding that comes from stewardship and responsibility.

​Each day combines horsemanship, outdoor time, creativity, reflection, teamwork, and shared adventure.

Activities throughout the week include:

  • Riding or groundwork sessions
  • Grooming, tacking, and horse care
  • Liberty and connection exercises with horses
  • Goat care and ranch chores
  • Group trail walks and outdoor exploration
  • Nature journaling
  • Leathercraft and creative projects
  • Team challenges and obstacle courses
  • Fireside circles
  • Yoga, stretching, and mindfulness
  • Sleeping in the tipi or under the stars


Throughout it all, girls are learning how to:

  • trust themselves
  • regulate stress
  • communicate more clearly
  • work together
  • set healthy boundaries
  • build confidence
  • care for others and the environment
  • and lead from steadiness rather than performance

A Sample Day At Camp

Every day follows a natural rhythm designed to balance movement, challenge, creativity, reflection, and rest.

Morning — Gather The Herd

The girls begin the day together with breakfast, morning movement, animal care, and a grounding practice to help everyone settle into the day.

Examples:

  • Breakfast together
  • Stretching or yoga
  • Morning mindfulness
  • Feeding animals
  • Grooming and horse prep
  • Group orientation

Midday — Ride + Relate

This is where girls spend focused time with the horses and deepen their horsemanship, body awareness, and confidence.

Examples:

  • Riding lessons tailored to experience level
  • Groundwork and connection exercises
  • Liberty work
  • Horse care instruction
  • Arena challenges
  • Herd observation and learning

Afternoon — Create + Explore

Afternoons balance creativity, outdoor exploration, and shared group experiences.

Examples:

  • Nature journaling
  • Leathercraft or ranch-based art projects
  • Group trail walks
  • Obstacle building
  • Team challenges
  • Outdoor exploration
  • Open recreation and free time

Evening — Fire + Reflection

Evenings slow the pace and deepen connection within the herd.

Examples:

  • Barn chores and tucking in the horses
  • Family-style dinner
  • Campfire and s’mores
  • Storytelling
  • Reflection circles
  • Stargazing
  • Sleeping in the tipi or under the stars

A Tech-Free Sanctuary

One of the greatest gifts we can give girls today is permission to disconnect from the digital world. To preserve the magic of Awake Ranch and fully step into the rhythm of nature, One With The Herd is a phone-free experience.

We ask that girls leave their phones and smartwatches at home, or they can hand them over to us for safekeeping upon arrival. Our goal is to give them a rare, uninterrupted opportunity to quiet the social noise, regulate their nervous systems, and connect deeply with the animals, each other, and themselves.

Parent Peace of Mind: You won't be disconnected. Parents will receive the leaders' direct contact info, and our team will have a phone on and reachable 24/7 for any urgent needs or emergencies.


One With The Herd is designed as more than a one-time camp experience.

Our vision is to create a place girls can return to — a space where confidence is built slowly, self-trust deepens over time, and belonging grows through repeated experience.

Over time, girls can continue developing their horsemanship, strengthen their connection to themselves, and eventually step into mentorship and leadership roles for younger girls.

Our vision is to create a culture where:

  • self-trust is modeled, not performed
  • confidence grows through experience, not pressure
  • and belonging is built through authenticity, care, and contribution

A girl arrives.

 She meets the herd.

 She learns to listen.

 She grows.

 And one day, she helps lead others back to themselves too.

Meet the Team

Gracie Stark

Gracie Stark is a professional dressage trainer, certified Natural Leadership coach, and facilitator who creates transformative experiences that help young women grow in confidence, self-awareness, connection, and authentic self-trust. Over her lifetime in the saddle, she has worked with horses and riders of all levels to build trust, deepen relationships, and support meaningful growth. She believes many girls are missing something essential in modern life: spaces outside of social expectations where they can be known, grounded, supported, and guided as they grow. Gracie brings a gentle, passionate, and deeply welcoming presence that helps girls feel safe enough to be themselves while inviting them into steadiness, emotional clarity, and a closer partnership with the herd.


Fees

This year, we are offering One With The Herd at a special introductory rate of $750. Beginning next year, the program will be priced at $995.

Tuition includes the full overnight camp experience from Monday through Thursday, including all meals, overnight accommodations, and every activity throughout the week. Once your daughter is dropped off on Monday, everything is taken care of until pickup on Thursday.

Registration

Space is limited.

  • $750.00

    We are intentionally keeping the group small this first year, with a maximum of 12 girls, in order to create strong connections, meaningful mentorship, and a greater sense of belonging for every member of the herd.

    REGISTER NOW