Picture yourself traveling down a winding trail adjacent to a flowing stream amid fully bloomed trees while perched atop a majestic, intuitive, and docile creature whose ancestors have gotten people where they wanted to go for thousands of years.
Horseback riding is a creative and worthwhile way to get from point A to point B when you’ve got some time to spare and the urge to enjoy the great outdoors. It gives you the chance to enjoy nature’s beauty from a unique vantage point, and fortunately, there is no dearth of horseback riding stables to choose from across Central Massachusetts.
At Orchard Hill Equestrian Center, those with a curiosity for all things equine can attend a one-hour introductory lesson for $75. Designed for new riders of all ages, the instruction includes a tour of the farm, which is located in picturesque Berlin, Massachusetts, and an introduction to the horses. Students have the chance to lead, groom and “tack”—suit—up a horse or a pony, as well.
Looking to ride off into the sunset like a cowboy on his steed? Take a trip to Bobby’s Ranch in Acton, Massachusetts. The stable, which has an Old West feel, is open to the public and includes several acres of trails, lined with old rock walls and streams. Private, semi-private and group western-style lessons are available year round, ranging in price from $35 to $65. Trail rides run Wednesday through Sunday, generally from 9 am to 4 pm with rates topping out at $35 per person, per hour, with rides lasting 50 minutes on average.
Grafton’s Ridge Valley Stables provides a variety of trail rides for inexperienced and advanced riders alike, as well as pony rides. The stable recommends a 60-minute ride (which begin at $35 per ride) for more novice riders. While reservations with three days’ notice are recommended, walk-ins are welcome.
Ridge Valley also offers a half-day ride (starting at $120 per person) that winds through the Blackstone Valley and historic Blackstone Canal. The trip includes a mid-ride picnic. If you’re looking for a full day of riding, the stable also runs a Cape tour (beginning at $175 per person), where riders mount their horses at Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable and wind their way across six miles of sandy dunes. Riders also may opt to feast on a post-ride New England Shore Dinner for an additional charge.
At the Pine Fall Riding Club in Lunenberg, Massachusetts, parents can give horse-loving children up to age 10 and those between the ages of 11 and 18 an outlet for their equine obsessions. Pine Fall’s barn club meets twice a month, offering clinics, demonstrations, and hands on interaction with the horses. Visit www.pinefallfarm.com for details on the barn club.
Horses are intelligent and loyal animals that generally have a friendly disposition and can sense dangers unknown to their riders. It’s no wonder that horses are on the wish lists of many. Fortunately, many of the facilities in the local area also offer boarding services. So, if you’re in the market to buy a horse of your very own (the cost can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars depending on the horse’s age, size and pedigree up to thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars), you’ll have many options to explore when deciding where to house your new pet. Boarding costs on average run from $400 to $600 per month and up, making an occasional ride on a stable-owned horse an affordable, enjoyable and more reasonable option for most.
Whether you’re a riding veteran or an equestrian newbie, a helmet is a must for all who mount a horse. Troxel, a leading provider of equestrian helmets for competitive, schooling and recreational riding, offers many color and fabric options for men, women and children. If you don’t have your own helmet, call the facility you’re planning on visiting to make sure they can provide you with an “ASTM-approved” one.
If you’re going for the full-on riding look, don a polo shirt paired with classic riding boots or paddock boots and riding breeches, baggy jodhpurs or riding jeans—popular brands include Tailored Sportsman, Pikeur, Kerrits and Tuff Rider. Also, check out Massachusetts-based riding gear purveyors Dover Saddlery, Inc., of Wellesley, which also sells classic equestrian gear like helmets, breeches and boots online (www.doversaddlery.com), and The Equestrian Shop in North Andover. If you don’t have classic riding boots to sport, aim for wearing comfortable shoes with some form of a stable heel (like cowboy boots), as this will help with stability in the stirrups as you’re mounting and dismounting the horse. Sandals and dress shoes are not recommended.
Horseback riding isn’t just a fun way to get around. It can also be therapeutic. Equine-assisted and adaptive-riding activities are often used to help build riders’ self esteem and have proven beneficial for adults and children who present a variety of emotional, physical and cognitive conditions.
According to the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, a non-profit established to promote safe and effective therapeutic horseback riding throughout the United States and Canada, there are a number of local facilities that specialize in providing riding services to at-risk youth and individuals with ADD or other hyperactivity disorders, autism, learning disabilities, speech impairments and other conditions.
In Lancaster, Massachusetts, Perkins, a special education facility, offers up 30 acres of farm land that abuts lush hay field, a winding river and trails. Its Rein in a Dream program focuses on providing a natural setting where riding students can connect with the animals in a holistic way. Perkins also has an indoor riding arena for yearlong instruction.
Equine Partners, another therapeutic riding center located in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, offers 45-minute riding lessons and 50-minute equine-assisted psychotherapy/learning sessions.
At Flying Hill Farms, Inc. in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, clinical staffers use horseback riding to help build riders’ self esteem and foster their emotional healing and growth.
There are other Massachusetts-based therapeutic horseback riding programs as well, such as ForgeWorks Farm in Rutland, and the Bina Farm, which has facilities at the Dana Hall School in Wellesley and at a private farm in Sherborn.
Tack is the equipment used to get a horse ready to ride (unless you’re going bareback). When “tacking up” a horse for a ride, common pieces you may encounter include a saddle blanket, a saddle, a bridle, which are the leather straps used to control the horse, the girth, which holds the saddle on the horse’s back, and stirrups, which assist with mounting and dismounting.
By Laura Starczewski
