I decided to do a little research. What is western New York doing to get their communities into riding or at least make people aware that it’s available? It’s beautiful here with the lakes and the abundance of open land so where is everyone going to get on a horse?

I knew coming into my first year at Fredonia that there wasn’t an equestrian team. I really wasn’t looking for one, I was looking for something different. Truthfully as some of you already know, I was just looking for a rest from competitive riding and just enjoy four relaxing years growing with my girl and having fun. At activities night on campus there are so many groups and clubs and I’ll admit I’m in a few of them but being on some sort of riding team would have been a great way to broaden my horse experience with college friends.

Recently I found out that Fredonia State has a horseback riding club! A friend of mine, former member of the equestrian team at Geneseo, went and came out unsure if some of the eboard members even knew basic language about horses let alone teaching someone how to ride. Shucks. Though disappointing, the horseback riding club may just need some time to get their act together so let’s take a peek at the other outlets this area has to offer for college students and those in our communities.

Double Dab and R&R Dude Ranch seem to be the two most popular sites when Googling, “horseback riding in western New York.” I’ve never been to either of these ranches but judging by the college relationship shared with Double Dab, they seem to be the most “tourist” driven farms. By tourist I mean anyone could probably go to these farms and get on a horse with or without experience and enjoy a scenic trail ride led by a professional (very cliche but so fun if you’re a beginner).

Check it out for yourself college students, my friend Rachel did.

http://www.doubledab.net/

Rachel Kwilos riding Millionaire

The warm weather is ahead of us so no matter where you live, try to get back in the saddle this spring. It’s rejuvenating, it’s a perfect date, it’s a nice way to get some fresh air when we are finally graced with some sunshine. Here are some links to places I have found around the area. If you’ve had a great experience somewhere and want to share, please leave a comment with the name and website link!

http://www.recreationranch.com/– bed and breakfast/trail riding

http://www.thecrosspatch.com/– trail riding

http://www.wolcottfarms.com/welcome/– carriage rides and instructional trail riding for beginners or experienced

http://starlightfallsranch.com/id2.html– lessons, a thorough knowledge of your horse/riding on and off the ground

http://www.nashhillequestriancenter.com/– perfect for therapeutic riding and those looking for a hands on learning experience