Barns near Chicago?

October 4, 2005 1:33 PM

AskMe riders, saddle up! I'm looking for a good place to go horseback riding in Chicago.

This may be a bit a of a longshot here... I recently relocated to Chicago from the Washington DC area and I'm looking for a good place to go horseback riding. I don't know anyone who rides out here and the internet has proved less than helpful so far. I'm an adult intermediate huntseat (english) rider and I live in the city proper. I'd like not to drive further than 20 miles or so or pay more than $40 for a group lesson, but I'm flexible.

posted by fancypants to sports, hobbies, & recreation (9 comments total)

I don't know anything about Chicago or horse riding, but this site looks like it could be useful.
posted by Lotto at 2:48 PM on October 4, 2005

I'd love to find a place matching your qualifications, too, but I think it's pretty hard. Riding places that I know of are in the burbs, and I think mostly outside of your 20-mile range. I did just find a place that does trail rides, and I think also lessons, but I don't have specifics yet - I'll see what I can find out and get back to you. And there's a place in Wheaton, I believe...again, I'll have to get back to you.
posted by bibbit at 2:59 PM on October 4, 2005

Thanks bibbit. I'm flexible on the 20 miles thing -- when I lived in DC I was driving nearly 50 to ride.
posted by fancypants at 3:29 PM on October 4, 2005

North Shore is where you'll find many.
posted by o0o0o at 3:50 PM on October 4, 2005

Horses sometimes get in my way (and there is often horse crap for me to jump!) when I'm mountain biking in Palos, Illinois and there are some stables around there. Here's the site for one operation in that area. If they can't help you, maybe they know who can.

http://www.newtraditionsridingacademy.com/

Happy riding!
posted by ArcAm at 4:19 PM on October 4, 2005

Cook County Forest Preserve trails, though you need a special permit and you rent from private stables. Similar facilities exist in Lake County.
posted by dhartung at 4:38 PM on October 4, 2005

The Harms Woods Stables in Skokie (I think) are probably one of the closer places you can rent horses to take to the forest preserve.

Welcome to Chicago! I just moved back to Chicago about a year ago after being in DC for three years. You'll love it here.
posted by awegz at 4:41 PM on October 4, 2005

Harms is open still? I thought they burned to the ground years ago.

I hope they are better these days, but when I was growing up (70s/80s) their treatment of animals was a little distubing, even to my not yet PETAized mind.
posted by FlamingBore at 4:58 PM on October 4, 2005

I thought is was still open, but I could be wrong. That's the one at Golf and Harms, right? My sister took lessons there abouty six years ago -- but I never went so I don't really know much about it other than that it's close to the city.
posted by awegz at 5:09 PM on October 4, 2005