H/J Trainers Near NYC

[acjumpers]

Hi all -

I am moving to NYC (Manhattan) and looking for a serious H/J trainer close to the city. Ideally, it would be a 30-45 minute drive. For the right program, I’d drive an hour.

Currently showing on the A/AA circuit in the high jr/aos. I’m looking to continue on that circuit in the tri-state area.

Important things to me are horsemanship, great care + sizable indoor arena. I most likely will not travel to FL in winter as I have a full time job in NYC!

I’ve done quite a bit of research, but still feel like I’m missing out on some top barns. Would very much appreciate any suggestions or advice! Thank you.

[PoochPaddock]

@acjumpers

Hi all -

I am moving to NYC (Manhattan) and looking for a serious H/J trainer close to the city. Ideally, it would be a 30-45 minute drive. For the right program, I’d drive an hour.

Currently showing on the A/AA circuit in the high jr/aos. I’m looking to continue on that circuit in the tri-state area.

Important things to me are horsemanship, great care + sizable indoor arena. I most likely will not travel to FL in winter as I have a full time job in NYC!

I’ve done quite a bit of research, but still feel like I’m missing out on some top barns. Would very much appreciate any suggestions or advice! Thank you.

If you’re living in Manhattan and have only up to an hour drive to budget, it might be helpful to note WHERE in Manhattan you’re going to be commuting from. Barns in Westchester or Long Island will be more accessible from the east side of Manhattan but barns in NJ will be more quickly reached if you’re going to live on the west side. Crossing town at any time of the day will add at least 30 mins to your commute (on a good day) just to get out of the city.

[MHM]

It’s an easy commute by car or train to Ox Ridge in Darien, Connecticut. They just completed a huge renovation on the property, including a giant new indoor ring. Timmy Kees is there now, I believe.

And welcome to the BB!

[L00kAtMeN0w]

If you’re on the west side of the city, there are several options around an hour away in the Califon/Bedminster area. Depending on your commute to work, it might be easier to live in Hoboken, just across the river and a super fun little city.

Either way, this thread is a bit dated, but most of these trainers are still in the same area or even at the same arm:
https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/hunter-jumper/138816-barns-in-nj-area

[173north]

Do you know where in the city you will be living? It really does make a huge difference in terms of your commute to the barn - I know quite a few people who have moved to the west side to be closer to the barn in NJ!

I recommend Ithilien Stables in White House, NJ. 40 miles from the city with many clients who live in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. Intimate program, impeccable horse care, we stay in NJ for the winter.

Other ideas in that area of NJ: Redfield is a bigger program (and very slightly farther out from the city). Nona Garson at the Ridge, though she is in FL for the winter. I really like Michael & Michael at Windham Hill. Palermo is also an idea, I was just there to school on their derby field and it’s a nice facility.

Most if not all of the bigger programs will decamp to FL for the winter, so be sure you are investigating and a fan of who stays home during that period.

If you are considering that area, feel free to PM me.

[AliCat]

@173north

Do you know where in the city you will be living? It really does make a huge difference in terms of your commute to the barn - I know quite a few people who have moved to the west side to be closer to the barn in NJ!

I recommend Ithilien Stables in White House, NJ. 40 miles from the city with many clients who live in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. Intimate program, impeccable horse care, we stay in NJ for the winter.

Other ideas in that area of NJ: Redfield is a bigger program (and very slightly farther out from the city). Nona Garson at the Ridge, though she is in FL for the winter. I really like Michael & Michael at Windham Hill. Palermo is also an idea, I was just there to school on their derby field and it’s a nice facility.

Most if not all of the bigger programs will decamp to FL for the winter, so be sure you are investigating and a fan of who stays home during that period.

If you are considering that area, feel free to PM me.

Nona has an excellent trainer who stays home over the winter.

[acjumpers]

I will be living on East side near Murray Hill!

[joiedevie99]

That’s not a great spot for commuting to horses, but I’m sure you’ll find something that will work.

You can make Bedford, NY in approximately 1 hour, so anything south of there should work. In Bedford itself, Peter Leone (Lionshare Farm) and Jimmy Fairclough (Bexley Farm) are on the Sunnyfield property.

Mark Leone’s Ri-Arm Farm in NJ is probably also approximately 1 hour drive from Murray Hill.

[BAC]

@joiedevie99

That’s not a great spot for commuting to horses, but I’m sure you’ll find something that will work.

You can make Bedford, NY in approximately 1 hour, so anything south of there should work. In Bedford itself, Peter Leone (Lionshare Farm) and Jimmy Fairclough (Bexley Farm) are on the Sunnyfield property.

Mark Leone’s Ri-Arm Farm in NJ is probably also approximately 1 hour drive from Murray Hill.

Bedford is also accessible by Metro North, and isn’t Judy Richter’s Coker Farm also in Bedford? Although I don’t know who the trainer is there now. And what about Old Salem Farm?

[joiedevie99]

@BAC

Bedford is also accessible by Metro North, and isn’t Judy Richter’s Coker Farm also in Bedford? Although I don’t know who the trainer is there now. And what about Old Salem Farm?

Old Salem is great, but another 20+ minutes past Bedford in North Salem. There are quite a few options if the OP will go that far.

Coker is in Bedford (although a bit farther from the highway). I know there is a lesson type place in one of the barns - but I have no idea who else is there now.

[BAC]

@joiedevie99

Old Salem is great, but another 20+ minutes past Bedford in North Salem. There are quite a few options if the OP will go that far.

Coker is in Bedford (although a bit farther from the highway). I know there is a lesson type place in one of the barns - but I have no idea who else is there now.

Thanks, I knew OSF was in the general neighborhood but wasn’t sure quite how far away, I haven’t been in the Westchester area for quite a long while. That would be quite a hike for the OP.

[nutmeg]

Davenport is currently stationed at Coker, with trainers Peter Lutz and Mary Manfredi.

[MHM]

@nutmeg

Davenport is currently stationed at Coker, with trainers Peter Lutz and Mary Manfredi.

Man, if the walls at Coker could talk! There have been so many good trainers there over the years.

[Janet]

Anyone else remember when Coker was Running Fox Farm, owned by “Uncle” Harry Gibson?

[MHM]

@Janet

Anyone else remember when Coker was Running Fox Farm, owned by “Uncle” Harry Gibson?

No, but I was just talking to somebody over the weekend about when it changed hands. I had always thought that Judy or her family had owned it forever.

[Janet]

The Gibsons moved to Colorado in the very late 1960s or early 70s. They raised race horses, and Harry Gibson was MFH of the Goldens Bridge Hounds.I do not know if they sold it directly to the Richters, or whether someone else had it in between. I still remember marble feed tubs. He had a seemingly unending stream of stepdaughters, many of whom my mother taught.

At one point in the late 60s, the Icelandic government had a herd of Icelandic horses there (talk about a contrast with the race horses and hunt horses!) and the GBH Pony Club was charged with creating a “musical ride” with them. THAT was interesting.

[RW06]

If you’re in Murray Hill, you might be better off looking on Long Island (not that the Midtown Tunnel is pleasant)… or at least, you’re a quicker drive up the FDR to the bridges that would get you out there. Lisa Rex is always a good option (think she’s at Nassau Equestrian Center?). You also have Brooke Chasin and Brian Quinn at North Shore Equestrian Center (assuming they’re still there). It’s a nice-ish property with a big indoor, turnout leaves something to be desired. Generally, I’ve found much better turnout in NJ and Westchester/Fairfield than LI if that’s important to you.

ETA: Michael Zukerman is also a really good option, does a lot of high end shows and based out of Old Westbury.

[zakattack]

@RW06

If you’re in Murray Hill, you might be better off looking on Long Island (not that the Midtown Tunnel is pleasant)… or at least, you’re a quicker drive up the FDR to the bridges that would get you out there.

The traffic into Long Island can be so horrendous, even just from Queens it can take eons to get out there. I think NJ or somewhere juuust upstate is the best bet for someone living in Manhattan. If you time it right for when you go the traffic’s not that bad. I rode at Redfield in Califon and loved it, fwiw!

[Sheri]

LIE is not for you. I was on NorthEast circuit, Bedford sounds right, but you will need a ride from station to barns. I have my “Shoeing” box from Cocker when I worked there.

[ktcharen7]

Check out Bergen Equestrian Center. It’s very close by, just over the George Washington Bridge. I’ve been riding with Hunters Landing and really enjoy it, although most of their clients are juniors with a few adults sprinkled in. It seems like about half their clients head to Florida for the Winter and an even higher number head out for the Northeast/Hamptons circuit in the Summer, but their trainers that stay at the farm are great. They are 100% Hunters. If you want a Hunter/Eq/Jumper hybrid situation, there are two trainers at Bergen who make great riders with really good eq. The first is Penny Kinnally with Misfit Farm and the other is Lisa Campi with Renaissance Show Stables. I think Lisa might do more on the show circuit than Penny but I’m not closely familiar with their programs. As a whole, Bergen is an awesome facility and I think they take great care of both the horses and the grounds. Hunters Landing, Misfit and Renaissance all have beautiful horses. The property has a sizable indoor. During the winter it can be a bit crowded. There are 2 jumping rings outside for the non-snowy months as well as an outdoor dressage arena.