Places to take the boyfriend riding. Any ideas?

[ThunderstruckEV]

I posted this in the Off Course section too but wasn’t getting any responses…

So the boyfriend says he wants to go riding with me! Yay!!! However I ride and keep my horse at a barn where there aren’t exactly any school horses that I can “borrow” for him. I’d love to take him out with me on my horse and him on a horse that is bomb proof but that just isn’t gonna happen where I’m at now.

So I thought I’d see if anyone on here knew of any places where you can go and rent a few horses for the day and go trail riding through the mountains or parks etc… I live in Maryland but we can travel to VA or PA if we need to. I’m trying to avoid those places where they put you on the really crappy horses and make you go out in large groups and only let you walk. If anyone has any recommendations of a place where we could possibly go out on our own please pass it my way!!

[Janet]

Hunters Rest (posts here) is very well recommended for that sort of thing.

Northern Virginia.

[jazzrider]

I’m not sure you’ll find any place that will let you take one of their horses, with one of yours, and not have a guide or be in a group. Liability, risk, yadda, yadda, yadda. Maybe you could borrow a friend’s horse?

Aside from Hunter’s Rest, Marriot Ranch in Hume, VA has some beautiful land to ride with their horses, as does Sky Meadow State Park in Paris, VA. There’s also Fort Valley Stables near Edinburg, VA. George’s Mill B&B in Lovettsville also used to do trail rides – though I’m not sure they do anymore.

I think you might have the best chance of riding alone with a guide and possibly bringing in your horse at Sky Meadows during the week – but you would have to call. It’s not far from Middleburg – so if you both rode their horses you could lunch over there.

[LexInVA]

AFAIK, there are no trail riding places that will really allow you to just go flitting about their property unsupervised and I don’t know many who would allow you to bring your own horse without jumping through some hoops if they didn’t know you.

[Apollos]

My cousin went to Misty Manor and was able to arrange a private trail ride for just him and his friends. It was a couple of years ago but worth a phone call to see.

http://www.mistymanor.com/trail-rides.html

This one is not too far from me. Says you can bring your own horse.

http://www.horserentals.com/riverbottom.html

[wateryglen]

Try Graves!

Graves Mountain Lodge in Syria, Va. The best! There a hack rental there run by another company. Don’t have current info on them. This place has varied kinds of accomodations and the best food in the world served family style all you can eat 3 times a day!!

[VAHorseGurl]

Have you checked out Secret Passage Ranch in Fort Valley?

They are just on the other side of Front Royal, off Rt 55(Strausburg Rd) at the base of the George Washington National Forest.

I board there and have been pretty happy with it so far. My non-riding husband is taking lessons there as well.

Tell em Pete sent ya and they’ll know. :winkgrin:

~Kerri & Pete

[Liberty]

[QUOTE=jazzrider;3453028]
I think you might have the best chance of riding alone with a guide and possibly bringing in your horse at Sky Meadows during the week – but you would have to call. It’s not far from Middleburg – so if you both rode their horses you could lunch over there. :)[/QUOTE]

If I’m not mistaken, there is no longer a rental horse concession at Sky Meadows. I believe the last one who set up shop there closed down at least a year ago, but I haven’t been by there in a while. Have you seen one there recently?

[VAHorseGurl]

[QUOTE=jazzrider;3453028]
There’s also Fort Valley Stables near Edinburg, VA.[/QUOTE]

They just sold, so contact them first before making the trip.

Secret Passage Ranch is just before them on Rt 55 and Don will allow you to bring your own horse, BUT will require a guide. You don’t have to go in a large group if you choose not too.

And Don has access to the Old Dominion 100 mile Endurance Trail from his place. It’s a nice 4 hour ride from the Ranch to Elizabeth Furnance over the Enduro trail.

He also offers a 4 to 5 hour ride using a portion of that same trail to get to the lake or swimming hole on the top of the mountain.

~Kerri & Pete

[jazzrider]

[QUOTE=Liberty;3458804]
If I’m not mistaken, there is no longer a rental horse concession at Sky Meadows. I believe the last one who set up shop there closed down at least a year ago, but I haven’t been by there in a while. Have you seen one there recently?[/QUOTE]

I haven’t noticed, to be honest. That’s a shame, if it’s the case. :no:

@VAHorseGurl;3458853

They just sold, so contact them first before making the trip.

Really? Wow, I thought they were happy there. We used to have a rent a cabin on Hickory Lane, and Sandy and Rick were always great about us keeping our horses there…I hope they’ve moved onto good things!

[Simbalism]

I recently read about a place called Bull Pasture Mountain ranch, they have a web site. They are in the mountains of Va just west of I81 and a little north of where I64 intersects with 81(from their directions). You can bring your own horse and they have rental horses, but it sounds like they require you to ride with a guide.

[linquest]

One of the reasons why MD barns generally won’t let you go out on your own is because is there is no equine activity liability law in MD as other states have.

http://www.bullpasturemountainranch.com
Looks like they charge you $100/day even if you bring your own horse, cuz the guide is mandatory.

Here are some more links in VA you can check out-
http://www.rentalhorses.com/virginia.html

[Shadowsrider]

North Mountain Outfitters in Virginia is very good. It’s guided, but they will take out private parties for the day on easy or hard trails, for whatever amount of time you like. Even overnight rides.

http://www.northmtnoutfitter.com/welcome.html