Places to trail ride AND jump in Southern New England? Need ideas...

[LookinSouth]

Hi All,

Looking for ideas for places in CT, MA and RI to trail ride with some natural jumps along the way. I know this is a tall order but myself and a few friends are hoping to haul out to some places where we can trail ride and jump to prepare a green to foxhunting/hunter pacing horse to riding and jumping in a group. We are fortunate to be at a facility where we have quite a few XC jumps and trails to use but we would like to go off property too if we can find some places to do it as some horses are different away from home. I think there are some state forests in MA that have XC jumps on the trails but which ones they are escape me at the time.

Any leads would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

[Ray]

the thing you might do is to contact Hunts in these areas and ask about their fixtures that have jumps, and be prepared to offer to help with some trail maintenance etc

[Bogie]

Great Brook Farm in Carlisle has a lot of xc jumps.

If you are willing to drive North of Boston, Bradley Palmer also has many jumps.

There are a few jumps at the Delaney Multi-sport Complex in Stow.

Otherwise, Ray is right – the hunts know where the jumps are and some of the territory is not public.

[Judysmom]

Bradley Palmer: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-north/bradley-palmer-state-park.html

Lockwood Forest: http://www.btabolt.org/trailmaps.html

Both are north of Boston

[SharonA]

Maybe look into the trail system in Dover and Sherborn, in Massachusetts.

[LookinSouth]

Thanks for some leads! Bradley palmer was the state park i was thinking ofthat i could not recall the name.Unfortunately most of the places are quite a haul from us but we might do a day trip this summer. Would you say great brook is worth a 2 hr haul?

We would be happy to help with trail maintenance if any of the MA hunt fixutres were reasonably close and we could cap a few times this season but they are quite far. The hunt we do cap with in CT uses our barn as a fixture and i believe it is one of the fixtures with the most jumps so we are limited on places to go to ride and jump in a group off property. There are always hunter paces but most don’t pick up until the fall.

[Bogie]

Great Brook is very nice and I enjoy the jumps. Old North Bridge holds its hunter paces there.

Are you talking two hours round trip or two hours each way? Four hours total – I don’t know much that is worth it.

You should also look into Apple Knoll Farm in Millis. They have a very, very nice XC course and you can pay to school there. They also hold hunter paces there. The last time I went to one all the jumps were open and we had a blast.

Other options like that would be Scarlett Hill (Groton) and Orchard Hill Equestrian Center (Berlin). I believe the schooling fee for Orchard Hill is $30.

Orchard Hill is right off of 495 so it might be an easier drive for you than coming up to Carlisle.

[LookinSouth]

Are you talking two hours round trip or two hours each way? Four hours total – I don’t know much that is worth it.

2 hrs each way, so yes, a significant amount of travel :(.

You should also look into Apple Knoll Farm in Millis. They have a very, very nice XC course and you can pay to school there.
Other options like that would be Scarlett Hill (Groton) and Orchard Hill Equestrian Center (Berlin). I believe the schooling fee for Orchard Hill is $30.

Orchard Hill is right off of 495 so it might be an easier drive for you than coming up to Carlisle.

[/QUOTE]
I will look into these options. I know some XC schooling places require you to take a lesson and we really just want to do a relaxed hack out with some jumps along the way someplace other than home.

[Martha_Drum]

I believe Noanet Woodlands and/or Hale Reservation in Dover, MA are open to the public, to horses, and have jumps, but it has been a few years since I lived up there. Google search would find them.

The Barber Reservation in Sherborn, MA had a handful of friendly jumps, and it is a beautiful special place, but probably too small if you are hauling from CT.

Be sure to get to the Norfolk Hunter Pace in Westport, MA or South Dartmouth, MA, if they do them this fall. Beautiful seaside country.

[Bogie]

[QUOTE=Martha Drum;7073966]
I believe Noanet Woodlands and/or Hale Reservation in Dover, MA are open to the public, to horses, and have jumps, but it has been a few years since I lived up there. Google search would find them.

The Barber Reservation in Sherborn, MA had a handful of friendly jumps, and it is a beautiful special place, but probably too small if you are hauling from CT.

Be sure to get to the Norfolk Hunter Pace in Westport, MA or South Dartmouth, MA, if they do them this fall. Beautiful seaside country.[/QUOTE]

I don’t remember the jumps at the Hale reservation but I’ve only ridden there a couple of times.

Barber is beautiful but really has only a few jumps. However, your post reminded me that Coursebrook farm allows schooling at their XC course. They have put a ton of money into it and it’s very nice now. You can easily hack to Barber from CBF so you could visit both at the same time (it’s less than 10 minutes).

[Hinderella]

Audubon in Glastonbury, CT on Main Street has always had a short trail course with some jumps. No space for galloping, but there’s a water crossing, some small (18"-2’) jumps set on uphills and downhills, a mini bank and some open field jumps.
I’ve heard that the trail has suffered some in the last couple of years (hurricane, Halloween snow storm) but I haven’t been there myself.
PM me if you’re coming up, maybe I can meet you there. If I get time this weekend I’ll go walk the trail on foot and see what it looks like.

[LookinSouth]

[QUOTE=Hinderella;7074451]
Audubon in Glastonbury, CT on Main Street has always had a short trail course with some jumps. No space for galloping, but there’s a water crossing, some small (18"-2’) jumps set on uphills and downhills, a mini bank and some open field jumps.
I’ve heard that the trail has suffered some in the last couple of years (hurricane, Halloween snow storm) but I haven’t been there myself.
PM me if you’re coming up, maybe I can meet you there. If I get time this weekend I’ll go walk the trail on foot and see what it looks like.[/QUOTE]

Earl Park (audobon society) is within reasonable hauling distance from me and I have ridden there in the past. Several years ago there was enough jumps to make it worth going but I hiked there last summer to inspect the situation and nearly 100% of the jumps are crumbling and not in good repair at all. They are also completely overgrown with weeds :(. Sadly, it is not worth going there, if it was it would be a nice option because it is free and close by.