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Speak to me of Chicago

Most of the topics seemed older, so forgive me for making my own.

I am potentially moving to the Chicago area next summer (2022). I will probably be living within commuting distance of UChicago’s campus on a grad student budget.

How difficult will it be to ride? Where are barns typically located outside the city (are they on the opposite side from the university)? How far do you typically have to travel outside of the city to get to horse areas? What sort of riding styles are common?

I’ve been fortunate enough to find free riding opportunities over the past couple of years – once in Boston (through COTH) and now in Pittsburgh (through FB, though that took me a year to find). I’ll get on anything, so I’m hoping once I move I can find a similar setup or a cheaper partial lease, since lessons can be costly. I’m not expecting much or to find something right away.

Does anyone have good recommendations for Facebook groups I could watch/post in as the time gets closer?

Thank you!

Facebook groups: Northern Illinois Horses and “Northern” Illinois Horses Unfortunately people will always suggest barns in the wrong direction/over an hour away, but with luck a few will have appropriate ideas.

I’m not familiar with the south/southwest suburbs but I have heard of Kopping’s Farm as a recommendation a number of times. It looks to be 36 min from U of Chicago. Sarah’s Trail Rides is in the same area, I rode there once with friends probably 10 years ago (it was fine, no vivid memories.)

There are barns in all directions from the city, NW Indiana may have some that are closer than ones I could recommend in the northwest suburbs. I’d say H/J is most common but at least the trail riding places are western. There are certainly dressage barns by me, but in that area I don’t know.

There are a couple places to ride within an hour of U of C, but they are small up n down barns that really only absolute beginners or children would find helpful. I know a lady who teaches at U of C and she has her horse near Crete, IL at decent English discipline barn. It’s about 50 min away IF there is no traffic. If COVID ever goes away, you can certainly increase that travel time by 50% or more unless you can travel at odd times that aren’t around the hours-long am and pm rush hour. There’s not much within an hour of the city, real estate is too expensive.

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Speak to you of Chicago? It’s frigid cold, the winters last fooorrreeevvver, and it’s bloody difficult + expensive to ride. But other than that it’s an absolutely fabulous city.

This campus is on the south side of the city, correct? Indiana can be a good solution (just like Wisconsin is for the north-siders). Otherwise, I’d recommend looking around the Orland Park & Tinley Park areas to the south, and from Naperville out to Sugar Grove to the west. The closer to the city the more expensive it will be. Sugar Grove is a good hour, Naperville a good 45/50 minutes (and major $$$ but some good HJ stables). I was never able to find a place that was (reliably) less than an hour commute (north side though). Eventually I gave up and became a city rat for a few years, which is its own great experience. And then I moved to Kentucky :slight_smile:

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Commuting distance: as in, public transportation? Or with your car? Would you be willing to live farther from campus if it meant splitting the distance between horses and school?

I grew up on the north side and rode at the barns in Morton Grove, Glen Grove and Freedom Woods - about a 30 minute drive from the Rogers Park neighborhood. They had everything from up-down lessons to full training board and showing.

There are a decent amount of barns in the suburbs, about 45min outside of the city. You’ll find a lot of H/J barns, some dressage, a few saddleseat, some up-down/lesson/trail barns. With traffic, you should double your commute. If it’s not snarled from the volume of cars, it will be snarled because of weather and construction.

Back to add that I don’t know where the good places to live are around U of C. From 30 years ago I remember my mother talking as if the area around there wasn’t all that safe. If you have to live 20+ min from the U, then that cuts down on the time to get to a barn in that direction.