Wilmington, DE - where do you ride?

[drewsmith]

I live in Wilmington DE (North off I95) Marsh Road Exit all my life 50YO. Commuted to Philly for 25 years.

My daughter rides and has been in most of the barns that have been mentioned in these posts over the last nine years.

Vicmead is a serious Jumper type barn and boarding is over $700.00. If you want to show rated and have a very nice horse this is where you go. Structured, serious, intense training. Nice horses, Centreville DE off Rt52 15mins from the office.

Wellspring: KC manager, Philly Pike eventer/dressage Part of a state park lots of nice trails a huge outdoor. Barn is very run down and spendy for what it offers $500-$600 Board (if they have it available). <5mins from office

Gateway. Kennett Square off old Kennett Road. Nice location -backroads will take 20 mins from office and it is an easy drive. Adjacent trails, outdoor and something they call an indoor but most would not use it. Small metal barn with stables on the inside and outside (25 foot wide). Busy and some very nice instructors and people that work there. Not saying anything about management. No pasture board, but stalls are $550+. The location is what drives the cost not the quality of the place.

I could go up into Unionville/Chadsford but it really starts to get expensive and running out of time. Any further you have to use RT 202 or the blue route and traffic at rush hour is a nightmare. Literally, you can get stuck for two hours.

Check some of the private barns on Craigslist. Some very nice places up there.

Don’t rule out southbound. Traffic and prices just keep getting better in this direction. Going north you are just running into higher and higher demographics $$$$. Try Bohemia Creek Stables in just over the line in MD. Basically it is Middletown. I-95 South to 896 or Route 1 south to Rt 299. You can get there in 35 mins. Amazing huge new indoor, great outdoor, quality care and boarding is very reasonable. Very pretty place with cool people that are as drama free as you will find. If they don’t have a website, try facebook. Eileen is the person to talk to.

[awaywego]

[QUOTE=drewsmith;7776709]
I live in Wilmington DE (North off I95) Marsh Road Exit all my life 50YO. Commuted to Philly for 25 years.

My daughter rides and has been in most of the barns that have been mentioned in these posts over the last nine years.

Vicmead is a serious Jumper type barn and boarding is over $700.00. If you want to show rated and have a very nice horse this is where you go. Structured, serious, intense training. Nice horses, Centreville DE off Rt52 15mins from the office.

Wellspring: KC manager, Philly Pike eventer/dressage Part of a state park lots of nice trails a huge outdoor. Barn is very run down and spendy for what it offers $500-$600 Board (if they have it available). <5mins from office

Gateway. Kennett Square off old Kennett Road. Nice location -backroads will take 20 mins from office and it is an easy drive. Adjacent trails, outdoor and something they call an indoor but most would not use it. Small metal barn with stables on the inside and outside (25 foot wide). Busy and some very nice instructors and people that work there. Not saying anything about management. No pasture board, but stalls are $550+. The location is what drives the cost not the quality of the place.

I could go up into Unionville/Chadsford but it really starts to get expensive and running out of time. Any further you have to use RT 202 or the blue route and traffic at rush hour is a nightmare. Literally, you can get stuck for two hours.

Check some of the private barns on Craigslist. Some very nice places up there.

Don’t rule out southbound. Traffic and prices just keep getting better in this direction. Going north you are just running into higher and higher demographics $$$$. Try Bohemia Creek Stables in just over the line in MD. Basically it is Middletown. I-95 South to 896 or Route 1 south to Rt 299. You can get there in 35 mins. Amazing huge new indoor, great outdoor, quality care and boarding is very reasonable. Very pretty place with cool people that are as drama free as you will find. If they don’t have a website, try facebook. Eileen is the person to talk to.[/QUOTE]

Thanks drewsmith! Sounds like you know the area super well! Your summary of Wellspring seems in line with my experience. I kind of think of Gateway as a lesson barn type place? So that probably also sounds about right. I would guess that Vicmead might be a good place to ride, but like Derbydown, the shows they’re going to would be out of my budget (and frankly, interest at this point).

North of course is between home and work, so that’s why I was figuring that would be the best. But if the job seems really great, maybe a move to Wilmington wouldn’t be so bad - which would open up more places to the south - gotta say, the idea of making more $ AND spending less in board sounds pretty amazing! Bohemia looks really nice - I know that area a very little bit - seems very horsey. Love the x-country riding there!

[Pandora]

[QUOTE=awaywego;7777025]

North of course is between home and work, so that’s why I was figuring that would be the best. But if the job seems really great, maybe a move to Wilmington wouldn’t be so bad - which would open up more places to the south - gotta say, the idea of making more $ AND spending less in board sounds pretty amazing! Bohemia looks really nice - I know that area a very little bit - seems very horsey. Love the x-country riding there![/QUOTE]

Keep in mind income tax is higher in De then Pa and the actual city of Wilmington was voted one of the most dangerous cities in the US. If you plan on moving, I’d look at towns in Pa close to the De boarder.

[Zuri]

I board at Vicmead and could not be happier. The turnout and care is phenomenal. Laurie Jakubauskas is an excellent trainer and instructor. There is an indoor for inclement weather and trails on the property. Laurie does both hunters and jumpers. She rode with George Morris as she was scouted as an up and coming rider years ago. She has trained my horses and both daughters for years.

The board is $1025.00 for the main barn and $975 in the smaller barn and that includes two riding lessons with LRJ. The barn is located in Greenville, DE which is one of the nicest areas in the state. It is off of Route 52 near the PA state line. We go to A rated hunter and jumper shows and also local Chester County shows. Her rates are fair and reasonable. She also has held clinics with pro riders.

If your horse has a health issue, she is a wealth of knowledge. Her staff are truly some of the nicest, most caring individuals on the planet. The boarders are very nice and there is little drama.

Derbydown is lovely. It is about twice as expensive as Vicmead and the assistant trainers do a lot of the instruction. Louise goes to Wellington from November to April and takes most of her clientele and horses with her. Louise is an excellent horse trainer and her boarders want for nothing. Most of the grooming and tacking up is done for you.

Ellen McGregor is at Crebilly on 926 in PA and is a wonderful young trainer. The property is to die for and Ellen is an excellent rider. She does local and rated shows. In the winter, she moves her barn over to Derbydown while Louise is in FL so they can use the indoor. Care is excellent as well. She has a lot of kids and young adults too and is really good with them.

I live here and would be happy to help you if you would like to PM me. Welcome to DE!

[awaywego]

Wow, the board prices in Delaware are so much more reasonable than in PA!

I did see the thing about Wilmington being dangerous, which definitely has concerned me. I am assuming as long as I stayed in the right area (as far as I know that leaves Trolley Square), then I would be insulated from that. But it definitely is a concern - it’s among the reasons I live in the burbs now and no longer in Philadelphia.

At this point, I am almost hoping I get a terrible offer and my decision is just made for me.

[jcraig10]

I used to work in that business park. I can’t give you any board recs but I do reccommend that you take advantage of the state park right there on your lunch breaks. There is a gravel oval track to walk/run on and some paved trails around. I miss working there for that reason alone! I worked in the 400 building and you can walk right into the park from the back parking lot.

Good luck!

[SportArab]

You could always come over the bridge and check out south Jersey…

[tabula_rashah]

There really isn’t a “right area” of Wilmington- as far as staying safe. One of my brothers has been mugged there more than once in broad daylight in the good area. Another brother has a house in a fairly affluent neighborhood there- all kinds of crime day and night. Not to scare you, but just beware.
As far as barns, how far do you consider is too far? There are several nice places right around Fair Hill in MD and PA.

[awaywego]

[QUOTE=tabula rashah;7778398]
There really isn’t a “right area” of Wilmington- as far as staying safe. One of my brothers has been mugged there more than once in broad daylight in the good area. Another brother has a house in a fairly affluent neighborhood there- all kinds of crime day and night. Not to scare you, but just beware.
As far as barns, how far do you consider is too far? There are several nice places right around Fair Hill in MD and PA.[/QUOTE]

YIKES. Consider me scared :eek: My only source of info about Wilmington is a highly biased friend who is positively panting about the idea of me living closer to her. She was mugged at least 2x in Philadelphia, so I guess she just considers it all par for the course?

Well I got the offer. Lots to think about this weekend.

[RVF]

[QUOTE=awaywego;7778553]
YIKES. Consider me scared :eek: My only source of info about Wilmington is a highly biased friend who is positively panting about the idea of me living closer to her. She was mugged at least 2x in Philadelphia, so I guess she just considers it all par for the course?

Well I got the offer. Lots to think about this weekend.[/QUOTE]

Wilmington is not the nicest city but I would suggest living outside of the city and commuting in. It would be an easy commute from Chadds Ford, West Chester or Kennett Square and you would be close to a lot of nice stables.

I used to work right next to Rodney Square in Wilmington and lived in West Chester right off of 202. It was an easy 40 minute commute in the morning and I really liked that it kept my close to my horses on the weekend. I’m not really a city person so the idea of living in such a dangerous city scared me a bit. I never felt like I was in danger during the day but when it gets dark, the city really clears out (most people commute in for work) and it can get bad quickly.

Jen Berry at Integrity Farms in Unionville has a great farm with an indoor. Her farm is right in the Laurels so there is lots of hacking out too. She does rated and local shows and takes wonderful care of her horses. I can’t say enough good things about her.

Mary Morrill at Bentbrook is in Chadds Ford right off of Rt. 1. She also has an indoor and outdoor and I really like her teaching style. I believe she is still doing the CCHSA shows.

Ellen McGregor is another great choice. She is right off of 202 on 926. It would be about a half hour commute from Wilmington.

[Claudius]

Vicmead Country Club is between Wilmington and Chadds ford off of Rt. 52…Laurie Jakabouskus has hunters and jumpers and an in door and an outdoor ring…excellent rider and trainer . Why isn’t anyone mentioning this viable option???

[gzeegirl]

I’m from Wilmington and have worked full time and ridden In the area for a very long time. I agree with the suggestions from RVF and would definitely add Laurie J at Vicmead to the top of the list. If you don’t move, Ellen McGregor and Mary Morrill will be an easier commute than Vicmead by maybe 15-20 minutes and they do have more of a focus on hunters and local showing. If top notch training and lessons are your priority, with good care in a fun environment Vicmead would be my first choice. In my younger days, right out of college I lived in Trolley Square, worked on Carr Road, and rode at Vicmead and Derbydown. The showing focus at Vicmead is jumpers, but there are a lot of hunter riders there. I say go for it and move closer to work in eIther Trolley square or West Chester.

[Absolut_Equestrian]

Greylyn Farm has a facility in Chadds Ford, easy access from 52 and Route 1. There is a beautiful large indoor, but I’m not so sure about the footing…

http://www.greylynfarm.com/

[awaywego]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I’m going to turn down the offer after all - the $ just wasn’t there for me to make all the lifestyle changes I’d need to make in order for it to work for me. I’m telling myself that jobs are like horses - there’s always another one, and you never know how any of them will vet

[bornfreenowexpensive]

I’ve worked in Wilmington for over 15 years (never been mugged or even close–even walking to my car at night before I got parking in my building). It is no more dangerous there than any other city. There are parts of the city you do not go into just like anywhere else. And like ANY city, be smart and aware of your surroundings. It is certainly no worse than Philly.

For horses, I live out where my horses are located (west grove/Unionville) and it is an Easy commute in. The ability to ride at a high level, keep my horses well AND have a sophisticated corporate practice (huge career) is why I came to Wilmington. Downtown Wilmington is perfectly fine and a huge top level legal practice.

[awaywego]

Argh. Don’t go making me change my mind (again)!

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=awaywego;7784367]
Argh. Don’t go making me change my mind (again)![/QUOTE]

Sorry. :). I can speak as a lawyer (not sure if that is your career) it is an outstanding area to practice. I know that it is very good for a few other industries as well.

[jcraig10]

Bellevue Business Park I really wouldn’t consider Wilmington anyway…it is more Claymont area, smack dab in the middle of a residential area, so wouldn’t be scared there. I never was. But anyway, I see that you will probably turn it down so this is a moot point.

[spade]

[QUOTE=bornfreenowexpensive;7784343]
I’ve worked in Wilmington for over 15 years (never been mugged or even close–even walking to my car at night before I got parking in my building). It is no more dangerous there than any other city. There are parts of the city you do not go into just like anywhere else. And like ANY city, be smart and aware of your surroundings. It is certainly no worse than Philly.

For horses, I live out where my horses are located (west grove/Unionville) and it is an Easy commute in. The ability to ride at a high level, keep my horses well AND have a sophisticated corporate practice (huge career) is why I came to Wilmington. Downtown Wilmington is perfectly fine and a huge top level legal practice.[/QUOTE]

Agree with everything said here. Although I haven’t been here as long, I came from NYC and haven’t had a single problem with crime. Just be smart.

[SonnysMom]

I know you said that you aren’t going to take the job but I figured I would answer anyway.

I technically work in Wilmington, DE. My office is on 202, barely into DE across the PA state line. My boss has lived in Wilmington not far from the office and from Concord mall for 6 years. He lives in a nice little neighborhood. His area is plenty safe.

I have only been to the city part of Wilmington DE 3 times in the 7 years that I have worked here. I certainly did not feel unsafe.

I live up in Pottstown so am not familiar with the boarding near Wilmington