Equestrian Facilities | Horseback Riding


 Hudson Valley  Equestrian Facilities | Horseback Riding


Equestrian Facilities | Horseback Riding | Albany Albany County
      [7 listings over 5 locations]


Equestrian Facilities | Horseback Riding | Columbia Columbia County
      [3 listings over 3 locations]


Equestrian Facilities | Horseback Riding | Dutchess Dutchess County
      [11 listings over 10 locations]


Equestrian Facilities | Horseback Riding | Greene Greene County
      [3 listings over 3 locations]


Equestrian Facilities | Horseback Riding | Orange Orange County
      [15 listings over 11 locations]


Equestrian Facilities | Horseback Riding | Putnam Putnam County
      [9 listings over 6 locations]


Equestrian Facilities | Horseback Riding | Rensselaer Rensselaer County
      [5 listings over 4 locations]


Equestrian Facilities | Horseback Riding | Rockland Rockland County
      [8 listings over 6 locations]


Equestrian Facilities | Horseback Riding | Saratoga Saratoga County
      [1 listing over 1 location]


Equestrian Facilities | Horseback Riding | Ulster Ulster County
      [9 listings over 8 locations]


Equestrian Facilities | Horseback Riding | Westchester Westchester County
      [15 listings over 14 locations]



Places to go Horseback Riding | Equestrian Centers
Hudson River Valley
Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange
Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Ulster, Westchester



"There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man" Sir Winston Churchill.

Verified (2015) up-to-date list of the best places for horseback riding and equestrian centers in the Hudson Valley of New York.

Benefits of Horseback Riding / Owning a Horse
Horse ownership can be rewarding, exciting, and lot of fun. The many health benefits of horseback riding include being outdoors year-round and the physical activity spent in cleaning stalls, grooming, feeding, and all the other barn chores required in taking care of your horse. Riding a horse also helps in building a strong core and legs; but there are also emotional benefits of horseback riding such as developing a sense of inner peace and confidence.

Therapeutic Riding, aka Equine Assisted Therapy is used successfully in the field of special Needs to build confidence, and a sense of belonging to both children and adults. As Winston Churchill said: "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man."

The Health Benefits of Horseback Riding
  • Keeps you physically active: Riding and other activities that require you to be outdoors in all kinds of weather will certainly keep you moving. Cleaning stalls, grooming, feeding, raking hay, pushing wheelbarrows – all of these barn chores actively burn calories and build muscle.

  • Owning a horse builds self-confidence: When it comes to building confidence, horse ownership is invaluable. You are in a partnership, where you are expected to be the leader.
    Owning a horse builds self-awareness. On a daily basis, you will be faced with training challenges. It will force you to think creatively about how to train the horse and how to solve a particular problem. If something worked in the last lesson, but it’s not working now, what else can you try? How else can you solve this issue? All of this active participation in learning how to ride, how to train and what to do when a challenge emerges will help in a professional setting. It’s all about self-awareness.

  • Riding reduces stress: Studies have shown that the bonding that occurs between owners and their pets can reduce high blood pressure. Since horses also require grooming and daily maintenance, spending time with the horse can lead to a reduction in stress levels. The meditative qualities of daily, but low stress, upkeep of horses – such as grooming and washing – provide therapeutic benefits that aid in the decrease of stress levels.

  • Keeps you socially active: Taking riding lessons helps you meet many friends with similar interests. Most horse people will attest to meeting their best, life-long friends at the barn. These peers will have the same passion and devotion to horses.

  • Engages the creative side of your brain: Training a horse brings up daily challenges that will force you to think creatively about how to train it and how to solve a particular problem. If something worked in the last lesson, but it’s not working now, how else can you solve this issue? Being faced with such situations helps you engage your creativity to solve problems and find what works best.

  • Care for a horse builds character: Character building is a natural part of horse ownership, teaching responsibility, punctuality, sportsmanship, frugality, patience, commitment, confidence and self-esteem.

  • Riding promotes a union with nature: Being outside and enjoying the fresh air can do wonders for your mental and physical health.

  • Riding maintains bone mass: All of the weight-bearing exercise that you do, including hauling barn equipment and carrying saddles, helps maintain bone mass, which important as you age.

  • Improves digestion: Riding a horse at a walking pace stimulates the internal organs just as walking on foot does. This aids in liver function and digestion.

  • Riding and caring for horses help disabled individuals: When supervised by certified instructors, riders with disabilities may have the chance to safely perform physical activities with the horse as a tool. Early research is showing that riding a horse may provide physical benefits for people with disabilities. At the same time, interacting with horses may provide mental benefits, as well.
Source: The Health Benefits of Horseback Riding by Health Fitness Revolution



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