Saddle Up: Horseback Riding Opportunities Are Closer to D.C. Than You Think

From Rock Creek to Maryland suburbs, you can try out a new hobby without spending the time and money to get into horse country. 

Living in a city usually precludes the opportunity to ride horses and spend time with them regularly — unless you’ve got a car and plenty of time to sit in traffic.

Here in Washington, D.C., horse country (rolling pastures, quaint barns, little towns) is at least an hour’s drive away. Over the past few decades, suburban sprawl around the city has led to the disappearance of many horse farms inside the beltway. Driving to farther out farms and back is a serious time commitment, and horseback riding itself can be one of the more expensive hobbies out there.

I should know: I caught the horse bug when I was 8, and now own a mare named Flecha that I board at a stable in Virginia. Every month, I pay two rents: hers and mine. (Flecha has no gainful employment that I’m aware of — and if she’s got a side hustle going when I’m not out at the barn, she’s not telling me about it.) 

At least twice a week, I drive from Capitol Hill to Loudoun County to groom her, go for a ride and spoil her with peppermint puffs. Needless to say, I’ve got a lot of miles on my car and a robust podcast repertoire. 

Fortunately, there are opportunities to ride in the area that are more budget-friendly than owning a horse and much closer to home — even within the city limits of D.C.

Finding a Stable

D.C.’s Rock Creek Park Horse Center (RCPHC) is nestled — you guessed it — in the heart of Rock Creek Park. It offers trail rides, camps and lessons for children and adults, and boarding opportunities for horse owners. With access to some of the best city forest trails on the East Coast, it’s one of the last remaining urban stables in the U.S. New RCPHC instructor and equestrian professional Chad Keenum encourages anyone interested in riding to come and learn. 

“Here at Rock Creek, we have safe, quality mounts and quality instruction,” he says, noting that riding horses can help children focus and learn to be calmer in everyday life. 

Keenum is planning to provide not only introductory classes, but higher-level riding instruction and show opportunities for kids and adults alike in the area.

Keenum and many of the instructors in the D.C. area focus specifically on English riding, which is taught more commonly on the East Coast compared to the Western style that originated from cattle ranching in the Southwest. Basic English riding courses teach students how to safely guide their mounts, from walking to trotting, cantering and jumping. 

Keenum specializes in the hunter/jumper discipline, which teaches students to navigate jumping courses effectively while maintaining good form. The dressage discipline, meanwhile, teaches students to help their horses move and use their bodies as effectively as possible to carry their riders well.

Outside of Rock Creek, there are still a handful of lesson barns in the region, each of which have their own programs and specialties. For example, Meadowbrook Stables in Chevy Chase provides group riding and horsemanship lessons in hunter/jumper riding and hunt seat equitation (which emphasizes rider position and form) to riders of all levels, ages 6 through adult. 

Wheaton Park Stables in Silver Spring offers 12-week courses for both kids and adults that emphasize riding fundamentals and dressage principles. The stable also provides guided trail rides and summer camps.

If you already know the basics of riding and want to level up, check out Pillars Equestrian in Waldorf, Maryland, which has a more advanced training program in dressage and jumping. Wherever you decide to ride, give the stable a call to confirm availability, rates and make sure the program is a good fit.

Gearing Up

If you’re learning to ride for the first time, you don’t need to buy the most expensive gear — but you do need the right gear to stay safe.

A helmet designed for horseback riding (not a bike helmet) is your most important purchase and where you should plan to spend the most money. Keenum recommends Charles Owen helmets, which are highly rated for safety and have the added benefit of looking sharp in the riding ring. No matter which helmet brand you choose, make sure it has American Society for Testing and Materials and/or Safety Equipment Institute approval.

Boots with a sturdy heel are also a must-have. For first-time riders, you might be able to substitute hiking or work boots, but ankle-height riding boots called paddock boots are an inexpensive starter option that are easy to walk around in and designed to keep your foot safely in the stirrup during a ride.

Riding breeches (pants) are sold in many of the same fabrics and materials you’d find in a pair of good workout leggings, with the benefit of sueded patches on the calves to help you feel secure in the saddle. Brands like Ovation, TuffRider and Horze offer options that won’t break the bank.

There are several tack shops in the D.C. area, including J.B. Creighton in Chevy Chase, Anytime Tack in Silver Spring and Dover Saddlery in Chantilly, with knowledgeable staff who can help new riders get outfitted from head to toe.

I may be biased (well, I know I’m biased), but I’m convinced that time spent with horses is never time wasted. Learning to communicate with and care for them can relieve stress and build confidence at any age, and there’s nothing like the thrill of your very first jump. 

Riding is also a great way to get out of your own head and off the screen for a while. And riding at a local stable helps ensure they stay in business for future generations of riders. Give it a try: You may unlock a lifelong passion.

Meadowbrook Stables: 8200 Meadowbrook Ln. Chevy Chase, MD; meadowbrookstables.org // @meadowbrookstablesmd

Pillars Equestrian: 15104 Gardner Rd. Waldorf, MD; pillarsequestrian.com // @pillarsequestrian

Rock Creek Park Horse Center: 5100 Glover Rd. NW, DC; rockcreekhorsecenter.com // @rockcreekhorsecenter

Wheaton Park Stables: 1101 Glenallan Ave. Silver Spring, MD; wheatonparkstables.com // @wheatonparkstables_md

Want to discover more about horseback riding in D.C.? Join the District Fray community for exclusive access to guides and recommendations. Become a member and support local journalism today.

Haley McKey

Haley McKey is an artist and friend to the wild living and working in the DMV. As an area native, she has seen DC grow and evolve over the course of her life. She loves writing about art, music, animals and our environment, especially the city's dedication to conserving wildlife habitat. When she's not writing or working, she's painting and drawing. She loves a sour cocktail.