Horse riding is a fantastic activity that the whole family can enjoy. Whether you have a child who’s horse-mad and is pestering you to go riding or you’ve always wanted to know what it feels like to see the countryside from horseback, you’ll find the perfect riding facility to cater for your needs. And now we’re into the cooler weather, it’s a great time to get outdoors without being broiled by the sun (not that we’ve seen much of it over the past few months).
IMPORTANT: Due to weather and other events, some places might be closed at times. Please check with the riding venue to make sure they’re operating as normal.
Riding schools for your child
There are numerous riding schools around the Northern Beaches that will cater for your child of almost any age. These schools not only offer great riding experiences but they’ll also cover the basics of good horsemanship and how to take care of these magnificent animals.
Palomino Riding School ‒ 192 Forest Way, Belrose This boutique riding school caters to both beginners and advanced riders of all levels. They offer private and semi-private lessons as well as group sessions during the school term. Best of all, to keep your young ones immersed in all things horsey during the school holidays they also run holiday camps.
Garigal Stables ‒ Hilversum Crescent, Belrose This Belrose riding school offers both agistment and horse riding lessons for all ages. They also offer supervised trail rides through nearby bush trails. Note that you need to ring and book first.
Northside Riding Club ‒ 450 Mona Vale Road, St Ives Northside Riding Club is one of the oldest equestrian clubs in the area. However, this is a club for those who own or lease their own horse. The club holds around 70 events every year ranging from showjumping and eventing to dressage, hacking and horsemanship. Perfect for your budding Olympian.
Other riding schools around the region include the Forest Hills Pony Club, The MC Equestrian Riding School and Koojo Equestrian at Terrey Hills, and the Sydney Riding School at Duffys Forest.
As we mentioned earlier, please check with the relevant business before visiting to make sure they’re operating as normal.
Trail riding for all ages
Whether you have your own horse or decide to lease one for a leisurely ride, there are numerous horse trails around Northern Sydney that you can enjoy.
In Ku-ring-gai Chase and Garigal National Parks, you’ll find several interesting and relaxing trail rides suitable for horses. There are four reserves in the area that are managed by council that offer a range of horse facilities. These include Rhoker, Anembo, JJ Melbourne Hills and Kinka.
One of the more interesting trails is the Perimeter Trail in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. With around 21 kilometres of interesting scenic trails, this area is especially designated for horse riding.
No horse? No problem. Get in touch with the Palomino Riding School in Belrose to organise a supervised trail ride for you. They have many quiet and patient horses that love nothing better than to take you for a leisurely ride through the bush.
Another riding school on the Northern Beaches, Garigal Stables, allows you to lease one of their horses so you can enjoy one of the many trail rides around the area.
Catch up with the locals
If you live near or visit popular cafés in Narrabeen, you’ll no doubt have spotted a couple of horses tied up while their riders sip on a latte. The noted residents, Syd Slavin and Phoebe Custer, can often be seen on their four-legged companions riding around town.
These two keen riders show off their magnificent mounts around Narrabeen but can also be spotted in Mona Vale and Collaroy. Dakota and Ned, their horses, even enjoy licking the empty coffee cups to get a little hit of caffeine.
So keep an eye out for them while you’re out and about and say hello.
Can we help with your Northern Beaches home?
We hope that you have enjoyed our selection of Northern Sydney horse riding venues. If we can help you with the sale or rental of your property, please give the JDH team a call.
