From: onf@cbnewsg.cb.att.com (omar.farooq)
Subject: RE: IN SEARCH OF RIDING
Organization: AT&T
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 12:27:51 GMT

Following are some the responses I've gotten from people, pertaining to my
inquiry about riding farms that let you take out a horse unguided.
My thanx to everyone, I'll be sure to explore all the alternatives
in due time.

Happy trails!

-----------------------------------
From: plotkin@gotham.East.Sun.COM (David Plotkin - Sun NYC Consulting)
Look into the Lord Sterling Stables in Basking Ridge.  Once you take
a test to set your level, you'll be able to take a horse by yourself.
You can ride in the Great Swamp Wildlife Refuge.

	dp
-----------------------------------
From: grass@ulysses.att.com
There are several places you can go for lessons or guided rides:
	Lord Stirling Park, Basking Ridge
	Watchung Stables, Watchung
	And a stable whose name I forget on South Street in Morristown...

But, there is just about nowhere I know of that will allow you to rent
a horse and just ride.  They have no reason to trust you, and lots
to be afraid of in terms of litigation if you get hurt.  Never mind
the possibility you will hurt the horse.

Yes, you may be an experienced rider with Olympic credentials, but
they have no way to know that.

The best you can do:  take lessons somewhere (there are lots of small
farms in Bedminster with a few good lesson horses -- like Windy
Hills Stables on Lamington Road), get to be someone familiar
and trusted at that farm... and then eventually they may trust
you enough to rent you the horse for an hour rather than a lesson.

Another option:  EquiShare (see the phone book)... they set up shared
leases on horses.  Their main farm is near Clinton, I think...

I went the lesson route for about 2 years before I bought myself
an event horse.  I still don't trail ride/ hack much because there
is a lot of road to ride on before I can get to the trails, and the
roads are pretty dangerous.

		--- Judy Grass   AT&T Bell Labs,  Murray Hill
-----------------------------------

From: cap@netcom.com (Caroline Smrstik)
Hullo Omar!

There is a county stable in Basking Ridge called the Lord Stirling
Stable. One can take lessons (in groups) there, rent a horse for
independent work in the arena, and also rent a horse to hack out
on the trails. If you wish to ride on the trails without a guide,
you must pass a proficiency test of sorts. (When I was in the
area, this was arbitrarily administered by the stable manager.
The other alternative is to take some lessons and thereby demonstrate
you ability to the instructors.)

The facilities are very nice, the trails are extensive, and the
school horse string is large and in very good shape.

I was riding here 4-5 times weekly from 1987 to 1990. I also rode at
some private barns (leased horses) but nothing was as accomodating
as Lord Stirling for one who did not own a horse. 

If you do check it out, I'd be curious to know how much has changed!

Good luck; I really miss New Jersey and the riding I did there.

Caroline Smrstik


-----------------------------------
From: Sarah Pallas <pallas@cephalo.neusc.bcm.tmc.edu>
Omar, the problem you will have is that anyone who cares very much
for their horses would be crazy to let a stranger take them out
and ride them alone.  Even if they don't care about their horses,
their insurance company won't let them do it, especially not on
the Eastern Seaboard.

Why not try some guided tours (check the Yellow Pages under Riding
Academies or Stables or Horseback Riding), and if the people like
the way you ride and trust you, they will eventually let you go
out alone.

Sarah Pallas
-----------------------------------


Omar Farooq
omar.farooq@att.com
From: wendy@hpfcmgw.FC.HP.COM (Wendy Milner)
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 17:21:07 GMT
Subject: Re: Babies and halters
Organization: HP Fort Collins, CO