Horseback Riding in Niagara? Don’t Mind if I Do

Once you start to look into it, it can seem like there are as many reasons to visit Niagara as there are drops of water in the Niagara River. Touring the world-class wineries and vineyards, hiking the Bruce Trail, taking in a night of hilarious and delicious musical dinner theatre, gambling until the wee hours of the morning, shopping, eating at restaurants with breathtaking views of the falls, going to festivals, touring historical and military museums — it’s a region rich not just in overall offerings but in the variety of its offerings, too.

So diverse are the opportunities to have a great time here that some of the less-heralded and known-about fun can get lost in the shuffle. For instance, did you know you can go horseback riding while you visit Niagara Falls? Regardless of whether you had a deep and burning passion for horses as a child or you just want to get out into nature on the back of an impressive and well-behaved animal, horseback riding in the region makes for a great way to spend a day or afternoon.

Here are a few of the places where you can saddle up a horse and experience the Niagara landscape as the earliest settlers, First Nations groups, and other pioneers of the past might have.

Niagara Riding Stables

Offering trail rides all along the Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Riding Stables is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake and offers year-round rides and horses to people of all backgrounds and experience levels. Reservations are required, so be sure to call ahead before you go. Their stable of horses is perfect for almost any rider, whether you’re skilled and comfortable in the saddle or you’ve never even seen a horse up close.

The trail rides take roughly 50 minutes and can be scheduled throughout the day. The cost is just $45 per person with a two-person minimum, and riders must be at least 10 years old to ride.

HorsePlay Niagara

Based in Wainfleet, HorsePlay Niagara offers rides along the beach and along quiet forest paths. Known for their gentle, easy-to-ride horses, they offer hourly rides for anyone, including children as young as six.

Should you be looking for a more unique experience, they also offer Sunset Rides, Romance Rides, and Cowboy Cookout Rides, and special packages are available for the extra-timid or the very advanced rider. A great place for children, they also have mini golf, a baby animal petting zoo, and a barn play area on-site.

Gordon Harry Conservation Trail

Perhaps you have your own horse or you’re friends with someone in the region with a stable full of ponies eager to hit a trail. If that’s the case, you should make your way to the Gordon Harry Conservation Trail. Named after long-time conservationist Gordon Harry, who was a long-time Wainfleet resident, Wainfleet mayor, and Chairman of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, this trail runs east and west across the old Grand Trunk Railway Corridor, through Wainfleet, and parallel to Lake Erie’s picturesque shoreline.

So, saddle up, and experience Niagara in a totally new and unforgettable way: On the back of a beautiful and trustworthy horse.

Categories: Falls Avenue Resort