Local stables offer horseback trail rides for families
By this point each summer, most of us are in desperate need of boredom busters for our kids. As parents, we want them to keep learning, exploring and, of course, having fun during the summer. Hitting one of these trails is a great way to keep boredom at bay, without turning on a computer or TV.
I saddled up my daughter and nephews at some local horseback riding stables that allow families to take trail rides. Many riding facilities only offer lessons in enclosed arenas, but these stables allow the entire family to enjoy the great outdoors via horseback. While there, we met some adorable buckaroos who shared their love of horses with our family.
At Memory Lane Stables in Willow Springs, kids 12 and older can help out as volunteers with the daily feeding, grooming and maintenance of stables. They also serve as pony walkers for kids under 10 and help out during the on-site pony parties. In exchange, these junior volunteers get to ride the horses, spend time with them and learn from the experts how to take care of them.
12-year-old Jennifer Roth-Taylor of Bridgeview is spending much of her summer helping out at Memory Lane.
"I try to come here every single day. I come in at 11 and stay past dinner time," says Roth-Taylor. "That's how I want to spend my summer. I just love the outdoors and I've loved horses since I was little. They're such amazing animals."
She hopes to become a veterinarian and thinks helping at the stables is giving her some valuable experience with animals.
"Each horse has its own personality. Rio is my favorite horse. She's funny and loves people. I just love spending time with her."
In addition to the horses, she's helping feed and maintain Memory Lane's petting zoo area, with its goats, chickens and turkeys. The petting zoo is free to the public, even if you're not riding the horses.
On a Saturday in the summer, Memory Lane will do an average of 50 to 70 trail rides through the 50 miles of winding trails in the surrounding Cook County Forest Preserve.
Memory Lane's owner, Kathy Desimone, whose father started this horseback riding facility in 1966, says she couldn't maintain her horseback riding stables without the help of these young volunteers.
"The horses are fed 24 pounds of hay a day. Then just keeping the stalls clean is a big job."
Another scenic spot for trail rides is Tower Hill Stables in Hampshire. Anyone age 8 and older can go on one-hour trail rides through the facility's bucolic 140 rolling acres. Kids under 8 can go on pony rides along the racing track.
13-year-old Sonia Szulik of Arlington Heights is one of the young volunteers who will walk alongside young kids riding the ponies, holding the lead. Besides pony walking, Szulik helps with lessons and grooming the horses.
"I'm here three to four times a week in the summer," says Szulik. "I work specifically with one instructor and I've learned a lot. I'll take her horse out for a ride when she's too busy to exercise him. Sometimes I even wrap bandages on the horses."
Tower Hill riding instructor Sana Abbas views it as an apprenticeship.
"My young volunteers do everything from tacking up for me, grooming, helping me get ready for a show and cleaning the equipment. They're like my assistant," says Abbas. "In return, Sonia gets to ride the horses and after a certain amount of time, she gets a free riding lesson."
Like all the junior volunteers at Tower Hill, Szulik started out taking horseback riding lessons, then once proficient enough, was offered the opportunity to help out.
"I've been taking riding lessons since third grade and am just starting to compete now," says Szulik, whose love for horses is obvious. Her favorite horse is a warmblood breed named Oakley.
Want to saddle up your kids? Wrangle up the family and get ready for happy trails at any of these local stables. Just make sure to call ahead for a reservation!
Memory Lane Stables
8290 S. Kean Ave., Willow Springs
(708) 372-6472
$25: One hour trail ride through forest preserve for kids 10 and up
$15: Pony ride for kids under 10
Tower Hill Stables
12N254 Tower Road, Hampshire
(847) 464-1616
$45: One hour trail ride for kids 8 and up
$20: Half-hour hand-led pony ride around racetrack
Sarah's Pony Rides
8220 S. Kean Ave., Willow Springs
(630) 802-1316
$26: One-hour trail ride through forest preserve for kids 10 and up
$36: Hand-led pony rides for younger kids
Fitzjoy Farm Riding Academy
12211 S. LaGrange Road, Palos Park
(708) 361-7977
www.fitzjoyfarm.com
$35: One hour trail ride for kids 10 and up
Chain O' Lakes State Park Riding Stable
8916 Wilmot Road, Spring Grove
(815) 675-6532
$28: 40-minute trail ride through Chain O' Lakes State Park, along the Illinois/Wisconsin border, for kids 7 and up
$10: 10-minute hand-led pony ride for kids under 7