Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 14, 1994 TAG: 9408160006
SECTION: DISCOVERY PAGE: 5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LAURA WILLIAMSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
There's just one catch. Unless you have your own horse (or a friend willing to lend you one), you probably won't get a chance to enjoy most of it.
Only a few places rent horses to the general public for trail rides. Several stables rent horses for people who want to take lessons, and will allow regular students to take the horses on trails or to shows. But the public horse trails that wind their way through the Jefferson National Forest, follow the New River down an old railroad bed or meander along the Blue Ridge Parkway are strictly BYOH.
"Basically, you have to find somebody who owns a horse and do it that way," said Patty Ferguson, who writes a newsletter for the 140-member Southwest Virginia Racking and Pleasure Horse Association.
If you have a horse - and hundreds of people do in this part of the state - there's no shortage of riding clubs to join. The clubs organize trail rides and sometimes lend horses to people who want to come along.
Ferguson said she sometimes lets people ride her Racking horse, Frosty, as a means of promoting the breed. Before she bought her horse, she leased a friend's for a year. Long-term leasing is another way to get involved in horseback riding without having to buy.
Trail rides can last for a few hours or may include camping trips that last for several days. Some trails - including one in Mount Rogers National Recreation Area - provide special campgrounds for horse and rider.
Trails in the area range from flat to extremely steep and rocky in some areas, so riders unfamiliar with the terrain should check with a ranger's station or riding club that knows the trail before starting out.
Where to rent horses:
Mallard Cove Stables, Smith Mountain Lake. 721-6333, 721-8902. One-hour guided rides, by appointment. Rates: $18/weekdays; $20/weekends. All levels.
Slocum's Appaloosa Ranch, Fincastle. 992-2459. Minimum ride 90 minutes, by appointment. All rides with guides. Rates: $10/hour.
Mount Rogers High Country Outdoor Center
Wilderness Day Rides: one to three people, $75/person; four or more, $60/person. Includes guide and lunch. Hourly rates available. Covered wagon day and overnight trips, overnight horse and pack-mule trips also available. Discounted rates available on weekdays. Call (703) 677-3900 for reservations and information.
Some regional riding clubs
Southside Trail & Driving Club. President Jack Lipscomb, 982-0371.
Northside Riding Club. President Billy Sanderson, 586-4697.
Bedford County Horsemen's Association. President Chuck Branson, 297-4776.
Southwest Virginia Racking and Pleasure Horse Association. President David Hagan, 381-1614.
by CNB