This parent-to-parent guide to horseback riding for Dallas & Fort Worth families collects crowdsourced recommendations for riding lessons, kid-friendly trail rides & more places to ride a horse near you.
Where does your family go horseback riding around DFW? Add a review to share your experience below!
North Dallas Equestrian
Stephanie W.: North Dallas Equestrian has lessons for riders of all ages- it's never too soon to develop a love for horses! Both English and Western style lessons are provided, as well as preparation for competition for those expert riders. They have beautiful horses for you to learn on, but if you have your own horse you are welcome to ride them during lessons, too! Covered and outdoor arenas and round pens are available, along with 80 acres of pasture! Another added bonus is a playground for children- great for siblings of riders while they are in lessons!
Age: 5+
Cost: Contact for pricing
North Texas Equestrian Center
Stephanie W.: For 30 years, NTEC has been providing excellent horseback riding lessons for North Texas kids! English style riding is the name of the game here, with lessons in Dressage, Hunters, Jumpers, ParaDressage, and Eventing. Beginners are assessed and paired with a horse to match their comfort and skill level, and more experienced riders with competition as their goal can be trained in Hunters or Jumpers. Some alum of NTEC have gone from beginners to the Hunter Derby Ring and Grand Prix Show Jumping!
Cost: Lessons start at $40/half hour private lesson, $40/hr group lesson. Click here for more pricing.
Capricorn Equestrian Center
Stephanie W.: For more than 30 years, Capricorn has been teaching young and old how to horseback ride! Their schedule offers many choices for beginners to advanced riders. They provide options for group lessons, private lessons, and semi-private lessons, and with both indoor and outdoor space, they can offer classes all year long. In addition to classes, Capricorn also does trail rides! English and Western equipment are provided.
Age: 6+
Cost: $150 for a 5 week group session, private lessons $55/hr. See more pricing and class options here.
Merriwood Ranch
Natasha G: They offer excellent, fun English horseback riding lessons and a summer riding camp in Garland, TX.
Rocking J Stables
Stephanie W.: Garland's Rocking J Stables provides private and very small semi-private lessons for beginners and intermediate riders in English style jumping. If your child has very specific riding goals, this is the place for them! Lessons are available 7 days a week.
Cost: $70/hr for private lessons, $55/hr for semi-private lessons
Windmill Stables
Stephanie W.: Windmill Stables provides a variety of different English riding styles, like hunter, jumper, dressage, and eventing. A strong relationship with the horse is encouraged, so students learn not only about riding but also about groundwork and caring for their horse. All beginners must take private lessons, while intermediate and advanced students can participate in group lessons!
Age: 7+
Cost: Lessons start at $50/half hour for private lessons, $50/hr for group lessons
Broken Bow Ranch Trail Rides
Stephanie W.: Trail rides are available every day of the week at Broken Bow! This 117-acre ranch is located just east of Dallas. There is plenty of beautiful countryside to take in as you ride through this beautiful ranch on one of Broken Bow's American Quarter Horses with an experienced guide!
Age: 5+
Cost: $60/1 hour trial ride
Dallas Equestrian Center
Stephanie W.: Dallas Equestrian Center offers lessons on horses and ponies for all ages and skill levels. Their focus is on Hunters, Equitation and Jumpers for competition- hunters are focused on the horse, equitation is focused on the rider, and jumpers are all about speed. Students can want to compete, or just want to ride for love of horses!
Cost: $100/hr for private lessons, $90/hr for group lessons, $65/half hour for private or semi-private lessons
River Ranch at Texas Horse Park
Stephanie W.: Enjoy a variety of lesson options at River Ranch, where basics to advanced skills are taught! English lessons are one-on-one, as are advanced Western lessons. If your child and their friends are interested in a group Western lesson, there are discounted pricing options. You are able to form your own group, which is very unique!
Cost: Lessons start at $40/half hour for Western lessons, $50/half hour for English lessons.
Widowmaker Trail Rides
Stephanie W.: Enjoy a trail ride along the Walnut Grove Trail to Lake Grapevine with Jeff or David any day of the week! You'll want to make a reservation beforehand. You'll be matched with the perfect horse and saddle for you, and you'll never be in a group larger than 6 people, so you'll get the attention you need. The goal is that you come out of the experience with more horseback riding skills and knowledge!
Age: 12+
Cost: $90/2 hour trail ride
Marshall Creek Ranch Summer Lessons
Stephanie W.: Marshall Creek Ranch has trails that will take you through 12,000 acres of wooded area around Lake Grapevine! They have 4 different riding levels that include simple trail rides for little ones as young as four, all the way up to Advanced riders.
Summer horseback riding lessons are divided by age and skill level. Each intensive week of lessons includes training in an arena, trail riding, and getting to know and taking care of your horse!
Silver Spurs Horseback Riding School
Stephanie W.: Silver Spurs is focused on the care of a horse just as much as it is on the riding! Students will learn everything from brushing their horse's coat and cleaning its hooves, to bathing and feeding it. Once riding, instructors will teach important skills like mounting and dismounting, how to ride bareback properly, trail riding, and learning to walk, jog, trot, lope, canter and gallop!
Cost: $40/hr
Trinity River Farm
Stephanie W.: Trinity River Farm provides private and group lessons in their outdoor arena! Students of all levels of skill will learn how to care for their horse before and after riding- riders will catch, groom and tack their horses before lessons, and untack and brush them afterwards. Students will learn so much more than just how to ride!
Cost: $55 evaluation lesson, lessons then start at $45/hr
Adventures in Riding with Miss Julie
Stephanie W.: Adventures in Riding with Miss Julie is a nonprofit with the aim of bringing equine therapy to those in need! With beautiful horses and an important mission, this is a great opportunity to learn how to ride. English, Western, jumping, and barrels are the main areas of focus. There are even half hour pony rides for riders under the age of 8!
Age: 8+
Cost: $45/hr
Fort Worth Stockyards Stables
Stephanie W.: The Fort Worth Stockyards have guided horseback rides on Old Chisholm Trail. You'll leave the Historical Fort Worth Stockyards and head down the trail along the Trinity River, with beautiful views of the Fort Worth skyline. For little ones too young for the trails, there are short arena rides available as well!
Age: 11+
Cost: $40/30 minute trail ride, $70/1 hour trail ride, $20/10 min arena ride (ages 3+)
Primary photo: Carlos Fernando Bendfeldt on Unsplash
Upparent collects community-submitted recommendations and reviews, and any ideas that are shared reflect the opinions of individual contributors.
