Riding Lessons in West Virginia

They call West Virginia the Mountain State for a reason a trail horse understands immediately: the ground goes up, and keeps going. Ancient rivers carved this country and dense forest covers most of it, from the high Alleghenies to the sheer walls of the New River Gorge. For riders, that translates into trail networks through the Monongahela National Forest (old logging roads, ridge paths, routes tracing the Cheat River and Gauley River), plus pack trips and guest ranch stays built around terrain that never runs out of drama. The equestrian community here is small-town and tight-knit, and better for it.

Where you ride shapes what you'll find. The eastern panhandle, within reach of the mid-Atlantic cities, is rolling farmland, riding academy and boarding barn country. Push into the remote central and southern mountains and the operations change character: guest ranches and outfitters running backcountry trips. Davis and Thomas, up in the Potomac Highlands, are the doorways to the high-elevation riding; Fayetteville, better known for its adrenaline sports, also puts you on dramatic gorge trails. Pick the region that fits your riding, and the operators there will already be specialists in it.