Western / Reining in New York

New York holds more horse country than the skyline lets on. The Adirondack peaks in the north, the Finger Lakes' long ridges in the west, the Hudson Valley's farmland in between: riders here move between dense forest, river valleys, and open agricultural ground, from wilderness trails suited to pack trips to manicured arenas built for serious training. Few states put wild backcountry and world-class facilities this close together.

The Adirondack Park dominates the north: millions of protected acres, and some of the best trail riding and multi-day pack-trip country in the East. Guest ranches up here trade on rustic charm and distance from everything. The Catskills, further south, run a similar program on more accessible terms, a well-worn network of trails and long views, with stables built around guided rides and vacation stays in a region that has been hosting visitors for a very long time.