Ithaca Equestrian Center
“Paula, Russ and team have been wonderful to work with, and the barn and grounds are always impeccable.”
Best Horseback Riding Lessons near Ithaca, NY
2 of these schools are based in Ithaca; the others serve Ithaca from towns including Freeville (8 mi), Horseheads (26 mi) and Interlaken (16 mi).
7 open weekends · 8 rated 4.5+
Data verified October 17, 2026
Kelviden Equestrian Center
“Ponies Java and Hope are well trained and trainer Sue sets the right tone each lesson.”
D & K Ranch
“Great place to get away and enjoy quiet relaxed pace, surrounded by pasture and horses.”
Aspen View Farm
“Zena came up with particularly innovative techniques and drills to keep me learning and the horses lungs protected from particulate matter during the Canadian wildfires.”
Healing Rein Farm
“The place to follow a clinic that has added value for the well-being of your horse and yourself.”
Sweet Reverie Farm and Wellness
“As a trainer, Ally is well informed, careful, correct and can communicate theory and practice as you move up the levels.”
The 10 schools listed for Ithaca, NY teach riding. Which disciplines a barn runs, whether it has an indoor arena and which ages it accepts come from what the barn publishes itself; star ratings and rider quotes are taken from public listings.
Area overview: Ithaca, NY
The 10 schools on this page are rated from 3.8 to 5.0 across 218 reviews; 1 has 50 or more reviews and 8 are rated 4.5 or higher. 6 are open on Saturdays and 5 on Sundays. Domain records put 8 websites of the schools on this page at ten or more years old; the oldest dates from 1999. 1 is family- or locally-owned. We have a website on file for all 10 of the schools on this page; 9 publish a contact page and 9 list a public email. We count these figures across the schools on this page; distances are straight-line, and hours and prices change, so confirm the details with the school before you enroll.
Where are riding lesson times and rider levels published?
Out of the 10 schools here, all 10 publish a site of their own. That page carries the lesson timetable, the rider levels and the age rules; whether a barn has an indoor arena is rarely in the listing itself, so read it before you call.
Gale's Equine Facility
“Gale was so great with setting it up with us since we were in from out of town, and Kristi, the teacher, was a natural with little kids.”
Cal's Legacy Acres
“Jen is always looking to improve herself as a rider (despite being a rider I hope to be half as good as one day) and is never shy to share that knowledge and give people extraordinary opportunities to learn (if you are willing to work hard at improving yourself).”
Big Easy Stables
“We stayed at the barn a couple of nights and got to experience first hand the clean and extremely well kept facilities.”
Affinity Farm
“Outstanding facility, Kim and staff are fantastic”
Why these companies made our list
What students and parents say about schools near Ithaca
- “I'm just getting back to jumping and she's helped me to fine tune my communication with my horse so we can be more confident and relaxed going over fences.” — from a review of Ithaca Equestrian Center
- “I love that they let us choose the horses that fit our needs and temperament and that they took the time to instruct us and let us get comfortable.” — from a review of D & K Ranch
- “Incredibly welcoming community of horse people. Great instructors/trainers, great people and of course great horses.” — from a review of Aspen View Farm
- “An amazing place to board your horse! The very best care and training possible at very reasonable rates.” — from a review of Sweet Reverie Farm and Wellness
- “We are still relatively new horse owners and Paula has been so generous with her time, sharing her extensive knowledge of horses in a kind and humorous way.” — from a review of Ithaca Equestrian Center
Excerpts from public reviews of the schools listed on this page.
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