These Local Horse Farms are Top of the Crop

I’ve fallen off horses more times than I wish to admit. Those clumsy falls — one involved a tricky saddle and not getting my feet into the stirrups in time — might have been avoided had I received the proper training. Whether you’d like to become a full-blown equestrian or simply want to connect with the marvelous creatures, book a visit at one of these horse farms or stables to get started.

By Edelinda Baptista with assistance from Kaitlyn Murray

NORTH

Cornerstone Farm

Foster 

Cornerstone Farm is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year: forty years of offering horseback riding, instilling confidence in first-time riders and teaching clients how to care for horses. 

Beth Stone, the owner of the farm, inherited it from her late parents. Stone was a barn manager at Johnson & Wales University and taught lessons on the side before deciding to make Cornerstone Farm her full-time priority in 1984.

Manning the stable and teaching children and adults how to ride is her childhood dream come true.

When Stone was seven years old, her summers consisted of riding to friends’ houses on the dirt roads of Foster. Now, she gives other young riders the opportunity to learn how to ride confidently.

“I’ve got one student now who’s two years old,” she says. “She gets very quiet and calm; there’s something about the movement of the horse that just draws you in.”

Cornerstone Farm hosts a Saddle Club on Saturday mornings, where children spend time riding the horses, learning about horse care, handling horses and more.

“Confidence is where having the right horse comes in,” Stone says. “We have a wonderful group of horses who are great teachers. The horses have to be safe and have a good work ethic. They’ll teach anyone confidence.”

The farm also has a program for riders with special needs. 

“Everybody should experience the healing power of horses,” Stone says. “Animals have their own personalities, but their intelligence comes in a different form than us. We’re very logical and rational; horses are incredibly intuitive. When you get a good one that wants to work with you, it’s amazing the connection you can have.”

The farm has five horse shows a year, all free to the public. The next show takes place Oct. 13.

Anyone interested in getting on the saddle should visit a show or take a lesson. And who knows? It could lead to a lifelong love of horses or even a career: Some of her former students have gone on to become successful trainers and veterinarians, and one even became a professional jockey. 

Throughout the years, there has been one constant: Stone loves seeing young riders grow into confident teenagers by implementing the focus and confidence they’ve acquired from their horseback riding skills.

“Riding is more than learning the physical skills. It’s the emotional skills that come with mastering horsemanship,” she says. “I like to think I’m making a difference in these horses’ lives and students’ lives.” 86 Foster Center Rd., Foster, 397-9242, cornerstonefarmri.com

 

Sunset Stables

Lincoln

Linda Oliveira, the co-owner of Sunset Stables, has worked there since the late seventies, when nearby Lincoln Downs (now Bally’s Twin River) was one of the state’s horse-racing hot spots.

“It’s a treasure right next to the city,” says Oliveira. “You’re in the middle of nowhere next to Providence. It’s beautiful and peaceful.”

The stables offer both horse riding lessons and trail rides through adjacent Lincoln Woods State Park, and see students from ages eight to seventy-eight.  

“Lessons are there for those who have a passion to learn, whereas trail riding is there if you just want to enjoy yourself and relax,” she says. “With trail rides, you don’t have to take lessons or be an experienced rider.”

There are many skills that come out of learning how to ride a horse, especially if you’re committed, says co-owner Jim Borden.

“They’re the most forgiving and tolerant animals, so that somebody who’s never ridden before can get on the horse and enjoy it,” says Borden. “[Oliveira] has spent twenty-five years building a herd of the right horses.”

The fresh air and natural scenery aren’t the only benefits of trail riding. Trotting in the quiet environment while bonding with your designated horse for the day can be soothing for some. 

One regular, a seventy-eight-year-old woman named Jill, visits the grounds every week. The hourlong weekly rides have become her therapy, and she feels at ease once she’s in the saddle. 

“She hugs me afterward and says, ‘I’ve had a great ride. I like being around the horses,”’ says Oliveira. 1 Twin River Rd., Lincoln, 722-3033, sunsetstablesri.com

SOUTH

Stepping Stone Ranch

West Greenwich

For about sixty years, Stepping Stone Ranch has taught kids and adults alike the art of equestrianism. Within the Arcadia Management Area, the ranch’s 118 acres allow for
serene riding and teaching. Originally built and owned by Henry Davis and his family, Stepping Stone was purchased by owners Heidi and Darrell Waldron, who’ve taken the reins for the past twenty-six years.

They actually met as kids on the Stepping Stone grounds. A thirteen-year-old Heidi saw her now-husband Darrell working as a stable boy and outrider. He worked for the Davises back when they owned the property. Heidi’s mother boarded her horse there for a week, unknowingly giving her daughter the opportunity to meet her future husband. 

“When the ranch was going up for auction, the Davises called and encouraged us to take over and purchase it,” says Heidi. “We own the facility where we met at thirteen years old — we came full circle. It was the ranch that brought us together.” 

That was fifty years ago, and now the couple has been married for forty years.

The ranch holds adult programs and children’s camps, as well as a non-riding mindfulness program where participants connect with the horses and practice stress-management techniques. Horse owners can board their animals on the property and ride at the park whenever they please, and the ranch also offers country weddings on its grounds.

During children’s camps, students get to ride horses twice a day, including trail riding and lessons within the ring, and swim at the built-in swimming pool next door.

“The kids learn horsemanship and husbandry. They learn about first-aid and feeding,” Heidi says. “Riding certainly is everybody’s dream, but there’s so much more than just riding. We’re big on education as a whole.” 

That also includes teaching aspiring instructors.

“Sometimes I see holes in the education of kids and adults who visit, so that’s why I’m big on teaching how to teach,” says Heidi. “There are instructors who need some freshening-up. It’s like a triangle, you need a strong base before you get to the top.” 201 Escoheag Hill Rd., West Greenwich, 397-3725, steppingstoneranch.com

 

Ocean Crest Farm

Saunderstown

While launching a business during COVID-19 might seem like a risky venture, it worked out perfectly for the owners of Ocean Crest Farm, Samantha Bonsignore and Jessica Stoukides.

“It was something safe that people could do [during COVID] so we never really shut down fully,” says Stoukides.

The business partners met through a previous job and established Ocean Crest Farm in early 2019, and found a Saunderstown property that fall. 

Today, the farm provides Interscholastic Equestrian Association lessons for students in grades four through twelve. Modeled after college riding, this type of prep leads to the formation of a team that travels to different barns in the region to compete throughout the academic year. 

“It’s totally random,” Stoukides explains. “You watch all the horses get warmed up, then you draw a name out of the hat and that’s what horse you’re riding. It levels the playing field so kids of all walks of life can do it. You don’t have to have your own horse or saddle.”

They spend a lot of time making kids feel confident near horses before they even start to ride. 

“Our biggest thing here is encouraging our students to be comfortable around the horses before they get on them,” says Bonsignore. “For us, it’s a lot of horsemanship.”

Parents have told them those skills have helped their children come out of their shells, learn to manage anxiety and become more assertive.  

“It’s not something we teach; we’re enabling them and letting them know they can do these things,” Stoukides says.

In the future, the two hope to expand their services, whether that includes adding homeschooling programs or inviting day camps to take field trips to the farm. 

They’ve also partnered with institutions like Johnson & Wales University, the University of Rhode Island and the New England Institute of Technology to provide farm and animal access for various labs and classes. 

But at the end of the day, it all comes down to love of the animals in addition to the sport. 

“We try to make sure this is a very safe place for everybody — anyone who loves horses is welcome here,” Stoukides says. 2150 Tower Hill Rd., Saunderstown, 267-2963, oceancrestfarm.wixsite.com/home

 

McSoley Equestrian

Saunderstown

For about three years, McSoley Equestrian has been the heart of Cara McSoley’s equestrian world. Operating out of the historic Morning Star Horse Farm owned by Nancy Pottish, McSoley has turned her lifelong passion into an inclusive business and community that caters to equestrians of all walks of life. 

Morning Star, dating back to the 1850s, provides the perfect backdrop for McSoley Equestrian. Spanning almost sixty acres of picturesque landscapes, the farm’s rich history matches its vibrant present.

“I’ve been managing farms around Rhode Island for the last ten years and moving to Morning Star was my first opportunity to do my own thing,” says McSoley, who is originally from Vermont and rode on the equestrian team at Roger Williams University. “I got into the horse world here and couldn’t get enough — I still can’t.”

McSoley Equestrian hosts summer programs like horsemanship camps, pony camps and birthday parties. McSoley hopes to offer corporate retreats in the future, to help employees work on leadership and team building. 

“The horses make great teachers,” she says.

She also welcomes children aspiring to perfect their equestrian skills as well as adults who finally have the time to practice horseback riding.

“If you’re interested in riding a horse or even how to control them on the ground, the first start to your horse journey is the love of the animal,” says McSoley. “I think that’s what Morning Star and McSoley Equestrian are really good at — catering a horse journey to whatever you want, and that’s the basis of everything, just loving the horse.”

“It’s a great community; the people around here are really nice,” says Pottish. “They don’t have to be expert riders. [McSoley] is a really nice person and knows how to make you feel at home.”

Growing up, McSoley’s family vacationed in Saunderstown some summers. One summer before participating in a horse show, she practiced at Morning Star (previously called Tower Hill Farm) with her two horses. One of them, Goose, pulled a shoe during practice, and farrier Corey St. Peter came out to repair it. St. Peter is now the farm’s farrier.

Talk about full circle: From bringing her two horses to the area at sixteen years old for a show, to now running McSoley Equestrian on the same grounds, McSoley has a deep connection to the land and its purpose, which is to start or expand guests’ horse journey. Goose has been in her horse family for decades and remains a special symbol of the journey, inspiring the horseshoe logo that represents the spirit of McSoley Equestrian.

“Goose is the horse that really made me who I am,” McSoley says. 2415 Tower Hill Rd., Saunderstown, 802-922-4701, morningstarhorsefarmri.com

 

EAST

Newport Equestrian Academy

Newport

Newport Equestrian Academy owner Suzanne Hourihan is a longtime member of the equestrian world. After training under the instruction of an Irish Olympic rider in her youth and becoming a successful rider, she went on to make a living off her passion as a horse trainer and equestrian instructor. 

But once her daughter came along, Hourihan decided she wanted to raise her family by the water. And so, in 1986, she transferred the two Connecticut farms she owned in favor of a beautiful farm on Third Beach in Middletown where she could teach locals how to ride and compete at regional and national competitions. 

Since then, it’s remained a family affair. Her daughter took over the instruction part and Hourihan manages the academy, and soon her granddaughter will become a junior trainer. 

“She’s quite talented and also loves to teach,” Hourihan says.

The academy offers a children’s summer camp where budding equestrians can enjoy riding once or twice a day while learning how to care for horses, as well as year-round riding lessons that cater to all ages and riding levels. Helmets, saddles, crops and more are available for those who do not have their own equipment. 

Year-round horse boarding facilities are also available — the staff lives on the premises and tend to the horses 24/7.

But coastal horse rides are the academy’s most popular offerings. The two-hour tours take riders by two beautiful beaches and out to the nearby Norman Bird Sanctuary. 

“Trail riding is an experience that would be very difficult not to remember because it’s so beautiful,” Hourihan says. “St. George’s Cathedral is up the hill; it looks like you’re in Europe somewhere — there’s a gothic castle and miles of beach.” 287 Third Beach Rd., Middletown, 837-4188, newportequestrian.com

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Healing Horses

Experience the healing power of horses with Beachwood Integrative Equine Therapy in Charlestown.

Whether you want to find a safe place and be at peace around horses, learn more about the loving animals with a horsemanship program, or someone you love is experiencing anxiety, grief or any other stress- or trauma-related illness, finding time for a scheduled visit to Beachwood is worth your time. Offering integrative equine therapy (IET), horsemanship and grounding groups, Beachwood’s trained staff of horses and humans provides world-class horse experiences that meet their clients’ needs. Founded in South County, Beachwood now has trained horses and IET staff at centers in Palm Beach, Florida; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Washington D.C.; and Davis, California.