Horseback Riding with Evangeline Trail Rides

Disclosure: Our family received a horseback riding session in exchange for this blog post. We make it our mission to test out family fun so we can better promote it to our readers. All opinions are our own.

“I had no idea horseback riding was going to be so much fun!”

The only time my kids had ever been on a horse was being led around a stadium for a birthday party. But, you could hardly call that horseback riding! In their minds, horses and riding was something that girls enjoyed. Boy! Did they ever find out they were wrong!

Watch Daniel’s video about our awesome day out:

As a youth, we often went horseback riding in PEI, and then later with friends we used to go every summer. I’ve also ridden on the beach in Fiji and through the mountains in New Zealand. I am no horse expert, but think horseback riding is one of the greatest adventures!

We made contact with Crystal from Evangeline Trail Rides in Stanley (outside Windsor) and arranged for a trail ride for our family.

Our Trip

We arrived at the stables for a morning ride before it got to hot. We were greeted by Crystal and her volunteer helpers who got us outfitted with helmets. As Crystal said.. it’s more for the going through the trees and branches than anything else!

We were then each matched with a horse to suit our size and personality.

We were given instructions on how to steer, stop and back up the horses. When we were comfortable and properly adjusted, we headed off down the open road!

Crystal and her crew were phenomenal with us, and especially the kids. They provided pointers and encouragement, talked to them to make them less nervous, and were so wonderful the whole way!

We rode through the open roads, through the woods, across waterways, up hills and downhills. The best part was when everyone felt comfortable enough, we did some trotting!

Our ride lasted about an hour-and-a-half and we covered a lot of terrain and different types of trails.

What was great, too, was that the horses weren’t blindly following each other. You had to work at giving them direction, but not too much that it was unmanageable. They were beautiful animals!

What I loved seeing was the change in the boys, especially Thomas. At first he hung to the back, afraid to hurt the horse and wasn’t sure what he was doing. Over the course of the ride, he gained so much confidence and was at the head of the group!

“I LOVED IT!”

Age

Crystal says that children need to be at least 9 years old to go trail riding. Thomas is 9, and I can’t imagine anyone younger being able to handle the horse. It all depends on the child and when they are ready, but 9 is a good age to start with!

Packages and Pricing

There are different packages of trail rides from one hour to two hours. Sleigh rides are also available in the winter!

Here’s what their website says:

No two rides are the same as we explore our many trails and features. This could mean any combination of riding Eagle Ridge where we often see bald eagles, or ride along the scenic Kennetcook river, ride through fields, or ride alongside the historic Stanley airport runways or explore some of our many trails that intertwine throughout the area.

Find out details on the packages and prices here

What to wear:

Long pants only. Jeans are recommended.
We recommend boots/shoes with a small heel. NO sandals/crocs or open toed shoes please.
Waterproof jacket (raincoat). No ponchos, please.
Please feel free to bring a small bottle of water and a small camera. We provide saddle bags. (No backpacks, fanny packs, large camera cases, purses or loose items please.)

How to Get There

Evangeline Trail Rides are located in Stanley, outside Windsor, towards Kennetcook, on Route 236.

From Kentville, it is a 45 minute drive.

Take Exit 5a off Highway 101. After turning in Brooklyn at “the monument”, go to the top of the hill, and follow the signs for Route 236.

Drive about 10 minutes down this road, and you will see the signs for the Stanley airport, and signs pointing to the left for Evangeline Trail Rides.

More directions

If you are looking for a fun activity for the family, try horseback riding. You’ll see kids grow in confidence, and maybe you’ll find something new that the whole family loves doing together!