By Rachelle Anthony
James Simmons is an urban cowboy living in New York City. Originally from Alabama, Simmons has been riding horses for 10 years and says one of the best places for trail rides is in the Bronx Equestrian Center in Pelham Bay Park. “I went out on a two-hour trail,” he said. Simmons says the key to riding is to become one with the horse. “The whole idea is to ride in complete harmony with them,” he said. “Horses can spook, run, jump and dart when they can smell your fear of them.”
Nestled off Shore Road, less than five minutes from City Island, the Bronx Equestrian Center offers horse riding and boarding services. It is open year-round from 9 am to dusk. The center is a concession within the park and operates under park rules, says Susie Gallo, a Bronx cowgirl and western riding instructor. “The Bronx Equestrian Center is the business name but this (center) was established here inside the park in 1937 and it has been here opened as a stable ever since,” she said. English style riding and western style riding instructors offer lessons for ages six to adult.
By 10 am on Sunday, April 19, the warm sun was shining bright and the birds were happily chipping in nearby trees. Customers began trickling in. Adults parked their cars made their way along the dusty rocky path toward the Equestrian Center, their small children walked excitedly beside them.
Veronica Pabon, who lives in the Bronx, arrived with her young daughter. “I’ve been coming here since I was a kid,” she said. Her daughter, a very chipper three-year-old was patiently waiting to ride a pony. “We came last summer,” said Pabon. “She’s been dying to come back. All winter, it’s all she’s talked about. She just wanted to come and ride the pony. She’s obsessed with horses.”
Beautiful brown horses with white stripes, grey horses, black horses, and white horses were either grazing in the corral or in stable stalls.
“We have all different breeds here,” said Gallo. “We have privately owned horses, people who own their own and come and board them here, pay us to keep them here. We do the hay, the feeding the watering, the cleaning up the stalls.”
Gallo has always had a passion for horses and has been riding all her life. “I teach here, I ride here, I work here and I love it,” she said. “We have 72 stalls, (in the winter) some of them remain here, some of them get trailered north where one of the owners here has an indoor heated area for riding.”
The center also follows the carriage horse laws, said Gallo. “They don’t work if it’s over 90 degrees. They don’t work if it’s under 20 degrees.”
Adrienne Quirolo from Manhattan came with her son Alexander Puri for a trail ride. “It’s my son’s first time on a horse,” said Quirolo. “It was very nice, very easy too, we were able to make an appointment to get a trail ride with a lesson,” said Quirolo. Puri admitted he was scared of the horse at first, but then it became fun for him. “I liked it, it’s a new experience,” he said.
Pony rides are always assisted with a trainer. An escort is provided to lead the way and assist along the trails. For large horseback riding group trails, there’s an escort who leads the group and an escort who followers the group as well.
Jozef Feldizsko said he has been to the Equestrian Center about 15 to 20 times. His son really likes to ride ponies and Feldizsko said he brings him to the equestrian center every Sunday in the summertime.
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