New Yorkers can now get back in the saddle in Central Park, after a six-month absence of horseback riding in Manhattan.
The city Parks and Recreation Department has teamed up with the Riverdale Equestrian Center to give people the chance to experience a little of the country life in the Big Apple.
“It’s fantastic. I’ve always wanted to ride in Central Park, and now I’m guiding the tours,” Riverdale head instructor Leigh Heyward said. “It’s great for tourists, or even if you live here, to take the tour and ride around.”
Anyone interested in riding through the four miles of bridle paths can contact the Bronx-based stables to set up an appointment with a tour guide.
The program begins today. It will be available seven days a week through Thanksgiving, then start again in the spring.
The cost is $100 an hour, and reservations should be made a day in advance.
After the 115-year-old Claremont Riding Academy closed last April, no one was providing horseback rides to the public.
“We wanted to make sure horseback riding didn’t disappear from Central Park,” said Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe.