Whoa Nellie!

You’re hiking the lush woods of the Wissahickon Valley Park when you spot the tell-tale horseshoe shaped hoofprints, or catch the unmistakable whiff of fresh droppings. Horses? Are there horses in this park?

By NANCY PETERS

The answer is a resounding yes. Frequent park visitors have likely seen them - horses and riders in their single-file lines climbing up a rocky trail, or someone out on Forbidden Drive, perched in a horse-drawn carriage.

The Wissahickon Valley Park, with 57 miles of trails and a lush, 1,800-acre gorge that crosses forest and meadow before plunging down to the sun-dappled waters of the Wissahickon Creek, is home to a robust community of equestrian enthusiasts.

And it’s always been that way.

“The Wissahickon dates back to the age before cars even existed, which is why we have so many stables throughout this park,” said Kate Brown, head trainer and barn manager at Northwestern Stables on Northwestern Avenue at the top of Chestnut Hill. “The city of Philadelphia owns most of these barns, and it has managed to keep them up and running, through various nonprofits, so that the history of horses in this city does not get lost.”

In fact, it’s the riders of this city who saved the park from development, back in the Victorian era. They knew even then that opening it up to cars would eventually be its demise. And that’s how Forbidden Drive, the wide walking path that follows the creek from Northwestern Avenue to Lincoln Drive, got its name.

Built in the years between 1823 and 1856, the route then known as the Wissahickon Turnpike was used mainly by horse drawn carriages. But by 1920, motorists were beginning to crowd in - and park commissioners thought that was a great idea.

But the riders did not. And in 1921 some 1,000 came out on horseback to join about 12,000 pedestrians and form a successful protest parade. By 1924, the dirt thoroughfare was closed to motor vehicle traffic.

Riders and their barns

While the park is a favored destination for equestrians throughout greater Northwest Philadelphia, odds are high that park regulars are coming from one of its historic barns — each of which has its own distinct char-

Safety and etiquette

HIKERS, RUNNERS, CYCLISTS, dog-walkers, picnickers, and horse-back riders all contribute to the park’s unique urban culture.

This mixture of enthusiasts requires a great deal of common sense and courtesy. Horseback riders and carriage drivers are, of course, expected to control their horses at all times, ride at a reasonable speed, be careful around blind curves, and stay off wet or unsanctioned trails.

But they know they share the park with such potentially startling things as bicycles, strollers, umbrellas, and unexpected loose dogs - each of which can easily become an unexpected equestrian accident. acter and community of riders.

Above, riders follow Forbidden Drive on a bright afternoon in early summer.

At left, Letty frolics in the grass near her stable.

Below left, Letty is often a star attraction on park trails. Here children gather to pet her.

Below right, Letty nuzzles her friend Lucy in the stable yard.

Previous page, writer Nancy Peters takes her horse, Letty, out for a ride on Forbidden Drive.

And sharing isn’t too hard if you follow some basic courtesy.

For instance, most riders will move off to the side of a trail to let others pass. But if it’s a narrow trail, however, sometimes it’s safer for others to step aside. Always ask permission before you approach a horse, control small children, and keep your dog leashed.

Monastery Stables, located in the West Mt. Airy portion of the park is a friendly, full-care boarding and lesson barn. The six-acre complex includes a large horse barn, a small sheep barn, a mansion, a cottage, and a spring house as well as an outdoor riding arena and mowed fields for riding, grazing, and grooming.

The 1747 historic mansion is located on the site where the Brethren Church got its start. Its 22-stall converted former bank barn is now home to horses, ponies, and even a few miniature donkeys.

It’s also home base for the Philadelphia Saddle Club, a group of riders that operate a kind of equine co-op. Riders pay a regular monthly fee for access to the jointly-owned horses, and can ride without the responsibility and commitment of full ownership. Members range from 26 to 90 years old, and most are accomplished equestrians who enjoy both trail riding and working in the arena.

According to Diane Garvey, an active saddle club member, it’s an arrangement that’s worth its weight in gold.

“When I am riding in the Wissahickon, all my stress and worry peel away,” she said. “There is something so very peaceful about riding in the woods.”

Northwestern Stables, also a stone’s throw away from the Andorra Natural Area, is located on Northwestern Avenue at the northern end of Forbidden Drive. The facility, which has a stateof-the-art indoor arena, runs the most rigorous riding program of all the park barns.

In addition to lessons for beginners and people who are riding just for pleasure, it also trains competitive show-jumping teams. Still, it too makes good use of the park.

“We use trail riding to relax our show horses, and to give kids a taste of what it’s like to ride outside of the arena,” Brown said.

Similar to other Wissahickon barns, Northwestern’s mission is to serve and welcome people of all ages, incomes, backgrounds and equestrian disciplines. It offers boarding and a summer camp in addition to its lesson program, and hosts popular community events such as the Holiday Bazaar, its Haunted Horses Halloween event and a “Hippity Hoppity Horses” Easter egg hunt.

And for many of Chestnut Hill’s longtime residents, its most important role may be hosting the park’s annual Wissahickon Day Parade, held on the last Sunday in April since 1921, except for the last years which were canceled due to COVID.

The informal but festive parade features riders, horse-drawn carriages, and a variety of fancy costumes sported by both horses and humans as the procession makes its way from Northwestern Stables to the Valley Green Inn - an event that honors the original protest parade that saved the Wissahickon from vehicular traffic.

“The day is exciting with horses and carriages and people from around the greater Philly area - all united to celebrate the historic day,” said Andrea Shumsky, a board member at Northwestern Stables and a regular parade day volunteer.

The smallest of the three park barns, Courtesy Stables in Roxborough, sits on the eastern side of the valley and has easy access to the beautiful trails that wind throughout Houston Meadow and the Andorra Natural Area. It makes regular use of the park’s network of trails and lessons, a summer camp, and boarding.

True to its name, the barn offers a relaxed atmosphere and welcoming program for pleasure riding. Its mission is to teach good horsemanship practices, confidence, and compassion to young people in the city.

Not all the local barns are in the park, however.

Cherokee Stable, often referred to as “The Blue Barn” because of the building’s bright blue exterior, is a small boarding facility on the eastern side of McCallum Street, on the Chestnut Hill side of the McCallum Street Bridge. It has four big grass grazing areas and is easily accessible to the Wissahickon and its glorious trails.

There’s also Wissahickon Farm, a relatively new and family-owned, 18-acre equestrian facility just north of the park. This stable offers fullcare boarding and leasing, and also hosts a pony club.

Don’t forget Erdenheim

And we can’t forget Erdenheim Farm’s lovely barns and pastures right off of Flourtown Road in Lafayette Hill.

Situated on close to 450 acres, Erdenheim Farm - a large historic farm that was purchased and preserved from future development by the McCausland family in 2009 - remains one of the last sanctuaries of pastoral life within the greater Philadelphia area. It is home to prize-winning Cheviot Sheep, Black Angus cattle, and Morgan horses.

“Erdenheim Farm has a rich equestrian history, dating back to the 1800s, and the McCauslands want to build on that,” said Dan Lurie, Erdenheim Farm’s manager, While most equestrians in the Wissahickon come from these stables, some ride in from as far away as North and West Philadelphia. Others trailer in from across the region.

So if you’re out hiking the trails and come across a horse and rider, they may have come from near or far. Everyone knows that the Wissahickon – with its excellent trails, beautiful scenery, and friendly people – is a wonderful place to ride.

“We love our home for horses in the park, our extended barn community, and hosting visitors who want to enjoy the beauty of these special animals,” said Kim Murphy, the President of the Boarders and Stewards of the Monastery at Monastery Stables. “We also thank the many volunteers - at our barn and throughout the park - who dedicate themselves to the preservation, protection, and safety of the Wissahickon.”

English or Western? The saddle makes the rider

IN THE WISSAHICKON, most riders are using the “English” style, which means they’re using small saddles and a bridle with a noseband, which is a leather strap around their horse’s nose. These riders sit up straight in the saddle, keeping a rein in each hand, and will also “post,” or rise up and down in the saddle with the horse’s rhythm, while trotting.

When not on the trails, English riders are often found in one of the Park barns doing ring work, where they ride in an arena and practice training their horses, working on subtle commands, and even jumping over small and large jumps.

Western riders use a much larger saddle which has a “horn” in the front, which is traditionally used for roping and securing cattle. Western bridles don’t have the noseband, and riders will typically hold both reins in one hand. They also don’t post at the trot, but sit further back in the saddle in a more relaxed manner.

Riders use the park year-round, but it’s usually only in the summer that you’ll catch them actually splashing in the creek.

A horse is a horse, of course, of course, but what kind are these?

AT LEAST A DOZEN different kinds of horses can be seen throughout the Wissahickon.

The most common is the quarter horses, which are somewhat stocky, sound “cowboy horses” and are well suited to the park’s rocky trails and unexpected encounters.

Off-the-track thoroughbreds are tall, lean, fast, and can be quite spirited. An appendix is a cross between a quarter horse and a thoroughbred and, ideally, combines the common sense of the former with the agility of the latter.

If you spot a small and particularly nimble horse it might be an Arabian, and a compact little horse with a white mane and tail is probably a Heffelfinger. The big and powerful looking horses are probably one of the draft horse breeds, such as a Clydesdale or Percheron.

These breeds come in all colors - black, white, chestnut (reddish manes and tails), or bay (dark brown with black manes, tails, and lower legs). Paints and pintos are horses with large patches of white and black or brown, and buckskins are handsome tan horses with black manes and tails.