Amazing College Equestrian Centers

Updated November 22, 2022

By BVS Staff January 2017 For horse lovers and dedicated horse owners, the search for the perfect college often necessitates a search for the most amazing college equestrian centers. Arenas, box stalls, jumping courses, and show facilities — horse owners want only the best for their four-legged partners. To make it easier for the rider ...

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For horse lovers and dedicated horse owners, the search for the perfect college often necessitates a search for the most amazing college equestrian centers. Arenas, box stalls, jumping courses, and show facilities — horse owners want only the best for their four-legged partners. To make it easier for the rider heading off to college, we went on a search for the 20 most amazing college equestrian centers and found these. Each facility on this list is well-regarded in the industry (meaning they are known for taking great care of their equine tenants), offer state-of-the-art equipment, and include a variety of courses for any riding discipline.

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The Top 20 College Equestrian Centers

  • Albion College
    Location

    Albion, MI

    Albion College's Held Equestrian Center is as functional as it is amazing. The facility's website accurately boasts that they are a "340-acre classroom experience….with leather seats." Indeed, the state-of-the-art center includes some of the finest barns of any college in the Midwest, stalls for 79 horses, locker room space for riders, an indoor arena with heated viewing areas, and two outdoor arenas, including a 250' x 300' grass jumping arena. Thirty-seven manicured pastures are perfect for warm-weather turnout, while on colder days, horses can be exercised with the top-of-the-line European-style horse walkers.

  • Alfred University
    Location

    Alfred, NY

    Horse lovers at Alfred University will love the school's 400-acre equestrian center. In addition to offices and classrooms, the state-of-the-art facility includes a mirrored indoor arena, two lighted outdoor arenas, 40 acres of turnout fields, and enough stalls for 40 university-owned horses and 14 student-owned horses. When student equestrians aren't taking lessons or competing on any one of the four equestrian teams, they can enjoy hacking along the five miles of trails that wind through the woods and around Foster Lake.

  • Berry College
    Location

    Mount Berry, GA

    Berry College in Georgia has repeatedly been named one of the most beautiful college campuses in the United States, and its equestrian center is definitely consistent with that honor. The 185-acre facility includes five buildings, 64 stalls, multiple tack rooms and wash stalls, an outdoor arena, two round pens for lunging or light training work, 180 acres of pasture, and miles of mountain trails to enjoy a hack. Recently, the Center added a state-of-the-art covered arena complete with attached classrooms, a concession stand, judges stands, and seating for 400 spectators. In addition to programs in equine management and various riding disciplines, the Center also maintains an active breeding program.

  • Cazenovia College
    Location

    Cazenovia, NY

    Cazenovia College has a long tradition as one of the premiere equestrian programs in the nation. Its 240-acre Equine Education Center has a large indoor arena, multiple outdoor rings, and a number of turn-out paddocks. The school owns more than 70 horses, including Thoroughbreds, Warmbloods, and Quarter Horses, breeds that have traditionally proven the most successful in equestrian competition. Students have access to top-of-the-line jumps and other equipment, while lessons that don't take place on horseback occur in network wired classrooms with views of the arena.

  • Centenary College of Louisiana
    Location

    Shreveport, LA

    A tree-lined drive and picturesque white fencing greet visitors to the equestrian center at Centenary College. The facility boasts three large arenas, including the impressive USET Building, a show-ready indoor arena complete with a heating system, elevated judge's booth, attached classrooms, a concession stand, and a public address system. The facility even caters to cross-country riders by offering a natural-terrain hunt field. But the most impressive feature of all may just be the main barn. In addition to the usual tack and grain rooms, the heated barn includes 60 stalls for student- and college-owned horses, a veterinary pharmacy, a fully stocked supply room, and an IHSA Team Room. Two additional barns and 12 turnout paddocks complete this state-of-the-art college equestrian center.

  • Earlham College
    Location

    Richmond, IN

    Earlham College hosts the only entirely student-run cooperative collegiate equestrian program in the country. The program is at The Suzanne Hoerner Equestrian Center, where riders can enjoy two arenas (an indoor and an outdoor) and miles of back campus trails. Student and college-owned horses graze in four pastures, while the heated 25-stall barn is designed to keep both riders and horses comfortable. Students can sign up for lessons, board their own horses, or compete on Earlham's competitive equestrian team.

  • Ellsworth Community College
    Location

    Iowa Falls, IA

    Very few community colleges have an equestrian team or an equestrian facility. Of the few that do, there may be none more impressive than the Ellsworth Equestrian Center. The 72,000-square foot facility includes more than 100 stalls, a 300-seat show arena, a smaller warm-up arena, and a full heating system for those rainy winter show days. The Center is a hub of activity year-round, and hosts everything from horsemanship clinics to horse shows and breeder expositions.

  • Emory & Henry College
    Location

    Emory, VA

    With 14 national championships since 2001, the equestrian program at Emory & Henry College is one of the most accomplished in the country. So perhaps it's not surprising that the school would have an equestrian center as impressive as its riding team. The 120-acre facility has two indoor arenas and an outdoor arena, nine large paddocks for turnout, and more than 120 stalls for both student- and college-owned horses. The facility is especially well equipped for those who jump. USA Equestrian regulation jumps can be found in the arena, while a full cross-country course is also set up on the property.

  • Houghton College
    Location

    Houghton, NY

    Houghton College students majoring in Equestrian Management or Equestrian Recreation have a fantastic facility at which to work on their craft. The beautiful 386-acre equestrian center includes five barns, pastures ranging in size from three to seven acres, a large indoor arena with a heated classroom attached, an outdoor stadium jumping ring, and a dressage arena complete with a permanent judge's stand. A complete cross country course — with jumps appropriate for introductory, beginner-novice, novice, and training levels — meanders through woods and hayfields overlooking the gorgeous Genesee River Valley.

  • Meredith Manor International Equestrian College
    Location

    NOT A SCHOOL, NOT A SCHOOL

    As its name suggests, Meredith Manor International Equestrian College is the only school in the world dedicated entirely to equine-themed studies. Thus, the 130-acre campus absolutely caters to riders and horses. Tucked into a gorgeous valley, the campus includes nine barns, a farrier and equine massage therapy shop, feed sheds, classrooms, laboratories, and a whopping seven indoor riding arenas. While the college doesn't place a huge emphasis on showing, the indoor Randolph Arena hosts a number of schooling shows each year, while a dressage team competes in the Intercollegiate Dressage Association.

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