Get better local results: Tell Google you prefer LocalHorsebackRiding.com — Set as preferred source →

Local Horseback Riding Directory

🗓️ Last Updated: Spring 2025

Horseback Riding in Lancaster, PA

Lancaster County offers two genuinely different ways to experience horse country: get in the saddle on a historic 280-acre estate, or climb into an Amish buggy and let a local driver show you real working farm life.

No other destination in this directory mixes the two experiences quite like Lancaster. The rolling Pennsylvania Dutch countryside is horse country in the most literal sense: the Amish and Mennonite communities here still farm their land with horses, still travel by horse-drawn buggy, and still live in a relationship with horses that most of the country stopped having generations ago. For anyone searching for horseback riding near me while visiting Lancaster, the three featured options on this page put you directly into that landscape in very different ways.

See the Top-Rated Lancaster Horse Experiences ›

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them, LocalHorsebackRiding.com may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Category Stone Gables Estate Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides AAA Buggy Rides
Experience Type Saddle-up trail ride Amish horse-drawn buggy tour Amish horse-drawn buggy tour
Best For Families, riders, historic estate access Families, all ages, Amish cultural immersion Couples, farm visits, covered bridge route
Duration 1 hour guided trail ride 30–35 min or 50–60 min; private tours available Multiple route lengths; dairy farm visit included
Setting 280-acre estate, Star Barn Village, covered bridge All-Amish backroads, working farms, Bird-in-Hand Amish farmland, covered bridge, dairy farm, Intercourse
Booking Direct (stonegablesestate.com); Tue–Sat only Walk-in or direct (amishbuggyrides.com); 7 days Walk-in or direct (aaabuggyrides.com); Mon–Sat
Price (per adult) $89.90 (Mon–Thu) / $99.90 (Fri–Sat) From $18 (30-min); $20 (50-min); children from $12 Confirm at aaabuggyrides.com; $2 coupon available

All three operate during the spring-through-fall season. Browse more horseback riding listings in Lancaster.

Why Go Horseback Riding Near Lancaster

Lancaster County holds one of the largest Amish communities in the United States, and the relationship between these communities and their horses is not a tourist attraction — it’s how things actually work here. The Amish and Old Order Mennonite farms throughout the county are still plowed by horse-drawn equipment. The roads between Bird-in-Hand, Intercourse, and Strasburg still carry horse-drawn buggies as a daily fact of life, not a historical demonstration. When you climb into an authentic Amish buggy with a local driver, you’re not on a theme park ride. You’re traveling through country that operates the way it always has, and the driver answering your questions about Amish culture has lived that culture their entire life.

The saddle-up trail riding option at Stone Gables Estate gives you a different kind of access: 280 acres of private Lancaster County countryside that includes genuine historical significance. The old railroad route on the estate once carried Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train and the Liberty Bell. The Herr’s Mill Covered Bridge, one of the most photographed in Lancaster County, sits along the trail. And the Star Barn Village, a collection of eight Gothic Revival barns dating to the 1800s, is visible from sections of the trail. It’s not wilderness riding. It’s Lancaster County at its most historically layered, on horseback, at a pace that matches the landscape.

The distinction between the two types of experiences is real and worth understanding before you book. A trail ride at Stone Gables puts you in the saddle on your own horse with a guide through historic estate land. A buggy tour with Aaron & Jessica’s or AAA puts you in an Amish buggy with a local driver through working Amish farm country. Both are horse experiences. Both are distinctly Lancastrian. Neither one replicates the other, and the most satisfied visitors often do one of each.

Best Places to Go Horseback Riding Near Lancaster, PA

Stone Gables Estate in Elizabethtown is the primary destination for saddle-up trail riding near Lancaster, located about 15 minutes from both Lancaster City and Hershey. The estate covers 280-plus acres of woodlands, fields, and orchards, with trails that pass through the historic Star Barn Village, along the old railroad route where Lincoln’s funeral train traveled, and past the restored Herr’s Mill Covered Bridge. It’s a working horse ranch with resident wildlife including deer, turkeys, and foxes, and the trail guide context adds real historical depth to what would otherwise be a standard Pennsylvania countryside ride.

For the Amish buggy experience, the Bird-in-Hand corridor along Route 340 (the Old Philadelphia Pike) is the heart of the tourist-accessible Amish country. Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides operates from Plain & Fancy Farm in Ronks, midway between Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse, and travels exclusively through all-Amish backroads where the farms are still worked with horse-drawn equipment. AAA Buggy Rides operates out of the village of Intercourse, PA, with access to both covered bridge routes and a working Amish dairy farm. The route from Intercourse through the surrounding farmland passes some of the oldest settled Amish farms in the county, with land cleared as early as 1737.

Understanding the Two Experience Types

If you want to be in the saddle on your own horse moving through the Lancaster countryside, Stone Gables Estate is the destination. No prior experience is required, and the guides handle everything from mounting instruction to trail navigation. The 1-hour format is long enough to feel like a genuine ride through a beautiful and historically rich landscape.

If you want the cultural experience of riding in an Amish horse-drawn buggy through real working Amish country with a local driver, the buggy operations are the right call. Both Aaron & Jessica’s and AAA are run by drivers who are part of the Amish and Mennonite communities, which means the information you get about Amish culture, farming practices, and community life comes from people who actually live it. You’re a passenger in the buggy, not in the saddle, but the horse and the experience are deeply intertwined.

Browse more horseback riding listings in Lancaster

Who Should Go Horseback Riding Near Lancaster

Families with Kids

Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides is the most family-flexible option: children under 3 ride free, the walk-in format means no advance planning required, and the farm stop on the longer route gives children an actual hands-on encounter with Amish farm animals rather than a drive-by view. Stone Gables Estate is the right call for families with children who specifically want to be in the saddle, though the $89-$99 per-person pricing makes it a more considered booking than the buggy tours. Both experiences work for families, but the buggy rides are the more affordable and spontaneous choice.

First-Time Riders Who Want the Saddle

Stone Gables Estate is specifically designed for beginners. The horses are described as gentle and well-mannered, the pace is a relaxed walk throughout, and the guides provide full instruction before leaving the barn. No prior experience is required. The 1-hour format is long enough to get comfortable on the horse and experience the estate properly, without being so long that a first-timer feels fatigued or overwhelmed.

Couples and Romantic Travelers

AAA Buggy Rides and the covered bridge route is the romantic pick for Lancaster. Riding through a 19th-century covered bridge in a horse-drawn buggy, listening to the hooves echo in the wooden structure and watching the farmland frame itself on the other side, is genuinely atmospheric in a way that’s specific to this place. The dairy farm stop adds a layer of genuine discovery. For couples who want something more personal, Aaron & Jessica’s private buggy rides can be tailored to special occasions including engagements and anniversaries. Stone Gables Estate is also worth considering for couples who want the horseback experience itself rather than the buggy format.

History and Culture Enthusiasts

Both experience types serve this audience, but in different ways. Stone Gables Estate’s historical trail context — Lincoln’s funeral train route, the Herr’s Mill Covered Bridge, the Star Barn Village — is the right call for anyone interested in Lancaster County’s broader Pennsylvania history. The buggy operations with Amish and Mennonite drivers are the right call for anyone primarily interested in the living Amish culture, since the drivers share their own community’s story firsthand in a way that no museum exhibit or documentary can replicate.

Visitors Making a Day Trip from Philadelphia

Lancaster is about 70 miles west of Philadelphia and easily reachable as a day trip. For day visitors who want to cover the most ground in a single trip, a morning trail ride at Stone Gables followed by an afternoon buggy tour at Aaron & Jessica’s or AAA is a complete Lancaster County horse experience in one day. The two locations are about 20 minutes apart, and the pairing covers both the saddle-up and buggy-tour sides of what makes Lancaster distinctive.

Browse more horseback riding listings in Lancaster

What to Know Before You Book a Horse Experience in Lancaster

The Difference Between a Trail Ride and a Buggy Tour

This distinction is worth being clear about. Stone Gables Estate is a saddle-up trail ride: you are on your own horse, guided through the estate by an experienced wrangler. Aaron & Jessica’s and AAA Buggy Rides are horse-drawn carriage tours: you are a passenger in an Amish buggy being driven by a local community member. Both involve horses. Both are legitimately horse experiences. They are not interchangeable. Know which type you want before booking.

Stone Gables Estate Hours and Pricing

Trail rides at Stone Gables Estate run Tuesday through Saturday only; the estate is closed Sundays. Departure times are 10am, 11:30am, 2pm, and 3:30pm. Pricing is $89.90 per person Monday through Thursday and $99.90 per person Friday and Saturday. The weight limit is 225 pounds. Book online at stonegablesestate.com or call (717) 413-2660. Arrive 15 minutes early for your scheduled time.

Buggy Tour Walk-In Flexibility

Both Aaron & Jessica’s and AAA Buggy Rides generally accommodate walk-ins, which is a meaningful practical advantage for visitors who prefer not to plan ahead. Aaron & Jessica’s is open 7 days a week including Sundays. AAA is open Monday through Saturday, closed Sundays. For peak summer and fall weekend visits, calling ahead is still the safer approach since popular departure times can fill up, particularly the longer farm-visit routes.

Respecting the Amish Community

The Amish communities in Lancaster County have requested that visitors ask permission before photographing individual people or private property. Both Aaron & Jessica’s and AAA guides will advise you during the tour on what photography is appropriate and welcome. Following their guidance is both courteous and important for the continued relationship between Lancaster tourism and the communities that make the region distinctive.

What to Wear

For Stone Gables Estate trail rides, wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Boots are recommended. Lancaster County can be humid in summer and cold in fall; dress in layers for morning rides. For buggy tours, standard casual dress is appropriate: the buggy provides cover and the pace is slow enough that weather is generally manageable.

Best Season in Lancaster County

Spring (April through June) and fall (September through October) are the most popular and comfortable seasons for Lancaster County. October foliage is excellent and the harvest season gives the working Amish farms a specific energy that summer visits don’t have. Summer is hot and humid but fully operational for all three operators. Stone Gables Estate’s trail ride season runs through mid-November; confirm current seasonal hours when booking. The buggy tours generally run through the warm months with winter hours reduced or suspended.

Horseback Riding in Lancaster: Frequently Asked Questions


Yes. Stone Gables Estate in Elizabethtown offers 1-hour guided saddle-up trail rides through a 280-acre historic property, Tuesday through Saturday. The trails pass the Star Barn Village, the Herr’s Mill Covered Bridge, and the old railroad route where Lincoln’s funeral train traveled. No prior experience is required, the weight limit is 225 pounds, and pricing is $89.90 to $99.90 per person. Lancaster County is also home to multiple Amish horse-and-buggy tour operators who provide a different but equally authentic horse experience through the county’s working Amish farmland.


A trail ride (Stone Gables Estate) puts you on your own horse with a guide leading the group through private estate land. You are in the saddle, steering with your reins. An Amish buggy tour (Aaron & Jessica’s, AAA Buggy Rides) seats you as a passenger in a horse-drawn carriage driven by an Amish or Mennonite community member. You are not in the saddle; the driver handles the horse. Both are horse experiences specific to Lancaster County, but the physical experience and the cultural content are quite different.


No experience is required. Stone Gables Estate uses gentle, well-mannered horses and experienced equestrian guides who provide full instruction before the ride begins. The trail moves at a walking pace throughout, and the guides help everyone feel comfortable and confident from the start. The weight limit is 225 pounds; riders above this limit should call the estate directly to ask about accommodations.


Yes. Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides employs Amish and Mennonite community members as drivers, including family members of the founding family. The information and stories about Amish culture, farming practices, and community life come from people who live in these communities, not guides who have studied them externally. AAA Buggy Rides similarly uses local drivers with firsthand knowledge. This is the quality that distinguishes these operations from generic carriage ride experiences, and it’s the reason the cultural commentary tends to be substantive rather than superficial.


For Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides, children 2 and under ride free; children ages 3 to 12 pay a discounted children’s rate. All ages are welcome. For AAA Buggy Rides, all ages are accommodated; confirm specific pricing when you visit. For Stone Gables Estate trail rides, there is no published minimum age, but call ahead if you have very young children to confirm whether they can participate in the guided ride or a separate pony experience.


The covered bridge route at AAA Buggy Rides is genuinely well-suited for couples. Riding through a 19th-century covered wooden bridge in a horse-drawn buggy is a specific, unhurried, atmospheric experience. The working dairy farm stop adds discovery and something to share. For a more personalized romantic format, Aaron & Jessica’s private buggy rides can be customized for special occasions including engagements and anniversaries; contact them directly to arrange this. Stone Gables Estate is also worth considering for couples who want the actual horseback experience in a historic and beautiful setting.


Spring and fall are the most comfortable and popular seasons. October is particularly strong: the fall foliage on the Lancaster County farmland is genuinely beautiful, the Amish harvest season gives the working farms a specific energy, and the temperatures are ideal for both trail rides and buggy tours. Summer is fully operational but hot and humid, with morning bookings preferred for the trail ride at Stone Gables. Stone Gables’ trail rides run through mid-November; the buggy tours typically run through the warm months with winter schedules reduced. Confirm current seasonal hours with each operator before planning your visit.


Stone Gables Estate donates 100% of its net proceeds to Brittany’s Hope, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing grants to families adopting abandoned children internationally. The Abel family, who owns and operates the estate, describes themselves as stewards of the property rather than owners, and all public events and activities are run with this mission as the stated purpose. This applies to the trail rides, events, and venue bookings at the estate.

Ready to Book a Horse Experience in Lancaster?

Three ways to experience Lancaster County’s horse culture: guided trail rides at Stone Gables Estate, Amish buggy tours with Aaron & Jessica’s, and the covered bridge and dairy farm route at AAA Buggy Rides.

All three book direct; Stone Gables Estate requires advance reservations online, while the buggy tours generally welcome walk-ins.

Stone Gables Estate Trail Rides
Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides
AAA Buggy Rides

LocalHorsebackRiding.com covers guided horseback rides across all 50 states. If you’re exploring more of Pennsylvania or the broader mid-Atlantic region, the directory has additional operators worth comparing.

Disclaimer: LocalHorsebackRiding.com is an independent directory and informational website. We are not a riding stable, instructor, healthcare provider, or legal advisor. All articles, guides, and listings are provided for general informational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional advice.

Read full disclaimer

Horseback riding involves inherent risk of injury or death. Always verify policies, prices, qualifications, safety practices, liability waivers, and medical considerations directly with the stable, instructor, doctor, or other qualified professional before participating.

Listings on this site are submitted by or compiled from public information. Stable details, operating status, prices, and policies may change without notice. Inclusion in our directory is not an endorsement, and we are not responsible for the practices of any listed business.

This site contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission when you book or buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. Links to third party websites are provided for convenience, and we are not responsible for their content or practices.

Use of this website is at your own risk. See our Disclaimer, Terms of Service, and Privacy Policy for full details.