Virginia Equestrian Properties

Horse Properties, Horse Farms, and Ranches in Virginia

 Virginia offers over 285 public access horse riding trails across the state. It is not surprising that recreation and trail riding is the number one use for Virginia horses. Trails are located throughout the state at a multitude of public locations including state parks, national park, historic battlefields, and city parks and cover a variety of terrain from sandy and hilly, to mountainous, flat and rough. For more information about trail riding in Virginia, visit the Virginia Horse Council website: www.virginiahorsecouncil.org

Long before Secretariat won the Triple Crown and the wild ponies in the factual book, Misty of Chincoteague, became famous, Virginia's horse industry had already established itself as the birthplace of some of America's first horse legends and breeds. In fact, Virginia's partnership with horses began back in 1610 with the arrival of the first horses to the Virginia colonies.

Forward thinking Virginia colonists began to improve upon the speed of the short stocky native horses acquired from the Indians by introducing some of the best early imports from England to the local bloodlines. Brought to the Old Dominion before the English Stud Book was established, Janus was an instrumental sire in improving these local running horses. Many breed historians consider these first improvements to native stock as the true beginning of the American Quarter Horse.

As Colonial Virginia prospered, horse breeders imported more of the new English breed, the Thoroughbred, to blend with the local American bloodlines and fast Indian ponies. Bulle Rock, the very first imported Thoroughbred, arrived in Virginia in 1730. Diomed, an English racing legend, sired enough progeny to be considered the father of the American Thoroughbred.