where to board/ride in PHILLY? (UPenn)

[FrankieS]

I'm looking to apply to UPenn for undergraduate. Thus, the obvious question: How difficult is it going to be to find stables near Philadelphia? I know I can take a train to get out of the city, but then there's the problem of keeping a car. In fact, driving for me for the 1st year won't even be possible since I won't be quite old enough for a license yet.
It's a little bit far off...I'm graduating hs this year but I'm thinking about taking a gap year. Still, never too early to plan ahead!

Also, anyone here actually go to UPenn undegrad or graduate?

[joiedevie99]

I went there for law school. I boarded in Fairmount park for 1 year and up in Bucks County for 2. However, neither is accessible without a car. I believe two of the barns in the park are accessible by bus, but I'm sure its a long ride. PM me if you want more info.

[JerseyGirlEQ]

Well congrads on UPenn...and don't worry there are TONS of barns to ride at around Philly. Chester County (35-40 minutes) south of the city is horse country. You can find a small barn to take backyard type lessons or ride with Phillip Dutton or another professional. If you drive over the bridge to NJ there are also a lot of good options within 40-45 minutes from center city. What kind of riding do you do, at what level, etc? That might help to narrow it down a bit.

[vxf111]

Can't drive/no car=REAL PROBLEM unless you board somewhere and can hitch a ride with other boarders.

There are only 2 barns within the city limits that board, at least so far as I am aware. Chamonix I believe you can get to via bus, but I don't know that they board anymore. I don't think you can get to Monastery and the other lesson barn (totally blanking on the name) via bus unless you're willing to walk 30+ minute after getting off the bus. The long and short of it is that if you live in Philly, you're going to need to access a car to get to the horsey areas.

Hall did find a barn in Chester County that was accessible via bus but Halla is way more capable at mass transit than anyone I know *and* she walked a LONG walk once she got off the bus. You could ask her for the route for how she made her way from the barn to UPenn and vice versa, PM her.

Most of the riding areas are suburban. You can get to the general area via the regional rail, but then the barns aren't right by the rail station. You'd need some way to get the 10+ miles from the train to the barn. Maybe you could bike that? I don't know how reasonable that is, I don't ride bikes myself.

[vxf111]

If you drive over the bridge to NJ ....

She doesn't drive ;) and that right there is going to do all the narrowing down she needs, I think. Because mass transit/walking/biking accessible barns from UPenn are virtually non-existent.

[lcw579]

Are you looking for a hunter barn or an event barn? There are some not too far from the R5 that may send someone to pick you up. I know of one event barn that will anyway.

[dab]

Does Penn still have an IHSA team? One of my friends coached their team when she managed the Monasterey many years ago -- Even if you don't ride on the team, carpooling with them to whatever barn they use might be an option --

[halla]

I've tried this - not from UPenn, but center city. Unless you are crazy - and I arguably am - it doesn't really work unless you can get somewhere to pick you up. What is this eventing barn that will pick you up??? I want in! If you can find somewhere that might be short-term workable, you can try to befriend people there who can drop you at a transit station of some kind (and there are many kinds - SEPTA is a complicated beast, but has good coverage). This was very effective when I played polo. Unfortunately that place has closed, but I think the method could work well. You could also find other students who ride and carpool with them, which I did in college elsewhere.

Otherwise I'd look into getting a cheap car when you can and living somewhere with relatively easy parking and road access out. I hate that I live in the city yet still have a car, but there really wasn't a good way around it.

[horselesswonder]

Once you are old enough to drive, Philly Car Share might be an option. I've never used it, so I don't know anything about cost/restrictions/etc., but it might be worth looking into it.

[trafalgar]

I have a friend who goes to Penn and uses thier ZIP cars..... Penn has a few of their own.....very inexpensive per hour

[BlueEyedSorrel]

Sorry to hijack, but what does board typically run in the Philly area?

I'm a medical student and will be applying to residency programs within a few years. UPenn has been suggested to me as a good match for my professional interests. However, I'm a bit spoiled by the low cost of board (and everything else!) in my midwestern city and am hesistant to even consider anywhere on the East Coast. I won't consider anyplace where I can't afford to bring my horse (for reference, medical residents typically are paid 45-50K).

BES

[theblondejumper]

I'd second the Zip Cars but I am finding that unless your university has a program set up where under-21s can drive it you're outta luck. I'm dealing with that myself. I know of some good barns but they are a good 30+ away by car.

[mkevent]

Board runs anywhere from $450 to $900-at least in the South Jersey area where I am. If you want an indoor, probably $650 to $850 would be the range for a decent place.

[JerseyGirlEQ]

She doesn't drive ;) and that right there is going to do all the narrowing down she needs, I think. Because mass transit/walking/biking accessible barns from UPenn are virtually non-existent.

Yes driving would be a problem, but there are other options of getting over the bridge. The train lines that run from Cherry Hill to Philly will be extending south through south jersey to Atlantic City. When it will be completed I'm not sure, but that would be something to look for. If you work out the schedules you could hop a train to Cherry Hill and ride the buses to most areas. There is a bus that goes right down my main road and we have a fairly decent barn right across the street from me that offers lessons, sales and leasing (Route 45 in Mullica Hill). I used to trade cleaning the 4 stalls for riding anything on the farm. If you could get down into the Pitman area I could make a few recommendations for barns that are pretty close. I'd give you a lift down to my barn in Elmer. We should have a couple horses in need of work by then!

Also as far as not having a car, you can always get a bike. You can take a bike on most of the city buses and even the trains. So even if you can't get dropped off at the driveway at least you have your bike...its faster then walking.

Oh and Philly Car Share...I don't know how it works exactly or what the costs are but might be worth looking into! http://www.phillycarshare.org/

[vxf111]

I live in Collingswood and ride in Mullica Hill. I have never seen a bus... EVER... anywhere in either area or in between. Is there really a bus somewhere near you. Not just a bus stop... but an actual BUS that runs there? This is a mystery, having moved from Philly which is RIFE with busses to South Jersey. I see bus STOPS but I never see anyone waiting at them and I have never seen a bus. I would love to know how to get from Collingswood to Route 45 in Mullica Hill. What bus?

OP faces the same problem with PATCO as she does with SEPTA. Once she gets off the train... how will she get from the suburban-y area near the train to the more rural areas with the barns.

Last I checked, Philly Carshare had really, really restrictive rules about who could join. I think first time drivers might be exempt. I don't know about Zipcar. Not having a license makes that a non-solution for the first year anyhow :(

[JerseyGirlEQ]

Yes there are NJ Transit buses that run right through Mullica Hill. They run from Philly and Camden to Bridgeton. They go right through Woodbury, Mantua, Mullica Hill, and then down Route 77 to Bridgeton so you have options like Woodstown, Elmer, Quinton, Alloway, Upper Deerfield, etc that would all be within the area.

I've lived in Mullica Hill my whole life so maybe I'm just used to seeing them. But there are at least 4 stops that I'm aware of in Mullica Hill. My barns are in Mullica Hill off Commissioners and in Elmer so I'm constantly going back and forth through town (ugh summer traffic...thank god its getting cold!) The first one is at the park and ride at Route 45 and Cohawkin Rd. The next is actually right at the top of my neighborhood where Breakneck meets 45. The next one is in front of Pat's Pizza, and the last one that i know of is the corner of Route 45 and High St. There is one or two down Route 77 too, I think ones in front of the Park there. I always see people waiting out there.

http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=BusSchedulesTo

The busses in the 300-400 Range seem to be the local ones for down here. I don't ride the bus so I'm not sure the schedules work but I know they stop.