Equestrian Activities
In Aiken County there is something for every horse lover, and with Aiken’s warm climate, equestrian activities can be held all year round. Aiken is nationally recognized in the equine world as being a premier location for hunter jumpers, polo, steeple chaser, as well as western shows and relaxing trail rides.
Aiken’s equine culture has its roots in the Winter Colony, the community of wealthy Northerners who spent their winters here in the late 19th century, and who found that the sandy soil was perfect for conditioning their horses. Polo was first played in 1882 and is still played at Whitney Field, the site of the longest consecutive period of play in the United States. The members of the Colony also hunted fox, and the tradition continues at Hitchcock Woods, a 2,000-acre preserve virtually in the center of the city – the largest urban forest in the United States.
Then as now, the thoroughbreds take center stage during the winter months. The Aiken Steeplechase was founded in 1930 and was renewed in 1967. Their crowning accomplishment happens each March when Aiken hosts its own Triple Crown, starting with the Aiken Trials, continuing the following weekend with the Aiken Steeplechase, and culminating the third and final weekend with polo matches.
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