Equestrian Activities

Equestrian Activities

The Cordillera Equestrian Center

Located on Squaw Creek Road across from the entrance to the Divide, the Cordillera Equestrian Center (CEC) has a capacity for boarding and caring for more than 40 horses, the largest such facility in the Vail Valley.  We boast two heated indoor arenas and one large outdoor arena as well as miles of incredible trails.  Superior horse care is standard with our talented staff.

Equestrian activities at the CEC include horse riding lessons, horse camps, and clinics. The Cordillera Equestrian Center owns four horses and provides private and semi-private lessons and clinics, catering to all interests and levels of experience. Equestrian activities include our summer horse camps for youths age 6–15. Trails that originate from the CEC access miles of scenic beauty and undisturbed wildlife habitat, both within the Cordillera community and on adjacent Forest Service land.

See the helpful links section below for more information about horse camps, horse riding lessons, and horse boarding.

For the dressage rider, Annie Morris is available for international-quality training.  Annie is a USDF Certified Instructor/Trainer through the highest level (FEI).  Beyond her high achievements in the USA—including Grand Prix wins in Wellington, FL, on a self-trained horse and participation in a many clinics and symposiums at all levels across the country—Annie spent more than 5 years in Europe training in Germany and working with some of the best riders in Portugal. She wants the best for every horse she works with and trains with kindness and thoughtfulness to help you reach your goals in and out of the show ring.

For more information, please contact Annie Morris at amorris@cordillerametro.org or call (970) 376-7295.

Bearcat Stables

Located on the historic Bearden Homestead at the bottom of Fenno Drive, Bearcat Stables offers a variety of ranch and horse activities reminiscent of Cordillera’s western ranching heritage. One-to-six-hour horseback rides leave the site daily during the summer. There are also extended overnight pack trip adventures into the backcountry. Advanced reservations are required.

Evening campfires are open to all, and the site hosts dinners and private events in the summer upon reservation. During the winter, horse drawn sleighrides wrap participants in blankets for evening trips out under the stars, returning to the homestead for warm drinks and great stories around the fire.

Indian Summer Outfitters leases the Bearden Homestead site from the Metropolitan District.

For reservations or more information, go to www.bearcatstables.com or call (970) 376-4647.

Location of Cordillera Equestrian Center