This area of North Carolina is called the Triangle because of the proximity and geographical positions of three cities – Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh. At the hub of this triangle is the Research Triangle Park, often referred to as RTP, a research driven base for a spectrum of high-tech corporations.

Considering the topography of the area, to the west and north of the Triangle, you’ll find lush, rolling land with some forested foothills; as one heads east, toward the coastal region of the state, the land flattens somewhat and appears more agricultural with tobacco, cotton, soybeans and other crops. To the south, toward Southern Pines, one will encounter the Sandhills – with, as its name implies, more sandy soil and North Carolina’s namesake pines. For horses, you can’t go wrong anywhere in North Carolina – it’s all beautiful, but your decision could be swayed by the weather.

The Triangle has four moderate seasons, sprinkled with a few bouts of cold weather and some rather sultry humid days in August. But – fortunately, we move through the seasons with a magnificent fall and spring, a relatively mild winter (if you’re from Wisconsin) and a tolerable summer (if you’re from Florida.) An indoor arena isn’t required, although a covered arena is nice during the hot summer months. You can ride throughout the year in North Carolina, and with shelter, horses can stay out for most of the year. You’ll find horse-keeping in North Carolina is fairly low-maintenance. We do have frozen water buckets once in awhile, but that makes one appreciate the summer! And – with a few steamy days in August, you’ll learn to appreciate a crisp winter day!

Overall, you’ll find this area quite enjoyable. An easy drive to the coast and a day at the beach is just a little over a two-hour drive, and you can reach the mountains in a little over three hours. Getting to Washington, Philadelphia or New York, as well as Charlotte, Atlanta, Charleston and Savannah, is relatively easy via major interstate access – so you aren’t totally distanced from major metropolitan areas.

Horse facilities in the area are growing, anchored by several horse parks. The Jim Hunt arena in Raleigh is easily accessible from Durham and Chapel Hill via I-40 or Hwy 64, and features major hunter/jumper, dressage, western or Arabian shows almost weekly throughout the year. Southern Pines offers the Walthour Moss Foundation and the Carolina Horse Park near Raeford, the site of major equestrian events including the American Eventing Championship to be held in September. An eastern facility is also underway. Many local farms have small shows so schooling opportunities are abundant. You will find just about every area of the equestrian world in represented in the Triangle – so come take a look, bring your horses and join us as we build a wonderful equine world, right here in the Southern Part of Heaven, a name the Carolina Tarheels like to claim!