Aiken's Horse Season, Month by Month
While Aiken is the full time home to a bustling equestrian community year-round, "the season" runs roughly October through May. Summer is hot and muggy weather training for locals, and many of the barns are empty. The busiest stretch is March, when Aiken's Triple Crown runs three Saturdays in a row (with a bonus fourth weekend featuring the 100+ year old Horse Show in the Woods).
Month | What's happening | Planning tips |
October | Fall polo Sundays at Whitney Field. Seasonal barns start filling. Year-round hunter jumper, dressage, and eventing competitions at the Bruce's Field, Highfields, and Stableview venues. | You're already late - make sure you have your Air BnB (and stalls) booked for January through March. |
November | Aiken Fall Steeplechase is the quieter little sibbling to the spring event, but still well worth attending. The Blessing of the Hounds in Hitchcock Woods is a truly unique, special way to spend Thanksgiving morning. | Get your prime Steeplechase tailgate spots in advance. The Blessing is open to all, but the SPCA's Bloodies and Bagels fundraiser right after always sells out. |
December | Hunting season underway! Riding with one of Aiken's five hunt clubs is the best way to see the county. Downtown oozes small town charm all holiday season long with the Christmas with Hopelands light festival, Night of 1000 lights, the annual Hoofbeats Christmas Parade, and of course - the tree lighting ceremony. | Most events don't require advance tickets, but plan ahead because your December is going to be busy |
January | Seasonal riders arrive in force! Expect lots of trailer traffic on back roads and (dirty) breeches at Publix. Bruce's Field hosts "Tuesdays in the Park" each week with ticketed schooling for hunters, jumpers, and dressage. | Rentals for Feb-Mar, now or never |
February | You can ride at a different venue most every day of the month, and February is a great month to do just that. Show at one of Aiken's show facilities. School cross country at The Vista, Stable View, Dara Knot, or Full Gallop. Trail ride the Woods, or better yet ship into one of your new horse friend's farms to experience life in one of Aiken's equestrian developments. | Make your wish list of places to ride and watch the weather. February can be fickle here, though it rarely gets too cold or rainy to ride. |
March | Triple Crown: Aiken Trials at the Training Track, Aiken Spring Steeplechase, Pacers and Polo (spring season opener) at Whitney Field are the three big events of the season here in Aiken. The Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase gives you a front row seat to some of the world's best eventers in a format you won't find anywhere else. | Snag your Steeplechase tailgate spot in advance. |
April | Sundays mean polo in April - you can catch a match at either of the downtown public fields, or at private fields along the 302 corridor. The Horse Show in the Woods has been running for 110+ years and has the silver trophies to prove it. No trailers are allowed in the Woods, so riders have to hack in and "camp" for the day. | The Horse Show is a fundraiser for the Hitchcock Woods Foundation - snag tickets to the welcome party the night before it starts or a VIP table for ringside spectating. |
May | Seasonal riders head north. The big hunter show of the year is the Aiken Charity Horse Show the first two weeks of May, and hosts some of the most competitive riding in the country. | Next season's stalls |
A day at the races
The Aiken Trials draws up to 10,000 spectators and features not only typical horse races like 2 year old colts and three year old fillies, but also side saddle races, pony races, and the impossibly cute lead line races. The jockeys are mostly local exercise riders - and most times the only chance they get to actual race the horses they work so hard all year to train. Grab your rail space and set up your most impressive tailgate spread, but don't miss the chance to peruse the starting paddock area, where you can see the contestants right before the line up. Gates open at 10 a.m., opening ceremony is at 11:30, first race at noon.
The morning before the Trials is annual Breakfast at the Gallops, where you can watch horses breeze while learning about what it's like to train in Aiken from local racing celebs.
Insider's advice
There's a steady stream of out-of-towner's January through the end of March with some staying through April. There's so much riding to do here, you (or your horse) won't get bored!
Rentals downtown and around the Horse District tend to book up quickly. But if you're looking for on-farm lodging for you and stalls for your horses, you need to book this at least 4-6 months in advance. The best spots fill up fast.
Most rentals are dog-friendly, but not all barns are. So be sure to check fit for your dogs, too, when assessing where you're keeping your horse.
Aiken is a relatively small town, and everything seems to be (at most) a half hour away. Even still, it can be a long drive from South Aiken or the 302 Corridor to downtown after a long day at the barn. So if you anticipate frequenting Laurens street regularly, opt for a downtown home base.
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