Places to Go-Danada Equestrian Center

The Danada Equestrian Center at Danada Forest Preserve in Wheaton offers lessons, camps, group tours and other educational and recreational experiences year-round. The family-friendly Fall Festival at Danada on October 13, 2019 features equestrian demonstrations, a variety of horse breeds, wagon rides, barn tours and more seasonal fun.

Driving Directions

Danada Equestrian Center is located at 3S507 Naperville Road. Danada House is located at 3S501 Naperville Road.

Riding Lessons

Learn horsemanship and riding skills for new to advanced riders ages 12 and up. Register online or at 630-668-6012.

Group Lessons

Learn horsemanship and riding skills in a friendly group setting.

Horsemanship 1

Horsemanship I

Horsemanship I is for inexperienced riders as well as riders with experience who need a refresher course. Students receive hands-on instruction in haltering, grooming, leading and tacking and learn basic riding skills. Register online.

Fees
DuPage resident $250
Nonresident $310

Horsemanship II

Horsemanship II

Horsemanship II is for students who successfully completed Horsemanship I and want to improve their skills. Register online.

Fees
DuPage resident $250
Nonresident $310

Horesemanship III

Horsemanship III

Horsemanship III is for intermediate riders who continue to practice techniques from Horsemanship I and II. Students prepare their horses for riding with little to no assistance and learn to ride a balanced seat in a western saddle. Register online.

Fees
DuPage resident $155
Nonresident $190

Horsemanship IV

Horsemanship IV

Horsemanship IV is for intermediate and advanced riders who continue to practice techniques from Horsemanship III and want to establish a balanced seat and perform intermediate and advanced skills associated with the walk, trot and canter. Register online.

Fees
DuPage resident $155
Nonresident $190

Individual Lessons

Thirty-minute individual lessons give you valuable one-on-one instruction and allow you to progress at your own pace. You can also purchase packs of five and combine the value of personalized instruction with the benefits of meeting weekly on the same day and time.

Individual Lesson

Individual Lesson

Each individual single lesson meets only once. Date ranges indicate when single 30-minute lessons at your riding level are available and on which day and time. Register online.

Fees
DuPage resident $40
Nonresident $50

Individual Five-Pack Lessons

Individual Five-Pack Lessons

Meet once a week for five consecutive weeks. Register online.

Fees
DuPage resident $180
Nonresident $220

Trail Classes for Intermediate and Advanced Students

Our five-part trail classes focus on the educational aspects associated with trail riding on trails, including those in DuPage forest preserves. Students will learn trail etiquette, safety and riding skills for trail riding through groundwork and mounted instruction.

Horsemanship III Trail Class

Horsemanship III Trail Class

Intermediate students will ride in western saddles and maneuver through, over and around intermediate trail obstacles inside and outside of the arena. Students enrolled in Horsemanship III Trail Ride Class must have completed Danada’s Horsemanship III class or above within the last year. Students who have taken private lessons at Danada within the last year will need instructor approval before enrolling in Horsemanship III Trail Class.

Fees
DuPage resident $210

Horsemanship IV Trail Class

Horsemanship IV Trail Class

Advanced students will ride in western saddles (English saddles can be used with instructor approval) and will maneuver through, over and around intermediate/advanced trail obstacles, both inside and outside of the arena. Students enrolled in Horsemanship IV Trail Ride Class must have completed Danada’s Horsemanship IV class within the last year or must have instructor approval to move on from Horsemanship III Trail. Students who have taken private lessons at Danada within the last year will need instructor approval before enrolling in Horsemanship IV Trail Class.

Fees
DuPage resident $210
Nonresident $250

Other Horse-Related Programs

Danada also offers programs to introduce individuals to horses, their behaviors, lifelong care and companionship. Many do not include opportunities to ride.

Five-Part Ownership Lecture Series

Five-Part Ownership Lecture Series

Whether you’re thinking about owning a horse or are just an enthusiast, this five-part series for ages 12 and up will give you an in-depth look at the daily, annual and lifelong care of horses. Each session has a 60-minute lecture followed by 60 minutes of practical, hands-on applications in the Kentucky-style barn. Ages 12 and up. Register online or at 630-668-6012.

Fee
$50 per person for the series

No Rush Brush Grooming

No Rush Brush Grooming

Interested in spending time with a horse but don't care to ride? Want to get comfortable around one on the ground before moving on to your first lesson? Then join us for 45 minutes of one-on-one horse grooming time followed by 15 minutes of lectures or ground work. (Lectures may include stall vs. pasture, breeds, and behavior; ground work may include basic leading skills.) Ages 10 and up. To register, call 630-668-6012.

Horsemanship Badge for Scouts

Horsemanship Badge for Scouts

In addition to learning how to safely ride and care for horses, Scouts will gain an understanding of the instincts and behaviors of horses and human and effective methods for training them. (You must turn in requirements 1b and 4 at the start of the program.) Ages 12 – 17. Call 630-668-6012 for availability.

Fee
Per Scout $70

Camps for Kids and Teens

Kids and teens ages 10 – 14 can enjoy hands-on experiences with horses and the chores of a working barn. These summer day camps offer horse-related games and crafts and either lead-line rides or daily lessons. Visit our summer camps page (link).

Horse Sense

Horse Sense

Entering Grades 5 & 6

Enjoy hands-on experiences with horses and the daily activities of a working barn as well as lead-line rides, stable chores, games, crafts and Friday Family Day. Register online.

Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. • B, A
Starting June 3 or 17, July 8 or 22, or Aug. 5
Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton

Fees
DuPage resident $250
Nonresident $290

Riding Sense

Riding Sense

Entering Grades 7 & 8

Enjoy all the fun of Horse Sense camp with the wonders and challenges of a daily riding lesson with a Danada instructor. Register online.

Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. • B, A
Starting June 10 or 24, July 15 or 29, or Aug. 12
Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton

Fees
DuPage resident $400
Nonresident $460

Guided Group Tour

Take a one-hour tour of the equestrian center’s Kentucky-style barn to discover horse behaviors, types of feed, and uses of saddles and tack. Then, enjoy a horse grooming demonstration. (Horseback riding is not included.) For availability and reservations, call 630-668-6012. Complete and return the guided group tour application (PDF) upon completing your reservation.

Wagon Rides

Enjoy cultural and natural history stories on a 30-minute ride through the scenic preserve. Wagon rides (first come, first served) and private group rides (with advance reservations) are available on some weekends each fall. Questions? Call 630-668-6012.

Tractor-Drawn Rides
Enjoy these 30-minute rides through the scenic preserve. All ages; under 13 with an adult. $5 per person ages 5 and up; under 5 free. No registration. For questions or private group rides, call 630-668-6012.

Sept. 21, 22, 28 & 29

1, 1:45 & 2:30 p.m.

Danada

Tractor-Drawn Rides: Danada Horses
Learn about the history and horses of Danada on a 30-minute covered wagon ride through the equestrian center and preserve. Rides start at 1, 1:45 and 2:30 p.m. and all tickets go on sale at noon the day of the ride. All ages; under 13 with an adult. $5 per person ages 5 and up; under 5 free. No registration. For questions or group rides call 630-668-6012.

Oct. 5, 6, 19, 20, 26 & 27	1 – 3 p.m.	Danada
Nov. 2 & 3	1 – 3 p.m.	Danada

Horsin' Around

These fun-filled equine days include children's activities and up-close-and-personal opportunities to learn about horses. All ages. Free. No registration. Questions? Call 630-668-6012.

Fall Colors	Saturday, Sept. 21	Noon – 4 p.m.	Danada
Halloween Trick-or-Treat	Saturday, Oct. 26	Noon – 4 p.m.	Danada

Danada House and Model Farm

The 19-room Danada House was once the home of Dan and Ada Rice. Today, the house and its bright, airy annex are available for receptions, meetings, showers, parties and other catered functions for up to 250. It’s managed by the nonprofit Friends of Danada. For rental information, visit danadahouse.com (link) or call 630-668-5392.

The adjoining gardens showcase native and ornamental plants. A permeable brick paver parking lot limits runoff by allowing water to slowly seep into the ground. Rainwater feeds a courtyard water feature, and decks, arbors, pergolas, trellises, benches and fences feature low-maintenance materials. West of the house, a synthetic turf lawn absorbs up to 6 inches of rain an hour while remaining attractive even after heavy foot traffic.

Rice Legacy

The equestrian center and most of the surrounding Danada Forest Preserve were part of the Dan and Ada L. Rice estate. The Rices purchased the land in 1928, when it was a working farm with apple orchards, wheat and corn fields, and grazing lots for livestock. In 1943 Dan bought eight Thoroughbreds for his wife’s interest in horse racing, and the Ada L. Rice Stable was born, a legacy that would last 32 years.

The farm produced many champions and served as a training facility. The Rices patterned their 26-stall barn after the white dormered-window stables in Lexington, Kentucky. The “Kentucky-style” design, which features center stalls surrounded by an inside aisle, allowed trainers to exercise their Thoroughbreds even in bad weather. The 0.5-mile regulation racetrack west of the barn conditioned yearlings that arrived from a sister farm in Kentucky.

In 1965 the Rices’ Lucky Debonair, a bay colt, crossed the wire first in a neck-to-neck finish for a $112,000 Kentucky Derby purse. One year later, their Thoroughbred Advocator placed second.

Contact the Center

630-668-6012

Hours & Things to Know

The center's office is open Monday –Friday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. It is closed on Saturdays, Sundays and select holidays.

The barn is open Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. It is closed on select holidays.

The surrounding Danada Forest Preserve is open daily from one hour after sunrise until one hour after sunset.

Rules & Regulations

Preserve Map

Trail Map (PDF)
Interactive Map

Applications

Group Barn Tour Application (PDF)
Private Hayride Application (PDF)

Volunteer Programs

See more Danada Equestrian Center's volunteer opportunities.

More Places to Go

Forest Preserves
Illinois Nature Preserves
Danada Equestrian Center
Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center
Kline Creek Farm
Mayslake Peabody Estate
St. James Farm
Willowbrook Wildlife Center

Gift the "Get Outdoors"

We now offer gift cards — available in multiple denominations — for forest preserve programs, permits, equipment rentals and merchandise.

Danada Equestrian Center