Sleeping Bear Equestrian Club: no horse required

By Berry Kendall

Sun contributor

A horse is a horse, of course, of course but what image does “equestrian club member” conjure up? Affluence, designer gear and prestige speak to the stereotype that one local club is turning on its head.

Founded just over a year and a half ago, the Sleeping Bear Equestrian Club achieves a unique goal for Northern Michigan: creating one organization where every kind of horse enthusiast—regardless of discipline, experience level or even horse ownership—is welcome. The club serves the regions of Leelanau, Benzie, Antrim and Grand Traverse. Debunking the myth that equestrians require deep pockets, its membership rates start at $10.

Horse organizations traditionally revolve around breeds or disciplines. Dressage riders join dressage clubs while draft horse owners have their own associations. Arabians, Tennessee Walkers, jumpers, and barrel racers all tend to gather within their own circles.

Gretchen Knoblock is the founder of Sleeping Bear Equestrian Club.

“There are plenty of clubs for this breed or that discipline,” she said. “We wanted to be one that was for everybody, and to be very inclusive instead of exclusive.”

The board of the Sleeping Bear Equestrian Club intentionally includes people from different corners of the equestrian world so decisions aren’t viewed through the lens of a single discipline. Trail riders, carriage enthusiasts, draft horse advocates and others all have a voice, helping ensure that the club reflects the broader horse community rather than one niche within it.

That spirit of inclusion extends beyond horse owners. Some members don’t currently own horses. Others haven’t ridden in years. Some simply enjoy attending events, volunteering or supporting local businesses connected to the equestrian world. Businesses—from trailer repair shops to real estate agents, trainers and boarding facilities—have joined as affiliate members because they recognize the value of strengthening the region’s horse community.

Interestingly, the club itself began with children who weren’t riding horses at all. Several years ago, Knoblock and a neighbor launched a program called Pony Pals, introducing children to miniature horses through grooming, handling and horsemanship rather than riding lessons. The goal wasn’t competition but connection. Children learned confidence, responsibility and empathy while forming relationships with the tiny horses.

When circumstances forced the program to close, Knoblock realized the nonprofit she’d envisioned for Pony Pals could evolve into something much broader. Instead of serving just one youth program, it could become an organization dedicated to strengthening equestrian culture throughout Northern Michigan, while allowing future educational initiatives to exist beneath that umbrella. That realization became the Sleeping Bear Equestrian Club.

One of the club’s most ambitious ideas is also one of the simplest: creating more places where horses can safely go.

A pivotal moment came hundreds of miles from Michigan. Knoblock had traveled with her horse to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC which boasts a full equestrian center with boarding on site. They spent two days exploring nearly 90 miles of dedicated equestrian trails before Hurricane Helene forced an emergency evacuation. But while the trip was cut short, its impact wasn’t. In those two days, she’d experienced something Northern Michigan largely lacks: extensive horseback riding trails free from motorized traffic.

“Our two days of riding there were incredible. I’d never experienced anything like that and started thinking, ‘What do we have that’s like this in our area?’” said Knoblock.

Returning home, she couldn’t stop asking herself that question. Northern Michigan certainly has horses, forests and public land. But finding safe places to ride remains surprisingly difficult.

“There isn’t really any place except Alligator Hill and most equestrians don’t even know you’re allowed to ride a horse up there because they don’t promote it. And there isn’t anything else in Leelanau County,” she explained.

Virtually all other existing trail systems are shared with motorcycles, ORVs, bicycles and other users. “We may have an issue with whomever is driving those vehicles,” said Knoblock. “Some of them are lovely, wonderful people who stop and ask what would we like them to do? Horses [and riders] always have the right of way on any trail, no matter what,” she explained.

While some interactions are courteous, it only takes one careless encounter with a frightened 1,200-pound animal to create a dangerous situation. “You’re always on high alert,” said Knoblock. “You’re listening for the rumble of an engine because you know something’s coming, and it’s probably coming fast. It’s not safe.”

Recent incidents have reinforced those concerns. One woman was hospitalized after dirt bikers deliberately accelerated near horses, startling one animal badly enough to throw its rider. Those moments convinced club leaders that advocacy needed to become central to the organization’s mission. Not advocacy against other trail users, but advocacy for education, cooperation and stewardship. Stewardship isn’t simply about maintaining trails; it’s about helping everyone—horseback riders, hikers, cyclists and off-road enthusiasts—understand how to safely share them.

In the months since its founding, the organization begun translating its philosophy into tangible projects – efforts designed not only to improve access for riders, but to strengthen relationships across the broader outdoor community.

“We want to be uplifting,” said Knoblock. “We’re trying to lift the rising tide that lifts all the boats.”

That approach has shaped hopeful conversations with agencies and organizations across the region. Rather than positioning horses in opposition to other trail users, the club emphasizes shared stewardship; recognizing that hikers, cyclists, ORV riders and equestrians all have a stake in preserving access to Northern Michigan’s natural spaces. It’s a slower path than confrontation, but it’s one the club believes will lead to lasting results.

“We’re not trying to take anything away from anyone,” Knoblock said. “We’re trying to make it better for everyone.”

For generations, horseback travel was a common way of experiencing Northern Michigan’s forests and dunes. Today, it’s less visible but no less meaningful to those who continue the tradition. By placing riders back into those spaces in a visible, positive way, the club hopes to remind both visitors and decision-makers that equestrian access remains an important part of the region’s outdoor identity.

“A horse can take you to areas that might be a little more treacherous to attempt on foot,” she said. “And it’s friendly to the environment. Footpaths and bicycles do far more damage to a trail or an ecosystem than a horse does.”

Another dimension to the club’s work is one that extends beyond trails and into the local economy. Equestrian tourism is a niche market, but a powerful and untapped one in the region and the Sleeping Bear Equestrian Club hopes to promote it.

“There’s the argument: ‘We don’t need any more tourists!’” said Knoblock, “But I would argue it depends on who that tourist is.”

She explained that horseback riding is not harmful to the environment. Riders who travel with horses are, as a whole, quite respectful and tend to stay longer. They need specialized accommodations: boarding facilities, trailer parking, access to feed and veterinary services. They frequent local restaurants, shops and attractions. In regions where equestrian infrastructure is well developed, that translates into a steady stream of visitors who contribute meaningfully to the local economy.

Northern Michigan has the landscape to support that kind of tourism but what it lacks, in many cases, is the coordinated infrastructure. The Sleeping Bear Equestrian Club sees an opportunity. By advocating for more horse-friendly trails, promoting local equestrian businesses and organizing events that draw riders to the area, the club hopes to help build a network that benefits both the horse community and the broader region.

Not all of the club’s efforts happen on trails. Some unfold in vineyards, others in open fields, barns or community spaces where horses and people come together in ways that feel less like formal events and more like shared experiences.

Upcoming events include the Wine & Whinny Glamping Weekend July 17-19 at Blu Dot Winery in Charlevoix where members can enjoy leisurely trail rides, wine and cheese tastings, dinner and socializing under the stars. The Sleeping Bear Equestrian Club will also host a Club Day at the Traverse City Horse Show in Williamsburg on July 23. Members and non-members alike can enjoy watching the Nations Cup together.

August offers a camping trip at Garey Lake Campground in Empire, September serves up both an Upper Peninsula Lake Michigan Ride Weekend and a camping weekend at Lake Dubonnet, and in October there will be the Fall Color Ride to Norwood Beach in Charlevoix/Norwood.

In winter months, the Sleeping Bear Equestrian Club hosts monthly member coffees at rotating locations. For longtime riders, the gatherings are a chance to connect with others who share their passion and for newcomers it offers a first glimpse into a community that might otherwise feel out of reach.

“You don’t need to own a horse to attend, you don’t even need to know how to ride; you just need to be curious,” said Knoblock. That openness is intentional. “We want people to feel like they can come and be part of it,” she said. “There’s a misconception that horsemanship is difficult to get into. We’d like to open people’s minds to see what we’re about and become involved. It’s accessible to anyone.”

For all the club’s initiatives—its advocacy, its partnerships, its events—the heart of the organization is found in the relationship between a person and a horse. Knoblock explains that a horse mirrors human emotion, responding not to words but to presence. Patience is required to build trust and humility comes from working with an animal that cannot be forced, only guided.

“Horses are pretty magical,” Knoblock says. “They have such a way of reaching people and healing them. They don’t judge you. They just respond to what you bring to them. You learn a lot about yourself. They teach you to be present, to be patient and to be aware.”

Even as the Sleeping Bear Equestrian Club organization grows, its leaders remain focused on that philosophical objective: not just creating more places to ride, but creating more opportunities for people to experience what horses can offer. Perhaps the old adage apocryphally attributed to Lord Palmerston said it best: “There’s nothing so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse.”

For membership and event info please visit SleepingBearEquestrianClub.org.