Unforgettable Summer Fun: Ride, Feed, and Explore at a Local Ranch

mellinegalani
Jul 15
4 min read

There's something undeniably magical about horseback riding—the rhythm of hooves on earth, the bond between rider and animal, the wind in your hair as you take in sweeping views. And there are many places around Korea for taking horse riding lessons or experiencing horse riding as entertainment. Riding is a sport where you commune with an animal and is thus good for one's emotional well-being and also an intense exercise with numerous health benefits. But even without the benefits, first and foremost, it's a fun activity. If you've ever wanted to experience that magic, Songsan Riding School (송산승마스카) in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, is the perfect place to start.

With Children's Day approaching, I found myself scrambling for the perfect outdoor activity - something immersed in nature yet conveniently close to the city. My online search led me to an unexpected gem: Songsan Riding School (송산승마스카) in Gwangju's peaceful outskirts. What began as a one-time holiday solution has since become our family's favorite nature retreat.

This charming spot offers so much more than just horseback riding (though that alone would be wonderful).The adjacent sheep farm adds another layer of delight, with interactive activities that captivate visitors of all ages. Every visit feels like a mini-adventure - whether we're bonding with gentle horses, feeding curious sheep, or simply enjoying the fresh countryside air.

Going there was probably the best decision I made. One aspect I should mention is that both my children had previous experiences with horses. My daughter has loved these animals since she was little. Although they didn't take regular riding lessons, we would go from time to time to an animal farm or an adventure park back home, where they rode animals from smaller horses like ponies to bigger ones like Lipizzans.

That day the weather was fine, a bit windy but still warm. We arrived at the Songsan School at about 11 a.m. I was afraid that the place would be packed, but I guess we were lucky because even though there were a number of people, it was far from being crowded. We left the car in the parking lot near the ticket office and headed inside. We were surprised to find that the place was more than just a horseback riding school, more like an animal farm with some experience areas. From the time we arrived, it somehow reminded us of the animal farms we used to go to back home.

The school offers many activities and horseback riding lessons; they even have a sort of club where people can take out a membership. I think it's best to make a prior reservation for the lessons (especially during summertime when it's more packed), but we were lucky enough to find an available time. One lesson is about forty-five minutes, and I paid 80,000 won per child. It's not cheap, but horseback riding is not an inexpensive sport. During the lesson, my children learned how to guide and command the horse, how to move at the same pace as the animals, and the most interesting aspect, how to gallop. The personnel are excellent and explain everything in detail.

But the Songsan School has more to offer. For those who don't want to learn how to ride but just experience the feeling of horseback riding, there's an experience consisting of riding ponies or horses (not big ones though) for three rounds. We paid 15,000 won per child for the three rounds. Depending on the child's age and preferences, the caretaker chooses a pony or a horse. There's also a small animal farm where young children can see pigs, cows, guinea pigs, sheep, and of course, horses. We even found some cute puppies to play with. Since the place is quite vast, there's also a pond with a lot of fish in it. Those who want to pay 8,000 won will get a basket full of hay and carrots to feed the animals at another experience zone. They have rabbits, goats, sheep, and horses. I think the rabbits were stuffed already because they didn't eat, but the rest of the animals were more than keen to receive food and were comically friendly. We had so much fun. The feeling of animals eating from your hand is amazing. I had almost forgotten what it felt like.

The riding school also has a substantial picnic area with wooden tables and benches, including a wooden swing, and a nice meadow in front of it. Balls and badminton rackets are free to use. We had ramyeon there along with some snacks and played for a while. A new coffee shop has been added to the facility with delicious desserts and beverages.

At the end of the day, my children told me they'd had the best day since they moved to Korea. I guess that's enough to get an impression of what Songsan is like.

This is the kind of place where you could spend an entire day outside experiencing various activities or just go for a picnic.There's no doubt that we're going to spend quite a few more days here during this summer.

For urban families craving nature without the long drive, Songsan Riding School strikes that perfect balance. It's become our go-to escape whenever we need to unplug and reconnect - with nature, with animals, and with each other. The memories we've made here have turned what could have been just another Children's Day into the start of a beautiful family tradition.

Songsan Riding School (송산승마스쿨)

Address: Gwangju, Gwangsan-gu, 68-100 Gasaman-gil

광주광역시 광산구 가삼안길 68-100 송산승마스쿨

Phone: 062-943-7100

Operating Hours: Daily 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., closed on Mondays and on public holidays

Instagram: @songsan79

Photos by Melline Galani