Horsetown USA…Norco, California; horse paths, community trails, pens and arenas!

I wrote a post featuring the quote, “I would travel only by horse, if I had the choice.” And received the following comment:

“Yes!!! I keep saying, it would be awesome if someone developed a town that only allowed horse travel in the entire vicinity. If the roads were made for horses (soft), no cars or trucks to think about. All the stores could have hitching rails, or better, small corrals everywhere. Especially if you had lots of stores and restaurants….. oooh, restaurants with horse fare 😉 . Friends houses could have a small stable instead of a garage, unless they owned a ranch, of course. And all the wonderful trainers and clinicians in the world (like Stacy Westfall) would want to live there or visit often and host clinics 😀 Hmmm…. what to call it…. what to call it?-Rebecca”

Good news! I have been to a place very similar to the one you describe…it is called Norco, California! In 2006 Norco began promoting itself as “Horsetown U.S.A” and even trademarked it.

When I visited Norco I was amazed to see that instead of sidewalks made of concrete there were instead, very well maintained dirt paths. Even the paved driveways had this dirt path running through it! Very frequently (maybe every block?) there were pens to turn horses in or places to tie…especially in front of the stores! And the stores….

I have never seen so many tack stores! Huge! And right beside each other!  New, used, consignment stores, you name it…they have it.

A McDonalds with a hitching rail? Cross walk buttons at horse height? A community riding arena? Community round pens?

 

9 Comments

  1. NazKat on December 26, 2023 at 6:57 pm

    I live in Norco. Yes, we can ride to lunch, to the bars, to friends’, to neighborhood arenas. We also have access to miles and miles of natural trails along the Santa Ana River. We have Horseweek in April, lots of Rodeos, and a nighttime Parade of Lights at Christmas. Several horse clubs too. Check us out!

  2. Jason on September 22, 2014 at 1:44 pm

    Can anyone tell me the name of the song the duo performed at the end of this video?

  3. Carmen Peone on August 5, 2014 at 12:57 pm

    A must see!

  4. Terry Sposit on July 31, 2014 at 12:12 am

    There is a little town near me, Love Valley, NC. with a similar concept. The small main street is closed to cars and only allows horses and mules. They have many horse and mule events, a town arena. So interesting to read the town history and about the man who founded the town. A must read. We need more of these towns.

  5. Nikki B on July 30, 2014 at 7:49 am

    That is awesome, I want to live there………..

  6. Dawn Brannen on July 30, 2014 at 12:58 am

    My most favorite place in the world! I used to live very close to Norco, and would visit all the tack stores . Also would visit the animal shelter which would have chickens, donkeys, horses and dogs/cats.

  7. Andrea Martin on July 30, 2014 at 12:25 am

    speaking of McDonalds with hitching rails, me and my friends go to our neighborhood mcdonalds often and tie the horses to trees in the grass. Well this time when we came, there was a brand new hitching rail. =)

    I could so live in a town like that. How wonderful.

  8. Rebecca on July 29, 2014 at 10:47 pm

    WOW! Awesome!!!! 😀 Now we have to get one in every state or region 😀

  9. Amanda Ryden on July 29, 2014 at 7:57 pm

    Love it!

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