Many may be familiar with Heberle Stables and the winter sleigh rides they offer every year. It is a family-owned and operated horse ranch with nearly 150 years of rich family history.

The farm dates all the way back to the late 1800s where there used to be three separate orchards, one in Rochester, one in Penfield, and the third farm in Red Hook, NY. They all originally were just orchard farms and planted apple trees, cherry trees, and peach trees and had farm horses on all the properties.

“There were always horses on the farm, and my dads’ sisters would always bring friends down from the school, and this is back in the 1920s for riding because they would ride the farm horses,” said Bill Heberle, current owner and manager of Heberle Stables alongside his wife, Heather.

Heberle Stables, located off Browncroft Road, is adjacent to the scenic Ellison park and share a unique relationship. The two don’t only share the same location; they also share the same date on which they were founded, 1926.

“So, my grandfather noticed more and more kids were coming to ride horses. So he started buying more and more horses, and he started the riding school,” said Bill Heberle about how the stable was created in 1926, “When my grandfather died, my dad took over the stables part, and his brothers took over the nursery part.”

What was once 400 acres of land is now the 13 acres that Heberle Stables are known for today. Serving the Rochester area’s equestrian needs through their full-service lessons, boarding facility, and their famous winter sleigh rides

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This year, operating the farm hasn’t been a walk in the park, but Heberle and the farm are no strangers to hardships. The pandemic has been a big hit to us all, but it’s just another fork in the road for Heberle Stables.