These 5 New Hampshire venues offer horse-drawn rides

In New Hampshire, you can go dashing through the snow at these five places that offer horse-drawn sleigh rides during the holidays and throughout the snowy season. Dress warmly, bring an extra blanket, and get ready to enter what feels like a living Christmas card.

Nestlenook Farm, 66 Dinsmore Road, Jackson, (603) 383-7101. Glide through the woods along the Ellis River in an Austrian-horse-drawn sleigh. You’ll travel through 1.5 miles of trails illuminated by lights and lanterns while a guide shares the history of the property. Then warm up at a bonfire with a cup of hot cocoa.  Tickets are sold individually for group rides of up to 15 passengers for $25. Children 2 and under are free. The farm also offers private rides, ranging from $150 – $375, depending on the number of passengers.

Charmingfare Farm, 774 High St., Candia, (603) 483-5623. Take a 45-minute, horse-drawn ride through this real working farm. From now until Dec. 24, take Santa’s Christmas Rides which are decorated with jolly lights for the holiday and accompanied by the sound of sleigh bell jingling. Once at the farm’s “North Pole,” Santa can be found in the Reindeer Barn, where he tends to a team of real, living reindeer. “Our Santa is a working Santa,” said Charmingfare owner John Pyteraf. “He’s not wearing a red suit. He’s wearing green overalls so he can tend to the reindeer.” There are also sugar cookies and hot cocoa served by Mrs. Claus, around a warm campfire and a special mailbox reserved for letters to Santa. No snow? No worries, the draft horses pull a wheeled vehicle through the trails when there isn’t enough of the white stuff. Regular sleigh rides, including special New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day rides, continue throughout the winter. Prices for Santa’s Rides range from $279 to $349 depending on the number of people in the party and the type of sleigh-ride package. Sleigh rides, including special New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day rides, continue throughout the winter.

Silver Ranch Stables, 183 Turnpike Rd., Jaffrey. (603) 532-7363. Weather permitting, Silver Ranch Stables offers horse-drawn sleigh rides that take you on a 45-minute-to-hour trek through the woods near Mount Monadnock.  Three generations of the Sawyer family have run Silver Ranch which started as a dairy farm over a century ago. Costs vary depending on the size of your party. Call the ranch to get a quote and make a reservation.

Omni Mount Washington Resort, 310 Mount Washington Hotel Rd., Bretton Woods, (603) 278-1000. If there’s snow on the ground you can take a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the countryside at the Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods which is surrounded by the majestic White Mountains. Fun fact: Bretton Woods was the site of the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in 1944 which gave its name to the Bretton Woods system and led to the establishment of both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in 1945. For sleigh reservations and details call the Bretton Woods Stable (603) 278-3388.

Coppal House Farm, 118 North River Rd (Rt 155), Lee (603) 659-3572.  Enjoy an old-fashioned sleigh ride at a 78-acre, family-owned, working farm. Your horse-drawn sleigh glides over groomed trails for a 30-minute ride through pine-lined woods and open fields.  At the end of the ride, guests can warm themselves at a bonfire. The rides which are offered on a pop-up basis in January and February cost $20 for those 13 and older, $18 for children 3-12, and free for children 2 and under who ride on an adult’s lap. People can also book private sleigh rides for a variety of prices depending on numbers.