Equestrian & Ride Therapy

Some of the finest trail riding in Arkansas hides in valleys no road touches — and a helicopter is the only graceful way in.

Lift off from Thaden Field in Bentonville and follow the ridgelines south. In under twenty minutes the Ozark canopy opens onto a private farm just outside Fayetteville — roughly nineteen miles from the field as the helicopter flies, a world away from the highway version of the trip.

Jasper Springs Ranch keeps show-caliber horses matched to every level of rider. Down the road, Parkerman Stables rounds out the day with a therapeutic-horsemanship program whose quiet, hands-on method has helped riders of all abilities find their seat and their confidence. Together the two operations give this experience a range few trail days can claim: sporting and restorative, fast and slow, ridge-top views and valley-bottom quiet.

Routes run through terrain only horses (and helicopters) reach — limestone ridge trails, creek-bottom paths, and long grassy swales the Ozarks keep off the map. Choose a sunrise ride that catches the mist on the hills, a half-day out-and-back, or a full day that ends around a cookout fire with lunch laid out before the flight home.