There is a special place amidst all the gorgeous countryside of Barrington where riding enthusiast Sally Robinson often heads with her horse when she needs a dose of solitude and contentment within this crazy and unpredictable world.

“You come up at the top of the hill and you just look out across the entirety of the forest preserve and its wetlands … and it’s just gorgeous,” gushes Robinson. “And all you can hear in the summer is the sound of the birds singing.”

It’s a delightful description of life on horseback on Barrington’s amazing equestrian trail system, which recalls the peacefulness of the British countryside. And for Robinson, who has been riding horses since she was just 5 years old, it was a quest for this lifestyle that led her to move to Barrington from the United Kingdom many years ago, dreaming of the day in which she could live a life with her beloved horses by her side.

“The land was just so expensive in the U.K, and you just really can’t have your own horse there on your property,” Robinson remembers. “It would always have to be at a managed barn. When my husband got a job here and we moved here, I found out about the riding community, and it was a dream come true.”

Indeed, countless men and women have flocked to the Barrington area for the same reason throughout the years, in search of not only the ability to have horses on their land but also to have camaraderie with other horse lovers. Many have found that camaraderie within the Riding Club of Barrington Hills—run by their Board, which consists of volunteers from the community, many who have horses. The Riding Club also welcomes non-riders, purely social members who participate in the Club’s long list of fellowship opportunities.

“It’s just very easy to get along with anyone because you have the horses in common,” says Robinson. “While not everybody rides, most people in the Riding Club have a core passion for the outdoors and such. And there is such a sense of community within the Club. That’s what I truly love the most.”

Today, the Riding Club has never been more committed to strengthening its place in the community for several reasons.

“Ultimately, we want to do anything we can to make sure we remain a rural community,” says Robinson of the ultimate purpose of the all-volunteer nonprofit riding organization formed in 1937. “All around us, there’s just more buildings and housing going up. So, it’s important to maintain this system that we have and encourage people to join us so we can continue to have that.”

She draws in a deep breath.

“It’s a unique opportunity we have here,” says the openspace advocate. “It’s historic and it’s so very beautiful. We’ve really got to work hard to keep these open spaces because they don’t just happen.”

Of course, the continued success of the Riding Club of Barrington hangs on the participation of its youngest members and the recruitment of future members eager to keep the group intact and thriving. A young rider herself, Robinson’s daughter Amelie, who will be a junior in high school this upcoming year shares, “I’m very grateful to be able to come home from a hectic day at school and ride on the beautiful trails.”

“We are currently looking into partnering with the local pony club more moving forward,” remarks Robinson. “We certainly want to attract everyone from the young children who have just moved to the area who might want to get into horses to the people who grew up in the Pony Club.”

Besides events targeting the younger horse lover, the Riding Club also routinely hold events that essentially help them thank the owners of the private trails the Club has long used in the area.

“They give us access to the trails, and we are allowed to ride on their properties,” says Robinson. “We’re very in debt to them. They do it simply from the goodness of their hearts. They want to see the trails stay open and they want people to be able to ride to other people’s houses. So yes, we are very grateful to them.”

And then, there are the elder statesmen who continue to call Barrington home, who can provide the Riding Club with countless stories of the way things used to be.

“It’s really lovely to hear the history of the Village and how the trails have changed and how the trees used to be this high when they used to ride,” Robinson says with a slight chuckle.

These are stories she hopes to share someday too.

“When I was younger, I was fearless,” she concludes. “I wanted to jump and go really fast, and it was all very exhilarating. But now, as I have gotten older, I much more prefer a relaxing ride and a chat with friends. That’s relaxation and serenity to me.”

For more information on the Riding Club of Barrington Hills, please visit ridingclubofbarringtonhills.org.