Whisper Mountain Ranch Offers Horseback Adventures and Healing Trails in Great Valley, NY
Whisper Mountain Ranch Offers Horseback Adventures and Healing Trails in Great Valley, NY
From first-time riders to lifelong horse lovers, Whisper Mountain Ranch welcomes all to enjoy trail rides, lessons, and a connection to nature just outside Ellicottville.
For Ramsey Bingerman, being around horses has been a part of daily life for as long as she can remember, as her dad and her maternal and paternal grandparents all had horses while she was growing up. In addition to sharing that love with her own children, Bingerman and her family’s Whisper Mountain Ranch now get to share it with visitors near and far, even those who’ve never been on a horse! “We get a lot of people from New York City that have never seen a horse in real life, let alone been on one,” said Bingerman. “I had a gentleman that said the only horse he had ever seen was with mounted police officers. He went riding and absolutely loved it… It definitely gives me a new appreciation for this.”
Whether horseback riding is a beloved experience or something brand new, Bingerman and her family invite all to enjoy the beautiful trails at Whisper Mountain Ranch. Located at 5098 Humphrey Road in Great Valley, Whisper Mountain welcomed its first visitors in many years approximately one month ago, and Bingerman looks forward to welcoming many more. “We’re spreading the word and getting our name back out there to offer some fun experiences to people that don’t really have the opportunity to go riding or be around horses,” she said.
Bingerman credits her father, Brad Bingerman, for making Whisper Mountain possible. “He wanted something we would be able to do as a family,” said Bingerman. “The big barn that we board horses in is his, and he is who started the business so we could do what we love. Without him, none of this would have come together.”
The name “Whisper Mountain” is inspired by nature and a special Arabian quarter horse mixed stallion. “He was our stallion for the farm,” said Bingerman. “Many of the horses we have now are babies that were born here, and he was their dad. He was our breeder stud for the farm, and he was absolutely beautiful and just very, very personable and fun and energetic. He was kind of a farm favorite, and his name was Whisper.” The farm that Whisper called home was located up on the hill and couldn’t be seen from the road, “…so we were kind of up in the mountain,” Bingerman explained. And so the name Whisper Mountain Ranch was the perfect choice!
Many of the horses used for trail rides have been with the family since birth, according to Bingerman. “My Appaloosa mare was born here, and she’ll be 30 years old this coming spring,” she noted. “The other horses that have come to us are usually coming to us out of a place of need, so we take them in, we work with them, we train them, and we give them the time they need to acclimate and learn to trust and to adjust to a different kind of lifestyle, and then we’re able to use them for trail rides with beginners.” The therapeutic power of this transformation is not lost on Bingerman, who also works in a behavioral program and would love to share this experience with others, especially children coming from a challenging background.
In addition to trail rides, Whisper Mountain also offers riding lessons and boards horses. In fact, of the ranch’s eighteen horses, four are boarders, and the others belong to Bingerman and her family. “We’re having one more that will be coming to us,” she said. “One of my cousins is moving out of state, and she’s gifting her mare to us.”
Whisper Mountain offers opportunities for riding all year round, and Bingerman is looking forward to doing skijoring this winter. For those unfamiliar with skijoring, Bingerman explained, “You are being pulled by a horse at a full run while you’re on your skis or on your snowboard, and there’s a track with obstacles. You have to stay within the lines, and the goal is to grab the hanging rings while going through this obstacle track. It’s super fun!”
Children will be able to ride on horse-drawn sleds, and Bingerman is hopeful that the family’s sleigh will be put to good use this winter! “We’ll do trail rides in the winter, and we just got the site work done to start building a small event center where people will be able to host little get togethers or birthday parties,” Bingerman added.
To learn more about Whisper Mountain Ranch, follow them on social media or call 716-244-8124.