The Perfect Ride is Around the Corner!

Made for All Riders!

Come and join us at the beginner level and enjoy the art of horseback riding.  Learn for fun or for competition.  How far you want to go is up to you!  Join our historic community and be a part of something bigger, something noble, something which will mean something in your life.  Horses and horseback riding are things that you can enjoy your entire life!

Ride Your Best Life!

Where Tradition Meets the Next Generation

 For more than sixty-six years, New Traditions Riding Academy has been a home for horses and horse people in Palos Hills, Illinois — and one of the Chicago area's most distinguished saddle seat academies. Here, the elegance and discipline of American Saddlebred riding is passed on, generation after generation, to those who share our love for these remarkable animals. Whether you're a first-time rider nervously reaching for the reins or a seasoned competitor chasing the next blue ribbon, you'll find your place in our barn. Our instructors bring a lifetime of expertise to every lesson, teaching not just how to ride, but how to build the poise, balance, and genuine partnership that make horse and rider move as one.
What we offer:
Riding lessons for all ages and skill levels, grounded in classic saddle seat equitation
Summer camp where kids trade screens for saddles and make friendships that last
Full-service boarding in an impeccably maintained facility, where every horse is treated like family
Show preparation for riders ready to test their skills — and shine — in the ring
At New Traditions, heritage and ambition move in step. We're proud of our history, but just as excited about what's ahead. Every rider who walks through our doors becomes part of a living tradition — one built on horsemanship, heart, and an abiding devotion to the American Saddlebred or Hackney pony. Come see what six decades of passion looks like. Your first ride is waiting.

Looking Forward to the Year of the Horse.

So many things to look forward to this year as we embark on a new journey of the "Year of the Horse."  This year is truly a celebration of the horse with all the trimmings and trappings of a new gift from us to you.  Opening the year will be the exciting Smith Lilly Clinic, followed by the openings of outside shows and our school academy show on Sunday, April 26th.  Followed on the heels of the school show we will open up our facility for an Open House, introducing riders to our amazing riding school and newly revamped Bits and Pieces Equine Assisted Activities (a 501 (c) 3 publicly funded non-profit organization. (Click on link below for more information).  Our Summer Camp 2026 is ready to enroll and register, so this promises to be an unforgettable year for riders 4-85 years of age.  Come for a lesson and see what fun you can have at our historic facility!

Happy Riding!
Martha