Claremont Riding Academy, the last riding stable in Manhattan, is closing. Located at 175 West 89th Street it was built in 1892 and is included on the National Historic Registry.

The stable is across the street from Smartmom’s public elementary school, PS 166. It is there that she saw a dying horse being carried onto a truck when she was in 2nd grade. The horse had been killed because it had a broken leg (They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?) It was a very memorable and sad sight.

The stable is a multistory barn with floors connected by ramps. The horses are housed in individual stalls in the basement and on the second floor.
There is a small indoor riding ring.

Claremont is famous for its lessons. They also rent horses to experienced riders to ride on the bridle paths in Central Park. The owner says that one of the reasons he is closing the stable is beause the bridal path has become a "zoo" with bikers pedestrians, dirt bikers and frisbees always on the path.

Getting to the park requires
riding a horse on Manhattan streets, mixed in with the regular traffic,
and crossing Central Park West. Claremont is closing for business on 4/29/07.

It is the end of an era.