Things to Do in Independence

Opened in 1968 as a nine-hole course, Cardinal Hills added a back nine in 1996 to form a 5,614-yard excursion that challenges oncomers with undulating greens and tree-lined fairways. Though relatively short in overall length, the Harold England design presents its fair share of difficulties, forcing players to choose their clubs wisely and to carefully discern which flagsticks are actually remnants of failed moon landings.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 70 course
• Total length of 5,614 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 70 from the back tees
• Course slope of 113 from the back tees

For three generations, the Morgan family has equipped adventurers with the accouterments they need to conquer the great outdoors. The outfitters supply canoes, kayaks, and rafts for excursions at both their Fort Ancient location on the Little Miami River and Brookville location on the Whitewater River. Adventurers choose from a range of downstream floats, with river jaunts stretching from 3 miles up to 18 miles. The company also operates campgrounds with cabins and tent space on the banks of both rivers, allowing guests to stop overnight to rest their muscles or practice non-native birdcalls while everyone else sleeps.

Colonial Pines Golf Club’s 18-hole course blankets 127 acres of tranquil Ohio Valley farmland for 5,966 yards of rolling hills and imposing hardwoods. Golfers traverse the par 70 layout on the backs of motorized carts or caddies hoping to improve their piggyback-ride form, steering balls away from a menagerie of hazards, including mounds topped with swaying heathers, woodsy thickets, and six lakes spanning 11 acres. The first tee shot aptly foreshadows a round in which avoiding water hazards and ingratiating oneself to ball-stealing fish will be critical, as drives must cross a pond that runs from the tee box to the beginning of the fairway.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 70 course
• Length of 5,966 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 68.3 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 117 from the farthest tees
• Three tee options
• Link to scorecard

Hoofbeats resound across cropped-turf grounds at Shelby Trails Park Equine Education Center. Here, 25-year equestrian Corinne Bradley teaches dressage and jumping techniques to riders of every stripe, from beginner to advanced to honorary centaur. She works with all ages but especially enjoys teaching young people, perhaps because she was only a child herself when she mounted her first horse. By the time she got to high school, she was steering her steeds through full-on equestrian events. Today, Bradley manages an equine paradise. Indoor riding areas introduce barn stormers to their mounts in a controlled environment, and winding trails encourage human and beast to bond while taking in the scenic countryside.

A student of the Parelli way of riding, Bradley’s style emphasizes the horse-rider relationship. Through the Parelli philosophy, students learn to communicate effectively with equines, earning the horses’ trust by eating salt licks and respecting how they react to their natural environment.

The Phoenix Equestrian Centre's owner and lifelong horse expert Linda Gonzalez draws on her professional racehorse-training experience while teaching riding lessons and caring for her fleet of steeds. Having trained racehorses that have breached the upper echelons of the nation's Experimental Handicap top 200 and gone on to race before the queen of England, Linda has an expert eye for tending to the needs and birthday wishes of each horse. Set on 19 acres, her horse boarding and training facility features 60'x60' indoor and 100'x200' outdoor riding arenas, where ponies are free to strut and students take their first tentative gallops atop well-trained mounts. Aside from private lessons and day camps, Linda also breaks and trains unruly horses, leases trustworthy steeds, and hosts a variety of informational seminars about the future possibilities of a centaur composite race.