Triton Stables, Durham

For the Welles clan, great horsemanship runs in the family. Following the example of his mother—a champion rider—award-winning equestrian Shep Welles has spent 25 years persuading horses to trot, canter, and jump. Nowadays he's the owner and head trainer at Triton Stables, a Welles-operated concern since 1970. The other trainers at Triton Stables also share Shep's enthusiasm for the equestrian arts. Megan Ward is the instructor for the intermediate and beginning riding school, and has worked with Shep since she was 16 and has been riding and teaching ever since.

After recently moving to a new location, the facility now include two barns, regulation-size outdoor arenas, and a variety of stables and amenities for boarding horses. Aspiring riders of all ages and experience levels train during well-rounded private lessons that cover everything from tacking and grooming to riding techniques and the perfect cartwheeling dismount.