Horseback riding center opens in Hit to meet growing demand for recreation, training

A new horseback riding center in the northern Anbar city of Hit has opened to provide residents with a unique mix of sports education and recreational activity during the summer break.

The facility, called Hit Land for Horseback Riding, caters to all age groups and has drawn interest from both families and youth since its launch. It offers comprehensive instruction in the fundamentals of horseback riding, using both Arabian and imported horses that have undergone specialized training.

Activities currently take place in an open field and have seen particularly strong participation from women and girls. In response, organizers say they plan to bring in female trainers and hold equestrian events at the local and provincial levels.

“This project isn’t just a training center — it’s part of our social fabric,” said founder Muhaiman Bayan. “We want to revive the prophetic tradition of teaching swimming, archery, and horseback riding.”

Trainer Khidr Adnan told 964media the center currently houses four horses and offers lessons that range from basic footwork to advanced riding techniques.

“Training hours are split into two shifts, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. We also provide regular veterinary and nutritional care to ensure the horses are safe and well-adjusted for trainees of all ages,” he said.

Kareem Asi, one of the trainees, welcomed the project.

“There’s no other facility like this in Anbar,” he said. “As soon as we heard about it, we came to support the idea. It fills a real need for both education and recreation in our city.”