Still great place to board and for lessons, but they discontinued trail rides. The surrounding forest preserves sadly make riders feel unwelcome as peds, bikes don't want to share the trails. It's a shame so many people fear horses read more

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I've been riding here for the past 6 years and I loved it, every horse is well mannered and some people are as well. I have quit at this barn because of fat shaming by a lady, which I will not name. Because of this, I have lost all confidence in riding. I also do not recommend camps, any of them. Prices go up while everything stays the same or even becomes worse. read more

I recently learned that 9 Acres/FitzJoy will be closing trailrides at the end of the year. I've been wanting to come here for years so I signed up. I wanted to ease back into riding since I haven't done so in a very long time and it was good for that and not bad for first timers. It is close to a major road so you hear all the noise of motorcycles and trucks and all that where horses spook sometimes. You also have to share the trail with folks walking and biking. The vista was beautiful and the hour goes by so fast. I learned that I'm a little more advanced than a beginner as I haven't forgotten certain things about riding therefore I'm don't think I'll come back. They super nice people and wishing them the very best. read more

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The trail ride, which was about 30 minutes on a public trail through the Cook County Forest Preserves, was enjoyable but the overall experience was a let down. It started with when you walked into the office to check in. There is no one formally to greet you. When we walked in there were three girls sitting at a high top table and one said, "the forms are right there, fill those out." The forms were on a table to our right. Basically we needed to fill out legal waivers, etc. So we grabbed the forms but I took mine outside in the freezing cold to finish because the "office" was essentially a waiting room and it completely smelled of heavy cigarette smoke. I don't think you can get Covid from cigarette smoke but it would've been nice if they had had better air filtration. Later I asked the guide, Lisa, why did the office smell so much like cigarette smoke. Lisa said the guys in the front smoke. But what was alarming to me was that Lisa said it in a manner as if it wasn't a big deal. But it was to me. So much so, if I had a small child with me or an adult who was asthma prone I would not have brought them in because it was that bad. And this was with my face mask on. After we completed the paperwork one of the girls at the table took it but we were still clueless about what to do next. In the meantime I used the restroom and it was one of the restrooms where there's no lollygagging. It just didn't seem clean and I questioned the plumbing. Of course I am extra sensitive to cleanliness during the era of Covid so it might not have bothered me pre-pandemic. Finally the guide, Lisa, took us to the horses where we were told to go into a room and pick a helmet. It didn't look like the helmets had been sanitized at all. You just pick up a random helmet and hope it fits. Once I got on the horse I wanted to take a picture. However, the side of the barn had very little sun exposure so if the color of your skin is brown like mine, you won't show up in the picture. Because of this I asked Lisa if we could stop for a minute in the sun so that I could take a picture and she said no. I'm not sure if we caught Lisa on a bad day or if she was jaded of riders wanting to take a picture but she didn't have a tolerance for it at all and offered no other solutions other than to take a picture in the shade. And she seemed very gleeful to say that she doesn't take pictures for people because of Covid, which is fine. But I was disappointed there was no sensitivity that I paid money to ride a horse and wanted some proof via picture but wasn't given the opportunity by the guide. When on the trail, the guide was in front and the horses followed the tail of the horse in front of them. There were five people in our group, including our guide Lisa who didn't really interact with us. If we asked questions, like me as a Yelp Elite Reviewer, we got a short reply so I felt there was no friendly engagement. And if you were in the back of the horse line on the trail, forget it. Housekeeping items: just a reminder the horses do shed, so if you are going somewhere after the trail ride bring a lint brush for your pants. And bring some sanitizing wipes for the helmets for those of you who just want to be extra cautious. If you are looking for a nice social distancing activity or just want to get out in nature, or maybe go on a first date with someone, this is a great activity. read more

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Now "9 Acres". This is about the children camp: overall it seems like the activities are very good and the children do get direct horse experience. The reason this doesn't get rated better is that the price is increasing while the services are decreasing. It is now a four day camp for more money. Beyond that, money aside, when you arrive with your children the teachers are all slumped in a corner not engaging the children or the parents. It is very impersonal and lacking in warmth. At the end of the day, you could see the lack of connection between the teachers and the kids, and frankly, between the kids. I think this is at least partially attributable to the teachers' demeanor. I truly believe the solution is simple: expect the teachers to greet the children, smile or show some warmth, check in with the parents similarly, and update the parents at the end of the day briefly. read more

Such a fun experience. This is was my first time ever riding a horse and my instructor, Lisa, was amazing. She walked us through everything, made me feel confident. The staff is super nice. Really recommend this place for beginners, the trail was slow which I enjoyed. read more

9 Acres - Trail - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palos Hills, Illinois

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I've been sending my daughter here for riding lessons for 5 months now. She has improved significantly since she started here. She had to unlearn bad riding habits she learned from another stable she was at for 4 months. They rotate the kid between the easiest well behaved horses to ones that are a little more stubborn. In my opinion that is good, because a good rider needs to have enough control to be able to handle a stubborn horse. I also love that they max the classes out at 8 people. My daughter has been training with Michelle. I know there is another trainer, but we haven't tried her because we like Michelle. She's a tough-love trainer and doesn't let you get away with sloppy or dangerous habits. She will yell at your kid for doing something wrong, but tells your kid why it's important to do it right. My daughter was originally intimidated by her, but now she pouts when she has a substitute for the only fact that its not Michelle. We've taken my neighbors daughter a few times too, she also was a little intimidated by her, but has since grown to like and respect her style of teaching. Overall my kid has learned to ride different gates, different dismounts, how to groom, how to saddle an bridal, how to balance well enough she doesn't have to hold onto the horn of the saddle, and gained a ton of confidence in her ability to control a 1000 lb beast. I highly recommend this stable for riding lessons. read more

9 Acres - Learning how to walk bare-back. - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palos Hills, Illinois

This is the best riding stable within the Chicagoland area. I started taking riding lessons here at age 29. Late bloomer. Within 2 years, I learned Western, English, and eventually bareback. The instructors (especially Dawn) genuinely care about the riders, and you are not just a number to them. Personal relationships and friendships are established here, and the owners also love their horses. I know of a specific story where a horse was abandoned there, but the owner continued to feed it & care for it, despite the fact she wasn't getting a cent from the owner. The horse ended up getting sold to one of the tack-up girls when the original owner was nowhere to be found (after more than 6 months). Weekends have a tendency to be a busy, and plan on waiting a bit. But it's worth it. read more

9 Acres - Show Team 2008 - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palos Hills, Illinois

I had a great time at Fitzjoy Farm. The moment I got on my horse I just could not help but smiling the whole 1 hour ride in the woods. Highly recommended. read more

9 Acres - I had a great time at Fitzjoy Farm. The moment I got on my horse I just could not help but smile the whole 1 hour ride. Loved it! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palos Hills, Illinois

One of the very few stables offering horseback trail riding in the Chicagoland area. My trailguide was experienced and did a great job. I really enjoyed the ride! read more

This review has been a long time coming. This place is not deserving of even 1 star however I do not have the option. My husband, kids and sister in-law visited this place on MY recommendation let me say I was truly disappointed and embarrassed that I did. One of our kids is non verbal autistic therefore needs more patience and compassion than most children. The staff here was RUDE, RUDE, RUDE! Not helpful or informative at all! At the end of it all my husband and autistic child did not join the trail ride for who knows what reason since no one was polite enough to explain anything. My sister in law and daughter went on a trail ride while my boys waited for them to get back. My husband not wanting to be a meanie did not question or stir the pot. However, had I accompanied them on that day it would've been one. My family will NEVER return to your poor establishment nor will I EVER recommend for anyone that I know to not only NOT waste their time but their hard earned money here. Word of advice fire everyone and hire all new staff. Customer service is key when dealing with the public. Simply having manners would go a long way. No one who is willing to pay money for services wants to deal with abrupt and flat personalities. Such a disappointment that every time I drive past here my blood boils at the thought of my families first and last experience here. I have a few choice words that I would love to use but will refrain. Just know that one of the words begins with a capital "B!" read more

Thank You for my first ever horseback ride , your guide Leesa was awesome and my horse Pete was so perfect for a first timer ! I can't wait to return . Beautiful place ! read more

9 Acres - Beautiful fall day riding at Fitzjoy Farm - thanks Leesa ! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palos Hills, Illinois

We went on a "guided" horseback riding experience but you'd have more excitement on a merry-go-round. The woman who led our group was a Nazi and pretty much had the horses follow each other from nose-to-butt. There was no freedom to even let the horses stop and smell the roses. I couldn't wait for it to be over because it was just a waste of my time and money. The worst part was that she expected a tip! This place was also difficult to find. read more

Horseback riding in the park, less than 50 minutes from the city. It was $70 for two people for just about an hour trail ride. Straight out the barn, we saw coyote and deer, eagles, and pheasants. My horse, Pete, was beautiful, but so stubbern. The other horse, Missy, was more behaved, but we had to go slow since mine was being such a donkey. They offer 1/2 off your first lesson. I am hooked. read more

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I would give negative stars if I could. Been trying to work with John to help him repair his building and he is uncooperative and very vulgar. read more

Just had our first ever horseback experience at Fitzjoy- an hour long trail ride on a sunny beautiful morning. Lisa, our trail guide was quick to put us all at ease, got my husband, me and our 2 kids up on our horses, gave us the low down on how to handle the reigns and off we went! Palos trails we know well looked very different from atop our mighty steeds lol. It was a good time, we all enjoyed it and we hope to be back soon. read more

I can't say enough good about this barn. The people are caring and knowledgeable. They helped me, a new rider at 61, become comfortable riding. Helped train my horse. Maggie is my teacher and is amazing. They don't use mean cowboy methods. They respect me and my horse. Every day I learn new things. It's like home away from home. I cannot day enough about the staff too. Excellent!! I love it here read more

I went for a trail ride with my boyfriend a few years ago and had such a great experience we went back this year. To our surprise, this trail ride was different. It started late and ended early. No instructions on how the hell to ride a horse and when mine veered off, I was yelled at to do stuff I didn't understand. The tour guide was friendly and introduced herself a few years back. This time we didn't even get her name. She pretty much ignored everyone the whole time. I was thinking it was just an off day, but it seems other yelpers had the same experience. We were so disappointed. A few years ago we tipped our guide $20 we liked her so much. This time nothing. How do you not even acknowledge your customers? read more

The hour trail ride was okay . It was A very slow ride, they do not allow you to trot at all like the other stables in the area do . Our guide didn't explain anything to us . We are experienced riders but there was very very little conversation between the guide and any of the riders . She wanted everyone to stay in line at all times . The horses seemed well taken care of. Not sure we will be back read more

I've been share-boarding here for the last year and I love it. Fitzjoy is a great place to ride; everyone is really friendly and not at all snobby. It doesn't matter if you have been riding your whole life or if it is your first time on a horse, the folks at Fitzjoy will help you have a good time. I work downtown and the barn manager has been really flexible with ride scheduling, which is a major benefit for me. read more

I love Fitzjoy it's like my second home .Everyone is so kind I have better friends their then at school

We decided to take my 7 YO daughter to this stable rather than driver an hour to Crete. We signed her up for the beginner's lesson because she is not very experienced. She was in the indoor arena with 7 other girls about her age that had seemingly all taken lessons there before. She was told to get on the horse and was given some basic instructions, and then all the girls proceeded to trot and walk their horses around the arena. As we CLEARLY stated to the woman gladly taking our money, she had only had a handful of lessons and was very inexperienced. They proceeded to trot, talk around the arena, and my daughter was not used to being in a group so apparently, she was "cutting off" other riders. During the trotting periods, she was getting bounced around so much she almost fell off numerous times. The lesson finally ended, and against our better judgment, signed her up for another class. So the person, I guess, in charge called me and said "we have a problem with the lesson your daughter is scheduled for. She didn't seem to pay much attention during her last lesson. Does she have a disability?" I was outraged! If you consider not knowing how to ride a horse a disability, then I guess she does. This place sucks! read more

I have boarded here for 6 years, and sadly have to leave since we moved to Michigan. Fitzjoy is a great place to board and ride your horse! The barn backs up to miles and miles of forest preserve trails and they also have a very large in-door riding arena as well as out-door. There are a lot of really nice people here that I will badly miss. I will miss you Fitzjoy! read more

Let me just start out by saying that I went there on a trail ride not for lessons. First of all a person who clearly states "it's my first time on a horse" SHOULD NOT BE LET NEAR A HORSE MUCH LESS ON IT NOT TO EVEN MENTION GOING ON A TRAIL RIDE WITHOUT ANY INSTRUCTION ONCE SO EVER!!!!!!! Basically it worked like this: got there, signed paperwork, was told to wait. There were five or six people including one of my friends who has never ridden before. At some point some bored looking girl said "Trail ride" and walked out. Assuming we were to follow her we all left the office and went to the barn. There was no introduction at all on her part... no "Hi my name is ..... and I'll be your trail guide" NOTHING! So as we got to the barn we were told to grab a helmet and wait. My horse came out first and oh boy ... Poor thing was NOT GROOMED AT ALL!!! I was told to get on the mounting block and get on the horse. I did. Everyone pretty much looked at what I'm doing since it was their first time and they had no idea how to mount much less ride! Now as stated before, my pony was not groomed. He had bits of hay in his dirty looking mane and when i bent down to pat and scratch his neck, as I tapped him dust actually came off as a big cloud... He simply looked horrible, as did the rest of the poor things aside from two- the ones used by the guides. If that was not enough the saddle and tack overall were in the worst condition imaginable! Worn, dry, and damaged! The bit on my friend's horse was actually rusty!!!! So we all finally get on and to my amazement there is absolutely no instruction once so ever! Not even the basics of how to halt, walk, turn.... nothing! My friend, who has never been on a horse looked at me asking what to do when her horse started wondering off bitting another one... (the biggest reaction to this safety risk she received was from me.. not from the three staff members who were standing around busy talking). So we set off... I was the second to last and I don't think I need to describe the aimless pulling, kicking and so on that went on in front of me... The guide behind me was yelling out instructions such as "give more rein" or "steer her to the middle of the trail' at people who had no idea what that meant or how to do it since they have never ridden. Some horses trotted to catch up, with their "riders" bouncing on their backs so loudly it had me saying "ouch" and not knowing how to stop them... aimlessly pulling on the reins with all their force.... One person had their saddle sliding to the left not knowing how to correct it...with no response from the guide... guess she was too busy minding her own business. Either way we came back to the barn....As we got off (no need to describe the horrors I've seen than) I walked into the barn to say bye to my horse only to see a girl who looked about eleven bridling a horse in flip flops.... (???) My horse was in his stall still saddled! Apparently he was just left that way and very used to it! The rest of the horses were sitting in their stalls with the saddles on as well... in hot humid weather... There was no one who said "bye, thanks, come again!" All of the "employees" just left! The only positive thing that I can say about the whole thing is that the barn was actually not too dirty... As we walked around I noticed that the other horses actually do look good only to find out moments later that these are ones that are boarded there by their owners... Shame on Fitzjoy for taking better care of other horses, but not their own... but what don't we do for money.... I guess I could handle the fact that the people there were not that nice and polite... what I can't handle is the poor horses being dirty, not groomed, sitting in their stables with gear on their backs... and that they allow people who are inexperienced to abuse horses on trail because of lack of any information, introduction, or instruction on their part. Other places I've gone before require their trail riders to go at least through the basics. I will repeat myslef again PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER RIDDEN SHOULD NOT BE LED ON A TRAIL RIDE WITHOUT ANY INSTRUCTION ONCE SO EVER!!!!!!! They are unintentionally hurting the horse flopping on its back, pulling on the reins, and kicking.... The whole experience overall left me disappointed but, more importantly, feeling horribly sorry for the mistreated horses. Will NEVER go back... read more

My sister and I are experienced riders who are not ready to lease/ buy our own but are bored of the basic trail ride. We gave Fitzjoy a try last year and again this summer and had an overall good experience! Our guide Alexis was very talkative and was able to give my sister and I lots of infomation about the animals and background of the stables. Price wise, it is $35 a person per hour and they require you to buy a $5 license that is good for 1 year. Comparing this to others in the area, it seemed like a decent price for us. The only complaint i do have is that both of the times we rode there the 1 hour trail ride only lasted about 40-45 minutes on the horse. This was such a disappointment to us as you definitely want to get your moneys worth!! They did the same trail both times which got boring only the second time and they do their rides in a forest preserve. The property was nice but it lacked the relaxing aspect we were looking for as you are constantly dodging bikers and people running on the public paths. read more

Best managed barn I've ever boarded at. Been there a total of 17.5 years in two stints with two different horses. Other boarders are knowledgeable and helpful. Stalls are cleaned daily and well. Everyone who works there cares about the welfare of the horses. Infrastructure improvements and upgrades go on constantly. Pat Doyle is a good businesswoman and easy to talk to about a problem. The huge indoor arena is divided so lessons and other riders are separated. Two outdoor sand arenas. Indoor could use a footing makeover, but is kept disked and watered regularly. Lots of turnout pens so horses can be turned out several hours a day, depending on the weather. Hay and feed are great. Customized feeding is available and reliably administered. Barn is adjacent to miles of great forest preserve trails, which are sometimes crowded on nice weekend days. All in all, a well run comfortable place to board and meet like-minded folks. read more

Can't say enough good things about Fitzjoy. My horse's stall is cleaned daily. The hay is excellent. The arena's are turned over daily. Schedules are posted and kept. Place is kept clean. The entire staff is professional Courteous, and Friendly. I have seen classes with little ones to adults. All having fun and learning. Trails are right next to barn. NO STREETS TO CROSS. Can't say enough good things about Fitzjoy read more

This barn has only about one good quality. The one good thing i got out of this barn was learning how to ride decently, but it took a lot longer than it should have. The group lessons can have as many as 8 people in them, which is extremely difficult to ride in. The lesson horses aren't treated very well, nor are half of them properly trained. Several of them like to buck for no reason and the staff doesn't do anything about it. There are also several spoiled teen girls there that like to give you dirty looks and judge the way you ride for no good reason, just because your riding gear or horse isn't as fancy as theirs. I leased a horse there for a while, and everyone would always watch me like a hawk, as if i didn't know what i was doing ( i had been riding for over 2 years). It's also just flat out dirty. The manager and staff were never too friendly, and everyone there is extremely judgmental. the only reason i give this barn one star is because they made me the rider i am today. I will not return there for a lesson or to ever lease/board. not recommended at all. read more

I took my six year old there for a lesson last week...no instrustion or saftey warnings for the kids. They put on helments and walked the horses around the arena. Fine they instructors were all very nice, talked to the kids walked them around for 20 minutes...the the 2nd part of the lesson...groom the horses...no instructions give to the kids 4-6 year olds. Well one of the little girls walked behind the horse and got kicked. No one told the kids not to walk behind the horse....our son knew because my husband is a horse person and had talked to him on the way there about the rules. But the instructors did not mention this to the kids and wahm...the little girl got kicked. So it left something to be desired in the way of saftey instruction. read more

First off, I'm not an employee, but my daughter has been riding here (taking lessons, then shareboarding) for years. They seem genuinely concerned with horse welfare. Very nice owners. It's as clean as any other similar place. Gotta respond to a couple of things in previous reviews, re: safety. Someone mentioned that they were appalled to see "a woman riding without a helmet". Well... if you're an adult horse owner, riding your own horse at that barn, it's your choice. (I never let my 16 year old daughter ride without helmet or good boots, but that's me.) Same thing with the girl someone saw wearing flip flops. I wouldn't let my daughter do it, but it's not up to the stable owners to police footwear of the horse owners or their kids. (All students in a lesson MUST wear a helmet, however.) Re; the trail horse who was all dusty.... as far as I've seen, the trail horses are well taken care of, overall. Hooves are picked religiously after a ride, and even when they get brushed, some horses will lay down and roll right after. Coulda been that. And as far as a horse remaining saddled after a ride- if a vigorous trial horse is going right back out on a second ride, or going right into a lesson after, they may leave a saddle on. Or it may be that they were short a tack girl, and that horse had the saddle on for ten minutes before it was untacked. But I've never seen an idle horse forced to wear a saddle for hours in a stall. They seem cognizant of horse needs- older horses are not given too much to do, and stiff horses are ridden gently, if at all, until they're better. I will say that, depending on who you happen to get on a trail ride, some leaders are better than others. Some are bored teens, and some are more conscientious. But I don't think this place is much different that others, in that way. Overall, great folks, genuine concern for horses, and decent value for money. I'm sorry some folks who visited had a bad experience. Maybe you should bring it up to Pat the owner, with a phone call. Nice lady. She does pay attention. (Not criticizing the people who had a bad experience here, but I always try to contact the manager/owner directly, with a phone call, if I've had a bad experience somewhere, rather than just put it on the Web and hope they see it. That's what I'd hope for, if I had given less than good service.) read more

I read previous reviews where return customers rave about the place but first-timers disliked it, so I thought I would grant them the benefit of the doubt and give them more than one shot. My first impression of the place is very casual; the staff seemed more interested in their Starbucks than the students, and I almost had to tack the horse with no instruction; not that I was unable to do it since I have been around horses all my life, but it struck me as very risky to let a complete stranger near one's horse and gear completely unsupervised. The indoor arena is also very small; I have not paced it out but it feels about half the size of my previous stable's indoor arena. It was not so bad with only two students, though I was constantly having to avoid my other, less experienced classmate. With four students or more I can imagine it would become either very dangerous or very much a merry-go-round. Their outdoor arena is larger, but the fence could not be more than two feet tall, which does not provide much security should the horse spook and run. At least the instructor was friendly, nice, patient, and knowledgeable about horses and riding. If I had written this two weeks ago, I would have given them three stars for average, but after four lessons and three horses I have to take one away for the sheer unprofessionality of the staff. Most of them are young, and it shows in the way they act. They really don't respect the horses the way they ought; and I don't mean "lack respect" as in calling them stupid: They have repeatedly tied horses in front of the tack room such that one has to cross right behind a horse in order to tack up; they throw things in front of the horses during classes, enter and exit the riding arena no matter where horses are, and even cross the riding path without concern for whether or not a horse is coming towards them, as if the one-ton animal can stop on a dime to avoid them. There is little concern for safety in general. Fortunately their horses are well-behaved, and I have not personally witnessed or experienced an accident, but the threat looms constantly. I have ridden at other stables that do not have their riders do some of the things Fitzjoy does, such as trotting over rails or around cones. This is fun and engaging, and may not be something offered by other stables in the area. The downside to this is there is often an obstacle in the middle of the already small arena that must also be avoided in addition to the other student(s) and instructor. As a result, the overall objective of the lesson appears to be getting the horse to do unique things for the rider and conseqently to build one's confidence to ask the horse to do these things. This, unfortunately, makes it very difficult to focus on one's riding form and reading the horse. I have not been trail riding, and I do not board a horse here, so perhaps these experiences are vastly different from mine. If you want to give this place a try, go ahead. Perhaps its laid-back atmosphere and carefree staff will suit you well; and, if you are just looking to ride a western-trained horse in a circle, this might be just the place. If you are an experienced rider or are just safety-oriented, you may be better served elsewhere. read more

My daughter went to Fitzjoy when she was still littler...and I must say my husband and I were very disappointed. My daughter has never ridden before, and they put her on a difficult mount. Everything was fine the first few minutes, until one horse decided that they had enough and bit sheriff (the horses name). Not to also mention, they threw tack on the floor like it wasn't worth a lot of money..it looked like they hadn't been cleaned in ages! Also, they never even bothered to clean there horses..probably just thinking..they'll get dirty later anyway! As the other horse bit the horse my daughter was riding..sheriff bucked and the girl riding the horse that bucked fell off. The instructor didn't do anything. She just acted as if nothing had happened, leaving the girl crying in the middle of the arena. My daughters friend was also riding in the lesson..on Susie. Susie seemed really tired and barely moved. The poor thing. It was really no wonder. They left the tack on the horses in their stalls so they wouldn't have to put it back on later. And all the sweat and grime that was on her, don't even get me started! All the trainer did was hand my daughters friend (Anna Lou) a crop. Poor Susie. She didn't deserve to be whipped, and Anna Lou refused to use the crop. The "instructor" got mad and was pulling Susie along with her for the whole entire lesson! Poor Anna Lou and poor Susie! When the lesson was over, they just took the horses from us and slammed them in there stalls! Like they were machines not living, breathing animals! The instructor didn't even tell them her name and only focused on one person for the whole entire hour! She didn't even say 'hi'. So the horses were just standing in there stalls with all of the tack on. I'm never going there again, they have no heart for horses..:( read more

This place is a nice place to ride if you want to ride for fun. I started riding here about 3 years ago. Everyone is very friendly. They knew my name the second or third time I rode. I like the lesson packages. It's very flexible which is nice for some who is busy like me. If you are looking to become a competitive rider then this is not the place. They do not teach jumping which is a real downer. Because of that I am looking into switching barns. I really do like it here though. But they dont treat their horses properly. I was unaware of how poorly the horses are treated because I had never been to another barn. When I went to camp I saw how nicely the tack and the horses were I finally saw how poor the tack was and how mistreated the horses are. At Fitzjoy they do not groom the horses as they should be. They do not groom them before they put the tack on. I know that is something that is not good for the tack or the horse. They also will leave the horses still bridled in the stall which is very dangerous for the horse. I really wish they did a better job here with the horses and what they offer. I really do like it here but because of all the reasons I stated above this barn is just not adequate and I am unfortunately looking in to switching. hopefully Fitzjoy will change their ways because I do not want to leave. read more