One of the best places for trail riding. Horses were well…read morebehaved and friendly. The wranglers were great with communicating everything we needed to know. Plenty of space to ride around and great scenery.

Great experience with friends for a bachelorette. Booking was personalized. I was able to ask about…read moredifferent options to customize the event. We ended up selecting skeet shooting. We arrived on time, checked in and signed the waivers. There are lots of farm cats and a dog just FYI. Once ready, you get a hay ride to the skeet shooting spot from your instructor. Once you arrive, your instructors take it from there - safety instructions, demos etc. We had a ton of fun! Many of us had never even shot a gun before so this was fun and competitive. Once that was done, we got to pet some of the horses and the team had helped us receive our lunch order (via DoorDash). We ended up taking our lunch back to our Airbnb because it was just so hot in the honkey tonk barn. Overall, I would go this again and even try the horse trail ride!

I was visiting for the weekend and booked a morning trail ride. Ava was my wrangler and she was…read moreamazing! Everyone was very friendly, welcoming, kind, and sweet. I rode Tonka, their Palomino, and he was so fun to ride. Would recommend this place to beginner or intermediate riders!!! The trails were gorgeous and we saw plenty of deer. Was the highlight of my trip truly and I can't wait to come back when I visit Austin again

We were there for a private event with a group that included a rodeo and a BBQ and whiskey tasting…read more Staff were great. The food was good and the rodeo super fun. All the more interesting is how close this was to the downtown of Austin. Felt like we were in a typical suburb rather than on a ranch. Although we did not do this we noticed they have trap shooting, ATV Guided Tours, kayaking and horse riding of course. All worth checking out if you are in the area.

Maverick Horseback Riding is the REAL DEAL . I've looked a very long time to find a place somewhere…read morein between a beginner level "trail ride" and an "expeienced" level rider, this was it. Joan Marie is an intellect and a sportswoman. She cares immensely for her animals and the safety of her clients. She is a true teacher and her horses are the best trained, most gentle giants I have ever been around. My favorite day!!!

If you're looking for a mindless trail ride where you just sit there while a horse follows a tail…read morein front of it, this is not the place for you. Maverick Horseback Riding is for people who want the real experience. Our guide Emily was wonderful and incredibly knowledgeable. She is a total pro. But you also have to give it up for the owner Joan Marie. She is friendly but very blunt. She is not there to play nice or baby you. She is there to teach you how to properly handle a horse. If you are shy or easily offended, you might want to look elsewhere. You need to be able to take direct feedback and use it to improve your riding game immediately. They start you off with the fundamentals like brushing, saddling, and mounting. You are expected to actually do the work. They even give you cowboy boots to wear which makes you feel right at home. I rode Sheila and we spent about thirty minutes on a short trail just reviewing the basics while Joan Marie gave proper instruction on what to do and what not to do. After that initial lesson, both ladies took us out on the trails for about an hour of riding. I think if we had gone to some other ranch that just let us be lazy rookies, we would not have had nearly as much fun. We left feeling like we actually accomplished something. Huge thanks to Emily and Joan Marie for a great day.

Forget that cowboy stuff, come learn how to ride the way REAL men (and women) do: in *REALLY TIGHT…read morePANTS.* Okay, I think they're actually called "breeches," but whatever. It's a known fact that learning to ride a horse the English way increases your coolness quotient almost as much as having a British accent. Fortunately for you, Bear Creek is an excellent place to learn this coolness-magnifying skill. Paulina, the English instructor here, is totally fantastic. She is upbeat, encouraging, knows everything there is to know about horses, and doesn't make you feel like an ass (even when you are riding like an ass). Having had only a handful of riding lessons in my life, I attribute entirely to Paulina the fact that I have managed to jump a horse at a trot (okay, it was a SMALL jump) without falling off and cracking my head open. Those who know me know I'm not the most GRACEFUL person alive, so me managing to stay on top of a trotting, jumping horse is just short of a Christmas Day miracle. Thanks Paulina! They do classes through UT Informal, but it basically costs the same to sign up for classes right through their website. It's a great place for kids to learn as they have fantastic beginner horses, but it's also a great place for "adult amateurs" to play around in an environment where nobody seems to care that you haven't been riding since you were 7 years old. Bonus: keep at it and be prepared to show off your new *THIGHS OF STEEL.*

My daughter is 10 and started taking lessons here about eight months ago. The lesson program is…read moreunder new management since December and it has been a wonderful experience. The new head of the lesson program, Lynn, is amazing. She teaches Western and English and has a ton of experience and certifications. She has a wonderful way with both children and adults. Classes have been fun and challenging for my daughter and have really awakened her love of riding. We have a 17 year old gelding that we board here and he is well taken care of. Lynn's lessons looked like so much fun, I decided to start taking lessons too. Great experience and highly recommended.

I've see first hand the power of the work that's done a Conscious Rider. Children speaking for the…read morefirst time, the joy of parents who have found a way to empower their children... If I didn't understand the science behind Kate's approach I would think it was magic.

Amazing-NOT! I am a Mom who lost her son in a fatal car…read morecrash which later turnerned into a criminal investigation. As you can imagine, I am devestated. I called Kate (the owner) with the hopes of getting some relief because according to there website they offer Equine Assisted Integrative Psychotherapy. This sounded like an approach that could be very helpful given what had happened. I called Kate and we talked about the tragedy and it's impact on me and how I was a trained trauma sensitive yoga instructor and could certainly appreciate a more somatic modality. I thought we were on the same page in terms of how her organization could help. Kate the owner said that she would get right back in touch. I waited and waited and never heard back from her,meanwhile I am constantly getting revicitmized by all of the details that i kept hearing through lawyers etc so an intergrative therapy approach could have been VERY helpful. But Kate never got back in touch after numerous calls and pleas for help. Oh, but did send a few text saying how busy she was and that she would get in touch-never did. I have since found other modalities to help with my grief and will continue to look for this type of therapy because I think it really could help but absolutely NOT with concious rider. These folks caused more pain and I certainly did not need that. Very disappointed by my experience. MG

I have been a part of the Serendipity Farms community for about 3 years. The environment is…read morewholesome and family oriented. My granddaughter has been competently instructed by Laura Persons and Patricia. She has shown steady growth in her riding abilities while learning both a healthy respect and devotion for horses. I have observed many lessons and attended horse show performances. Laura is a no nonsense but caring and supportive trainer. Laura expects her students to work hard and she works hard alongside of her students. Serendipity Farms is a relaxing place to spend an afternoon enjoying fresh air and outdoor time, watching the riders learn on their 4 legged best friends. I highly recommend Serendipity Farms if you would like your child to receive the Hunter and Jumper experience. I have personally watched my granddaughter become a responsible and respectful young horse person under Laura and Patricia's tutelage.

Laura Persons is an absentee owner who cares more about her own horse show circuit than she does…read moreabout what goes on at her barn. After many months of regular weekly lessons, our child was not past walking the horse in a small enclosure. The large riding ring was always occupied with advanced riders. I emailed a number of requests for progress reports, but never got an answer. The instructor we were assigned lacked basic safety training and put our child in dangerous situations. In one instance she was thrown from a horse. When we tried to discuss the hazards, the the owner refused to acknowledge any responsibility and asked us to " go "elsewhere" for lessons. I strongly recommend staying away from this farm because of overall poor management.

This is my daughters' first summer at Monarch Stables. Last year we tried a different horseback…read moreriding camp in westlake for a week and it was the highlight of her summer. Then we heard about Monarch from her friend at school and are so glad that we came here! It's really beautiful! All the horses and ponies are gorgeous! The staff and camp counselors are super friendly. The kids are all happy to be there. They do arts and crafts, swimming & fishing in the creek, in addition to taking care of the horses and riding lesson. At the end of the day your kiddo WILL sleep well at night. I'm a little jealous she gets to spend her summer around horses! We will DEFINITELY be back next summer for camp and will look into there after school program this fall.

I have repeatedly tried contacting the stable through various avenues. They remain unresponsive and…read morehave not returned any messages regarding boarding. I decided to not keep my horse there because they come off unprofessional.

My daughter has been riding here for 3 years and has learned so much. Every trainer she's had has…read morebeen as invested in her growth as she is. The community that this barn is building is incredible. The barn manager and staff there are so nice, and the trainers are amazing. It's not the cheapest barn, but you get what you pay for!

My teen daughter has been riding here for several years and we have been very happy with the…read moreculture and upkeep. Her previous barn was focused on competition, which led to a tense atmosphere among the kids. At Lone Star, the kids, of all ages, help one another and the trainers are personable, but also specialize in various styles of riding. We joined Pony Club, which we love because it teaches the kids how to care for the horses, not just how to ride them, and offers an opportunity to achieve ratings that are internationally recognized!

just returned from an Equestrian event, it is the most unkept,dirtiest,rundown event place I have…read moreever been to. Terrible Judging ..Will be reporting to IEA..

ok yall SO i went to a camp here and man who cares if its unkept or haunted or even that we have to…read moreuse a portapotty for the restroom because the one inside has maggots. sure on there website it said that they have a big screen tv but they don't. BUT WHO CARES THOUGH. it doesn't matter about the place it matters about the people you are with. if your kid is too scared who cares, come or not, this place is still so fun and life is to short to have regrets.

My 6 and 8 year old children were taking lessons here for about 2 months. The lessons were…read morestructured that one child had the main instructor and the other child had a student helper. At one lesson, I realized that the student helper wasn't having my daughter do much at all, i.e. she did not let my daughter lead the horse out of the stable or steer the horse as they were doing the rounds even though she had done in previous lessons (felt like she was at a carnival or fair). I asked the main instructor if the helper knew how many lessons my daughter had, as she wasn't having her do much. The instructor told me that some helpers are not very vocal or assertive, and that she was content with a warm body. Before our next lesson, I asked if we can have a more assertive helper so we can get the most out of our lessons as these lessons are $80 each and I wanted them to be instructive for both children the entire time. She told me to find somewhere new and good luck. I felt this was pretty unfair as we had a decent rapport over our previous lessons. I was completely caught off guard and disappointed with the unprofessional and rude departure. Please be prepared if you have more than one child to possibly be disappointed.

Best care anywhere in central Texas. Visited many barns before finding Weddle and would not board…read moremy horse anywhere else. All the horses are happy, content and extremely well cared for. They get turned out every day in shady paddocks. All stalls have rubber mats and very deep bedding. The horses are fed quality grass hay and top-of-the-line grain. There's a huge arena and very a large, high-wall round pen so there's always a place to ride your horse. Dana is an accomplished horsewoman and a wonderful trainer and riding instructor. Dana teaches adult beginners (like me!) as well as young riders. She emphasizes safety and enjoyment of both rider and horse. Her lesson horses are retired champion show horses with the training and experience to develop confident, skilled riders. Weddle specializes in Arabian and half-Arabian horses but ALL breeds and disciplines are welcomed! This is a professional operation, a hidden gem in Southwest Austin.