I love Westridge Farms! I came for a ride with friends while I was in town. The owner was so…read morewelcoming and super helpful with the whole process. I'm an experienced rider but was from out of town and it has been sometime since my last ride! She really knows what she's doing and has beautiful facilities. I'm so excited for her new pony! Definitely come check them out!

Christine and staff at Westridge Farms are in a class of their own. They're truly passionate about…read morehelping others achieve their horse riding goals and care deeply about both the horses and the riders. The horses are very well cared for, well behaved, and suited for all levels of experience. Having had personal experience working along Christine and staff, you will feel welcomed and at ease, whether its your first time on a horse or are getting back into riding. It's an inviting atmosphere, beautiful farm located in the Hill Country, and topped off with a first class team at Westridge Farms.

Top horse trainers, well kept horses and extremely clean barn. Our daughter was able to take horse…read morelessons here on a leased horse for over a year. However, they told us up front that they expect riders to buy their own horse eventually at this farm so she enjoyed horse lessons while available as a special circumstance. My daughter just rides for fun, not competitions, but this is a very competitive farm with top skilled riders and trainers. Since my daughter is a skilled and experienced rider, they were happy to train her just like they do the competitive riders even though she chose not to compete as her personal preference. We would still be taking her to lessons here if we could lease time on a horse instead of buying it. We really liked the owner, how well she and the back-up trainer worked with our daughter during private lessons and most importantly how well they took care of their horses. Their animals are definitely loved and cared for.

What can I say? I started riding at 62 and am now 65. I enjoy myself so much that I should pay for…read moreit! Oops I do and will definitely keep doing so because Crista is a superb trainer, the facility is beautiful, the riders are like family and I absolutely love Oliver, the school horse. Crista has me competing and guess what I've actually beat some 9 year olds. I encourage anyone from a rank beginner to an accomplished rider to come out and have the time of your life!

Horseback riding has always been on my to-do list, and after doing some Googling, I came across…read moreSouthern Trails. I had never been on a horse before, but thanks to the wonderful guides--Hailey, Ashlyn, and Savanna (sorry if I misspelled any names!)--the experience was amazing from start to finish. They were friendly, professional, great communicators, and kept everything running smoothly, which made the whole experience feel comfortable and enjoyable. I was also lucky enough to catch a beautiful Texas sunset during the ride, especially with how unpredictable the weather can be here. If horseback riding is something you've been thinking about, don't hesitate--just do it. I enjoyed every second and would definitely recommend the experience

We didn't do the trail rides which I assume is where they get better reviews, but the cow cuddling…read moreexperience was disappointing. There wasn't actually any place to "cuddle" the cows; you simply stand around and pet them. We got a small cup of pellets, and once those were gone, the cows had little interest in interacting with people. One cow had large horns and was much bigger than expected based on the photos and "mini cow" advertising. That cow specifically seemed pretty over the whole experience. The other two were much smaller, and they were all very cute. There was also no place to wash your hands, only wipes, which is understandable. However, when we asked where the trash can had been moved so we could throw the wipes away, one of the ranch hands responded with an attitude. The lady leading the experience was very kind though. While petting the cows was enjoyable, the experience felt worth closer to $20 than the $50 charged. That's the main reason for the low rating. Overall, I wouldn't recommend it.

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.

Amazing experience with our guide; Dario! Very kind and hard working young gentleman. We arrived…read moreearly and he was going around the whole ranch feeding over 24 horses, moving hay and continued his day by giving us the tour! I hope this guy gets taken care of and paid well because he deserves it! The trail for this tour is very lush and beautiful. When you gain a little elevation the skyline is beautiful. It was a peaceful ride and pleasant conversation with Dario! Highly recommend! Not sure what pricing is because my husband surprised me for my bday. Overall great experience!

Took my wife here for her birthday on a Saturday and the ranch was very peaceful and we had it all…read moreto ourselves. Pretty place and beautiful horses. Our tour guide and horse caretaker was a fellow named Dario and he was very friendly informative and professional. I sure hope they take care of this kid because I can tell he's a hard worker. He was probably the best part of our ride very friendly and I loved the way he cared for the horses. The trail was so so, not much of any type of back country we went through some property and then up a dirt road which turned around in a parking lot. There wasn't any steering from a walking pace which honestly was a little slow for me. I enjoyed my ride but probably won't return. If you ask me the ranch should do more for their workers.

This is a long review. Trust is not easily given when it comes to the safety of your children. I…read morehad read the reviews and spoke directly to Adam, the owner operator of Rock-About Climbing. Adam set my mind at ease with his years of experience and the training program of his instructors. One of the key elements is you know your child best. Do they listen and follow instructions, are the respectfully to themselves and to others? This will have a huge impact on the child's camp experience. I have twin boys who are good listeners and eager for challenges, yet are comfortable to say I'm not ready to take it to the next level without shame. My sons attended camp twice this year. They had amazing experience both times. They were full of stories to share with us at dinner. Adam and Chris (Lead guide instructor) are wonderful working with kids and teaching them skills and techniques for climbing. They have a strong emphasis on safety and listening to instructions. Be prepared to hear stories of push ups or jumping jacks if you step on a rope, walk underneath a climber or don't follow instructions. This IS NOT a drop your child off and pick up at the end of the day and whatever happens-happens camp. You know your child best so please make sure they're emotionally mature enough to listen, be respectful and want to learn. It's your child and our child safety and experience on the line. Our boys had a fantastic time despite a few challenging students. I give Chris so much respect and gratitude how he handled a challenging participant. On the last day they take the students to Enchanted Rock for their final climbs. One of my boys, whom I thought it would have been his twin brother who did this climb, made it to the TOP of the 70 foot rock face. His eyes literally sparkled as he told us about the view from the top and the lake he saw. He admitted he was scared at times, he would take a deep breath and tell himself, I've got this. My other son was fatigued from the heat and listened to his body. He made it 1/2 up the epic wall. He was not shamed by the instructor. He was congratulated on listening to what felt appropriate for him during that moment. The highlight of the day was the Snow Cones at EnchantedRock after a hot day of baking in the sun. I highly recommend this camp for their expertise, attention to safety and passion for teaching. Prepare your child with proper hydration. Most importantly be respectfully to other campers not to send your child if their not emotionally or mature enough to listen and be respectful. This is not a boot camp or drop off & pickup kinda camp. My sons are hooked and look forward to climbing with Chris and Adam again. They asked me if they could climb with them again next week?!?!

AWESOME EXPERIENCE A friend and I went rappelling with Rock-About at Enchanted Rock. Adam was very…read morepatient with us both being beginners! I was a little nervous at the start of the day, but Adam's experience and kindness quickly made it a fantastic excursion. He answered all of my questions and explained technique and gear. We hiked, rappelled, and short roped, and we had plenty of time to rest in the shade and take in the views. Lots of variety with the rappelling and each with great instruction. We had SO much fun. Absolutely would do it again and would recommend Adam and Rock-About!

great stable, they treat every horse like it's their own. owners are nice/ friendly people no…read morematter what your skill level is or type of riding you do. They have a lot of well trained beautiful horses as well.

In all fairness to bel canto farms everybody should learn how to groom a horse excuse me spoiled…read morechildren don't understand horses and what's involved

I came to Suzanne at Bel Canto as a beginner (I'd only had about 25 western style lessons but was…read moreseeking something more challenging like hunter/jumper). I'd taken lessons at half a dozen stables around Austin with mixed results...VERY MIXED results... the POINT is that after I found Bel Canto, I stopped looking elsewhere. THE FACILITY: There is a large, breezy barn with tack rooms, an office and a restroom. There's an outdoor horse bathing area, loads of shady outdoor horse pens, 3 large and well-maintained riding arenas with jumps etc, a circular lunge pen and acres of pasture where the horses get to run loose. There's even a short but beautiful trail around the front half of the property for a cool-down ride after your lessons. A good portion of my enjoyment of lessons there is just spending time on the farm away from town. I don't know where some of these other reviewers are used to riding... Buckingham Palace perhaps? But where I come from we DO fetch our own horses, groom them, saddle them, ride them, and then hose them down and put them up ourselves. It takes perhaps half an hour and it doesn't count as lesson time - it isn't like you're PAYING to do it (unlike another stable in town if you read my review on THEM). Also, it's a good bonding and learning experience. THE HORSES: Suzanne has a lot of different types and temperaments at her farm, and no matter what your own temperament and skill level, she's got a horse that is just what you need. When you demonstrate a level of skill that warrants moving on to a more sensitive or challenging horse, she will "graduate" you to another horse. I enjoy getting to know them all. THE INSTRUCTORS: I mostly take lessons from Suzanne. I've met a few of the other instructors, but can't speak to their skill aside from saying that if they are there for long, they must be good at what they do. Suzanne would oust anyone who couldn't do a good job. She wants the lessons to be fun AND informative, and she errs on the side of prudence, which is very important to me. I have always found her to be VERY safe, VERY knowledgeable, and VERY easy to be around. I would just like to mention, having read some of the negative reviews, that you take a risk every time you get on a horse - ANY horse, ANYWHERE. There is always, naturally, some danger in horseback riding. At Bel Canto, all of the possible safety precautions are taken. Only the steadiest, most easy-going veteran horses are used for beginners. But just a warning to idiots: a horse is a huge animal, not a theme park ride (I'm talking to you, herniated disc lady). Bel Canto is a great place to learn if you have half a brain. * To reviewer "Patrick": Don't blame the horse if you're weak in the legs. Girly man.