Fantastic horseback riding experience! Top notch operation at reasonable prices. My daughter and…read moreI bought a 1-hour group horse back riding lesson for $25 each from Living Social. Setting the lesson up was a breeze. Owner Kerry is more than accommodating. Facility is beautiful with indoor and outdoor arenas. Everything was clean and organized. Teacher Catie was phenomenal. Had us trotting, cantering and jumping in no time (we both have previous experience, but hadn't ridden in a while). Horses were docile and easy to ride. Tack was very well kept. Really amazing place. Will be setting up regular lessons in the future.

By far best eventing barn you can go to, Kerry and Kate are phenomenal and ensure that the horses…read moreand riders are always happy, healthy and safe. Kerry's extensive upper level experience allows her to teach students of every level, and no detail is being overlooked at MAF! Facility is gorgeous, and the convenience to top notch loch moy is unbeatable. A very friendly, family-like vibe that allows you to feel at home from the second you enter. Whether you want instruction, experience or want a qualified person to help train your horse, miles ahead is the way to go!

This place is the perfect option to introduce young children to horses and horseback riding. The…read morepony that they have is older, so she is well accustomed to toddlers and children. She has a calm and sweet temperament and with her being a pony, she's at just the right height where even timid kids aren't intimidated by her. The instructor is great as well. She's super good with the kids and includes activities such as story time, singing, games, and crafts. The lessons all follow a routine which is helpful with this age group of 2.5-5 year olds. The kids get to learn about horses, groom and feed the pony and of course ride! Each child had a good amount of time in the paddock every lesson with one-on-one time with the instructor and pony. The children learned how to go and stop, sit correctly and hold the reins, turn and steer the pony independently, and lean and reach while sitting in the saddle and maintaining balance. This was over one four-week session. We were extremely satisfied with our experience and recommend Miss Shelley wholeheartedly to introduce your child(ren) to the world of equines.

Miss Shelley is as good as it gets when it comes to kids and horseback riding. My daughter has…read moregone to pony school and private lessons with Shelley and loved every minute. Shelley is patient and knowledgeable. I would recommend her program for all the little girls and boys who love horses and want to learn all about them!

I'm an anxious, advanced intermediate rider working through my anxiety around cantering and jumping…read moreafter a year of mostly walk/trot flatwork. I was looking for a barn closer to my house that would help rebuild my confidence. I met and talked to Maddie and Sydney, and they were super understanding, and took everything at my pace. Only three weeks in, I've gained my confidence back cantering independently, started jumping cross-poles again, and felt comfortable enough to accept an offer to go to my first show. I'm so happy with how far I've come, this wouldn't have been possible without their guidance. Highly recommend riding here :)

My daughters attended camp at Serene Acres. My daughters experienced light interaction with the…read morehorses but instead they had them locating fly masks in the field, mucking stalls, cleaned feeding dishes and additional barn labor duties. They did do 1 craft and depended on the weather the riding lesson went from 15min. To 1hour. We expected more interaction with the horses however the volunteer kids got those jobs over the paying customers. We will not be returning. The owner blocked me on Facebook from writing a review on The Serene Acres page. We followed the next week with camp at Red Gate and they had an amazing time with lots of interaction.

My girlfriend and I went here for a beginner trail ride having been referred here by a local bed…read moreand breakfast. They mainly offer boarding and lessons, but also offer short trail rides for novices. We had minimal prior horse experience. The staff at Serene Acres were very helpful and informative in getting us up and on two horses. The horses were good older horses with a little bit of personality. In no time we were walking around on the horses. The only downside was that we were mostly walking on country roads without much of a trail. The area is beautiful in rural Virginia, but not quite the trail we expected. Apparently they normally take people a different way but it was too flooded to pass even by horse. Overall great service and horses, thou the "trail ride" may be more of a quiet country road ride.

Robin is one of the most knowledgeable horsewomen I have ever met. She treats her horses…read morewonderfully. They are so loved. She teaches horsemanship from the ground up and with passion. I took some riding lessons and learned a lot even though I rode for many years as a kid and teen. She teaches younger kids compassion and how to treat horses for their safety and for the horses safety. I highly recommend her.

So this barn is many peoples first introduction to horse care, and it was mine, so I only later…read morerealized that this facility isn't the best. two years ago I was a working student here, I was excited because they said on their website that for every eight hours you work, you get a free lesson. I figured that meant my weekly lesson paid itself right? wrong, it was such a hassle I didn't get any extra lessons. Anyways I have since found a private barn and am a non formal 'working student', since then, I have learned way more about horse care and realized how low Talbots bar was. Things I never realized until later included horses being left with tack on for over an hour, very basic feed, most horses we're just fed sweet feed(that I saw). I was also occasionally asked to dump a horses feed straight onto the ground (stall and field). And don't get me started on the rats, everywhere, it was perfectly normal to see like three rats in the corner of a stall. Horses are also very hard to get going, most needed to be harshly kicked to simply trot. And extreme girthiness was present. I would also like to mention I posted a three star review on Google (being generous) and the owner Emailed my mother, Trying to get me to take it down. Stating that she dosen't think minors shouldn't be posting reviews, and that I didn't see the full extent of their feeding program. No I was not included in the feeding program, but from what I saw in the nasty fly swarmed, rat filled feed room, It wasn't that extensive.

My daughter has gone to summer camp here for the past several years. She also rides at another…read morebarn. Ann and Robin (the owners) are a delight to deal with and they have plenty of student helpers on hand for the newer riders. My daughter has really wanted to learn to canter and they worked one on one with her (even as part of a larger group) to achieve her goals. My daughter's smile at the end of the week during their "show" was totally worth it. They are conveniently located between Carroll and Frederick counties. Excellent value for your time and money!!

My favorite barn! Erin is a great trainer and gives the best advice on how to improve your form and…read morealways helps with groundwork! She has amazing horses, some small and slower for the little ones, and some big and energetic for those with more experience. Highly Reccomend for anyone who wants to ride.

We took our 4 kids to an introductory class this past weekend. The kids ages ranged from 5 to 15…read more None if the kids have ever been near a horse. Tammy and Erin did a fabulous job catering to their needs and levels of understanding. We all enjoyed our time at Fitzgerald Stables. The stable was immaculate. Their horses were very calm and patient around the kids. Overall we had a fabulous time and we look forward to our next visit with them.

Tamara is not only amazing for advanced riders but incredibly patient with beginners. giving lots…read moreof pointers and the why behind everything we do before tacking up the horse to mounting and turning out your horse. I would highly recommend everyone giving her a try.

If you or one of your kids or anyone you know is looking for riding lessons I highly recommend BTO…read more My son started riding at 6 and has been with his coach Tamara since the beginning. He has become a great rider through her lesson program. On top of that the horses are top notch! Great lesson horses and opportunities to go to shows! I would highly recommend Beat the Odds Training! You won't be disappointed!