I leased a horse here and was told this would be a full lease. I was told that I would be the only…read moreone leasing the horse, since the previous lessee would no longer be riding him. That turned out not to be true: the horse was being leased to another person at the same time throughout my lease, which I found misleading and which caused ongoing scheduling conflicts for me. I also prepaid for two lessons before my lease officially started. When my lease ended up beginning earlier than planned and those lessons were absorbed into the lease fee, I was told I'd be refunded for the prepaid ones. That refund never came. From what I observed during my time there, the horses were kept mostly in stalls with very limited turnout. There's a substantial body of research on the physical and mental effects of limited turnout. This includes hoof issues, joint issues, GI issues, elevated ulcer risk, behavioral problems, and respiratory issues, among others. If that matters to you, it's worth knowing before you commit. After I posted an honest review of my experience, the owners publicly commented that there was "pending litigation" against me. This claim surfaced only after I posted the review, which was more than a year after my lease had ended. I took the review down shortly afterwards, since at the time I figured it wasn't worth the hassle and drama given how busy I am. I later learned they had in fact filed a small claims case against me over an alleged $500 shortly after their comment, which I believe was directly in response to my review. I'm posting a review now because I believe potential customers deserve accurate information, and because I believe my experience reflects a pattern others may have run into as well. I was only actually riding here for about a month and a half. More than a year later, I'm still dealing with the fallout of that short arrangement. In my opinion, this says something on its own.

Lindsay and MJ were great. I recommend going here for anyone returning or getting started.read more

I have been participating in clinics at Rusty Bar for several years now. I always come away with…read morenew knowledge that helps me with training my horses. Kathy's concern for safety is always a priority and she is always willing to share her knowledge and expertise. Her facility is well cared for and clean. I highly recommend!

I signed up for the Unforgettable Riding Experience at Rusty Bar Ranch this past spring, and it was…read moreamazing! I was a bit nervous, having little to no prior experience. We started inside on Sheena the Wonder Horse. I have to say, the state-of-the-art simulator really helps to get comfortable in a number of ways. After that, it was on to the arena & Valentine, a real horse Rusty Bar Ranch owner and trainer, Kathy really knows horses & also cares about them. She was such a kind & patient teacher. I felt totally comfortable & at ease. She teaches at every level, depending on the student. I'm clearly a beginner & if you've been on the fence about horseback riding, I highly recommend this experience. You're NEVER to old to learn something new! Go to the website & sign up. It was definitely an unforgettable experience for me.

Very friendly staff who were also knowledgeable and fun! Beautiful ride, and felt very safe. Will…read moredefinitely be coming back for more. Garret, Addie, Thomas, and Shelly were fantastic!

This was my first time riding a horse, I went with my partners and 2 friends. We all had a great…read moretime and the staff was very friendly. Thank you to Garret, Thomas, and Addy for making our first horse riding experience a good one.

Ever have that great friend that says come on over and you just have a relaxing time..well thats…read morewhat we had experienced on the 2 hour horse trail ride. Definitely knowledgable of the trails and the area, and enjoyed the scenery and the fresh air. Ohh, and not to forget, the horses are just so even tempered and just so patient on the trail. We had a blast. Would recommend echo river ranch to anyone, and will be back for sure.. Ian

I just took my 4 and almost 7 year old girls and my 14 year old Godson on a one hour trail ride and…read moreit was AMAZING!! The horses were ready when we arrived and we learned their back stories and personalities before getting in the saddle. The ride was beautiful and the perfect way to spend a morning. Debbie shared local history and kindly guided us through the woods. My oldest was ecstatic to be on a "a regular size" horse as the lessons she has taken always had her on ponies. My 4 YO safely rode in front of me. I can't say enough good things. My almost 7 YO called it "the best birthday present ever!" And I have no doubt we'll be back for another ride.

The facility is nice, clean and comfortable. The owners are kind and always available for you. Our…read morehorse gets excellent care and we are notified promptly if any situations need to be addressed. I appreciate their NO DRAMA policy....it's a close knit community where boarders help each other out. Trails are accessible right off property....can be used throughout all seasons.

Zero star rating. I booked two appointments here for riding lessons and when I got there both times…read morethey told me I couldn't have a riding lesson. What a JOKE and so disappointing. Lady that was supposed to give me a lesson seemed to not give a flying f. I was looking for a barn to start riding again regularly and I would highly advice you do not come here.

I'll admit I was skeptical when I first heard there was an actual farm in Seattle. Land here is…read morescarce and expensive. But lo and behold - there really is one! Seattle Farm is a privately owned 20-acre property, and I'm pretty sure it's the only farm within city limits. The place is beautifully maintained and feels like a hidden gem. No cows or chickens, but there are plenty of horses. We came during pumpkin season and paid $25, which covered both parking and admission. Big parking lot, easy access. At the barn you'll find several horses, and feeding them hay was a hit for both kids and adults. The darker horse was especially affectionate - kept rubbing its head against us, super sweet. You can also pay extra for horse/pony rides; they are all calm, well-trained, and come in various sizes. There's a food area with picnic tables where you can grab hotdogs and drinks. The pumpkin selection isn't as large as farms farther out, but still enough. It's great to see a place like this still operating in the city, and it's definitely worth supporting to help keep it going. I think they also host private events like birthday parties and weddings, and offer dedicated horseback-riding lessons - you'll need to call for details. Awesome family-friendly spot. We'll definitely be back next year!

Great event space, had a corporate event here and Army and Lisa were great hosts! Will definitely…read morebe back.

We have been coming here for lessons for about 4 months now. My daughter loves it…read more The horses are well taken care of, they are well trained and very gentle. The facility itself is clean, as clean can be anyways. There are about 15 or so stables for the horses. Plenty of area for them to hang out too. There is an indoor and outdoor arena. The indoor arena is a little small and perfect for beginners and cold rainy days. The outdoor arena is large with jumping bars. We have Tracy as our instructor and boy can she do her job well. She has lots of patience with my daughter but she also knows when to challenge her to help her become a better rider. I totally recommend her for lessons. Overall this place is great, check it out if you have a chance.

I have fond memories of my several years riding at SWF from the end of my junior years into the A/O…read morehunters. I boarded a horse here for several years, leasing him to another client in the barn when I left for college and ultimately selling him with Shannon's help. The level of care is excellent; I never worried about my horse when I was not around, knowing he was in good hands. Shannon (the owner/trainer) lives on the premises and keeps a close eye on things. The horses are happy, healthy, and get regular turnout. I didn't realize that these basic things were so hard to find until I moved away and started riding elsewhere. In some areas, good turnout is nearly impossible to find. SWF also offers a beautiful, large outdoor ring, a covered round pen, and a nice new heated tackroom. The indoor arena is on the small side, but it's quite functional and it definitely teaches you to look through your corners and set up for every fence! In summary, SWF provides excellent horse care and training for hunters and jumpers, with well-maintained facilities and knowledgeable, reliable barn management.

Best place I've taken my daughter to learn how to ride. It's a nice little place with a good…read moreindoor/outdoor arena. The indoor part has a viewing room that's insulated and heated and has several comfy chairs. My daughter is 6 and started riding with Colby and Jericho, two very nice and well tempered small horses. Maddie is an excellent instructor! My daughter does better with firm instruction and Maddie definitely does a great job of teaching young ones. I absolutely recommend this place for learning to ride. Plus they have a blue heeler named Harley who is supe friendly.

I have been riding at Klearmont Farms for about 10 months now and it has been a wonderful…read moreexperience. Kim Pratt is the trainer and she does a wonderful job at taking care of all of the horses. You can tell that she loves her horses and she is deliberate and thoughtful in the care that she gives them. She has been showing in the Northwest for over 30 years and for over 25 years has trained horses and taught children. Klearmont Farms is primarily a hunter/jumper barn and we have riders who do both. She also teaches dressage if you would like a background in dressage. I started riding at this barn for two reasons. One is there is not a lot of riding options in the Lakewood area and most importantly when I walked into the barn the first time to check it out almost everyone I ran into said hi. I was greeted and introduced to almost everyone in the first 10 minutes and everyone was genuinely friendly and since then I have made some wonderful friends. I find that it can be difficult to find a friendly barn that within just a few short months you feel like family. My first 7 months, I did not own a horse and took lessons on her string of school horses. Not once did I ever ride a horse that was not well behaved and able to teach me. I am jumping 2'9" and a lot of barns do not have horses that will jump up that high on schooling horses, but hers were able to. She also has a couple of great beginner school horses that are perfect for the first time rider as young as five. I now have my own little chestnut Thoroughbred at her barn and she has taken wonderful care of him. He gets turned out 6 days a week and fed 3 times a day. The stalls are in good condition and are modified so even the craftiest horses can't get out. The property is fenced in so that if a horse does get loose they are safe. There are two arenas, one larger outdoor arena and a smaller indoor arena, both are large enough to jump in with good footing that is drug everyday. They back up right against Fort Lewis so there are awesome trails that you can spend almost all day on for those days that riding in the arena just isn't good enough. Riding is an expensive sport, but I looked all around the area and found that Klearmont Farms charged the lower end for board and lessons. The best deal is to by your lessons at the beginning of the month for the whole month because that is the when they are the cheapest. I try to take two lessons a week because that is what I have found makes me improve the fastest, but there are all different levels at the barn and many only take one lesson a week. Overall, I have loved my time at Klearmont Farms and am so glad that I chose to ride there. It is a wonderful barn with great people and lot of learning. Perfect for the beginner and advanced rider.

This is one of the most impressive eventing facilities I've visited in my life. It is designed to…read morebe a world-class, Olympic-quality facility, and it lives up to its goals. If you've any question, visit the website and view the photo galleries; the images speak for themselves. Beautiful facility. Beautiful, pristinely maintained grounds. All of the horses are in perfect shape and treated like royalty. I cannot speak highly enough of Aspen Farms!!! I wish I lived there!!!

This place is completely amazing! Even if you're not competing the events they put on here are fun…read moreto watch. The facilities and cross country course are by far the best in the area.

I had a wonderful experience riding horses with them, meeting the donkey and riding in the donkey…read morecart. I fed the horses and the donkey carrots and apples. It was a beautiful and healing experience. I want to go there and experience this again. Rosemary G.

Review for soggybottom ranch & pony parties. My daughter and I really wanted to reconnect with the…read morehorses and spend some quality time together, so we reached out to a friend who told us about tammies business. I reached out and was met with only the kindest, quickest, most personal able customer service ive had in a long time. It was like talking to a old friend. We purchased trail ride for 2 got in quickly, she was accommodating, even packed little waters and stuff for us. Great experience! Plan to utilize her company more! Great business! A must try! Horses are treated great and look in optimal health! It's clear to see they love and take care of their family. - marissa+ chey