We've boarded our horse for two years now. The self waterer, the heated barn and the care have been excellent. Our horse is thriving there. The facility is well cared for and the care schedule is great. Horses are turned out everyday except Sundays and holidays with the option of paying guys extra for Sunday turnout. Blanket, mask, boot service available. Several trainers available for lessons on multiple days a week at various times. Multiple levels of disciplines. read more

McCarthy Farm is a privately-owned stable located on 25 semi-wooded acres in Elgin. Directly across the street is a beautiful forest preserve with trails for riding. It's 400 acres! And approximately 5 1/2 miles of paths. The facilities feature a heated barn with large stalls and two arenas (one indoor and one outdoor). Amenities include large tack rooms, wash stalls for horses and wash rooms with showers. My friend boards her horse here and we went one weekend. The grounds and stables are immaculate, the horses very happy and well cared for, and the people there look like they just enjoy every minute of their time there. Even though I am generally not a fan of this area, if I could work here I would leave the city in a heartbeat! It's that great. read more

McCarthy Farm - Horseback Riding Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

Used to be a nice place....we decided to move barns for a better location and larger turnout. Ed, the owner, decides to hold part of our deposit for a blanket bar he claimed needed to be replaced. We have photo evidence that this was not on the stall when we moved in. He's petty and childish because there was a mass exodus due to his poor management of the barn and safety concerns with the horses. I would give one star, but to be fair the property is nice and the guys that work there are fantastic! Just beware of Ed's BS and the snake barn manager he has there now. Feel bad for they guys working there, they bust their tails and are very nice....thinking now Ed probably screws them over too now that he's revealed that side of his character to so many. Consider yourself warned! read more

McCarthy Farm boards many horses with over 400 acres, trails and a beautiful landscape. So much land for so many horses. With it's own indoor/outdoor arenas, stalls, and it was in the greatest condition a horse farm could be in. It was semi- long road trip from Chicago to Elgin, but it was worth it. When I was younger, I was a major horse lover. I would have been in heaven at that point. The horses there were gorgeous, with their own unique patterns, their colors, and their personalities. These horses had been trained very well, and even treated well. My aunt's and uncle's friend had her own horse here a weekend I had visited them, which was an excellent time to go with the beautiful weather. This was one of the best horse farms I've ever been to and I hope to visit it again soon. read more

Makes sweeping unilateral decisions, effecting every one's horses, without notice. Decided to save a little money on feed, by buying an inferior brand, that caused many horse to repeatedly choke . Other horses in the barn were having digestive and colic issues, no one knew why, because you chose not to tell us. You and your barn manager turned a blind eye to the stealing going on in the barn this spring and summer, when it would have been a simple process of elimination to determine who did it. Horses were being injured on a daily basis, this summer, running into nails, and hurting themselves badly enough to require attention from a vet, no one walked the pastures and put the nails right. Nothing was done about it and staff denied there was a problem. And how horses are moved around from group to turnout group, with never a mention to their owners. Steals money from faithful boarders, some who had been there almost 20 years, over blanket bars they neither wanted nor asked for, non-existent damage, or some other invented reason not to return deposit money that was given you in good faith. You systematically corner your trainers/managers/borders in the barn when no one else is around, to ambush them with another of your screaming, verbally abusive diatribes. Watch out for winter ice in horses walking paths and parking lot. No attention to making it safe to drive or walk your horse down any paths. If you are not a Hunt Jump rider, don't bother because there will never be a time when you can safely ride. read more

Update from a previous review. It seems that things have calmed down and improved at McCarthy Farm. It is worth noting that the facility is under new management after the (much needed) departure of the "trainer" who caused so much damage to the reputation of the barn. It is a beautiful property and a convenient location. Hopefully a more professional and respectful atmosphere will enhance opportunities for boarders and students and the barn will return to a safe, positive, friendly and family-oriented environment for all. read more

This farm has ALOT of horses for 25 acres! 80+ horses. They have a large indoor arena with good footing. It's get's pretty busy/crowded as expected with that many horse owners trying to share space/time in the arena with the trainers. There is a large outdoor arena also and trails across the street. The paddocks are small. Their website is incorrect as they do not give the horses heated water when turned out in the winter. The best part of this barn is the trainers that work there. Great boarding price. Owner makes own hay and so has not had to pass along a surcharge like most other barns in the area. read more

McCarthy Farms is not a horrible place to board. It also is not the best. Pros: -This is an economical barn. You pay for what you get, literally. Blanketing, etc are all extras so once you add it all up you'd be paying the same at any other non-economical barn. -The barn help are adept and can be trusted to make sure the horses are fed and cared for -They make their own hay so they can control the quality. -Most of the people are wonderful, a few rotten eggs but otherwise enjoyable and friendly atmosphere -For the space they have, they make the best of it. -Nice riding trails across the street. -Some barns do not have turnout or grass, and this place both. -Facility is kept clean, cob webs are removed on a regular basis -Fire safety is above average at this place as they keep the hay in a separate building and the do not allow box fans (extremely unsafe). Cons: -The barn STINKS of urine in the winter. It actually burns my nose and throat. -Turnout could be better - from November to July the horses are packed into mud lots. In the summer, they only go on grass if it is not wet/raining. Wet summer = no grass and additional months in mud lots. -The fencing needs remodeling. It is not safe - broken boards and nails sticking out. -The fencing also has hot wire - which they are in the process replacing with safer wire, as of this writing. One horse tragically lost its life by getting caught in the wire and another was severely injured - two incidents in 2 years. Management is replacing the wire to a more breakable wire but 6 months later and not all the turnout wire is replaced. -The arena footing is extremely deep. No injuries to report yet but it is hard for the horses to work in there and need to build up slowly. The dressage trainer designed the footing based on what she thinks is correct but most people disagree and dislike it. -The dressage 'trainer' has no credentials to speak of and she does not work with other people to improve herself. I saw another review about said trainer and they hit it on the head - she is extremely aggressive with the whip (aggressive in general) - on some horses she will whip the entire ride. And I've seen the whip marks left behind. Also, if you look at any of her riders, no one ever progresses. She will often employ the same lesson techniques on all her students, meaning everyone gets the same lesson for a month and then she moves onto the next gimmick. She is also manipulative - she will make you feel like you are ruining your horse no matter how hard you work at it. You will spend tons of money on training, lessons, chiropractors and massages - to no avail. She's missing that if perhaps she taught correctly and/or trained correctly - all the body work would not be needed. Also, her other schtick is that any time anything is 'off', she will try to diagnose your horse with EPM, when in fact, most do not have EPM and she is not a doctor of veterinary medicine. And she will try to talk you into treating for it - without talking to your own vet to obtain an exam. (not sure how she gets the drugs). Regarding her 'marketing' strategy for her training services, she can be very convincing with getting you to employ her for training so you don't 'ruin your horse'. She preys on people's desire to do right by their horse and she talks a good game. If you don't know better, you may get sucked in. Do yourself a favor if you board at this farm - trailer to someone else with a better reputation, methodology and credentials. read more

I have visited this facility 5x now and this is what I have observed: The indoor area has a low ceiling and footing so deep that it is hard to do much of anything in there; it's not arena sand, it's a lot like playground sand. The dressage "trainer" is scary to watch and have personally never heard a trainer say "whip him/her" as much as I have at this facility. There has never once been a time where I saw the trainer get on a horse without a whip that is then used continuously throughout the ride. I have even witnessed people chased out by the trainer because of the training techniques being used. After witnessing incidents like this, not just one time but mulitpile times, I have made the decision for my horse's well being to never board at this facility, even as a light/trail rider. Yes, the price, location and the forrest preserve right across the street is tempting but, from what has been observed, the discomfort of being there would not be worth it. read more