I was completely shocked at how bad my experience with North Road Farm was. Based on the number of…read moregreat reviews they have online I expected a very fun relaxing ride on the beach, and expected Jan would be a very kind person who makes people feel right at home. I'm sorry to say that was not even remotely close to what I experienced.
I booked a private ride at Hampton Beach last month and I was so excited for it. That excitement quickly dissipated when I first arrived at the farm. Jan was extremely standoffish, unwelcoming, and rude. She spoke to me like I'm an idiot and snapped at me multiple times. For example: she asked about my experience with horses and riding, so I told her I grew up riding horses, competed in hunter/jumpers when I was a teenager, owned a horse for 11 years, and a couple of years ago I got back into riding and currently take English riding lessons once a week. She snapped at me "Well I'm going to need more information than that!" ...Okay, then why don't you ask me specific questions? I can't read minds and I have no idea what exactly you want to know, I simply provided what I thought was a sufficient summary of my experience. There's absolutely no need to be rude to me about it. Another example: after I finished grooming the horse I was assigned, I asked Jan if she wanted me to put the saddle on now or if we wait until we're at the beach to tack up the horses. She snapped at me: "Yes, put the saddle on now, and do it CORRECTLY!" Again, there was no need for me to be spoken to that way. I just asked a simple question.
Jan's attitude towards me very bizarrely changed after she saw that I know how to tie a slip knot. She said to me "Wow, I'm very impressed!" and at that point her demeanor softened a bit. She would act kind and friendly towards me, but then she would revert back to speaking harshly and randomly snapping at me. It was an extremely strange, hot-and-cold back and forth from her. I couldn't tell if or when I was going to say or do something that would apparently irritate her, so I was extremely anxious and uncomfortable the entire time.
The horse I had been assigned to ride was a sweet mare, but not my idea of a suitable trail mount. By the time we arrived at the beach she had already worked herself into a nervous sweat, anxiously whinnied several times throughout the ride, didn't want to stand still, and didn't want to go near the water. (which of course Jan blamed me for, even though I was following her instructions for how that particular horse needs to be ridden) Despite my riding experience I am not a perfect rider nor a very confident one, and I honestly felt this horse was too much for me to handle. At one point I felt like I even lost control despite doing my best to steer and hold the horse together, and I nearly crashed into Jan, which caused the horse she was riding to kick mine. Jan claimed that all of her horses are calm, fun to ride, and love the beach...but the one I rode did not fit that description at all. My own anxiety that I was already feeling because of Jan's treatment of me could have very well been contributing to the horse being anxious, so even if I had been given a very calm horse the ride was probably doomed no matter what.
I put on a brave face and pretended to have fun, but inside I felt like crying. I could not believe I spent $350 to be repeatedly snapped at by a strange woman and to be scared while riding a horse instead of having fun. At the end of the ride Jan told me I'm a great person and it was fun to ride with me, which made me so confused. After being rude to me, snapping at me numerous times, and treating me like I'm stupid...now I'm suddenly a great person and she wishes we could ride together again? I'm sorry, what?!
Altogether it was a bitter disappointment, the worst trail ride I have ever been on, and not at all worth the hefty price tag. I cannot recommend North Road Farm to anyone.