I love River Chase Farm. They take care of their horses very well and I am a big fan. I was here a long time ago when it wasn't like this and it has improved greatly. Thank you Tom and all the ladies and other staff that work there! :-) Here's a beautiful picture of my girl Susie that I lease read more

River Chase Farm - Susie and me - Horseback Riding Near Me - Aldie, Virginia

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The dressage instructor was ok, but the schooling horse they let me use was very reluctant to move, even to walk forward. It took constant pressure and made the lesson frustrating. I've been riding hunter jumper and dressage for over 20 years and know horses, and this happens sometimes with schooling horses. He was a nice boy but very stubborn and slow. I won't be back. read more

Had a great training session and trail ride with JR. He was meticulous about preparing us, and taught us so much during the ride. Jess was wonderful to work with, too. Great people, great experience. Definite thumbs up! read more

I can't figure out how they are one of the best of Loudoun County. Trying to get a response is like pulling teeth, then there is the constantly rotating staff. They fired the trainer my daughter had and didn't bother to tell us...or assign her a new one. Nice people but they have no idea how to run a business! read more

1.0 star rating Facility looks great online. However in person its not appealing. Very discouraging. Dirty. No maintained. Several thin horses. More mud than grass. Its also advertised as a show barn. But upon research they are limited to what shows they can legally do. Do you own research on that...USEF/SafeSport. Stopped by about boarding and lessons for myself and daughter. Felt very uncomfortable there. Boarders that were there were not welcoming at all. read more

River Chase Farm has the potential to be an amazing boarding and training facility. As it currently stands, however, it has seriously gone down hill, even in the past couple of years. The grounds need serious maintenance (one barn's roof is about to blow off and stall walls/frames are held together with bailing twine, the stalls flood and turn to sheets of ice in the winter, etc), there is no pasture maintenance strategy which leaves pastures without grass and full of weeds, as there are (or were) too many horses in the small pastures and no availability to let pastures rest or to reseed them. Hay quality varies from good to awful (looking like straw or full of thorns). Horses are thin; the feeding program is not well thought out for each individual horse's needs. Perhaps most alarming is the fact that medication is not administered as prescribed, if at all. I began talking about end-of-life decisions for my senior as medication appeared to not be working. Shortly before I moved, I found out that my medication had been "used" up (I assume stockpiled for other horses or dumped out completely) two weeks before it should have been. Once moved, the horse in question had a new lease on life as she started receiving her medication and could even be reduced to a lower dose, because she was actually receiving it. I have talked to other boarders who also noted the same thing - that their medications disappeared and/or they suspected the horse wasn't receiving them at all. On the plus side, the guys who work there generally work very hard and appeared kind to the horses. They blanket them as needed. There is an indoor with good footing and two outdoor arenas that are maintained. There are limited trails (which is an amenity that is difficult to find in Loudoun County). The community of boarders are super nice and all get along well, although many have left in the last couple of months from what I hear. The lesson program may be good, I don't have a lot of experience in that area, other than to know that the trainer cannot go to any USEF recognized shows due to a safesport ban. It should be fine for beginners who don't have any aspirations to attend recognized competitions, and would suit adults who just want to learn how to ride and enjoy a horse. If they would fix the issues with the barn and implement a proper pasture maintenance program (including reseeding pastures (which may include needing topsoil as it has all turned to clay) and resting/rotating pastures), and better tailor the feeding program to horses needs, this could be a great place to board. As it stands now, I could not recommend boarding here. read more

I've been riding here for over a year and it's my favorite of the three barns I've taken lessons at in the DMV. It's organized, lessons run on time, the lessons horses are well mannered and well taken care of, the crew that maintains the farm is on top of it and the head of the team, Luis, is always willing to lend a hand. Tom is a great instructor. He is politely persistent that you push yourself as a rider, he breaks concepts down to help fill in your knowledge gaps and develop your skill, and he always emphasis safety (for the horse and the rider). Scheduling is clear, flexible, and responsive. The best part of their lesson program is that private lessons use a radio headset enabling the instructor and rider to communicate instantly, even when you're at the far end of the ring. Never having to shout "what did you say?!" is reason enough to ride here. Can't wait for my daughter to start taking lessons here! read more

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Our daughter has been riding here for about 2 years and she loves every moment. The trainers there are very knowledgeable about the differing breeds of horses and have a great approach on making just about anyone become a great rider/jumper. The farm itself is very picturesque and safe for riders as well as boarders. There are plenty of stalls and large fields for the horses to roam, or to take a ride through the country without leaving the premises. The support staff is also very polite, accommodating and keeps the grounds very clean... especially for such a large space. We look forward to taking more lessons and getting into a lease or purchase. "Hopefully one day very soon", as my daughter says! Overall an awesome experience! read more

My daughter thinks this is the best farm in Loudoun and her favorite place on earth!!! She loves the warm friendly atmosphere and her trainer is excellent! We love how she has gained so much self confidence both in her riding and in life! We highly recommend RCF! read more

My daughter has been taking lessons here for a few months. We're very happy with how she's progressing. She's had two trainers and both were great. There are a lot of stalls for boarded horses and the facilities look like they are in pretty good shape. The large indoor arena is a nice plus for the cold winter and hot summer days. There are two outdoor arenas too. read more

I've had horses on my own property for the last 20 years, but will also keep our working hunters at a boarding stable when we're legging up for the hunt season. In July, we moved our most recent purchase to River Chase so my daughter could ride again. This is a retired race horse. Caring for your own horses teaches you to appreciate a well run boarding farm. River Chase provides wonderful care at an incredible price. The indoor ring is wonderful. You also have access to two outside rings and trails. The stalls in the big barn are large and have good circulation. Timmy's stall is always clean with lots of quality hay and clean water. The horse is in a large pasture with three other horses. Management notices everything and follows up with the owners to ensure appropriate care. My daughter is training with Toni, and I'm so impressed with her knowledge and her ability to get into the horse's brain. I've read comments about the pastures having weeds. Yes, when you have a barn with 60 or more horses your pastures will have weeds. But Management provides ample quality hay and in all honesty lush pastures can cause major issues. Tom, the owner, is very accommodating to people and horses. I just can't say enough goods things about this facility. Our horse is happy, and we're thrilled. read more

I am an adult amateur that has worked with various trainers over the past six years and Tom has helped me make more progress is the last two months than I had the entire previous six years. He is exceptional at building a rock solid foundation. His understanding of the mechanics of the body is impressive. His communication is clear, attitude is positive and is able to transfer knowledge in a patient consistent way. The lesson horse he has paired me with also is quite possibly the sweetest most reliable horse I've met. My Friday lesson is the highlight of my week and it feels even more amazing seeing my progress week over week. read more

I looked at River chase for boarding.I did really like the fields and the out door rings were nice. BUT NO indoor ring. the barns need a lot of work and so does most everything else.the grounds were in poor shape. They also required a deposit of something like $200 plus the board.Diane was nice. it could be a nice place with a lot of work. read more

This place has too much business. They won't take you seriously as a rider they have 0 organization. My first lesson it was double booked. Third lesson my horse was lame and they made me get off but they let the girl that leases him ride him right after me and she wasn't stoped. Additionally they never made up the time I lost for that lesson even though I payed for a full hour. Fourth lesson they put me in for the wrong time and if I hadn't realized it I probably wouldn't have had a lesson that day. Last lesson the ring was overcrowded and the trainer seemed annoyed. I'm not sure they know how to keep clients happy. lacks organization and to top it off I got an invoice saying I owed something I had already payed for. For what they charge there are other barns out there that I'm sure will be happy to take you. It's too bad because the place is great and the horses are great and if someone is willing to pay for lessons as much as financially they are capable of doing they just be grateful to take their business and make an effort to have them enjoy their time there. read more

I found this equestrian center through a google search. I have been taking lessons at River Chase for 3 months now and I am delighted with my progress. The instructor is very knowledgeable, easygoing, and patient. Students take on the responsibility of tacking up and preparing for their lessons. The instructors make sure everything is in order and safety is always a priority. The facilities are vast and spread across many acres of beautiful horse country. Everyone at River Chase has been easy to talk to about my equestrian objectives and I look forward to continuing my training with them. read more

When looks are so deceiving: River Chase farm has the look of a successful barn, with a beautiful red roof indoor arena and a tree lined drive but, be ware, this is all it has going for it. We've had the misfortune of housing our horse there for five months and what an awful experience it was! It didn't take long for things to go downhill. The barn hands seem to have a hard time performing simple tasks correctly, like feeding, watering and giving meds (I think most of them have no clue about horses or anything related to them, not to mention they don't speak English, at all!) Our horse, which suffers from arthritis and needs daily supplements, went lame within the first month, as they could not remember to give him his meds. It cost us three weeks of riding and a vet visit/injection. It seems even simple feeding was too much to ask for and the horse started loosing weight rapidly(as did other horses we saw around, as reported by people we talked to). I assume that boarding a horse means you can trust that your horse gets fed and has enough water and hay, but at River Chase that is not always the case. I could go on and on but to cut to the chase, we had to feed our horse ourselves and buy our own hay to supplement as the barn simply didn't seem to be able to comply with this simple contractual obligation. Tom, the barn owner, didn't seem to notice or care, even when we complained directly to him, but he did manage to send us multiple incorrect invoices, even after we had left the barn! I think the man should hire a better bookkeeper and I highly recommend anyone dealing with him keep copies of all their checks, or you'll be billed to no end (btw, we're still getting invoices on a monthly basis for weird amounts...). The number of injuries horses suffered while we were there surpassed anything I've ever seen, as did the number of horses running out of their stalls at any given time. Honestly, how many times does one horse have to go wondering about at night until you figure you need a proper lock on the stall door? It's not rocket science! I could tell you "funny" stories about barn hands chasing horses around, in a barn near a highway, but I'll spare you the gory details. So, in summary, I would highly recommend to anyone who cares about their horse and their money to STAY AWAY from River Chase! It's not good for your health or your Horse's! read more

Stall boarding or field bording - don't go there if you care about your horse. I have been at this farm because it was in a good location and not too expensive - and actually that's the catch. The guy who runs the place, Tom Navarro, doesn't care much about horses, he is only interested in your money. He doesn't care about employees who come and go because of bad pay which can be a problem: most of them know nothing about horses, don't see if a horse is injured or not feeling well. They put another horse in your horse's field and don't care if they don't get along. A friend of mine left the farm because her horse was heavily injured from getting beaten up in the field ...and it never recovered. Three other horses had to be put down because of fractures from kicking each other in the fields. In general horses there seem pretty laid back, they spend much time outside, which is good, but these are animals and sometimes they simply don't like each other. Tom also doesn't care how this farm looks, which is owned by some investors (non-horse people). He only teaches lessons, which may be ok for beginners, but you don't learn much since he is actually not a riding instructor. The lesson horses belong to boarders. The farm has two outdoor rings, one you can't use when it rains as it is full of water puddles, the other is just a hard, old bluestone ring - they don't have the equipment to drag/ maintain the rings. The indoor seems nice at first sight, but the footing is rubber/ sand and makes your horse slip in the corners, actually neither good nor save for jumping or cantering. Back to horse care: empty water buckets are common, summer or winter. The hay quality was sometimes so bad that horses simply didn't eat it. And the staff tells you... yeah, we know but that's all we have. The fields have become worse over the years, it's basically just weeds. Field boarding horses get a bale of hay in winter, but often they stay several days without hay once the bale is finished. The guy who runs the farm benefits that many horse owner don't show up every day/ every week... so they don't always see what's going on. But once they get it, they leave. Many have left this farm. And so did I. BUT: Credit to Luis, the barn manager... he tries hard, works hard, is reliable and the only reason why this place is still in operation. read more

If you have an easy quarter horse or draft then I guess this place is okay but if you care about your horse then don't go here. The staff that takes care of your horses does not know what they are doing. They will pour your horses feed on the ground so hopefully your horse doesn't get a supplement. Out in the fields water runs out sometimes. They had a dead cat in the hay which they were feeding to horses. Hay was molded but they claimed it wasn't ( I've been around horses my entire life and know good hay vs bad hay) . Horses are over used so don't let them use your horse in lesson. They had a horse fall during a lesson and made the horse keep going and didn't check it. Make sure you keep track of all your bills !! They will let vets do stuff to your horse without even asking you first then charge you . During holiday they feed horses and water but don't clean the stalls. They just leave the horse in its own stall the whole day so they can celebrate holiday. I get wanting to celebrate but when I worked on a farm no matter what day it was you still have to go out and take care of horses. Horses got loose and they never did anything to stop that or fix the problem. Don't board your horse here. read more

River Chase Farm is a a breath of country air not far from the city. The lesson program is great and caters to all ages, with plenty of opportunities for adults at all levels. There is always something going on. There are many opportunities to compete -- at a fun level, if you don't want to be super competitive, although there are also opportunities to go to "A" shows. The horses are well cared for and the barn workers are very conscientious. read more

If you love your horse...do not board here! If you don't check on your horse every day...you may have an issue. Many boarders find their horses have bad cuts and other vet care related issues when not checked on frequently. The farm always has stalls available, because of the lack of care. There are other places to keep your best friends where they respect their boarders and the horses. read more