I've been riding at Riverdale Stables for about four months now and absolutely love it! I'd never had any formal training before, and the little experience I did have was with Western riding, so I was nervous starting lessons and had no idea how I'd feel about English riding. Every trainer I've worked with has been so kind and really meets you where you are. They're encouraging when you're having a tough day, while still pushing you to improve as much as you're comfortable with. I've been going weekly, and it's really become one of the highlights of my week! If you're in NYC and looking for a place to ride, I recommend Riverdale Stables. It's such a nice escape from the typical city feel, and what's not to love about getting to hang out with horses?! read more

my daughter has been riding here for 7 months and has enjoyed every single class. She has joined the IEA programme. Coaches and horses are amazing . all the team is super nice ! the barn manager is awesome! highly recommend riding there ! read more

Terrible riding facility. Truly terrible in every way. I didn't know any better until I started to take one on one bespoke riding lessons with a couple in France who truly know how to train you to have confidence on a horse - no matter your age, experience, or how much you tip them. The key to learning how to ride a horse is being confident. This place sucks the confidence out of you on day 1. And it doesn't get any better. First of all, I could not get a standing weekly appointment. I had to call to see if there were any cancellations each week (even though I paid for a package of 10 lessons and my hope was one lesson per week). The staff is as rude as can be, and half of them should be in a different line of work. I also went back to riding at an older age. I noticed during the holidays, that the work crew was far more accommodating and friendly (all smiles) to the rich mothers of young riding students, who were giving out cash tips in envelopes to them. (Puke). Here's one episode. I had a grooming and bridling lesson with one of the instructors who mentioned to me that she had known one of the school horses years ago. This horse she referred to, I believe is the former racehorse mentioned here by a few other reviewers. The next week, that same instructor was cleaning up around the riding arena while I had a different instructor, (as I also had the experience of constantly changing instructors because it's a revolving door there for the teachers) and I was on the former racehorse again. They put me on again after I was bucked off once and asked for a different horse. As I rode, the warnings started to come out of the instructor's mouth fast and furious - "avoid that other horse", "avoid that corner", "don't get too close to the exit", "let's put earplugs in the horse because she spooks when acorns falling on the roof"... and all of a sudden the horse jumps up on all 4 legs and I'm bucked off again. Later, that instructor who "knew the horse" said to me, "Oh, I think that was my fault. I had a pitchfork very close to the horse's rear end". So, how does an instructor, who should know better than to go near a horse during a lesson with a pitchfork, as well as "being familiar" with the horse's quirks, let something like that happen? And how does she let it happen when the horse has a student on its' back? When I went to the office to book my next lesson (sadly I wasted my money on a package of 10), the nonchalant response was, "If you're gonna ride horses, be prepared to fall off. That's just how it goes." That's just ONE story. During a lesson, all the teachers just stand huddled in the center of the arena chatting to each other. You can't hear a word they're saying when they're shouting out commands or warnings to you. There is no feedback, no encouragement, no consistency (and having a different instructor each lesson doesn't help matters), and in a nutshell, no reason to waste your time and money on this joke of a place. If a horseback riding lesson does not inspire confidence in the rider (at any level), than the instructors are terrible. Of course Riverdale Stables is fortunate enough to be the only game in town, as they don't have much competition in terms of finding a stable that you can get to by public transport in nyc. But trust me... don't let that lure you. Run away. No. Gallop away! read more

Two plusses: In NYC, and reasonably priced. Way more minuses: Woman who teaches jump group Sundays is dreadful--snarky personality and zero to offer as a "trainer." You will step over jumps as low as they go. You will also be asked to take care of the horse after, as if you haven't just wasted your money to be there. The "trainer" will also end the lesson early. Horses all have polos on like they are actually performing , but it's silly. The only barn I have ever heard of in my life that won't give private jump lessons. If you need to pay to rent a horse for 40 minutes, go for it. Just assume you'll learn absolutely nothing. read more

After reading the other negative reviews, I can only be grateful that I was warned off before having to suffer financial loss or instructor rudeness. Either because of flawed communication or (more likely) naked greed and manipulative sales tactics, after contacting Riverdale Stables for an initial assessment appointment, and after signing their release and reluctantly providing my credit card information, I get an auto-reply from some administrative sub-division sternly advising me that my STANDING WEEKLY APPOINTMENT has been reserved and warning me of the financial consequences of missing appointments on a day and time that was not specified because NO APPOINTMENT HAD BEEN SCHEDULED! Seriously? I emailed Riverdale Stables, first asking for clarification, but after the election I had an epiphany. This sort of despicable business ethic explains why we have the government we are about to endure. I then emailed canceling my inquiry and any appointment that may or may not have been set without consulting or informing me. And I'll be keeping an eagle-eye on my credit card transactions. This is the kind of arrogance Riverdale Stables can get away with because they're the only stable with easy mass transit access from upper Manhattan. They seem to have earned loyalty from their long-term clients which evidently provides a solid financial base, because they seem pretty damn indifferent to new or prospective clients. read more

I am 78 years old and just this winter decided.to.get.back in the saddle My 2 experiences att Riverdale convinced me that they discourage older adult beginners. I think they prefer children. Ist lesson: I was told to go get my horse and bridle.him. Walking into an unknown horse's stall gave me a bad vibe, so I had the groom bridle this horse. As I started to lead him out of the stall he sharply jerked his head back and very high.I was startled and the groom told me that this horse had hit his head aganst the top part of the door a while back, so he is afraid. The groom.led him out.The.lesson was ok after that but this incident is a lack of due diligence on management's part. 2nd lesson: He was waiting in the ring.so far so good.. I mounted and reached down to fix my stirrup. He spooked a little bit and raised his head. That was when my Iinstructor told me that he is an EX RACEHORSE and is sensitive to a sudden movement of a.rider pulling.on the sturrip strap or some similar ovement. I may have been at.fault and spooked him, I don't know but after a 2nd unexpected event where I was not told of his history I got a very bad vibe. No due diligence..and why was I put on an EX RACEHORSE anyway? I believe race horses are abused to begin with, as I had been honest about my limited experience. After these 2 experiences with the same powerful. sensitive horse, I got the message loud and clear: I am not wanted .I am too old and am wasting their time. Yes I am.old.but I have money and now go to fine stable in Connecticut. I pay twice as much and tip the instructor and groom. Too bad..Riverdale has lost my business for good. igh. The groom eltnot wanted ans had to stop my lesso becuse the horse got nervous and startled whe. I bent down to adjust my stirrup. He is an ex racehorse! Why was I assigned him? The first ad his name.but was that the read more

Riverdale stables is an amazing place to ride. There's nowhere closer to manhattan with so much green space and relaxed atmosphere. The grounds are beautifully maintained, the team there genuinely care about the horses, and the level of the instructors is on point. I cannot recommend more! read more

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The best barn in NYC. Acccessible via subway (a pleasant walk from the 1 train) yet you feel like you're at a real barn, situated in beautiful Van Cortlandt Park with a lovely green setting. My daughter has been riding here for years and the trainers have taken her from beginner to competitive equestrian. They are very safety focused and knowledgeable about horses. A great place to ride! read more

Sweet. Jesus. I had an absolutely terrible experience here. The staff seems incredibly rushed and didn't take the time to make sure I was comfortable leading a horse to a stall on my own. Despite the fact that I had never really spent time around these...1,000+ pound animals? I'm not scared of horses, but that just seems dangerous to me. My first lesson started about 20 minutes late, so I ended up having to cancel the plans I'd made for later in the day. Not a huge deal to me, so I shrugged it off. The lesson itself was nerve-racking. There are a bunch of horses in the ring at the same time, and we're just supposed to navigate around each other. It actually made me feel sorry for the advanced riders who had to maneuver around us newbies. After my first lesson, I was wary, but decided to give it another shot. Honestly wish I hadn't. I had a different instructor the second time and she was astonishingly rude. She behaved as though I was this huge inconvenience interrupting her day and barked at me if I did the wrong thing. It was like she didn't understand that I was doing it for fun? At one point I caught myself doing something wrong and corrected myself out loud as I tried to do what she'd told me to do earlier. "I'm the one with experience here, so why don't you let me teach you how to do this." ... Wat. Never went back for a 3rd attempt. It's such a bummer because I was soooo excited and there aren't that many places you can ride in NYC. Not interested in paying someone $60 to make me feel like crap for not being an expert after 30 minutes. I wonder how much business they lose just because they can't be bothered to be friendly. I work in customer service, so I truly understand that interacting with clients can be emotionally draining. But if you're not up for it, get another job. read more

Both my daughter, my husband, and I ride at Riverdale Stable. Our instructor, Stacey, is one of the best I have had in my 30+ years of riding. She is knowledgeable, professional, and someone with the rare talent of giving clear simple instructions that you can follow and that work. I trust that she has my back when I'm riding and she helps me get the best out of the horses each time. The horses are outstanding, well cared for, and remarkably educated for school horses. After a few lessons, when they understand you as a rider, they pair you with horses that allow you to learn, have fun, and improve. I have ridden some beautiful and talented school horses at Riverdale. My daughter (age 8) is having a blast at the summer camp and comes home with a huge smile. I would highly recommend it for all levels of rider. read more

One of the best kept stables I've been in, speaking from moderate and varied experience. Horses well behaved, barn surprisingly unstinky. Very pleased with most of the teachers. I like clear straight instruction and that's what I get. The only cons is that instructors are so heavily booked and lessons are back to back. If you can't manage your own tacking and untacking (even with help from the excellent stablehands and manager), a 30 minute lesson can easily turn into a 15 minute one; and that different than anywhere I had been before. But I'm happy to be back in the saddle after several decades and so close. read more

So... where should we start.... my daughter (6) wanted to start a new hobby and love horses. We found this space near our home... sound perfect... NO!!!! Purchase a 3 1/2 hours package and wanted to commit for a year. Turn they are full and you must schedule the lesson sending emails that usually are not responded. Schedule is usually on Thursday or Friday (waiting for cancellation). This is why I gave them a star. No to the bad thing. This place has their own time. 30 minutes lesson is usually 15 minutes with 5 minutes preparation of the horse. Today we had a lesson at 1:30. The lesson started at 1:42 (12 minutes late (instructor was busy with another lesson)) and finished at 2:06. My daughter got on the horse at 1:50 and get out of the ring at 2:02. 12 minutes on the horse!!! $50 for 12 minutes lesson. For this I will give them a negative stars (if I could). On top of this, the word service is not something that they want to give. So... this is the last time that they are going to see me. My advise, find someplace else. One of the worst places to spend your money. read more

Instructors change all the time and are very disinterested. The scheduling people are also disinterested . You have to send several e-mails before your lesson is confirmed. In addition it is almost impossible to get in contact with them. They never pick up the phone or call you back when you leave a message at their answering machine. I even think that the phone number is fake. I have no idea how they are able to stay in business with such a bad costumer service. read more

Couldn't agree more with the reviewer that said they would give this place 0 stars if they could. Life is too short to ever deal with the management and these trainers ever again. I've been riding horses for many years and will never mention that I took three lessons here. It's a waste of money. read more

I'm not the type of person who usually would leave a review. There are just some places that I think are worth reviewing. Riverdale stables was where I grew up riding it was once a lovely barn With nice people and a few good ponies. It was great for the first few years I was there but I was young. As I got older I got more involved with the riding Community and I joined there competition team. It was fun for the first year. Riverdale is a great place for pony rides for younger kids if you're older and more advanced you should stay far away. It's an amazing place for pony rides. If you are going to do a lesson for beginner ride I would suggest to bring your own helmet. This is directed mostly towards more advanced riders. Like every barn it has it's problems But these ones get in the way and make the barn very unappealing. Number one: the management is a crap show. They will forget to put you down for your lesson or forget to put you on a horse. Number two: The staff is constantly quitting and changing I went threw 12 different coaches when I was riding here they where constantly quitting. If you are looking for a permanent trainer this is not the right place. Number three: the More advanced horses are dangerous there are a few safe ones but on average you'll probably fall off twice a lesson and then they'll tell you it your fault. I'm a good enough rider to know when somethings my fault or not. Number four: this isn't the worst issue with the barn but it can be a deal breaker for most. You can't move up to a high level without owning your own horse. the barn the horses aren't good enough. The highest you're allowed to jump is 18 inches to 2 foot. If you are looking to lease it's different this is more directed towards lesson riders and school horses. read more

Was very very disappointing! I am a beginner and prior to this one had only 2 basic lessons. My instructor was very rude and impatient and absolutely terrible in explaining things. She yelled at me that I couldn't control the horse as soon as I sat down. She ended up riding the horse for 10 mins out of my 20 min lesson. They cut the lesson short bc they were closing the ring at 12pm (they absolutely failed to mention this fact in advance). And the receptionist comment was "we need to prepare the ring for people who actually pay for this." I was late just for 5 min, and when I tried to speak to the receptionist she cut me off and didn't even let me schedule another class for the following weekend. read more

I've been riding here for 12 years now, and I can't say enough about Riverdale. The facility is lovely and so easy to get to from Manhattan - the school horses are loved, happy and well-looked after and I've learned so much from various trainers over the years. I always feel safe and I always have fun here and as an older rider (I'm 65), can't ask for any more than that! read more

I rode for years when I was younger (lessons, horse summer camp, the whole thing), and I miss it all the time. Since this stable is accessible via MTA, I was ready and excited to seriously start taking lessons again. NOPE. Had a 30 minute lesson where almost 10 were spent "getting" the horse tacked, which involved the instructor handing me off to someone else who seemed overworked already. Then we entered the ring where three other lessons were taking place, and the instructor stood in the center with the others chatting and occasionally screaming at me that I was doing it wrong and couldn't "control" this poor lesson horse who, like other bad lesson horses, pulled hard for the exit every time we circled the ring towards it. But the worst was after the lesson, wherein the instructor simply said "Okay we're done" and expected me to put the horse back in the stall?? Which I would be fine with as a post-lesson task, but I've never been here before, I don't know WHICH stall. I finally find it, but I know it can be dangerous to leave horses tacked in their stalls, but I don't know where the tack room is, I haven't unbridled a horse in 15 years and this horse is not interested in letting me... I was so upset at the whole (very expensive) experience I regretted wanting to start riding again at all. Avoid!!! read more

This isn't for the services. As the trainers are nice but the person who schedules is so mean. Why can't they just Be nice ? Why do i get stomach knots about going to this place ? I'm sad bc I know the owners really try to run a good business :( read more

I have been riding at Riverdale for almost 5 years and love it. The school horses are happy, safe and sweet; the stable offers many options for group and private lessons. The instructors have many years horse experience and everyone is really nice. I have made many friends and really enjoy my time there. When new management took over a few years ago there have been more options for leasing and horse showing. I started leasing a private horse that my coach and barn manager, Amanda found for me and I couldn't be happier. It is the only barn accessible via the subway and metro north is a 23 minute ride. The facility is great, with one indoor, 3 outdoor and a grass field and track, the horses do not get bored. read more

Signed my daughter up for an initial 30 min lesson. After 15 minutes past the scheduled start time, I flagged down Stacey, who was to be her instructor, as she sauntered by. She proceeded to take her to the stable to saddle up a pony, which despite the fact my daughter had ridden large horses multiple times, I was ok with for a trial lesson. After 14 minutes of walking around the property (max 5-7 min actually in the ring), the saddle came off and about 12 minutes later the lesson was over. I signed up for a 30 minute LESSON. Talk about tack and care before or after-- don't include that in the lesson time. Never experienced that anywhere else. This was a complete waste of time and money. A glorified pony ride and a tour of the stables for $60- maybe fine for a first timer, but don't bother if your child is an experienced rider. And of course some teenager, who can't even look at you as you're speaking, just gives the programmed lines about policy, despite the fact they knew my daughter had had over a dozen lessons at other facilities. Only gave it 2 stars because the facility is fairly nice. Won't be going back. read more