I'm a big fan of Free Spirit Farm! It's been a lifelong dream of mine to own a horse, and the next…read morebest thing is riding frequently and learning to ride properly. That's what I get to do here. I've ridden many of the horses and ponies and have always felt safe. Shae owns the barn, trains the horses, and teaches lessons. All of her horses are loved, well-cared for, and do well with riders at all levels. She is a patient instructor, cares about her clients, and is passionate about her business and horses in general. She's also a certified saddle fitter. Weather-permitting, lessons are outside year round. From the outdoor arena, there's a lovely view of a beautiful grassy field where the horses love to graze with a gorgeous tree-lined backdrop. During inclement weather (when it's simply too cold or rainy), there's a very nice, large indoor arena. Lessons are private and semi-private and priced fairly. Shae teaches all ages. I am super happy at this barn. I think the world of Shae as an instructor, trainer, business owner, and person. You're in good hands here, and if you enjoy it half as much as I do, your life will be brighter when you take equestrian lessons at Free Spirit .

Sharing my experience with Duke Petting Farm to save you from having to go through the same thing…read more I was having a big cowboy themed party for my boys joint birthday party. So I thought how fun would it be to have a cowboy horse & a petting farm. I Talked with Deb before even booking the party to make sure all the kids would be able to ride the pony. At first I asked for a horse because most of the kids would be around 10-11 years old. I was told a horse would be too hard for the little kids but she would send me a large pony that would be perfect for my age range. I told her no one would be over 120 pounds. She even asked me to put it in an email and I did. I am sharing that email in the photo section. I confirmed this with the owner several times before the party. Fast forward to party day when the problems all began. She sent 2 girls to work my one hour party. The one girl that ran the petting bunny area was EXTREMELY rude to all the little kids. Even rolling her eyes at them when they asked what kind of balloons she could make. She yelled at them multiple times when kids 3 years old were petting the baby bunnies. To a point of me and several parents going in the bunny pen to help. It was so embarrassing that people at my party were being treated this way. Several of the bunnies kept escaping. She yelled at the 3 year old birthday boy when he went to get a second handful of food from the food bucket they bring. She said "you already fed the animals." We tried to talk to her to help change her bad mood but it was the entire time and super disappointing as this was a kids party. The other thing I would like to warn you about is that TONS of the kids were turned away from riding the pony. The girl working said they were too tall. One of the girls was a tiny 10 year old weighing no more that 65 pounds. If height was a requirement I should have been told that before the party. Like I said I discussed this with her multiple times. So only a few little kids got to ride over and over. When you pay over $500 for someone to bring animals to your party you expect at least kind service. I contacted the owner before coming to social media. She said the girl working the party was only 14 years old. While she did say she would talk to her she made all kinds of excuses. I think it would be better to have an adult working something like this. She told me the bigger pony they had used at a different party that day and had problems with so they switched to this one. I understand things happen in life but those are not a customers problem. While I couldn't come to an agreement with the owner I thought I could at least warn all my friends or anyone thinking to book for a party! Stay far away. I wished I would have booked somewhere else. After having the party I had several people recommend Tyler's exotic animals. They said he is much more kid friendly. Just super disappointed that so few kids got to ride the pony & that the other worker that ran the balloons/petting area treated everyone so rotten. It was an awful experience and I have booked lots of big things for events. Never have I had to deal with this kind of unprofessionalism. Truly disappointed.

It's a bit out of the way for folks living in town but it's a farm after all!!!! Debbie and her…read moreteam of volunteers are absolutely amazing!!!!! I took my 10 year old out here for some riding for her birthday, the offer lessons for a fair price and they also do this thing called "Mini-Mondays" where younger kids get to do fun activities and dive into the agricultural world. They get up close and personal with the animals while learning valuable life lessons such as showing respect to all creatures, kindness, forgiveness and other things we all want instilled in our kids! My girls just wrapped up softball and we're so excited to sign up for volunteering at the farm!!

Best boarding facility for your horses. The horses are well cared for. All negative comments on…read morethis site are fake by an employee who was terminated due to cruelty. She was sued so she had her family post and she deleted her review. Go see for yourself.

I have been at Swam Creek for 5 months. Showing up almost daily and have been very happy with the…read morecare my horse is given. I have come from a training facility, our horse and myself have retired and was nervous about moving. My horse no longer needed full training. He gets worked by me multiple times a week and Swan Creek makes this possible. It has been a great experience. The staff is wonderful they care for the horses in a professional safe manner. I am engaged in his care and supported by the owners.

I have been riding and boarding at great escape for years! Wonderful facility with knowledge staff.read more

My daughter has been riding at GES on and off for several years. The quality of instruction is…read moreexcellent with a focus on developing properly and safely. The other riders are friendly and this is a NO DRAMA barn (which as a mom of a teenager...I appreciate!!) Robyn is wonderful with my daughter who also suffers from anxiety. She is patient and understanding. My daughters skills have increased 10-fold under Robyn. In addition to riding, there are fun events, shows (if you choose) and horsemanship training for those who want to take their knowledge to the next level. I highly recommend GES.

This was a beautiful experience. Anna was excellent trainer. Walter was such a good horse with the…read morebest personality. This experience was a beautiful birthday gift.

This place is horrible they are super unprofessional and unsafe while i was riding the daughter…read morebroke out with crazy horses galloping around the arena with them JUMPING ON THE MOVING HORSES WHILE I WAS RIDING

I love this place, everyone there is very friendly and kind. Great place for kids to learn and ride…read morehorses. Horse boarding is also nice because of the many available features like, massive indoor arena, indoor stalls and tack/gear storage areas also wooded trails in the back.

I went to visit Trailsend Farm and was truly pleased with the beauty of the new stables and the…read moreindoor riding arena! They were kind enough to give me a tour of the property barns, riding trails and corrals. The horses had lots of room in the corrals and looked very healthy and well treated. We hung out for some time afterward while they answered my questions. Very thoughtful staff who really care for the horses well being.

After college, I wanted to get back into a sport I had previously done when I was kid, horseback…read moreriding! And boy howdy, let me tell you, I have NO regrets! Kay and Emily run a fantastic farm and they genuinely care about the well-being of their horses! Both of these women have a passion and drive to continually learn everything they can about the horse world. Anything from how to better the health of their horses to new dressage techniques. They also have experience in multiple disciplines of riding. One thing to note that many barns cannot say is that this farm is drama-FREE. Meadowlark has a laid-back and welcoming community. It is perfect for everyone of all ages and disciplines. Additionally, Meadowlark has a fantastic Horse Camp that's extremely popular - the spots fill up super fast! I have been riding with Emily for over 2 years now and it's amazing! She caters her teaching style to how her students learn best and has no problem answering questions. If you're on the fence about taking lessons or even bringing your child to Horse Camp. I encourage you to at least try it! I would recommend this farm to anyone! Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed!! :)

I approached Meadowlark interested in lessons. I didn't really know much about what that entailed…read moreas my experience is that every location in the area is totally different in their approach and what they can offer. They were really condescending and short, and said they couldn't assist. I am giving two stars as they said it politely, but it's just not a welcoming place to newcomers. It isn't a place you can go to learn as a newcomer.