I took my first riding lesson at Linden, when I was 48 years old. I'm still taking lessons now, 9…read moreyears later. I have learned more that I thought possible. I got my first horse 7 years ago, and I board him at Linden. The rates are reasonable, the facilities are good, and I consider all who ride at the barn as my second family. As soon as my granddaughter turns 4, I hope to introduce another generation of my family to the wonderful world of horses, and Linden is the facility I plan to use. VTN

My experience at Linden Farm has been phenomenal! I started as an adult student with little…read morehorseback riding experience. Through excellent instruction and encouragement, I am now participating in horse shows and leasing a horse. I recently traveled to Ireland on a horseback riding holiday and received compliments on my riding. This can be 100% attributed to the quality instruction at Linden!

Stephanie is amazing! My daughter has taken many lessons with her and progressed beyond all…read moreexpectations. She had never even been on a horse before and was cantering and posting within weeks. Stephanie has the right amount of patience and persuasion to get the students to continually develop as riders. The horses are all impeccably maintained and well trained. I love that the students learn to tack up the horses and the responsibility required to be a rider. If your considering lessons, this is the place to go.

After seeing a bargain on Living Social, I decided to give it a try for my almost 4 y.o. daughter…read more She has been in love w/ horses since she was 2. The instructor, Stephanie was wonderful and very patient w/ me (neurotic mother) and my daughter. She leases space at a beautiful farm in Boyds, MD. The horses are beautiful, and clearly well taken care of. Stephanie is very aware of the horses she uses, and is very cautious & careful about safety which is always my biggest concern. She actually had Gracie galloping on her second lesson b/c Gracie saw a more experienced rider and wanted to do the same, so she taught her the basics of posting, had her hold tightly onto the saddle and lead the horse into a controlled gallop, which Gracie loved. I also appreciated Stephanie's honesty when I approached her about her readiness & the benefit of future lessons as I wanted to make sure my daughter would be getting the most out of this as possible. Stephanie is clearly very experienced w/ horses, and instructing people in how to ride them. It's obvious, this is her passion which makes it all the better for anyone fortunate enough to take lessons from her.

I couldn't have asked for anything more. Fran and her staff were so wonderful with the kids. The…read morekids were able to feed the ponies, walk them, brush them and even decorate them with stickers. I would 100% recommend Fran over and over. The animals were wonderful with the kids and obviously very loved.

In brief: Best, most professional training and instruction in the DMV area…read more The owners live on the property and are completely devoted to the horses. Lots of individual attention and customized care. If you're at the barn in the late evening... you might notice Jen or Sam coming out to check on the horses, tuck them in, and give them a flake or two of hay for "midnight snack." The lessons are simply THE BEST. Thoughtful goal-setting... specific feedback and exercises aligned to your goals... and a totally positive, encouraging, yet demanding atmosphere. No matter your level, you WILL become a better rider and you WILL feel better about your riding. Lots of opportunities to compete, but no pressure if you're not interested. Barns are notorious for drama and craziness... so much so that a certain degree of barn drama comes to seem inevitable. Not so at ACSH. The vibe is professional and friendly. In six months, I have heard zero critical comments about anybody else's riding or handling or anything else. You'll get lots of feedback but it will never feel negative. Drawback: The facility is not pretty nor in particularly good repair. The tack room is crowded and poorly lit... but the water buckets are SPOTLESS. It's all about the priorities, right? (: FWIW: I've boarded at four different facilities in the area... ridden at five... and taught at four. ACSH wins the blue ribbon for everything but looks.

Excellent program. My child transitioned to Meadowood from another nearby riding program and they…read moreimmediately set to work undo bad habits learned there. Lessons are usually taught in small groups, but individual lessons are also available. My child has progressed rapidly under the tutelage of a wonderful and highly experienced instructor who emphasizes proper horsemanship technique. Meadowood is a beautiful and well-maintained facility with professional and caring management. The hardest part is getting in because I don't think they take that many beginners, but my child entered as an advanced beginner and has flourished here. Highly recommended.

My daughters come here for riding lessons. The stables are clean, horses are beautiful and well…read moremaintained! Staff is great! Black Owned Stable!!!!!!!!! Woman owned Stable!!!! Championship Horses! What are you waiting for?????

Beware! The "knowledgeable" and "professional" instructor sold an inexperienced rider a broken…read moresaddle and refused to issue a refund when the break was quickly confirmed by two professional saddle repair experts.

One of the nicer boarding facilities I've found in Upper Marlboro. Marlboro Ridge is a very well…read moreequipped facility with both indoor and outdoor arenas. They have both dressage and hunter-jumper oriented instructors, two heated wash stalls, and three sets of cross ties.

I had a high hope for this summer camp, but I will not use them ever again. This place is not…read morereally organized. There is little to no communication. Morning drop-offs and Afternoon pick-ups are nothing but chaos. The kids working on curbside are clueless and unhelpful. They make kids watch TV on those rainy days because they have nothing else planned for them, when you pay thousands of dollars. No thanks.

I had high hopes for Congressional Camp based on rave reviews from friends, but my experience has…read morebeen extremely disappointing. On February 1st, I tried to enroll both of my children for a one-week session to see if they would enjoy it before committing further. I successfully signed up my son, but my daughter was waitlisted. Since we needed both kids in camp at the same time due to work schedules, I immediately contacted the camp for insight into whether she had a chance of getting in. It took two days to get a response, only to be told that the waitlist had 130 people and she would not be getting in. Realizing that it didn't make sense to send just one child, I immediately requested to unenroll my son. Weeks later, I finally received confirmation--along with a $200 cancellation charge! It's absurd that there was no way to place my son on a waitlist before enrolling, forcing families with multiple children into an impossible situation. This policy is unfair and completely lacks consideration for working parents. If you have more than one child, I'd strongly advise against this camp unless you're okay with paying a steep fee for a situation that's out of your control. This experience makes me question the camp's priorities--would you want to send your child somewhere that doesn't understand the basic point of camp?