I recently attended a wedding at Camp Marshall and what a unique, rustic venue it was! The…read moreceremony, cocktail hour, and reception were held on the grounds across various settings with plenty of parking for guests. The ceremony occurred in a large open field with deep bench seating arranged in a way that made it very easy to view the exchange of vows. A well-manicured lawn and forested backdrop helped set the stage for this country chic, burlap, and lace-themed wedding. A couple of steps up to the lawn itself hid the bride well-enough for the big reveal as she walked arm and arm to the altar. Following the ceremony, guests filtered over to the main barn area of the camp. Not sure who is in charge of signage (the camp or the couple) but a few more/larger signs might have made it easier to determine exactly which barn/outbuilding we were supposed to relocate to. Drive slow because "holy potholes, Batman!". Depending on the car, you could really scrape up your undercarriage on the roads through camp. Hadn't thought about the offroading needs of my car when deciding on a vehicle to bring. In any case, the guests did find their way to the reception area and were greeted by the warmly lit, rustic interior of the Camp Marshall barn. Very large space for tables, chairs, buffet, DJ/dance floor, and bar area. Large barn doors acted as an effective method of temperature control for the fall-like evening. High ceilings made for a dramatic setting. Exposed wood combined with string lighting and flowers was an aesthetic success. (To top it all off, I hear this was an affordable venue to rent out!) Sounds like a winning combination! Looking for a rustic-themed wedding? This may be your venue! From the website, it looks like there are a number of ceremony locations to choose from on the grounds.

Camp Marshall has really gone down hill in the past few years, as other reviewers have correctly…read morestated. Our daughter has attended camp for the past 8 years but this will be her last. Chronic staffing shortages plague the camp. Counselors are all new and are only there for a summer job so their interest in and commitment to the job is not genuine and their attitude and care and concern for the campers is lacking. Many of the counselors are not much older than our daughter. I get that staffing shortages are a problem everywhere, especially at summer camps. But camp management and the Board of Directors really need to step up recruitment efforts to get some quality staff. The last straw was being informed by our daughter that a long time director left, and when I inquired about this to a member of camp management, the response was vague which has me even more concerned. This director was well liked by campers and was very responsive to my complaints and with an issue our daughter had. I get that I'm not entitled to know exactly why a member of the management team left but to not have some sort of announcement is really unprofessional and not transparent at all.

Wow, this place is awesome! Small farm with very personal feeling. I had only ridden a horse once…read morebefore--with college friends and no training at a place that overworked their horses--it had been a bad experience. When I turned 60, I decided I wanted to try again. I got a lesson with Marcie who was gentle and calming, taking me through all the steps to build the relationship with the horse before getting on and then carefully walking me through the first steps. I was nervous, but she was a great teacher and I had a wonderful time. Later I took my 5-year old grand-niece who has ADHD. With Marcie's patient instructions she did great and can't wait to go back. They have goats and bunnies and chicks plus other family pets. This is a real family place. Well worth the trip. Dee O.

I am no longer at Orchard Hill but I just saw a bad review on this site which compelled me to write…read moremy own review. Orchard Hill is a fabulous equestrian facility for horse owners and non owners alike. They are very professional and take excellent care of the horses. There is something for everyone and no pressure to take lessons or conform to anyone's style of riding. The people are great. Adults and kids alike. They have wonderful school horses and trainers and the property can't be beat for turnout, trails and jumping, etc. They have a fantastic summer camp which I always enjoyed being around to see children enjoying and learning all about horses. Please don't let any negative reviews influence your opinion of this farm. Give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

Beautiful and beautifully run facility! It caters to all levels of riding from beginner to very…read moreadvanced. There are several great instructors to choose from to work with. I only get the privilege of riding once a week for lessons up there. Everyone I've met is friendly and supportive.

its my favorite place to be it has so much to do and maura is the best instructor ever.read more

Went to their winter lights event with my two small children. Wildly over priced, the teenagers…read morerunning the place are appallingly rude, they randomly decided to close early and start turning lights off. We had to fight to use the train ride that we paid for since they refused to refund us. No one could tell us where the animals were that we had gotten feed for. The entire thing was confusing and disappointing and every single encounter we had with staff was aggressively rude. This was absolutely not a family friendly experience. We were charged over $90 for 20min of wandering around the property confused and insulted by the teenagers working there. After a full blown confrontation we were refunded $18 because they decided to close early without warning. Their response to us was that we were welcome to let our kids play in the dark for the remainder of the time we paid for if we wanted. Still can't believe the attitude the staff felt entitled to give paying customers just there to have fun with their toddlers. We will happily never be returning.

This farm is great. The horses are wonderful and the Trainer is so knowledgeable! Everyone is so…read morekind and helpful. Such a great place to take lessons or board your horse. I LOVE the Fresians, they are magical! So thankful every single day that we found Mountain View.

I had made arrangements to move my horse to MVTC in March, and both Dan and Tim hauled her with…read moregreat care. As soon as they arrived to the facility, my mare was placed in the stall, and was offered hay and water. I forgot to pay Dan, and he never asked about it! I felt so bad, but I did follow up with paying them nearly a month later!!! They were so kind and gracious and I was eternally grateful for their patience and kindness. I highly recommend this farm for boarding and training horses of all disciplines and levels. The facility is gorgeous, clean and filled with people of all levels and disciplines, and the owners are readily available to help anyone at nearly any time. We are very lucky to have such a great facility in the western MASS area.

I called and spoke with Terry to schedule a riding 2 weeks in advance. It was confirmed at that…read moretime but when I called the day of, he ignored my text messages and phone calls. I called his personal as well as the business number. Text messages said he read them but chose to just not respond. Do not recommend this stable.

Worst booking experience ever. Tried to book the beach ride to celebrate 10th wedding anniversary,…read morethe website said to call a week or so in advance of the ride day, then the lady responsible for it won't return calls for a week, then texts on a Saturday and says everything is booked two months ahead. And then did not respond to a question about available dates and how to book! When you charge 300 dollars a person, customer service needs to function MUCH better!

Very nice owners. Separate paddocks, excellent, good quality hay. Unfortunately, no available…read morestall.

Take a trip back in time when the world was more genteel and elegant. I would highly recommend…read moretreating yourself to a carriage ride from Leah at Horse and Carriage Rides of Central MA. The horses are gentle and beautiful, Leah and her staff are professional and ready to make your ride a memorable one! There is something so very special about being outdoors enjoying New England and watching these majestic animals do what they love. I absolutely cherish the sound of their hooves and get transported back to a simpler way of life every time. Book a ride for your memorable day, you won't be disappointed!

From the owner: We are a horse and Carriage company that offers horse drawn rides…read more and will travel to you. Whether you are looking for that magical touch for your wedding or prom or, want to hire a horse drawn carriage for events, we can help you

Had a beautiful winter riding experience here--it truly felt like something out of a movie. I…read morebooked through Groupon and then made a reservation on their website. There were some additional costs I didn't expect, but I understood they likely go toward the guides and the care of the horses. I've ridden before and mainly wanted to enjoy the fresh air and scenery, which did not disappoint. The only thing I really wish had been different was the photo policy. I completely respect the no-cellphone rule for safety, but it was a bit disappointing not to be able to capture or share such an incredible experience. Maybe a good compromise would be for guides to take photos or short videos during the ride, or to have a brief stop along the trail for pictures. That would make the experience feel more complete and memorable. The ride itself felt a bit strict at times--we stayed in a single line and had to keep pace, which made it feel a little tense, almost like a "keep up" situation. I understand safety is the priority, though. One of my favorite moments was when the guide explained how to calm a horse and build a connection--that part was really special. Overall, it was a great experience and one of the best I've had in the North. If the pricing felt a bit more reasonable and there were more opportunities to capture memories, I would definitely come back.

My 8yo daughter just did a 1/2 hour private lesson here - her first time ever on a horse - and the…read moreinstructor (Nikki) and the horse (Tommy) were both amazing with her. My daughter is autistic and described her experience as feeling "safe, confident, comfortable, and sometimes exhilarated." By the end of the half hour, she was, solo, weaving the horse in and out of cones in the ring. Both rider and horse looked relaxed and at ease. I'm a lifelong rider and am very attuned to how things are going. Honestly, I don't understand what the more negative reviews on this site are talking about. This was amazing. Beautiful facility, the horses are well cared for, and I just signed kiddo up for summer riding camp here.