I recently re-located back to Massachusetts after spending a couple years in Virginia. Since I…read morefinally had a paying job after getting my Master's degree, I decided I wanted to take back up riding lessons, something I had done all through high school, but hadn't continued in college or grad school, except for exercising some of my friends horses in Virginia. Working in Needham, I decided to start looking in the surrounding towns, and stumble up Woodridge. I'm so glad I did! What a great facility. They have a large, well-maintained barn with beautiful horses. They have a large indoor ring (which can get a little crowded sometimes) (also it has a heated viewing area) and an ENORMOUS outdoor ring with at least 20+ jumps. There are riders of every level here - from adorable five-year-olds riding little ponies, to intermediate riders like myself, to majorly advanced riders that compete USEF. While many people at the barn compete and show, the atmosphere isn't very competitive - I have no interest in showing, but have never felt left out because of it. The fees associated with just taking lessons are slightly expensive - but for the quality of horses available, instructors, and care, it feels worth it. A half-hour private lesson will run you around $65. If you're in a rush and don't have time to groom and tack up your horse yourself, they have incredible grooms that will happily do it for you - and help you untack and cool down / groom the horse after your ride, while you are cleaning your tack. The outdoor paddocks are a little small, but the horses here are so pampered and well-bred that they probably don't even want to be outside. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place for riders of any level.

I've not written a review on Blazing Saddles before, even though I've been here a few times. Tried…read morea different place today, and realized I'm a Blazing Saddles fan all the way. The ride is lovely, and varied. To get to the Blue Hills from Blazing Saddles, you do have to pass over 128 on a horses-only bridge, but it's interesting. Then, you're in some beautiful terrain. You ride through the woods, up and around an open area, and back through the woods some more. Amy is great. She does seem to get a bit distracted when you talk to her on the phone, but that's who she is. I've arranged a few birthday parties through her, and even though it sounds like she's not fully listening to you when you talk to her, everything is great when you get there. The helpers are all great too. They match you to your horse quite well, and they all work together to ensure your ride is fun. Even the ladies who just seem to be hanging around at the end are all personable and helpful in getting you and the kids off your horse. The ladies who help on the ride itself offer the right amount of help, and chat with any of the kids who seem nervous. They are clearly interested in ensuring you enjoy your ride. All in all, I'm a big fan of Blazing Saddles, and will be back there this Fall once the leaves start changing color.

Excellent place for children with autism or special needs. Horses were docile and sweet. Plenty…read moreof space for both indoor and outdoor riding. Brought first time rider friend and adult niece and both had an equally excellent time. Amy was direct, sensible, caring, polite. Vibe was relaxed and good energy. Definitely spending more time here. Covered area to sit where I could read while others rode. Small rainbow pony. Very easy to Venmo. Highly recommend

Having been a part of Newbury Farm for almost 3 years, I can say, unequivocally, that they provide…read moreexceptional service to their clients. Cory and Jean possess a high level of integrity unmatched in the horse industry. Together, they strive to help strike the right balance of horse, rider and family. From our first visit to the farm, they made us feel welcome and have provided much guidance and education. Jean's background is routed in a life long passion for horses and a strong business background. She is super organized and detail oriented which I especially appreciate as the person responsible for balancing work and family commitments. Jean sets the horse show schedule a year in advance and even provides detailed estimates for budgeting if you want. The transition to Wellington each winter goes smoothly with horses and riders well taken care of. My daughter has truly grown into a better, more confident rider because of Cory. He is a phenomenal trainer, accomplished rider and role model whose strong work ethic is infectious. He is constantly teaching, incorporating his vast industry knowledge with many life lessons. Goal setting and quarterly meetings are just another example of Cory's thoughtful approach to teaching. He never sends a rider into the ring without being overly prepared. Cory works tirelessly to make sure horse and rider are performing at their absolute best. He also provides direction and advice on everything from navigating the show circuit to the buy versus lease decision. It's no surprise that he is a well sought after trainer. The support staff at NBF is awesome as well. There can't be a better group of grooms anywhere. They take great care of the horses and everyone feels lucky to have them part of the team. Newbury Farm is small by design and a wonderful farm to be a part of. The clientele is a great mix of juniors and adults sharing their love of horses. Cory and Jean give such specialized service, which makes it a truly unique and special place.

Newbury farm is amazing, and the crazy lady (Carla) is a spewing complete nonsense. My mom and I…read moreboth ride at Newbury, and it is spacious, clean, and beautifully decorated there. Cory and Jean are awesome, and are far from snobs and ditzes. Not only are they great riders, they are great teachers, and are always friendly and easy to talk to. The way Cory teaches is superb- he always gives both praise and criticism, but the critique is never harsh and is expressed positively, and he never becomes frustrated, no matter how many times you have messed up or if you are running out of time. My mom has a horse in training there, and rides frequently, but I've only had a few lessons; yet my riding is already improving, and my ambition and willpower has risen to higher levels thanks to Cory and Jean's pep talks. This is a truly unique barn!

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.

Blue Meadow Farm offers horse boarding, riding lessons, and seasonal pick-your-own blueberries. All…read morethree are done with great professionalism and welcoming spirit. For the horse boarding -- the barn is well-designed and the staff pays attention to details. The horses are the priority, and the stalls are clean and well-sized. The riding instructors are excellent -- they each have their own approach, so you might want to try lessons with different people depending on your goals. Riders range from tiny kids to retirement-age. One note ... You might notice a lot of "evidence of birds" on the barn walls - but this is because sparrows are welcomed as a natural insect control method during the summer. The blueberries are delicious and usually abundant. Like any pick-your-own experience -- you will get to see the fruit in all its shapes and sizes, not just the prime examples that are packed for store sale. Even if a berry is a little bit marbled in color or small, it is still tasty.

An absolutely fabulous spot for family blueberry picking! Being from central mass, and meeting…read morepeople from Boston meant we had to find a midway farm and the blue meadow didn't disappoint! On the MA Upik site, it says no kids under 6 years old. This is OLD INFORMATION. (The current owners parents had nets hung that kids used to pull on / parents wouldn't pay attention). However, there are no more nets and no more age restrictions! I called ahead to make sure the 2-yr old picker with us would be welcome- and he was! The Entrance is marked with a homemade Upik sign To distinguish it from the driveway entrance to the horseback riding and stables. When you arrive you're greeted by a small tent where you pick up red buckets fashioned with a string (for convenient around the neck holding and double-fisted berry picking, of course!) Berries are measured by the quart. Notches have been made in the bucket to display the volume picked. They approximate how much you have picked to take home up to the half quart. Blueberries are $4.50 a quart (a steal, most places are $5.70-$6 from why I've seen. I have surmised that this is because the patch sits adjacent to the horseback riding farm part of the property otherwise present.). These prices of course only include the berries to take home, not the ones to be smacked on while picking - as we were reminded while both on our way in and out. Spraying the bushes only occurs as *required* by the State. No additional spraying of the fruit occurs You park a couple hundred feet from the tent, and walk downhill but only another 100-200 feet (it's a little steep, ask to park at the stables of hills are a big issue, I can't imagine they'd mind terribly) down to the blueberry patches. These ~1,200 someodd, 50ish year old plants are present in around four varieties. During this opening week, we found sweet, plump berries as far as the eye could see, and surprisingly few fellow pickers. Is this BC most other farms aren't starting Upik for another week? (I called a bunch ). Definitely put this farm on your list. Farm and Berries are easy to get to, delicious, and well-priced. the view with the horses is beautiful, there's a swingset that I assume visitors can use(?) and nice people run the place! What more can you want?

New owner cut down acres of old woodland and spent months adding a field with landfill. Endless…read morenoise and truck beeping.

A great area to board horses. staff they were friendly and know what they're doing. Owner herself…read moreknows about horses and rides.

Wow, I can't say enough good things about Canton Equestrian!! I've been riding there for a year and…read morea half and everything about it is great. Here are the best parts: 1) you get a real sense of community. No matter which lesson I ride in, the other riders are always friendly and encouraging and it's really easy to make friends. Newsletters go out frequently to keep everyone updated on the latest barn news and events, and if you follow the barn on Instagram you can see pictures of all the horses that you love all week! 2) great instruction. I've been riding since I was 8 and have had many instructors, and David is by far the best one I've ever had. He finds new ways to challenge me in every lesson and I always leave feeling like I learned something! Each lesson is different, incorporating different riding activities using ground rails, jumps etc. to build core skills. David is also really flexible with my crazy schedule and is really responsive to emails. 3) the barn owners and staff are the best. Everyone is really friendly and is so willing to help if you have any questions or anything. You can tell that they really care about the welfare of the horses and the upkeep of the property. Laurel is my fav, she is super friendly and always on top of everything! When I first emailed Canton to inquire about lessons, she responded to me within the hour. I was nervous about starting back up again at a new barn where I didn't know anyone but she was so friendly and positive that I felt better right away. 4) the school horses are top-notch. I've ridden at barns where it was common for the school horses to buck, rear, take off unexpectedly, etc. but the ones at Canton are extremely well-behaved and there are horses for every level of rider. 5) the property has three rings, including an indoor ring, and access to trails. All you have to do is cross the street and boom! You and your horse are in a gorgeous trail. Also, there's a driveway that loops around the entire property which is perfect for a warm up or cool down on a nice day! Also, if you're a parent and you want to watch your kid ride, there's a viewing room over the indoor arena where you can take a comfy seat and watch your child conquer the world on the back of a horse. 6) heated tack room and restroom. If you've been in the horse world for a while, you probably know how important (and hard to find!) these can be. Most barns that I've been to only have port-o-potties outside (yuck) but Canton has a HEATED indoor restroom with complete with a sink. There's even Febreze in there, because, you know. Of equal importance is the heated tack room- in the winter it's great to that the bits are always warm in the tack room so you don't have to warm them up in your hand before bridling your horse. And of course the indoor arena means you can ride in any weather! TLTR: Canton Equestrian has friendly people, well-behaved (and totally loveable) horses, and great property and facilities. Whether you're new to horses or have been riding horses all your life, I would recommend this place for you!

I began taking lessons with David in December, after a 15-year hiatus from horseback riding. I…read moredesperately missed being in the saddle, so I reached out to CEC on a whim and they were so responsive and enthusiastic that I had a lesson scheduled within a week of reaching out. Laurel was super transparent with pricing and availability, which I appreciated. My only goal was to get comfortable being on horseback again, but with the help of David, I have been able to accomplish things that I NEVER expected out of myself. I have learned more in the few months he's been teaching me than I ever did in the 10 years of riding lessons as a child. He has an otherworldly intuition about horses and riders, and I honestly cannot say enough about how comfortable and confident he makes you feel in the saddle. I always leave CEC feeling accomplished and exhilarated.