Posting on behalf of a friend who would like to stay anonymous:
As a concerned parent, I advise that no one go to this establishment. Our child came in as an intermediate rider and learned almost nothing from the head instructor, who in my opinion definitely oversells her talents to a degree that is astounding compared to other instructors we've had. Aside from poor quality instruction, the barn is in a constant state of chaos, especially if you visit on a busier lesson night or weekend day. There were several occasions that we went for a lesson and our time was pushed back significantly, almost an hour delay. Also the things that people openly discuss under the guise of being a "family," is highly inappropriate for the many children they say it around, often times the adult lesson students would drink openly before and after lessons.
If this weren't enough to at the very least turn you off, we had been out several times at different time points in the day and horses had no hay or water, were standing in knee deep mud, and lived in squalor. Now, I am not the most horse knowledgeable, just have picked up things observing while my child has taken lessons at other barns, but there are many things that struck me as very wrong. Many of the lesson horses would come in with thick caked on mud, even in the summer. In addition to the mud, some of the most used lesson horses would be so skinny and looked malnourished, it was heartbreaking. Often some of the lesson horses would miss eating a meal in peace just to go do lessons. Of the other horses observed while there, most seemed in some way looking skinnier than they probably should. I just know that after what I saw, I would never in my life place a horse in this barn's care, and am absolutely appalled with how anyone on here would defend this place.
At a certain point, you have to own up to mistakes and admit that you are doing things wrong. It is abhorrent to see this place defended, and I truly do not wish the experiences we had on anyone. read more