I've been riding at NSEC for 2 years now, and all my experiences have been positive! The teacher's…read moreare always very friendly and helpful in lessons and outside, the atmosphere at the place is always enjoyable and there is always someone around (teacher or student) who you can ask for help if you ever need any. The horses are always wonderful to ride and you always learn a lot from each one. There is room for improvement regarding the pace at which students improve throughout the year, as I sometimes find other students in my class eager learn new things or try higher jumps. Overall, I love coming here every week; it's a beautiful place to ride at and a great sport to practice!

My daughter started riding in Sept 2014. She looks forward to riding all week, she always knows…read morewhen it's Wednesday. Riding has given her a real sense of responsibility and self confidence. It has been wonderful to watch her grow. It is amazing to watch these young children tack a horse on their own or with the assistance of a young volunteer. We only have experience with one teacher and she has been wonderful, always offering encouragement to the kids.

I've recently started taking lessons here with Academie Duello School of Modern Swordplay through…read moretheir Cavaliere Program for mounted combat. The facilities are great, the people are friendly, it's a great location and there is on-site parking. Some of the horses are owned by Academie Duello (Jack & Flavie) and some are owned by individuals who are boarding on the farm. Leasing is available for some of the horses and there are live-in caregivers on the property full time.

Red Colt is a unique horse boarding facility in Richmond, offering full horse board, lessons and…read moreleasing programs. I've boarded my mare at Red Colt for the past two years and love it there. She is well taken care of and the people are very friendly. It's also small (about 10-13 horses) and affordable - which is wonderful as it's so close to the city. I would totally recommend it!

I first found out about Crescent Stables through livingsocial. The voucher was for two 45 minute…read moreriding sessions or one 90 minute session. When I redeemed the voucher I asked if it was ok if I used one session and my sister used one session on the same day and she said it was fine. When we got there we signed our waivers then picked out riding boots and helmets. We got our horse ready (brushed, saddled, cleaned out his hoofs etc) and then it was time for the lesson. Carly was so patient and friendly with us. My sister and I hadn't been near a horse in years so it was nice to have such a good teacher who clearly adores horses! The lesson was fun. I highly recommend Carly!! We rode Squirty and he was so patient and gentle. I will be back to ride again.

Thea is an excellent instructor! She is very knowledgeable and encouraging…read more I started out with a groupon for two lessons. If you're doing the Groupon, I highly reccomend doing more than one lesson. I liked it, so I kept going! It has been YEARS since I rode as a child, so it took about 3 before I really got the hang of it again. Crescent Stables has great rates for lessons, and wonderful facilities. You can do individual lessons, but they also have packages by the month or buy 10, get one free. This is something I have not seen from other stables in the area. Go to Crescent!

this was the most amazing experience we had booked the day of and she did not see the booking, but…read morehad messaged us and took us on a two hour amazing tour. It was amazing so many fun animals there all are so very friendly.

This place is amazing and a must stop. I never seen owners care so much about their animals. We…read morestarted the tour by petting and scratching Hogwarts belly (mini pig). We fed turkeys, small pig, donkeys, llamas, peacocks, bunnies, and guinepeags. I got hugs from the goose and kisses from snow (horse) as well as back tickles from the other horse. This was an experience like no other. I will be back here if I am ever in the Sunshine Coast. The tour guide was incredible and kind as well as knowledgeable on everything.

Located just down the street from Richmond Country Farms and just shy of Riverport Entertainment…read morecomplex, Blue Meadow is a lovely riding facility in south east Richmond. It's really easy to get to as the bus to Riverport stops right at Palmberg, and it's just a hop and skip down Steveston Hwy off Highway 99. Blue Meadow has both an outdoor arena and a covered arena (not a completely indoor arena, but sheltered) which is great for our wet climate. The area footing is excellent. It's not soggy and water-logged, which can be a problem in Richmond as we're so close to sea level. The farm is three acres--plenty of room for the horses to graze and run around--and is owned by a family who leases it to the barn manager Yolanda Bloomers. Yolanda has school horses available for lessons and there are also boarding facilities. Blue Meadow has certified Equine Canada instructors/trainers who coach numerous English riding disciplines including dressage and jumping. The Equine Canada certification was important for me when researching a riding instructor, and as I don't own my own horse (yet!?), I needed someone with school horses available. I've recently started taking lessons with Yolanda who came highly recommended from other barn friends. When I emailed Yolanda, she suggested I first come and observe a lesson, so I could see her teaching style. I really appreciated this! It was so great to see her interacting with a rider to see her style, her mannerisms, and her competency. I definitely wanted to take lessons! I've had a couple lessons with Yolanda already at Blue Meadows, and I *definitely* intend to keep going. The price for a private lesson with use of a school horse is fair--equestrian sports are expensive--and I also think it's great value. What I really love about Yolanda's teaching style is that she explains the "why" of things--when this particular exercise is useful, the benefit of lunging in both directions, or how to do this weird terminology thing. Instead of shouting at you from across the arena, she either uses a small microphone and fanny-pack speaker, or walks with you (not beside you, but comes down to the end of the arena you're working in). She also gives the rider ample notice, like a GPS in the car would say "in 500 metres, turn left". I really appreciate that Yolanda gives positive feedback with the constructive criticism. I've worked with a lot of kids, and I've also worked as an instructor (not horseback riding), so I know the benefits of the "compliment sandwich". Yolanda also explains why the horse might not be responding to what the rider is asking, listing a couple possible reasons and then saying what to try adjusting the next go around. I can't wait to continue lessons, despite my sore muscles the day after!

I've been riding here for almost three years now and I love this place. It's clear that everyone is…read morehere because they love and care about the horses and their welfare, not to show off social status and appearance like some stables can be. Yolanda is an excellent instructor for beginners and advanced students alike, and knows her horses' capabilities and personalities well. The boarders and other riders are unpretentious and enthusiastic, and the horses are sensible and lovely, and great teachers themselves. It's low-key and friendly here, a wonderful environment whether you're a human or an equine.

Ah, Southlands. A little piece of heaven in the middle of the city…read more I have great memories of showing here as a teen and young adult and often hang out with my riding friends who are club members. The grounds are beautiful and they have done a ton of upgrading over the years. It's a lovely venue for shows and you can't beat burning around the track or polo field. I love coming here because the clubhouse building reminds me of a British clubhouse where folks would come in for a nightcap after fox hunting. It's super cozy in the winter and nice and cool in the summer. If you have never been here, come to the Country Fair in the fall or swing by and watch a horse show. This is an amazing piece of land with a lot of history. I hope it stays around for years to come!

I can't say enough good things about Cassie, Josh and the whole team at Coquitlam Equestrian…read moreCentre. They have been unbelievable in instilling confidence in my 2 young daughters who are novice riders. Their horses are beautiful and very well loved and their teaching has been second to none. My daughters attended one of their camps which has been the highlight of their summer! I myself have also started riding again after many years away and have been very impressed with their knowledge and skills. I have ridden in many places over the years but CEC is something very special.

Penelope is an amazing coach. We travel from North Van and are always so grateful. My daughter…read moreloves animals, especially horses, and has not been able to open up or bond with any therapist prior. She has gained confidence, self esteem, and pride. Her smile and glow when we leave is priceless. Highly recommend Penelope.