Kelsie N.
1/5
My daughter was enrolled in lessons here with the understanding that they would include riding instruction. Over the last three months (January through mid-March), she did not ride even once during her weekly lessons. I understand that horsemanship and barn knowledge are important, and I completely respect programs that incorporate off-saddle lessons, especially during the winter months. However, three months without any riding at all (despite paying $200/month) feels excessive. An approach of partial barn work and partial riding would have been understandable, but that was not offered. Every time I asked, “will my child be riding today?” It was always met with: “we’ll see.” Many people do barn chores in exchange for lessons, but we were paying for lessons while my 10 year old child was only doing barn chores (mucking stalls, braiding tails, cleaning, etc.). In my opinion, this feels exploitive and unethical.
When I reached out to the instructor to politely express these concerns and ask for clarification, instead of offering any solution or compromise, she abruptly dropped my child from the program. I found this response disappointing and unprofessional, especially considering we had been loyal clients, paying hundreds of dollars every month since August 2024. And you can only imagine the hurt my child felt when she learned she had been cut off from lessons she looked forward to every week, and that we now have to find another barn.
Parents considering this program should be fully aware that it is not structured as traditional riding lessons, and long periods without any saddle time are possible. I strongly recommend asking very clear questions about what to expect before committing financially. Based on our experience, I would not recommend this program to anyone looking for a responsible and professional coach. I would suggest looking elsewhere.
