I couldn't help but notice that any negative reviews were under the OLD management. Danyel and Matt…read moreNEW management have done wonders for this facility in so many ways. The knowledge, love and compassion that they have for each and every horse there is impressive. They bring new life to this facility that it was in desperate need of. They are the hardest working barn managers that I have ever met and I have boarded my horses for over 20 years. They have put their heart and soul into making sure that this barn is safe, pleasant and well maintained. They are professional, knowledgeable, compassionate, empathetic and go the extra mile in everything that they do. The care that they provide is amazing. I guarantee you that Danyel knows every horses name and special needs on that property. She takes a lot of pride in the services that they provide and it shows. The facility is very clean. They also offer lessons and training which I highly recommend. Danyel personally trained one of my rescue horses that came from horrific conditions of neglect and abuse. When we first brought him home you couldn't even get close to him without him striking out. He was terrified. After 90 of him being with Danyel she was riding him bareback around the property. He went on to become an amazing horse. She was gentle and kind with him and asked him all the right questions. He responded to that. I highly recommend her for training.

I had my horse at valley mount ranch from August 2024-February 2025. we moved closer to my house…read morefor a few months then came back to valley mount. we LOVE the atmosphere at valley mount ranch. There is very little-no drama and everyone I mean EVERYONE is so so kind and respectful. we have never had any issues here. Danyel and Matt are the best people. they are the only people(along with my boss) that I 100% trust with my horses. 100% reccomend valley mount.

Beautiful facility. Barn recently updated. Great place to board horses, take hunter/jumper lessons,…read moreand get involved with A great community of people. The staff have extensive knowledge of horses and are quick to spot problems if they arise. Lessons are fun and riders learn the safe ways to interact with these beautiful animals. A wonderful family atmosphere. Not a high pressure barn but opportunities to lease, purchase and show are available. Lesson horses are well taken care of and enjoy their job.

Wonderful Riding Academy, grounds and arenas are beautiful. Staff are so friendly. Class sizes are…read moresmall.

Had a great time. Only tip would be to not have teenage girls as guides especially with phones in…read moretheir hands

Its a great atmosphere for children, the school horses are great for childre!n. I board my horse…read morethere and he's gained weight since we've been here. We also have an excellent show team, we go to a lot of show during the show season. I Love this barn

Kraus farms takes advantage of the nearby conservation area and treats it as their personal…read moreproperty, ruining the experience for others. They're profiting off of public land payed for by tax payers and ruining the ecology of the area. They also contracted road repairs and stage all of their materials in the parking lot, it's been almost a full year of them blocking almost all of the parking.

the best place ever my daughter rides there she ardors it, the barn assistants are so niceread more

I have been a student and a boarder at CW Equestrian Center now for just over three years. I have…read morebeen a boarder at many, many places and this is by far the best boarding and training facility that I have been apart of. This is a positive, healthy environment for the humans and the horses. They are always attentive to what your horse needs and they go above and beyond to make this a welcome place to board and ride your horse. The owner / operator provides wonderful lessons that have progressed my riding and my relationship with my horse. If you are looking for a place to board or take lessons, I would high encourage you to give CW Equestrian Center a call. They are excellent!

I am a professional in the horse industry and have been involved in horses in the Metro East for…read morethe last 23 years. In all that time, I've never been at a barn this wonderful. The horse care is absolutely the best in the area. My horse was one of the first on the property when they opened. She was only 3 at the time and thanks to the amazing care that Crystal provides and the safe, horse friendly environment of the barn, my horse has grown into a well adjusted beautiful 6 year old. My coaches have commented on how healthy she looks and how good natured she is, which would not exist without CWEC. The barn is a zero drama environment, which is VERY difficult to get in a boarding barn and is due to Crystal managing the barn in a professional, transparent manner and making sure she fosters an environment that does not tolerate drama. Crystal has a lot of medical knowledge about horses as well and is very attentive to her boarders, so I never worry when I go out of town as I know Crystal will have it covered. In addition, Crystal is an attentive and caring instructor who prioritizes safety. Her students have many opportunities to attend shows both on and off the property. The facility is beautiful, clean, and safe and has good footing that is well maintained in both the outdoor and indoor arenas. We would truly be lost without Crystal and our CW family.

Amazing ride! The horses were beautiful and well cared for, and the property was absolutely…read morestunning. Tanya was so knowledgeable and welcoming!

My family went riding here over the summer, and had such a nice time. The couple that owns this…read moreranch treat you like family! You can not only meet only their several horses and dogs, but they have cows and farm animals to pet, too. While we waited for others, we were able to walk around the property to explore the pond and hang out in their guest house. There was also some sports equipment available to play with. Overall, this was much more of a fun day on the farm than just an experience with horseback riding! It's a real drive down the dirt road, but it was worth it!

These guys were great. Called super last minute around noon, hoping to get a trail ride in with the…read moregirlfriend around 3 on the same day, Missie was super helpful, said she'd try and see if anyone was able to take a last minute shift. Lucky for us Jim was around and was willing to take us out. We ended up taking the 1 hour trail ride around the ranch which was really just two loops in the shape of an infinity sign, but who cares, you're there to ride a horse! The horses were really well behaved, we rode Jack and Sarge and overall it was a great time. Jim was super friendly if not borderline eccentric (in fun way). The price was a bit higher than other places we were looking at, it was about $50 per person for an hour trail ride, I was seeing others around $35, but this was the only place that was opened early in the week. You can also pay using credit card, but know that there is a 3% fee that goes along with it, but I'd rather do that than carry $100 in cash on me. Overall everyone there was super helpful and great, wouldn't hesitate to come back.

I was extremely disappointed in the way things were handled regarding my attempt to book this venue…read morefor my November 2026 reception. My mom had an initial conversation with Brian then, same day, my fiancé and I had a conversation with Brian (without his wife) to specify inclusions. I told him we can pay cash (at the time $6500 which included venue, food, dessert, alcohol & DJ) and could pay it that day and he said I don't make any booking decisions without my wife-- fair, I get it no issues. They called me back, affirmed the things we discussed, the inclusions, everything. But said they wouldn't get the contract to us until after Memorial Day. Then, all of us-- my mom, my fiance, myself and both owners had a conversation where the $6500 was increased to $7500 because they insisted alcohol wasn't included in the original quote (2 beers, 2 wines and 2 signature cocktails). So we conceded and agreed on the $7500. Then they insisted they never promised a DJ in the original conversation, so again we conceded and agreed we would find our own and repeatedly confirmed $7500 cash, no taxes and no mention of any other fees. When the owner texted me at 10 PM CST (I live in Colorado so the text reflects 9pm mountain time) to ask if I received the contract I told her yes, however the contract doesn't reflect the amount we confirmed in the phone earlier that day. (It was $650 MORE) She didn't take responsibility for the bait and switch and was unwilling to make it right. When I called her husband to let him know that due to the mistrust we would be booking elsewhere he was extremely apologetic and insisted that the $650 his wife claimed we had to pay in addition to the original quote was actually INCLUDED in the quote and that his wife was mistaken. The level of disorganization & miscommunications going on here left me with the feeling of what possible issues we might have in the coming months if the owners can't even get on the same page. When I texted the wife that we would be taking our money elsewhere she said "We hope you somehow find a way to gather and celebrate the joyous occasion together in a more cost effective way. Maybe a park, or relatives home, etc..." which was incredibly rude and insulting considering money was actually no object in this scenario but rather the lack of organization, trust, and transparency in addition to the bait and switching about the overall cost. Bottom line: The husband is the one with the empathy, the people skills and the ability to apologize and attempt to make things right without insulting the client. However the person that any future clients will have to deal with is his wife who unfortunately didn't show the same level of care, empathy, and apologetic demeanor as her husband. One final thing to note-- the contract that was sent was filled out by hand and was hardly legible with all the scratching out as I have attached below. And my issue wasn't that gratuity needed to be paid or a security deposit needed to be paid, I understand those are customary in these sorts of processes. The problem was NON-DISCLOSURE until the contracting. It was the disorganization. The inability to recognize when they're wrong and unwillingness to make it right. So what was supposed to be $6500 originally got a 25% increase in fees over the course of negotiations and contracting. Overall I'm sure this venue can really be remarkable and looks beautiful from the pictures. However, my experience is a testament that there seems to be a pattern with disorganization, miscommunication etc. If there were more streamlined processes, a method for sending a contract so it's not filled in by hand, and a sales person in there who can reach out to clients at reasonable hours (not 10 pm cst) and who clearly communicate the accurate pricing from the beginning and even if there is a mistake, they can own it and not insult the client in the process and suggest we "couldn't afford" them, then this could really be a phenomenal venue. But as it stands I would strongly urge you to look elsewhere.

The best barn in the area! Horses are very well taken care of, everything is neat and tidy,…read morebeautiful land, improvements are being made, and the people care for your horse. I have never felt more happy about where my horse is staying. I am glad to have Painted Ridge Farms!

QLD owner and trainer Marketa Matthews always has the best interests of the horse in mind. Daily…read moreturnout on beautiful green pastures make for very happy horses. She moved her business to this new location in August 2014. She lives in an apartment connected to the main barn, and personally checks on the horses multiple times every day. Marketa specializes in the type of riding known as dressage. The United States Dressage Federation says, "Dressage is a French term meaning "training" and its purpose is to develop the horse's natural athletic ability and willingness to work making him calm, supple and attentive to his rider." Marketa helps riders to have fun and be safe while learning to get the best performance from their horses, regardless of the horse's and rider's fitness and athleticism at the time they start working together. Her calm and patient teaching style builds confidence in both horse and rider. She has helped me to be a better partner with my horse, and has inspired me to get more fit myself as she brought my horse along in fitness and training. Most exciting is that she has taken me from being terrified of horse showing to looking forward to the next show.

I have known Charlie and Marketa Matthews for many years, and can't say enough good about them and…read moretheir dressage facility. I've had my horse there since the first week they opened. QLD is the ideal mix of professional quality and attention to details (such as spotless stalls, high quality hay and feed, impeccably maintained huge pastures, and top of the line footing for the indoor and outdoor arenas) and a relaxed, supportive atmosphere. The barns are very well maintained, always very clean and inviting. Lounge area is well-maintained with many amenities. Tack rooms are brand new and even during hot, humid St. Louis summers, there is no humidity inside them. I appreciate that my expensive tack stays in perfect condition. Marketa is an exceptional trainer, positive and knowledgeable for both horse and rider. My horse and I have thrived at QLD. The atmosphere is happy and positive and focuses on learning and supporting each other. We host clinics monthly, including those taught by Olympic trainer Michael Barisone and the amazing teacher/rider Jennifer Kaiser. Charlie works like a horse (!) keeping on top of all the various projects around the farm, as well as maintaining the polo barns/horses. We also have fun together, enjoy training in the arenas or hacking in the open fields, and know our horses are always well cared for. Charlie and Marketa live on the property, so there is 24/7 supervision of the horses. No more driving hours to fill my horse's water buckets in summer, or check on him in winter. No skimping on hay or shavings either. I know that my horse has the highest quality care, and this gives me 100% peace of mind.

Beautiful farm. The barn and arena are well maintained. I am taking lessons with Miss Blake. She…read morehas a genuine love for teaching!

I purchased a 5 lesson package with the farm for horseback riding lessons. Once you purchase the…read morepackage the farm is supposed to tell you when your lesson is. They failed at this task and then they blamed the whole thing on the customer instead of taking ownership of THEIR mistake. I was confronted and yelled at because they had the wrong email in their system and that was my fault somehow. I have never been treated as unprofessionally as this place was. Save your money and go elsewhere, absolutely miserable experience.