Very supportive learning environment - my daughter loves working with Aaliyah. Cowboy Eddie and the…read morefront desk staff are so friendly and helpful. The team in the stable is also very kind. Cowboy Eddie clearly knows how to pick top notch folks.

We hosted my son's fourth birthday party at Lynne's Riding Center which was an unforgettable…read moreexperience for all the 30 kids! Lynne, Cowboy Eddie, Cowgirl Amber, and all the volunteers were amazing. They kept the toddlers and parents entertained for three hours. I would recommend Lynne's Riding Center for anyone looking for some horseback riding as an adult or child. The staff is so kind and pour their souls into taking care of the horses and facility. They also have a great tots program if you want your child to learn about horses.

Manhattan Riding Club is the answer to this NYC-based horse girl's dreams. I've now done three…read morerides with MRC, an intro to foxhunting day, one of the Bedford Hacks, and a Hunter Pace. Before my first ride, Melissa and Alana were extremely thoughtful and diligent about understanding my riding history and ability so I was paired with the perfect mount and had an incredible ride. Not only am I able to ride almost weekly in the beautiful areas surrounding NYC, I've met a fabulous group of New York equestrians, many who have a similar story to mine. As a relatively advanced adult rider who no longer owns a horse, I feel like this organization and model was made for me. I now can't stop signing up for rides and am just thrilled to be a part of MRC!

I could not wipe that smile off my face! A therapeutic experience for strong cross country riders…read morewith awesome ladies, it's fun!

Great experience at the City Island Stables…read more It was my first time riding a horse and they made everything easy. We booked a private trail ride for 10:30 on a weekday. We arrived at around 10:20 and parked in the graveled lot. We entered the sole building where we checked in and had to fill out liability waivers. We then waited while the horses were prepped. In the building, there is a bathroom, a beverage vending machine, some lovely decor as some horse-riding related items for purchase. We were told to choose a helmet...they have both medium and large sizes. Now most of the helmets are very worn but there is sanitizing spray there. They also recommended and offered some bug spray (OFF) as it was very humid that day. Once the horses were ready we used the small staircase to get on them. It can be a little strange for those uneasy with heights or balance...but take it someone who is uneasy with both...you will get comfortable very quickly. Navigating the horse are very straight-forward...pull the reins left to go left, right to go right, pull both back to stop and kick the horse (yeah...I know...felt a little bad at first too) to speed up or go forward. The horses are well trained so they are very familiar with their order and the trail. They will navigate through it on auto-pilot essentially. During my trail ride, I only needed to kick 2-3 times...to catch (speed) up and move forward when it was distracted once. The trail offered a lot of tree-shaded areas so it wasn't too bad on that hot and humid day. Our trail guide was great...she seemed very knowledgeable and experience and answered all of our questions. All other staff we encountered were also very nice. We had a great time here and would highly recommend it. Trail rides (No reservations required) are $70 per person for 45-60 minutes. Private trail rides (Reservations required) where it is ONLY you, your party and the instructor are $85. There are also lesser options for $10-15 which include a guided ride around the corral. They also offer private riding lessons for $50 per 30 minutes and $75 for 60 minutes.

I went with a group of friends for a trail ride and we had so much fun! The woman working at the…read morefront desk was so nice and the trail leaders were very attentive. You need to make a reservation because if you don't, it messes up the timing of the rides and availability of the horses. It makes it so much easier for the staff (and other riders) if you book ahead. The horses were so incredibly sweet and well-trained. The ride was beautiful and I think it would be especially nice to go when the trees are changing colors in the fall. Note: you should wear jeans or other long pants, and definitely don't wear anything that you mind getting dust on. Also, tips are cash-only so bring some cash as well! Thank you for a great time!

my daughter has been riding here for 7 months and has enjoyed every single class. She has joined…read morethe IEA programme. Coaches and horses are amazing . all the team is super nice ! the barn manager is awesome! highly recommend riding there !

Terrible riding facility. Truly terrible in every way. I didn't know any better until I started…read moreto take one on one bespoke riding lessons with a couple in France who truly know how to train you to have confidence on a horse - no matter your age, experience, or how much you tip them. The key to learning how to ride a horse is being confident. This place sucks the confidence out of you on day 1. And it doesn't get any better. First of all, I could not get a standing weekly appointment. I had to call to see if there were any cancellations each week (even though I paid for a package of 10 lessons and my hope was one lesson per week). The staff is as rude as can be, and half of them should be in a different line of work. I also went back to riding at an older age. I noticed during the holidays, that the work crew was far more accommodating and friendly (all smiles) to the rich mothers of young riding students, who were giving out cash tips in envelopes to them. (Puke). Here's one episode. I had a grooming and bridling lesson with one of the instructors who mentioned to me that she had known one of the school horses years ago. This horse she referred to, I believe is the former racehorse mentioned here by a few other reviewers. The next week, that same instructor was cleaning up around the riding arena while I had a different instructor, (as I also had the experience of constantly changing instructors because it's a revolving door there for the teachers) and I was on the former racehorse again. They put me on again after I was bucked off once and asked for a different horse. As I rode, the warnings started to come out of the instructor's mouth fast and furious - "avoid that other horse", "avoid that corner", "don't get too close to the exit", "let's put earplugs in the horse because she spooks when acorns falling on the roof"... and all of a sudden the horse jumps up on all 4 legs and I'm bucked off again. Later, that instructor who "knew the horse" said to me, "Oh, I think that was my fault. I had a pitchfork very close to the horse's rear end". So, how does an instructor, who should know better than to go near a horse during a lesson with a pitchfork, as well as "being familiar" with the horse's quirks, let something like that happen? And how does she let it happen when the horse has a student on its' back? When I went to the office to book my next lesson (sadly I wasted my money on a package of 10), the nonchalant response was, "If you're gonna ride horses, be prepared to fall off. That's just how it goes." That's just ONE story. During a lesson, all the teachers just stand huddled in the center of the arena chatting to each other. You can't hear a word they're saying when they're shouting out commands or warnings to you. There is no feedback, no encouragement, no consistency (and having a different instructor each lesson doesn't help matters), and in a nutshell, no reason to waste your time and money on this joke of a place. If a horseback riding lesson does not inspire confidence in the rider (at any level), than the instructors are terrible. Of course Riverdale Stables is fortunate enough to be the only game in town, as they don't have much competition in terms of finding a stable that you can get to by public transport in nyc. But trust me... don't let that lure you. Run away. No. Gallop away!

My daughter had a horrible experience with trying to book a lesson for her 2 daughters. The girls…read more had attended the summer program for several years. They also had a couple of fall lessons over the last few years. She tried to book lessons for a weekend in October and was very aggressively pursued by a young teenager giving lessons to book. Although the price was now much higher, she decided to book 2 half hour lessons for the girls ($200). She was charged $2,500 for some package. The teenager had referred to a package but it was not clear to my daughter that she was being asked to sign up. How do you charge a person that amount without any indication that this charge is being applied to review? What kind of sales strategy is this to make young teenagers hound clients to lure them into a package deal that is not fully explained and charged to their account without giving them the opportunity to review charges and agree to them? This is a scam!

This place is wonderful! We loved the trainers. Very nice people and excellent lessons every time…read more Beautiful farm and the place is well kept. I highly recommend!

Adele is a gem. Super knowledgeable and will take care of you, go and take a trail ride!!! They…read morehave cute bunnies on the farm too

Stopped by just to check it out and inquire about lessons…read more Adele seemed irritated from the very beginning since we showed up without an appointment, even after we told her that we were stopping by to get more information about riding lessons and pricing. Very unpleasant, would not go back even if they offered free lessons.

Had my first horseback lesson here. The staff is so super sweet and kind! Especially Jenna, my…read moreinstructor. I took the half hour lesson because I'm a totalnewbie and wanted to try it out. It was so soothing and therapeutic -- looking forward to my next visit but this time with friends!!!!

Amazing and unforgettable experience!…read more Came here to have my first ever horseback riding experience two weeks ago. People are so nice and warm. Instructors are very patient and motivating. After my first 30 mins on the horse, I have fallen in love with the riding. Decided to take regular classes right after, and now I am looking forward to my weekly lesson and interaction with the horses!! In addition to public lessons, they provide therapeutic riding for those in needs as well. Plus, they are non profit making organization, the lesson fees are going to be used in somewhere meaningful. Taking lessons here is win-win for sure. Highly recommended! Hopefully in the nearby future, would be advanced enough to ride on the trail in the nearby Forest Park!

10/10 recommend this experience to anyone who loves horses and/or simply being out in nature…read moresurrounded by gorgeous landscapes and forest. Strawberry and Chocolate were such beautiful, well-behaved horses, and their owner, Cowboy Bob, was an excellent guide and genuinely wonderful person. I definitely plan on coming back -- it was absolutely worth the drive out there.

Absolutely incredible!!! Had the best time. Chocolate is the best boy. Such beautiful horsesread more