Do NOT ride or board at this farm. The owner is not a business professional and does not treat…read moreanyone respectfully - adult or child. She does not have the patience or mind frame to teach a beginner and will not motivate your child to want to ride if they should become timid of riding due to her horses not acting properly because of being sick. If your child is a boy - definitely do not even consider this place.The small pens for the horses are all dirt and mud. There are bees nests in every shed - horses have been swarmed by these. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not give this farm a seconds consideration.

When you drive up to Summerfield Farm, the barn looks like it belongs on a Hollywood movie set. And…read morethe care the horses receive is equally impressive. I've had my horse there about seven months now and couldn't be happier. The horses graze in huge pastures and the barn is so clean you could eat off the floor 90 percent of the time. Lol They have beautiful indoor and outdoor arenas which are kept immaculate as well. Owner Ann Marie makes sure the place shines. For those interested in lessons and showing, their horses are top of the line. And it's relatively convenient as far as horse barns go in the DC area. I live in SE DC and it literally takes me 25 minutes, an easy commute. So if you are looking for a good barn, I highly recommend Summerfield Farm.

It's been almost 1.5 years of riding here at Merkel, so I have finally have a well formed view of…read moreMerkel Farm. Stephanie (the owner) is, by far, the most caring, understanding, and helpful instructor I have EVER had. She understands each person's needs and can help each person grow not only in confidence, but in self-reliance. Stephanie always looks out for every person and makes sure they are getting the help they need, as well as being given the push to jump higher (sorry about the pun) as well. Her horses are all loved dearly, taken care of, and get to roam in spacious fields all day like horses should. No horse is forced to stand in a stall all day only to be ridden once, and returned. They get to stretch their legs and take in the serene backwoods Bowie scenery. Every lesson is formed around making each person better, with focuses in different areas. One day might be a balance day, strength day, cross country day, position day, ect. I never know what fun experiences lay for me on the other side of the white fenced arena. The grounds are well groomed, with several large paddocks full of happy horses. There is a spacious outdoor ring, covered indoor ring, and a host of cross country fences around the property. There are several friendly furry friends roaming around the grounds, including Brandy the ever present Goldendoodle, and Pepper, the most friendly cat in the world. I will continue to make Merkel my home and hope that everyone sees the beauty in this lovely farm tucked back on a piece of paradise.

This place is like therapy for my daughter. Great kids riding program that teaches them how to…read moreboth care for and ride the horses. Can't wait for summer camp!

We had a trail lesson. The trail had old tires, broken pipes, and trash, and we even passed by a…read moregutted vehicle. The owner was rude to us because we didn't 'look up' enough - she said she was joking but it was at our expense, wasn't funny, and her tone was not joking. Also, the horses do the exact same trail every day, and will just follow the guide anyway, it's a bit like the touristy horse rides, except there isn't anything touristy to see. I wouldn't go back, there are several nicer farms nearby.

Bought my wife some horseback riding lessons and she convinced me to give it a shot. I've never…read moreridden a horse before but Anita was patient with me, focusing on my form and making sure I dont start to have any bad habits. Had a great experience and now my wife's anniversary gift is couples horseback riding lessons :)

One of the nicer boarding facilities I've found in Upper Marlboro. Marlboro Ridge is a very well…read moreequipped facility with both indoor and outdoor arenas. They have both dressage and hunter-jumper oriented instructors, two heated wash stalls, and three sets of cross ties.

This is a great place to see some of Maryland's racing history. Take a tour of the barns, see the…read moreold track and the new ones! See some of the horses that are there, and get a feel for how much this niche industry has been a a part of Maryland for a very long time. They have events throughout the year for the public, be sure to take the trip down there if you can - it's not far from the city. Everyone there is awesome and invested in making this place a world class horse farm!

Horses are not taken care of. Most of the volunteers that help on the farm are kids or people that…read morehave no idea what they are doing. I moved my horse from there 2 years ago. One night the evening feeder actually put my horse out in the pasture in freezing rain while she was shivering. I wasn't notified until the horse had been returned to the pasture after eating in the barn. The barn manager controls what the horses eat and how much. My horse was underweight when I moved her and is now at a healthy weight since she's being given the right kind and amount of feed.

We moved my wife's horse to De novo a couple of months ago and it was definitely the right…read moredecision. They have been friendly and have not had any issues. The riding lessons have been helpful and low stress. They really care about the horses and take very good care of them. I would definitely recommend them for boarding and lessons.

This business is awesome. They have events for kids and adults to join in to. They are very…read morewelcoming. You will make great new friends. All the instructors are very kind. All the barn staff will help you with whatever you need.

This is a fantastic place to ride for kids and adults of any level. The staff/instructors are very…read moreknowledgeable and friendly! They have numerous programs for kids and even for adults who want to work with the barn staff and learn more about horses and their care. I give four stars only because the building itself needs updating, but the horses are beautifully cared for by people who have ridden and worked there for years. The land is lovely and riders can enjoy a terrific trail through the adjacent woods, as well. Lesson prices are commensurate with other local stables, and in my opinion, worth every penny! The atmosphere is laid back and friendly. If you've been intimidated by stable experiences, as I was in the past, this is the place for you! I've made new friends and really look forward to my visits to the Woodland!