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 :)

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!

Not a good experience for us. Maria is the best instructor there. The others? not so much…read more Trainers yelling at students, not paying attention, constant texting, negative, rude, condescending, passive aggressive, just plain unprofessional. We were miserable. Can't recommend, sorry. Look elsewhere.

We had a class for our four kids and it was a wonderful intro to horse back riding. The staff was…read morefriendly and their kids assisted with the class in a really helpful way

We had a unicorn come to our bridal shower. My daughter was so surprised and all the guests loved…read morehaving their picture taken with the unicorn! It was an event we will never forget! We got to hold bunnies, goats and pet mini horses and even a calf. Staff was so nice and accommodating.

We had a unicorn party for our 5yo daughter and Stone Eagle Stables sent us 2 horses (one was a…read moreunicorn pony). The gentleman (Brandon) they sent was EXCELLENT with the children. My five year old is very shy and he was so good with her that she was immediately at ease. She and the other kids had as much time as they wanted with the horses. I would definitely recommend using them!

Monica is amazing! My dog Lucy worships the ground she walks on. Wouldn't go to anybody else.read more

I wish I had taken before and after pictures because our dog was shedding so much we couldn't keep…read moreup and now she looks incredible! Other bonuses: whatever shampoo/products were used, she smells great (I couldn't stand the highly perfumed smell her last groomer used) and the convenience of mobile grooming is phenomenal. You've got a new regular client!

This is a phenomenal organization. I first learned about it when I moved into the community just…read moredown the road from it. I had always wondered what it was and decided to check them out. They do amazing work with special populations. The staff and volunteers all truly love what they do. They are very knowledgeable about the horses and are very caring and patient with the folks that participate in their programs. One of my high school friends has a son that has been part of this program for several years. He speaks incredibly highly of them as well. The executive director is beyond passionate about the horses and about the mission of the horse farm. The facility is incredibly spacious and serene. If you love horses you should consider volunteering. The more I have learned about what they do and their mission, the more I cannot say enough about them.

Don't pay for adult refresher riding lessons here. I was left alone in the arena while the…read moreinstructor was off talking to another volunteer. Horse took off and I got thrown. They never even followed up to see how I was. They sent the other volunteer to see if I was going to pursue action. I have a torn hamstring and a torn hip flexor. Lots of PT and still struggling over a year later. They need to stick with what they are good at. Medically and emotionally complex individuals get great care. That is not the same as "teaching" riding.

Seems like they're on Groupon all the time. Our horseback ride started about 1.5hours late. I…read morewasn't happy about this at all. Not simply because he was running late, but because the house (castle/waiting room/party room) was absolutely filthy. I was really taken aback by a business looking like this, even if it's a business that works w/ animals. When we got there, the owner and assistant were on a ride w/ another group. Then the group we were supposed to be riding with were an hour late, so we had to wait for them. It was just annoying, although Steven (owner) was friendly. When we walked into the empty house it looked like a construction space, a hen was walking around the inside and I even saw it poop IN THE KITCHEN! Things finally turned around when I hopped on Sherman (my white horse w/ black spots). He was a greedy little thing and ate up all the grass but he was a great horse. Steven immediately put ppl on the horses and taught us while we were riding. He was a straight to it teacher and I liked that. He definitely knows what he's doing when it comes to animals. He took a bunch of pictures and videos and sent them to everyone in the group. I'm thankful to have such awesome pictures that didn't cost us extra. I'm giving 4 stars despite the filth because Steven was friendly, welcoming, and I enjoyed the experience. Tip: -don't eat there if germs bug u -don't arrive early, there's no point -yes, you're in the right spot, even though it looks a little funky on the outside

It's funny this guy is trying to say we never went when we did - I'd love to see what evidence he…read morehas considering during our entire time there he never once asked for our names or checked that we even had a reservation. He also never redeemed our Groupon. He has repeatedly messaged me and begged me to remove this review and has even reported it to Yelp to try to get it removed. Not only do I stand by my review but this Steven Strasburg owner has proved himself to not only be completely unprofessional but also desperate and dishonest. My advice: TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY for your business instead of accusing people of posting fake reviews or saying "it must've been another place". This is the ONLY time where an owner has not only not apologized but tried to say I'm posting for the wrong Castle Strasburg. How many Castle Strasburg horseriding places are there in Midland, VA? SHAME ON YOU!

I really wanted to have a positive experience with Saddle Up 4 Fun. When I initially learned that…read morethey offered a horseback riding experience specifically geared toward Girl Scouts, I was excited to support the business and bring our troop out for something new. Unfortunately, the communication and organization surrounding our experience were disappointing. There were logistical issues leading up to our scheduled session, including an attempt to cancel due to preparedness issues on their end. Despite that, I gave them the benefit of the doubt because I did not want our Scouts to miss out on an experience they had been looking forward to. Thankfully, the Scouts did enjoy the horseback riding experience itself, which is why I wish the follow-through had matched their experience. Our biggest issue has been receiving all of the patches that were earned and paid for as part of our group session. We were not given enough patches for all participating Scouts. I brought this to the owner's attention immediately and was willing to meet the following day to retrieve the remaining patches. Unfortunately, despite multiple attempts to follow up, I have yet to receive the missing patches or a clear resolution. As a Girl Scout Troop Leader, I work hard to create positive experiences for our Scouts, and earning their patches is an important part of that. The girls participated, completed the experience, and should receive what was included with their session. I truly wanted to be able to recommend Saddle Up 4 Fun, especially because our Scouts enjoyed their time with the horses. However, the lack of organization, communication, and follow-through afterward has made that difficult. I hope the business improves in these areas, particularly when working with youth organizations and group leaders who are responsible for coordinating experiences on behalf of families. ~Troop Leader

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