As someone who has been riding for more than 20 years and has been around horses my entire life, I don't write reviews for barns lightly. I've also worked in veterinary clinics that treat horses and large farm animals, so I'm very familiar with what proper horse care, safety, and professional management should look like. Denver Equestrian Riding School truly stands out. The horses here are absolutely wonderful--well cared for, happy, and clearly loved by everyone on the staff. It's obvious the team puts the horses' health and wellbeing first. They are attentive to the horses every day, and having a highly respected veterinary group located less than two miles away provides another layer of confidence that the horses receive excellent care. The facility itself is fantastic--well run, organized, and welcoming. Whether I'm in a private lesson or a group lesson, the instructors are knowledgeable, supportive, and genuinely fun to ride with. They create a learning environment that is both safe and encouraging, which is something every rider should look for. What really makes this barn special is the atmosphere. Everyone--from the staff to the riders--shares a true love for the horses. It feels less like a facility and more like a community. There's a real sense of family here, where people support each other and enjoy being around these incredible animals. If you're looking for a place that truly cares about the horses, the riders, and the overall experience, Denver Equestrian Riding School is exceptional. I'm grateful to ride here and always look forward to my next lesson. read more

Attended Horses and Happy Hour on July 19, 2024. It was not a pleasant experience, and I didn't feel I received value for my money at all. I mentioned many times that my "horse" (the owner corrected me and said it was actually a Pony) was tired and did not want to do anything but walk in a straight line back and forth inside the arena. The pony refused to pick it up to a trot or even a cantor. I do know how to ride a horse, and the owner of the facility was rude and kept chiding me and asking me if I was afraid and questioning my ability to ride a horse or pony. I repeated myself to my assistant and to the owner, who both brushed aside my comments that the horse was tired and did not want to or could not perform. I don't think they should have used this particular animal in the first place, since I overheard them saying she had been in a show earlier in the day, and her eyes even looked exhausted/sleepy. Her name (the horse) is Mystery. I think they should have picked out another horse for me when I voiced my displeasure and it was apparent that this horse did not want to follow my instructions, or anyone else's. I did not want to have to resort to being mean or cruel to the animal to "force" it to do anything. I had to brush my own horse before and after this farce of an experience. Very highly Not Recommended. Also, our entire time inside the arena actually on the horses was about 30 minutes. Thirty minutes on a horse, even if that horse or pony was in good shape, is still not a good value for 145 dollars. The happy hour was awkward and comprised of the owners standing in the middle of the room; the conversation was about them, and a bit more about them. read more

My daughter has been attending day camps, summer camps and various group lessons at this barn for the past 3 years. She attended day camp over Thanksgiving break and one day camp over Christmas break. She enjoys it soooo much. She has so much fun at this barn! Her self confidence grows with every experience she has here!! It is a great, positive atmosphere. Highly recommend it! read more

My horse loving daughters did a week long camp this past summer and LOVED it. It was very expensive but they got a lot out of the program. By day 5, they performed skills that were impressive for beginners. The instructors were young and fun. We just bought their Boga package which is economical and my girls are so excited to go back during a school break! read more

If I could give this riding school a 0-star I would. I took lessons here for several years, and the horse that I rode was amazing, however as he got older he was used far too much and pushed way too far. I found out a couple weeks ago, instead of retiring him to a proper situation they sent him to a kill pen. Thank god, he was saved by a rescue facility. This place uses the horse for money and returns them with nothing. Please do not support this horrible place read more

The horses are worked far too much, riders are not properly educated, and staff are incredibly unprofessional and rude.

This facility is extremely expensive, way over priced for lessons/lesson packages. If you're in Littleton, there are other barns with trainers showing and winning. You can go and ride with a champion rider and a legit program for considerably less. Many of their horses have mechanical lameness issues (it doesn't hurt per se) but how is a new rider supposed to learn if they cannot feel how a horse should move? The facility is very nice though. They also share space with a therapeutic riding program for those with special needs, and they do good work. read more

Denver Equestrian Center is a five star East Coast like facility. The indoor heated arena was resurfaced with incredible footing in 2016. DE has good viewing areas along the arena and a beautiful indoor heated, decorated coffee and tea bar viewing area lounge! DE also has outdoor arenas, turnout pens, access to trails, excellent instructional classes, good school horses, excellent equestrian program for high school students, student work study programs, summer horse shows for everyone, excellent stable management team, clean padded floor stalls with bedding, heated grooming and wash rack areas, heated indoor lounge and heated tack room. The horse care management team is really attentive to details. DE office personnel are extrordinarily professional. Their customer service was without a flaw!!!!! DE offer a gift shop area in their Main and Professional business office! I have ridden horses at many private barns in the Denver area. High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center (a.k.a. Colorado Horse Park in Parker, Co) a world class International Horse Show Training Facility; Columbine in Littleton (Truly Elite and Perfect in all ways), Village Club (Family Oriented), DTC were my favorites next to Denver Equestrian Center. Denver Equestrian Center is a GREAT place to board your horse, seek training and take riding lessons. It is a full service equestrian center. They really care!!!! I loved the Christian music being played throughout the barn!!! DE is a great investment for developing equestrian skills and exoeriencng excellent care for your horse!!!! They also have horses to lease!!! read more

I thought I would give in my two cents as I went here for around 3-4 months for two lessons a week. As I was just getting into the Equestrian community this was really the only option I could find in the Littleton area. After about a month of riding at DE I found a lease for a horse and took it. I'll be comparing my experiences throughout this review. I stopped attending this facility in February, 2020. Lessons: As a beginner, the lessons were fine at first (sitting trot, sitting the canter, learning when to kick, learning what contact was, etc). You cannot rush beginners and it isn't always a smooth process of seeing what they need to work with. Although, after attending my lease barn and DE simultaneously I realized I was not working on the right things. Not once was I put on the lunge line to practice balance. I, personally, believe that being on a line and developing your balance/working on your seat at the beginning is crucial. No beginner can work on their body and horse at the same time; it just isn't possible. Overall, I just felt that I wasn't gaining anything personally from the lessons. Past a certain point I was stuck on certain areas of my riding and I wasn't able to improve them because other areas needed to be worked on first. This facility will only bring you so far. If you are looking to own one day or to get good, this is not the place for you. This being said, this place is fine for your young child. The lesson horses are perfectly fine for a little kid and as a child you aren't going to grasp concepts as quickly as someone that is older. Trainers: I only had lessons with two of the trainers and I felt they were fine. I don't think it was their fault that I wasn't able to get what I needed. It seemed that it was somewhere in the rules/unspoken that these things weren't really allowed. Price: This is what I've really dropped two stars off for. This place is way too expensive. For reference, an average 45-1hr English lesson is going to cost you 55-70 bucks. It's around 1K for a pack of 4 lessons. While this does include the horses bedding, medicine, and feed, it is extremely overpriced. While I do not know how these prices have changed with COVID. If you can find somewhere cheaper (not cottonwood) then go there. Facilities: Since I only rode in the winter months I cannot comment on the outside arena(s). The indoor was always done and there was never any poop. The crossties were always clean and there was rarely any stray poops just sitting around. Overall, it was a very clean place. Horse Care: This is a personal opinion but I do not like the care these horses receive. I believe they should get more space to move and longer turnout. The horses are fine functioning on what they get, just personally, I would like to see them get more accessible space (grazing paddocks). Overall, DE could be good or bad for you. It wasn't good or bad for me, just okay. For beginners I say it's plenty good. Remember that I am just one student and that my learning style will be different than yours. For any intermediate riders, steer clear of this place as you will just find yourself bored. read more

I love this barn! I've been riding here once a week for about 6 months now and its the highlight of my week. Everyone I've dealt with is SUPER professional and customer service-oriented (which you don't always find at a barn) which I appreciate. The barn is clean, the horses are happy and well cared for and everything is really well run and organized. I ride on the lesson horses and have found that they are all very well behaved and enjoyable. I've been riding dressage competitively but took a 10 year break for college and work and wanted to get back on a horse and this has been a perfect way to do it. My instructor is awesome and knowledgeable, she listens and is professional but also tough enough which I really appreciate. The riding arena is well maintained and spacious, the entire barn is heated in the winter which is awesome on cold days. As far as I understand there isn't an opportunity to trail ride much (or at all if you are doing a private lesson), and they are quite strict on making sure you're supervised when you get on a horse (ie no riding solo, even with 10+ years experience), but that may not be the case if you lease a horse. I also don't think they have turnout for lesson horses. I'm sure they are restricted because they don't have a lot of land or property so they do the best they can. I'm just writing from the point of view of someone who rides once a week during a private lesson and doesn't own a horse. They also seem to have a lot of education classes and clinics with well regarded professionals. You do pay quite a bit (but I feel like generally it's an expensive sport) but you also certainly get what you pay for. I would highly recommend Denver Equestrians to beginners or more advanced riders who want to get back into it. Everyone I've dealt with there is lovely and the horses seem happy which is my main concern. read more

My daughter has been riding here for many years and LOVES it. The owner and instructors are awesome and truly care about their students. We highly recommend Denver Equestrian! read more

My daughter had an amazing time at summer camp! Beautiful horses and great staff! We definitely recommend it!

Horrible, disorganized, and training is subpar. The staff is rude and possesses a disgusting attitude. The owner is disorganized and does not care about anything but financial gain. read more

I just visited here to take a look at the facilities. I have not taken lessons here or boarded here or anything but I just wanted to put in my two cents on this place. It looked clean and organized but it seemed that they used a very minimal amount of bedding in the stalls. They informed me that there was no turn-out available at all. And no trails. And they want to charge you $640 a month? Please... Oh and the stipulation to be able to board there is you HAVE to be in a lesson or training program with one of their trainers. I understand why they would have this stipulation but I personally like a place that lets you do what you want. I did not see the outdoor arena but the indoor arena was BADLY in need of being resurfaced. It was literally like concrete. Also, I think it's completely ABSURD to charge $110 for an "evaluation" lesson. That is just ridiculous. Up that $15 if you want a "dressage evaluation" lesson. There are PLENTY of trainers who charge half that much and the lesson is for at least an hour. They must be charging overhead and that would explain the prices but good lord, count me out. I wouldn't have so many negative things to say about this place but those prices are just a straight up complete turnoff (not to mention, ripoff) and makes me not want to have anything to do with the place. read more

Great trainers and good service. The owner is down to earth and supportive to new students.

Pros: clean stalls, nice staff, friendly atmosphere. Cons: while it is very expensive $$$$, it is obvious that not enough money is going to clearly needed vet and dental needs of several horses. This is a serious concern to those of us who actually care about horses....so that is why they only get two stars. Question: while this a large for- profit business with a capital B, clients are routinely asked for donations as if they were a nonprofit charity or a free community service.Confusing. read more

We had a great time doing horse camp! Beautiful facility with masterful staff and exquisite horses! The entire staff was upbeat and knowledgable. All horses were so well cared for and the facility was pristinely clean. The kids were so excited to attend and were not disappointed. 5 stars and a must do!! read more

My daughter (8) and I ride at Denver Equestrians. I have done clinics, private, and group lessons and my daughter has done horse camp, private, and group lessons. We at one time or another have had just about every trainer there. They are passionate about training and passionate about their horses. Every care is taken to making the experience the best it can be. We understand there were a number of growing pains for the business and we road through them with the team there. We could see the struggles, understood the challenges, and during the rapid growth the whole staff was nothing but respectful, honest, and did everything they could to make any grievance right. The team there works very very hard for every student. They care about the horses and will put the health and safety of the horse first. Which in turn puts the students safety first. We will continue to ride here and will continue to recommend Denver Equestrians to anyone. read more

If you want your child to have a safe and excellent journey into the horse world this is your place! My daughter is entering into her third year as a student at Denver Equestrians and I can't imagine a better environment for a child to grow as an equestrian. She has been fortunate to participate in private lessons, group lessons, their one of a kind club programs and summer and winter horse camps. Each program offers unique opportunities for riders to learn skills that are necessary to grow as an equestrian. The trainers are amazing and dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to help their clients achieve their riding goals, whatever they may be. Additionally, the school horses are exemplary and their care is second to none. Thank you to Denver Equestrians!!! read more

RUN, don't walk, as fast as you can away from this disaster of a barn. New to the area, I had planned to enroll my two daughters in riding lessons and Pony Camp, but that will never happen at this place. The management doesn't seem to care that much about the students or the horses. I went there at 11am in 60 degree weather and the horses were still wearing their blankets. I watched for over an hour and there are some excellent trainers here, but they don't have a chance with the owners and management at this circus. Greed seems to be the key operative word here. The owner continues to run Groupon deals even though there's hardly room to ride in the arena. Many of the parents I spoke to are dissatisfied with the scheduling and space limitations. These are not real horse people; they're in it for the buck and that's all. There are some good barns in south Denver, but this is not one of them. If you want to learn and progress in your riding, or want your children to, find a place with a proven track record of horse showing with management that supports its students and its instructors. read more

Just a heads up about this place....They are rude and unprofessional. I started taking lessons there as part of a groupon. They are at Normandy Farms which has been around for a while but now has new ownership. I started with the groupon lessons and then continued to ride with them for several months. I had a few concerns about the place but figured they were hiccups from a new business (they had several mistakes in my scheduling, the teacher Elizabeth had an altercation with a horse owner during my lesson and in front of me, not very professional, etc.). Things just got worse though. The teacher Elizabeth came back from being out of town for 2 weeks. I am an experienced intermediate rider (grew up riding on the east coast, doing lots of jumping, etc.) I signed up for 4 jumping lessons and 2 dressage lessons a month and paid a lot of money for them ($380/month). When Elizabeth went away, I was not able to do any jumping because the other teacher I use does not jump. I was not told this ahead of time (and perhaps reschedule some of my lessons?) but went with the flow and worked on my flat work. Then Elizabeth gets back and I'm scheduled for a private jumping lesson (yay!). The horse I'm riding goes lame midway through the lesson so I had to stop. Again, I went with the flow and was flexible. The following week I come in for another private jumping lesson. First problem was they had me incorrectly scheduled that week and, to keep things short, I left my house (during rush hour) to get to a lesson, turned around because according to an email they sent me (I checked my email while in the car), I was scheduled the following day. I called as I was driving back to my house..."oh we have you down for today as well" (more scheduling issues with them).Ok, so I turn back around and head to the stables. I get there and the teacher Elizabeth tells me that the horse I'm riding is still lame, that I'm going to ride him anyway and the lesson was going to be "just walking". I'm sorry but I'm not paying $60 to ride a lame horse and just walk (I am NOT a beginner). I was polite and said I was disappointed. I was in no way rude, unreasonable, etc. Their response to my polite expression of disappointment was to tell me to leave and go to a different barn. Their treatment of me and EXTREME response to their client's disappointment (and I don't know of anyone who would not have been disappointed) was so rude and truly unbelievable. These people are crazy. I grew up riding on the east corst where you would think things would be more uptight. I have never experienced ruder treatment than I did here in Colorado by the people at Denver Equestrians (specifically Elizabeth the teacher and Newell, their "Business Manager".) Just a warning to you if you are thinking of riding there.... FOLLOW UP: 9/17/12: I think its funny that they responded to the post below but didn't respond to mine. Probably because there is nothing they can say to justify the way they treated me. read more

Hmmm. Medium review. My seven year old took a day camp to see how we would like the stables and if they were worth the 45 min drive from our house. She had a fun day and wants to go back but only, "If they can ride the horses next time." ?!?!?! It turns out that the "lesson" part of the day was sitting on the back of a horse for 10 minutes on lead. That's no lesson! As a parent, I didn't get what I paid for (a day camp that included an actual riding lesson) but my kid had a fun day anyway so the staff must be really good at entertaining the kiddos. We are heading a different direction and going with another stable since we are looking for actual riding lessons not childcare. read more

My daughter has beeen taking lessons and going to camp at Denver Equestrians for over 1 1/2 years and she LOVES every minute of it. Corrine is an amazing teacher and the kids just love her! I would highly recommend Denver Equestrians to anyone! read more

A wonderful and affordable opportunity for any level of rider. The staff is friendly and professional. Will take care of you and your little ones! read more

My daughter took a Intro to Horsemanship class at Denver Equestrians. I was very impressed with the quality of the instruction provided. The instructors were fun, accessible and patient and made my daughter who had only ridden a few pony rides very comfortable. Would definitely recommend this class. read more

my girls (aged 7 and 10) thoroughly enjoyed their week long camp - the couldn't wait to get out of the house in the morning. they have both on occasion taken riding lessons at denver equestrians and as such were comfortable around the horses and knew the staff. i thought all the additional expenses on top of the camp fee were a bit high but my kids' absolute delight in the camp made it well worth while. read more

This place was really disorganized! They didn't keep a good eye on the kids- my 6 year old was going to the bathroom with a fellow camper and was away from the barn- I picked her up from this spot and nobody even noticed or called to say she was gone. There were too many instances of this type of disorganization. They don't have appropriate rental gear and people pay extra for additional afternoon riding- but even that is not consistent. They also want an extra fee for the few rentals they have, pool, art, photos etc. it is just horrible. There is no refrigeration for lunches that parents are expected to supply and the barn is boiling hot. Kids that can't afford the extra money to swim- they don't get to? How awful- I was a parent who paid extra, but imagine the others who have to watch their friends swim? The staff don't communicate and so even if you bay for services for your child you may not get them. This place needs work on all levels. They also often leave the campers with high school kids and it is not professionally run. Sorry- nice people- not good all in all. read more

Everything about this barn is a sham. The website paints a pretty picture but reality is far from what their site speaks of. I arrived and was greeted by no one, so I took my time walking around the barn and property. I couldn't believe my eyes as I watched over 6 kids on horses in the arena with a variety of so-called instructors. It was apparent safety was NOT an issue these people know anything about. When I finally met the 'barn manager' he could not keep his facts straight about lesson prices, board prices, feeding times or turnout. I heard about this place through some friends at church and I was told it was now owned by a Christian couple. We were considering moving 2 horses to this facility, but after additional research, have come to find out that this is possibly the worst facility in the Denver metropolitan area. After watching total chaos going on in the arena (with one instructor screaming at her poor student), I encourage people to keep their children away from this place. It's an accident just waiting to happen. The owner was not onsite and my questions about meeting the owner were ignored and the subject was changed. Bad experience all the way around and none of the kids taking lessons looked happy. read more