I purchased our horse from Blackstone Stables, and he has been everything we hoped for and more. He…read moreis sound, talented, kind, and exactly what my young daughter needed. I found the owner to be professional, accommodating in so many ways, straightforward, and easy to work with throughout the entire process. She answered questions, allowed me the time I needed to evaluate my horse, and never made the process feel adversarial or pressured. My interactions with her were consistently respectful and positive. I'm not suggesting every buyer has had the same experience I did, but I do see some red flag reviews on here that seem very one sided. I can only speak for myself and say my experience was excellent, my horse has been fantastic, and I would not hesitate to work with Blackstone Stables again.

If I could give ZERO (0) stars I would…read more By all appearances, Blackstone Stables in Howell Michigan seems like the perfect place to buy a horse, BUT it is NOT. We worked with Summer, one of the trainers. She suggested HAZEL & FREEDOM. The videos were impressive. After many questions and phone calls, my friend decided on Freedom, who is a 6 year old QH/Pony. Summer said he was "perfect." (And he should be for the $$$$$ they were asking for him.) When asked about his feet, she said he had good feet, and had been barefoot for the year they owned him. My friend put down a deposit to hold the horse until she could get a PPE done. (With the understanding that if there was anything "significant" they would get the deposit back.) I was there for the PPE. (drove 10 hours round trip) Summer brought him in from the pasture, he was covered in mud, bite marks and had hair missing all over his nose. She spent 10 min, running cold water all over his lower legs, which I thought was odd. I told her to get off the mud, a brush would speed up the process, but she it was ok. I felt like it was a way to cool down his feet and reduce any inflammation?....but I am getting ahead of myself.... On to the PPE: Based on the hoof exam, all 4 hooves were sensitive to hoof testers. X-rays were encouraged by the vet. I noticed with the exam that there were nail holes in the horse's hooves and questioned Summer on the fact that she had said he had been barefoot for the last year? She picked her head up from her phone, annoyed and said, "Well he is barefoot NOW." Teeth float, vaccinations, deworming all said to be done, without any proof or documentation. They said Freedom had not been listed yet and they wanted to keep him but because he was so perfect for what my friend wanted they would offer him for sale. Yet on that very afternoon, in an effort to push for the deposit, said they had 2 people coming 2 days later to see him to buy. PPE results: Findings based on 2 vets and 1 farrier were that the pony's hooves were compromised. Extremely thin soles. Extensive rehab was recommended with no promises of a cure. Wedges were to be put in the heels with shoes on all 4 hooves. It was advised from the professionals to not proceed with buying the horse. Ellesse, the owner was contacted and became very angry when confronted with the issue. She refused to refund the deposit and seemed to deny the severity of his condition. There were many contradictions & lies throughout the process. HAZEL also had failed her previous PPE by another buyer just a month or two before due to stifle issues. But Summer was still pressing for us to consider Hazel before deciding on Freedom...saying she was "perfect" never mentioning any issues with her stifle. Again and again, they offer horses up to the public even though there is a history of "failed" PPE's. They made $1500 without selling a horse. My friend is out $2800 with the vet bill. Don't just walk away from this barn, RUN. They are the worst kind of horse trader.

Douglas Puterbaugh is a unique find in Michigan - a master trainer, successful FEI competitor, and…read morethe author of The Seven Deadly Sins of Dressage. His book totally changed the way I look at riding, and he is the most dedicated dressage instructor I have ever met. Their care for my horses is second to none, with round the clock care, straw bedding, the best in nutrition, and a level of expertise that means I never need to worry. It is a training barn, so appointments need to be made to visit, or to take lessons, but it has been the most efficient way to learn dressage. I have enjoyed many theory lectures and camps over the years, and highly recommend their services.

Terrible customer service. They don't return calls, emails, Facebook messages.read more

My Daughter did horse riding for the second time. She absolutely loved it and the horses seemed to…read morebe well trained! She wants to go back for a longer ride. The staff was kind, but did not go out of their way to make us feel welcome. She will always cherish her first horse riding memories :)

I have been riding and boarding at great escape for years! Wonderful facility with knowledge staff.read more

My daughter has been riding at GES on and off for several years. The quality of instruction is…read moreexcellent with a focus on developing properly and safely. The other riders are friendly and this is a NO DRAMA barn (which as a mom of a teenager...I appreciate!!) Robyn is wonderful with my daughter who also suffers from anxiety. She is patient and understanding. My daughters skills have increased 10-fold under Robyn. In addition to riding, there are fun events, shows (if you choose) and horsemanship training for those who want to take their knowledge to the next level. I highly recommend GES.