Cramped facility in an urban location unsafe for horses. Horses have gotten ill and waited for care. Part-time summer instructors report their working conditions as "awful." read more

Staff was polite and accomodating. Made my son feel welcome and went out of their way to make him feel comfortable and were very communicative. read more

I have to agree with everyone. My wife and I use to take trail rides with these guys and we loved it. After a couple of years we came back to do a pony ride for my 3 yr old with a lead and they had us waiting for 30 mins what was suppose to be a 10 min to ride which was cut short. My 3 year old asked if she could do it again and requested instead of doing 20 dollars for 9 minutes let's do 30 for 19. Got shot down which didn't make sense since the volunteer and pony were just sitting in the pen and they did make us wait for a reserved time. Disappointed for sure. read more

New York Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - West Hempstead, New York

I had such a terrible experience here. The trail guide was miserable, he was calling the horses "stupid" and put many beginners in an unsafe place by having them trot without knowing how and then belittling and shouting at them. I wrote management to complain and communication was extremely slow and difficult. They offered me another trial, yet when I followed up they said they were booked through the season. The young volunteers were helpful and sweet, but this place is exploitative to horses, unprofessional, and I would never go back or recommend. read more

Last year, my partner surprised me with a 3 pack of lessons, with intention to continue... I only did two lessons and never returned. The lessons were supposed to consist of learning how to ride, as well as teaching how to set up the equipment and aftercare of the horse, which never happened before or after my two lessons. The lessons felt rushed, the instructors weren't the friendliest, stables that the horses were in were small, and it seemed to be more of a money turning factory than a place that cared with instructors happy to teach you what they know. During my last visit, my horse accidentally crashed into a gate that was being pushed by strong winds, got spooked, and bucked me so I threw myself off and away while he ran the opposite direction. I lost one of my boots in the process. My instructor insisted that I hit the gate with my shoe when she wasn't even in vision of the gate -- she was in a congregation of instructors talking during our lesson instead. Mind you, as I had mentioned, I lost that boot because it was caught in the stirrup when I launched myself off of the horse. The visitors/spectators, including my partner, that had direct view of the gate and saw what happened confirmed that I did everything right in that situation and the horse hit the gate accidentally. She still insisted that it was my boot. I guess she was concerned about liability if I had any injuries, but I wasn't hurt or upset. I was more upset by the her trying to blame me and it completely turned me off to the stable. When my partner and I spoke to one of the spectators that saw what happened after my lesson, she expressed that they will try to turn any blame on their students to avoid liability as this happened with her daughter, who required surgery. This isn't ok. This place seems unsafe and uncaring for riders. I will learn elsewhere. read more

It's been three years since I BROKE my Back at the place and Still have chronic lower back pain. It's been very tough... the suffering I have been through has been brutal. Not to mention the psychological emotional distress:( I can only work very limitedly and can't stand for long periods of time. I have tried everything to help my back. It's simply never going to be pain free. Not to mention all the Radiation I was exposed to at the Hospital from the MRI and CT machine. This riding center office even had someone call and solicit me to come in for more riding lessons without even realizing who they were calling!!!!! It's terrible that this place is still in business. They should have been shut down. They Do Not Care about people at all!!!!!!! My accident should never have happened...., if they used a horse that was ready to be used for lessons I never would have BROKE MY BACK!! Zero stars should be an option on Yelp. I will never get back on a horse again and am incredibly lucky I wasn't paralyzed from the waist down. Not a sole from this riding center ever even called me after I was rushed to the hospital that tragic day. I still suffer from chronic back pain and have not been the same since my ACCIDENT AT NY Equestrian Center. read more

My husband and I got a gift card on our wedding in September 2020. We called (5164869673) in October and booked an hour trial ride for 11/29/2020. But it never took place. They notified us that they're closing for winter maintenance or something like that, saying to give them a call whenever they reopens. Winter passed... We gave them a call. But no one picked up. We left a voicemail explaining our situation. But no one called us back. We decided to spend our time going there. Oh, yes, and it's already June 2021. By the way, to get there takes 25 minutes which we could spend doing our more important stuff than coming somewhere begging to pay attention to us. Well, whatever. But before actually getting in the car we decided to give it another chance and called again. But guess what? No one picked up! Wow what a surprise, right? We even called from different numbers thinking maybe they don't pick up the certain number. But no. I guess everyone gets to be treated like that. Alright, we almost there, keep reading. We came in the office, no one was behind the desk, but one lady, named Leah Breland, wanted to help us. Well, that what I thought. With her back turned she told to wait till the lesson is over and she'll come down. To wait? Again? The year that we've waited wasn't enough? But what else we were supposed to do. Didn't want to come somewhere for nothing. And here comes the sun. No, not Leah. The one and only person who helped us was Madison Cordray. Thank you, Madison. For dealing with two pissed off faces. Really appreciate that! Hope this review helps to improve the service. If your call is not being picked up either, you're not alone! LOL All in all we finally got our lesson rescheduled for the end of the summer. read more

DO NOT GO HERE!!!! My husband and I made reservations for our anniversary, got a babysitter and drove from NJ to NY and about 30 minutes before our appointment they emailed us canceling our reservations!!! When we finally contacted them they were so rude and unapologetic for the inconveniences they caused us. They did not offer to make it up to us in anyway. I recommend finding a different location if you want to go horse back riding. read more

Most of the staff here was very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately they did not have their trail rides open which is what my friends & I originally wanted to do. We opted for their 1hr beginners class. Which taught me more than I would've expected to learn. Around us were people training and it looks like a great place to take children learning to ride that want to do for sport and leisure. I would definitely try them again once they offer trail rides. Was pretty bummed the instructor didn't want us taking pictures in the ring with the horses. I came for my birthday and that was one of the memories I wanted to keep. But I guess I understand the safety of it all. read more

My daughter and I both ride, and have been riding previously in Brooklyn, last Monday we came to take a tour and my daughter took a 30 min lesson with Brian. My daughter loved it! Coming from a different barn, I asked the staff to show me the stable and schooling horses and was very impressed by how they are being taken care of. Wendy, who gave us a tour answered all of my questions, recommended the best instructor for my daughter after seeing her ride. What I loved the most (coming from a very very dirty barn) is how clean the facility is, how well the horses are taken care of and we are very exited for our next lesson and I am glad we found a place that is not far from Brooklyn where we can eventually board our horses and excel in our riding skills. read more

New York Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - West Hempstead, New York

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The people in the office were very nice and helpful when it came to scheduling my first lesson with them. They were very helpful and accommodating when it came to sending over payment information and scheduling a lesson and making sure all my questions were answered before I get to my lesson and it made me feel easier about switching barns so I look forward to my lesson today I am less nervous and apprehensive than I would've been at a different facility. read more

Purchased a groupon deal (75$/2 people) for an hour long trail and it was a mess. The front desk cancelled our reservation for another pair of more experienced riders, didn't call us, and told us to wait an hour or get a refund No big deal, we were super excited so waited The main instructor was a 13 year old who was assigning horses and then would forget what horse she noted per person, also not a big deal, I'm sure she knew how to ride. The adults in the area seemed to let her know she was running the show, not much of a confidence builder for any new rider going on the trail. The horses all had these nets over their faces and didn't seem particularly happy. They had one pony who was 32 years old for a rider, I felt so bad for the horse. The instructions provided were extremely brief and conflicted with what the child did vs the tour guide. There were 6 individuals in our group, and took about 15 minutes to get everyone on their horses. the actual guide was a much older/experienced woman who was smoking on the entire ride so the group had a lovely whiff of second hand smoke on a beautiful scenic trail. Unfortunately you ride in single file, so if you aren't in the front you won't be able to hear the tour guide's instructions. The trail, however, was only 35 minutes. And from start to finish: 50 minutes. tldr; I would not go back or recommend: instructions were unclear, unprofessional staff, length of ride not as advertised. But, I would try going horse back riding again, could be less stressful with better instructions. read more

I went riding for the first time this past Saturday. It was such a great experience! It was easy to get to from Manhattan and easy to park. They were very covid safe. I went on a trail ride with two other people (same group) with Caylee. She was extremely nice and made me feel comfortable since it was my first time. She explained what would happen, gave me safety tips, and was patient with me when trotting. She had me ride behind her and answered all my questions. The place seemed clean and the horses looked well taken care of. I loved my horse named Gilligan, which was suggested as a first time rider horse. We all said we can't wait to go again. Thanks New York Equestrian Center! read more

New York Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - West Hempstead, New York

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I don't often take the time to leave reviews, but have come to a point of feeling obligated to leave a detailed one in this instance in order to warn others about the dangers of riding at NYEC. Like a prior reviewer who broke her own back, my daughter also broke her back at NYEC just over a year ago, when she was 11 years old. My daughter used to take both private lessons there and participated in their lecture and lab program. She broke her back in the Tuesday night lecture and lab program when the instructor leading the program, Jamie, moved in a way that caused some keys she was wearing to jangle slightly while my daughter was riding nearby. This caused my daughter's horse to spook and my daughter to be thrown off. Although my daughter experienced immediate back pain, we didn't at first realize just how seriously she had been injured. Her fractures occurred at the L-3 vertebra and now, more than a year later, she has yet to fully recover and may never recover. While normal kids get to do things like playing tag and participating in gym, my daughter has instead spent the past year dealing with things like back braces, bone growth stimulators, physical therapy appointments, and exclusion from activities that she used to enjoy. Right after the fall in question we were assured that the horse that had spooked was "a good horse" and that this was an anomaly -- even though that same horse had thrown her just a few months earlier. Our experience riding at NYEC is that a number of their horses either spook easily or have gait issues that cause them to stumble frequently, which can also be dangerous for the rider, but that they nonetheless put beginning riders and children on these horses. The relatively "safer" horses tend to be leased or reserved by those who have the extra money to do so, such that those who don't pay extra money on top of the lesson price to lease or reserve a horse are that much more likely to be assigned a horse that spooks or stumbles easily. The fall that injured my daughter was far from her first fall as a result of a horse spooking, but every time a horse would spook I would be assured that it was a "normal" thing that was simply a part of riding. One instructor my daughter had who is no longer there, Isabel, even tried to make a sort of game out of it -- telling her that if you were thrown off your horse at your lesson it was tradition to bring in brownies to the next week's lesson. Others would try to make it sound like a good thing by stating that every horse's issues would "teach" you something and thus make you a better rider. That the instructors knew they were putting kids in dangerous situations is in my opinion shown by something that happened in the year before her injury. During one lesson she was scheduled to ride a large pony -- one that was about the size of a smaller horse -- and I noticed that her instructor for that particular lesson, Alex, was leading her on the pony even though my daughter was well beyond the stage of needing to be led. Every time the pony got to a certain corner of the ring she would get very skittish, trying to shy away from that corner. After a few times around the pony actually reared up when they approached that corner. My daughter managed to keep her seat and stay on that time while Alex used her full weight to pull the pony down by the bit and bridle and then had my daughter switch horses with a more experienced rider who was also in the ring. But my question in hindsight -- after having since spoken with an experienced horseman about what happened there -- is why would you put a beginning rider like my daughter on an animal that was so skittish that they felt she needed to be led in the first place? For a few weeks after that incident when we came in I would often see that pony in the ring being ridden and seemingly re-trained by various employees -- basically being beaten with the crop every time it approached that corner to force her to go into that corner -- and to the best of my knowledge they again started putting children back on that pony when the retraining was complete. I will forever experience guilt for letting my daughter ride there even after watching her and others fall on numerous occasions because horses spooking was such a relatively common experience there -- for believing their consistent claims that this was normal and would happen in any barn. The programs there seem to be largely run by girls who appear to be in their early twenties who in my opinion just don't treat the horses as respectfully as they should or see the safety and well-being or their students as paramount. I have seen, for example, Jamie sit on the riding ring's fence during the lecture and lab program and kick horses from there to "help" their riders get them trotting, with a general atmosphere among employees of joking around. In sum, stay away from NYEC. You don't want to deal with what my daughter has or potentially worse. read more

I came here with my 5 year old and my sister and her kids close in age to my daughter to enjoy a pony ride and other activities. They had a bouncing house, face painting and you can go around the center and Pet horses. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The kids enjoy the pony ride accompanying by expert rider. They have a lot of horses that look like they have good care. We have an awesome time. I will recommend this place for extra curricular activity for kids who love horses. read more

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Today was such an awesome experience! Jodie was an amazing instructor and had me laughing til my stomach hurt. My boyfriend and I rode on Oakley and Rangler - such beautiful horses. Will definitely be back again with my little sister! (Late post) read more

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DO NOT COME HERE. There are plenty of other centers to go. Firstly, they had us waiting about 45 mins. Then they didn't even let me pet the horse so I can get to know it. Then when the ride happened. The horses started trotting unbelievably. My partner fell really bad, and had serious injuries in her back. We went to the hospital after and she had to get meds as well as follow up appointments. On top of that, when we got back and informed the manager, Jamie. She was extremely rude. Her and another instructor(cant remember her name, she was a blonde female) was disgusting. They said "Oh well, you shouldn't have came then. Better luck next time" and started laughing with the other employees. The staff is terrible. It's obvious that my partner was in excruciating pain. Please do your research on Google/Yelp/Facebook and even scroll down on Groupon. Everyone is saying the same thing. These horses aren't trained to be rode by strangers. Also, they get scared very easily and start going really fast which causes the rider to fall. THIS PLACE NEEDS TO BE SHUT DOWN. read more

New York Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - West Hempstead, New York

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Very nice people working and beautiful nicely looked after horses. The only downside was that we payed a whopping $50 each for 1 hour trail ride but only got half that. The trail only took 30 mins and was a loop in the woods. Not very exciting but great for a beginner. If your looking for more of an adventure go a little further into the countryside. read more

NYEC is a wonderful barn for adult riders as well as children, and accessible from the New York City (Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn) by train! I would recommend NYEC to anyone who is looking for an active, fun barn, with engaged trainers and great horses! As an adult living in New York City looking to make that childhood dream of horseback riding finally happen, NYEC has been a god-send. I searched far and wide for a place I could ride horses as an adult. And, as if finding a barn with adult friendly trainers and horses wasn't challenging enough, I also am a true New Yorker in that I don't have a car, so it also had to add be accessible by public transportation. I tried some of the municipal stables, and without even going into the conditions of some of them, the horses for adults were really more like ponies and not suitable for a 5'8 adult to be riding and limited in their schooling. Plus, despite being in NYC itself, lot of them were not all that easy to get to. But then I found NYEC. It was a short train ride on the LIRR, it has well managed and maintained facilities, proper school horses with a range of capabilities depending on rider level, and experienced instructors with the ability to teach adults. I have been riding at NYEC for two years now and I still feel that way. My instructor, Alex, has been a wonderful teacher. She consistently provides great feedback and guidance, always finding the right balance of toughness versus encouragement (not an easy thing to do with horseback riding!). Additionally, the barn manager and all trainers on site are extremely helpful and there is a clear priority placed on safety by everyone in the ring, for both the students and horses. Finally, for those looking for a place for their child to ride, NYEC seems like a pretty great place for children as well. I can't speak as a parent, nor do I have an idea of what goals they might have, but just from observing, all the young riders seem happy and engaged. Seeing the pack of camp kids or the young volunteers happily going about tacking horses makes me think that this would be a place I would have liked to learn in when I was their age! Highly recommend! read more

We had an amazing time here. We purchased Groupon for an hour trail and enjoyed every moment of it. Jodie was amazing and I will definitely come back for more riding. read more

Nice place but be aware that you don't get the full hour as advertised. They claim that the full hour includes the orientation as well as getting on the horse. So all in all, the trail is approximately 45 min. However, the horses are well behaved... Mostly. read more

If you looking to go trail riding, AVOID THIS PLACE. Aside from our wonderful trail guide, this was the worst experience I've ever had. I went out with my family for a trail ride, 3 of us fell off and 2 of us ended up in the hospital with concussions. It was not a safe day to ride according to my horse savvy friends, but they sent us out anyway. The horses were not quiet trail horses, they were skittish and kicked at each other and were not easy for beginners to ride. We told them at the start 2 of us were not riders, and clearly they didn't take that into account. I understand that things can be unpredictable, but they never should have sent us out on such a windy day. The owner never even called to check up on us, and his lack of interest in our safety and experience was very evident. Take your business elsewhere, there are plenty of farms who will take care of you and value your safety. read more

Elena is an outstanding instructor. She's knowledgable and patient, really making the learning process enjoyable. Anyone wishing to learn horseback riding should check this place out. Reasonable, professional and just plain fun. read more

Recieced a gift from my husband for our anniversary and very happy with whole experience. Our guide Michelle was very friendly and professional with accomodating all our needs. read more

Terribly managed facility. Poorly/under staffed, staff is apathetic and disengaged for the most part. The scheduling of lessons is inadequate and individual lessons are offered at inconvenient times. Impossible to reach management. Billing/payment system bordering on scam like and criminal. Their communication is poor/non existent. Prices are listed nowhere. If you want to get the runaround, lied to and taken advantage of then go here. read more

I took my 13 year old granddaughter for the hour long ride through Hempstead Lake Park. The guide, Torri, was great! She was very professional but still friendly and helpful! The horses were calm and sweet. Being an animal lover and advocate, it was nice to see the horses looking so happy and well taken care of! Will definitely go again. read more

I went on a two person trail this afternoon around 11am. Our trail leader was Sydney who was super nice and fun to ride with. Most of the trail was in the shade which was a relief during a hot day. I suggest bug spray as the trail has a lot of flies and mosquitoes. Other than that it was a great ride. We go to do some trotting since it was just the two of us. Sydney was knowledgeable and very sweet. We'd definitely go again. read more

Thank you for writing back ! My horses name was Degan ! My trail guide was the new guy and he was great !

I love everything about this place. The instructors, trail guides and staff are fantastic. I returned to riding after not being on a horse for about 8 years and I am learning so much and my confidence is growing. If I could be there every day I would. read more

My daughter Sophia has been riding at NYEC since she was 7 or 8 years old...from before the renovations and indoor riding arena even existed. She is now 14 and her love of horses has grown over the years. She has participated in every aspect of NYEC programs...after school, summer camp, trail rides, private lessons and horse shows. The knowledge and professionalism of the staff is unparalleled. My daughter takes her lessons with Yelena and I couldn't be happier. Yelena is a wonderful instructor patient and kind yet constantly challenging Sophia to achieve a higher level of skill. My daughter now volunteers her time so that she may gain as much knowledge as she possibly can. She aspires to a career in an equine field and the professionals at NYEC have had everything to do with that. We are proud to be a part of NYEC!! read more

The horses here all look happy, as do their trainers, riders -everyone. Could that be because this is a beautiful place, staffed and run by people who care and work with caring concentration? I think so. Make sure to take a look at the excellent work in the art gallery upstairs, as well. I have heard rave reviews about the children's art programs. Space used for more than one purpose is space used well. read more

My girlfriend and I purchased an hour trail ride. the trainers gave us no safety warning or tips. They just told us to get on. My horse was uncooperative and violent from the start. It jerked its head wildly, moved without my telling it to do so, and basically fought with me the whole time. Shortly after I mounted the horse, one of the employees whacked the horse int he face hard, and then i felt sorry for the animal. After a fifteen second lesson, we take the horses onto a busy road for a minute and head into the park. My horse kept wandering and jerking and trying to move past the others, and I was concerned it might get hit by a car. The trainers said nothing, and when they did talk, they often gave contradictory advice. One would say, "Loosen the reins," the other would say, "Tighten up those reins." incompetence and misinformation was raining on me. I fought with my horse the whole time. The horse my girlfriend got was lethargic and bored. It stopped and started throughout the trail until it finally stopped for good. My girlfriend tried to get it moving again, kicking and kicking, but it wouldn't go. The guide who should've been in back got in front, and my gf had to call out for her to stop or she would've been left behind. That trainer needed the other trainer to help and called out for Madison, who was in the lead and said she couldn't get back there and went on ahead, and my gf was left alone with the inept guide. My gf, frightened and anxious, ultimately jumped off the weary animal and landed on the ground. The she and the guide, who did not say a word to her, didn't even ask if she was all right, walked the horse back. When we finally returned to the equestrian center, all anyone said was, "what took so long?" They didn't say, "Hey did it go ok?" They didn't say, "Are you all right?" They didn't say, "I'm sorry for abandoning you and rushing." They showed no concern or care at all. The biggest problem with this place is that the trainers rather stay on schedule than teach you about the horses and give you any safety tips. So not only wouldn't I recommend this place, I seriously urge to avoid it, especially if you're taking young children. read more

With my passion for horses I was so looking forward to a nice trail on such a beautiful day. Upon arrival for my Groupon trail for 2, the front desk was kind enough. The super young instructors seemed to be the shot callers in pairing the horse with riders. (Kind of impressive at my first thought, then quickly became a little nerve racking through the process) Fairly NO PREPPING...Very little instruction for a beginner rider in my opinion. I mounted Deegan...I purposely tried to bond with the creature by petting him but felt rushed. The young instructor made a few adjustments to my lopsided saddle. (WTH...this seat never felt right but I'm a newbie....what do I know). The anxiously screaming female trail guide never introduce herself and didn't set the expectation of the trial. I didn't expect to gallop during the trail but I quickly made rhythm adjustments w/o any guidance from the instructors or trail guide (thank GOD for Youtube university). However, after a few runs, my anxious screaming instructor (who I never heard direction being that I'm at the back of the trail, I was somehow winging it) decided to blow out after a brief stop for me to adjust myself. Well my horse must have gotten spoked (after trying to nip at the trees during my adjusting) seeing his fellow comrades behind the dust smoke - Deegan started haul-assing otta there. I'm flying - really cool BUT i'm on a lopsided saddle that's becoming worse with every leap stroke. DAMN... "whoooh easy" pulling back on the reins to my belly button (thanks Youtube). Deegan slows down but still on high stride....MY ASS NOW on the SIDE OF THE HORSE!!!! WTF!!!! (only one thing to do, play stunt woman). Thankfully i'm fit with falling techniques.... I dismounted off the the lopsided saddle that's moving near to the damn belly of a (now) beast in my mind. OFF I go....chin tucked...prepared for impact and roll away from Deegan. This is a GOOD horse...he quickly anchored his hoofs into the earth...while i'm in mid flight (BOOM... bam). I'm alive...I think... another good thing my helmet was on (the chin tuck wasn't ready for the drawback of impact. I still hit my head but not too hard). DAMN...not the horses fault. - after checking for major injuries my anxious trail guide was calm for the first time. Hummmm.... She helped me ground mount (adrenaline is a beast bcuz I hopped on Deegan w/o a struggle. Did I enjoy myself? YES because I love horses and I actually had a pretty cooperative one. BUT TOTALLY NOT A PROFESSIONAL PLACE. NO SAFETY CHECKS....COMPLACENT AND UNORGANIZED. Perhaps their one on one training may be great. I probably will never know. One lady needed help with her horse and the anxious screaming trail guide just screamed directions...never physically coming to her aide. Well....So glad I'm ok.... but....nah....NOT a place to return. I appreciate the experience although I'm a little banged up I learned from everything I survive. (of course). Good luck on your experience. read more

Today i went to see if my niece could go for a pony ride. She had gone here alot with her father (who was with us), went to school here and was excited to go for a ride. Unfortunately, when we got there the woman at the cashier told us that it was closed for a private pony party. She was upset and we asked if it were okay if she just said hello to one of the ponies quickly and we would be on our way. As soon as we entered the circle we encountered a woman with long dark hair who asked if we were apart of the party and we said no but the front cashier woman said it would be okay to say hi to the horse. She then was extremely rude to us and proceeded to tell us we had to leave. She then entered the cashier room to yell at the woman. We were by the price board seeing how much parties were out of curiosity and she saw that we were there and basically told us to leave and then locked the gate quickly after us. This whole encounter made my niece more upset and i still don't understand what was the big deal. We were only gonna stick around for a minute. Instead the time she took to be unprofessional, she could have just let us say hello to the pony than tell us we had to leave as the party started. So when i got there i was curious about the place and would have loved to throw a party there or have my daughter join the school but now i will take my business elsewhere. I also told my brother to do the same. read more

My daughter takes riding lessons from Jeannine and just did a week of summer camp. She absolutely loves everything about NYEC! Of all the camps she has been to, NYEC stood out as by far the best! And Jeannine is awesome! read more

Great people, they easily accommodated a walk in appointment and our son had a great lesson from Deniece.

One of the worst experiences for my daughter Emilee left this place in tears after having her first riding lesson with an instructor which had been recommended for 1st time riders. Alison was rude did not acknowledge my daughter and yelled at her several times throughout the lesson. My daughter had no riding experience so I thought by purchasing a private lesson this would ease her into the world of riding. She didn't go over any safety regulations with her and assumed she knew about riding equipment which my daughter did not. In a very nasty manner she told my daughter if she wanted to ride she would need to purchase riding boots. I would think this is something she could have spoken to me about afterwards. I watched other instructors debrief with parents after their lessons but Alison did not speak to me to tell me anything about my daughters lesson. In her first ever she was crushed by an instructor who may be great but was horrible at teaching. read more