I bought my granddaughter a horse experience for Christmas and they were so nice and accommodating…read more It's a beautiful farm!!!

My daughter has been riding at Knollwood Farm since she turned 4 years old, which makes 7 years…read morenow! Many of you probably think it was stupid to put a 4 year old on a big horse and so did I. However I'm a softy for the tears and she was in love with horses so I took her there expecting a lesson or two and we would be done. WRONG! The professionalism of the trainers, the huge selection of school horses (I think about 28) and the eye on safety over hurt feelings really set them apart from all others. As far as the selection of horses, they start with Willie, "The Golden Sofa". Willie is the wonderful starter horse that knows what he is to do and gently carries the youngest to oldest beginners around the arena so they can get their first feel of the saddle without fear. Once when he was carrying a little girl, she lost her balance and started to slip off, before she fell, he simply stopped where he was and allowed the trainer to help her back up onto the saddle. He made it much more comfortable for my 4 year old to learn to ride (and for my nerves). For the most experienced riders there is Baxter, Hooper, Reggie and Merlin,. These are the real (academy) show horses and a thrill for those who get to ride them. My daughter has worked her way up from Willie through all the horses to Merlin and loves every minute of it. Safety. This is the main reason why we have remained at Knollwood for so long. The safety of my child means more to me than any stupid ribbon, a trophy or even her hurt feelings! Her first few times in the show ring off lead line, she rode an old pony named KC. She had rode several bigger better horses including Saddlebreds, but for safety, "bomb proof" KC was brought to the show just for her. Riding as a 4 year old she RODE THAT PONY and won her class against older kids (many over-mounted and unsafe) riding the prettier Saddlebreds. She went on to a fourth place finish in the championship against kids up to more than twice her age. At shows, I have witnessed kids, from other barns, so over-mounted (horse that is too powerful and beyond the kids abilities) getting run off with, falls and flopping around like a rag doll in the saddle. I even saw a little lead line girl get bucked off and stepped on. SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY. Some barns don't want their kids to wear helmets! They think that in a show they will be judged poorly for the helmet even though it is not to be part of the judging. Ribbons before safety, that's plain STUPID! Finally, in a lesson, if your kid is doing something that will get them hurt, it will be pointed out. If they ignore the instructor it will continue to get sterner. If they cry, the warnings continue over the tears, because the hurt feelings heal easier than bones. After so many years around Knollwood, I could go on and on (more than I already have). Another very important thing about Knollwood is rider participation in caring for the horses. Many kids and adults volunteer as helpers at the barn, they tack, groom, feed and cleanup after the horses. They help other riders and teach other riders about caring for the horses. My daughter was taught how to groom and tack at about 5 years old. If a horse poops, some kid is going to grab a rake-like thing to pick it up and put it in a muck bucket. I started writing this review after reading someone else's review of another barn far away, where she stated that their barn smelled, the horses were not groomed etc. etc. All I could think was, that this Little Princess would die at Knollwood because SHE would learn to care for the horses that she rides. Caring for the animals that work for THEM has countless positive impacts on a child's life. If you're looking for a pony ride, take your kid to the zoo. If you want a safe place for them to learn to ride and the responsibility of caring for the animal, I highly recommend Knollwood.

Good facility with an amazing trainer and great selection of school horses!read more

From the owner: Horse boarding and Riding lessons.read more

What wonderful people! Our little 4 year old and her bestie went for their first rides and had a…read morewonderful time. The staff knows what they're doing and provide a great experience. 10/10, WILL do it again!

From the owner: Pine Ridge Riding Center LLC provides horseback riding lessons, horse day camps, birthday parties,…read morescout day events, and Total Equine feed to our clients in Slinger, WI.

I have been riding at hillside for almost 6 years!!! horse back riding is a really expensive sport,…read morebut because of margie and her prices i am able to horseback ride. their is such an amazing community and i have made so many amazing friends. their are so many horses for so many levels. hillside is not abusive, supportive barn. you will never be made fun of, or bullied at hillside. no matter your level, you will be treated with respect. i have learned to much because of margie (owner and instructor). anyone who has met margie knows how nice, funnny, and talented she is. margie has 3 sweet dogs, and lots of horses (over 28). i love all the people at hillside, and i hope if you are considering going here, this is your sign to.

Margie is the best! Margie is the trainer and co-owner here, and she is a fabulous trainer. She has…read moreapproximately 30 horses of all ability levels, meaning there is a horse for everybody. This is a great place to start learning to ride or to continue to develop your jumping skills. Margie is also a great fan of polo, and both teaches polo and puts together teams. If you've never played polo, this is a great place to learn. One of the things I especially appreciate about Margie is that she's very flexible with scheduling lessons, which is fabulous for a working adult who has to schedule around work commitments. I've ridden at a number of facilities, and I like this place the best. The other ridders out there are supportive, and it just feels like home. Overall a great place!

Julie at the Horse Emporium was a lifesaver for me today! I tore my jods at my lesson and needed a…read morenew pair, as they were so badly torn I looked pretty damned sad walking around in them. At first it seemed as if there were none in the store that would fit, but Julie hunted until she found a pair that were the twins of what I had been wearing-- only tear-free! She saved the day for me! Thank you, Julie!

I'm surprised there aren't any reviews! The Horse Emporium is awesome for all your horse needs…read more Truthfully, I haven't been out to the actual store. I've only shopped their trailer at the Ironworks horse shows. They always bring an assortment of everything, from hair nets to shampoos to saddles. My favorite thing about the Horse Emporium is how accommodating they are. It was three days before the horse show and I really needed a girth, specifically the Professionals Choice one. I messaged them on Facebook asking if they had any in stock, and they replied saying they would have it on hold for me at the show. They carry great brands as well as affordable brands, so I appreciate that.

Pam and Phil are the best. I have been a client here for a little over a year now and have had…read morenothing but positive experiences. They put a lot of care into all the horses there. This is a hunter/jumper barn with a great lesson program. Private lessons are offered for all skill levels - beginner (never been on a horse) to advanced. They have ponies for small riders and beginner-safe horses. You don't need to have any of your own equipment, as everything is provided. Currently, I'm leasing a 16.3hh thoroughbred. I love him! This is just one of the many opportunities here for advancing your riding skills. I've been riding for 13 years now, and still have much more to work on. Pam is really great about finding local clinics to go to or even just for fun horse-related events in the area. In the past year, I've done the Racine Pony Club Hunter Pace and a Brad Hall clinic. We also go to the IronWorks schooling shows regularly. Meinpferde Farm is super laid back, which I love. Even though the trainers are primarily focus on hunter/jumper training, they welcome boarders of all disciplines. It's a very welcoming place. There's also a large hunt field in the back, where sometimes we ride. There are jumps set up there too, so it's super fun! In addition to lessons and boarding, they have a breeding program. It's a great place to go pony shopping! Their horses are very sweet and eager to learn.