I have had horses since before I could walk. I grew up breeding training and competing Morgans and…read moreArabians. When I went to college I lost touch with my roots. Something felt like it was missing from me. When my daughter showed interest I set out to find the right barn. After many lessons and visits to countless barns I was on the edge of giving up. When Covid hit I decided it was time to buy my daughter a pony. She fell in love with a little guy named Rocky. He had been abused and was very green but they had an amazing connection. I was reaching out to everyone I knew trying to find someone who could take on this huge project. A well respected restaurant owner I had know and worked with for many years recommended I check out Horse Play Ranch and the resident trainer Ms.H. The first think I LOVED is that the parking lot is on the other side of the street from the facilities meaning a safer environment for horse and rider. Ms. H was finishing up a lesson and I listened in. She was so kind in her corrections of the student and helped her student understand the horses state of mind, how the horses thoughts and feelings were being communicated by his actions. I was so impressed she would have had me right there. When she greeted us she paid a ton of attention to my daughter and made her feel REALLY important. I moved Rocky there right away and enrolled my daughter in lessons. My daughter went from shy and scared to confident and bold. It translated from riding to every other aspect of her life. Rocky went from a scared little pony to a sassy little man who can jump, drive and handle any new task with an enthusiastic attitude. Being part of the Horse Play Ranch has been the biggest blessing that I have had in my life. The people are kind and truly love animals of all kinds. The place is beautiful and full of energy. My family and my horses have never been so connected and happy. I can't thank these people enough for everything they do!

I have the absolute best experience every time I am at Horseplay. You can clearly tell all of the…read moreemployees truly have a a lot love for all of the animals on the property. I am always treated with kindness and respect and leave knowing the animals are in great hands. My pony is taken care of and given love when I am not present, and for that I am very grateful! I appreciate everything they do on a day to day basis. I am so happy that I can put my trust into the staff and not worry. I highly recommend boarding at Horseplay!

We had a really disappointing experience with Windfall Equestrian. My family visited to see a horse…read moreand that same day, we made it clear that we wanted to move forward with purchasing him and would pay in cash pending the vet's clearance. We were simply waiting on final feedback from the vet and felt confident about the next steps. However, we were later told that the horse had been shown to another interested party who ended up placing a deposit. At no point during our visit or follow-up were we informed that a deposit was required to secure him. We absolutely would have placed a deposit immediately if that had been communicated. We were told an email had been sent, but it was missed during a busy workday. Given how time-sensitive these situations are, a quick phone call would have made all the difference--especially since we were only contacted by phone after the horse was no longer available.  Overall, the lack of clear and timely communication was extremely frustrating and left us heartbroken. We hope this feedback encourages better communication practices in the future so other families don't have a similar experience.

I started taking lessons with Windfall just under two months ago. I can honestly say, over these…read morepast few weeks I've learned more and progressed further in my riding journey than I have in my entire life!! Jennifer, Grace and Bri are all tremendous instructors -- very detailed and attentive. They all do such an amazing job explaining things -- each lesson something new "clicks" and I have a breakthrough! The horses are also fantastic and high quality. I can't wait to see where my journey takes me at Windfall!

Owner knows her stuff, she been riding most of her life, toke her first lessons and showed with…read moreMarlys Bell.

Of all the barns I've been to, this one is by far the best. The staff are dedicated to safety, fun,…read moreand student improvement. I'd recommend them to anyone and everyone. Great lessons, boarding, and training for people of all ages and skill levels.

If you love your horse and want it to be well fed and cared for, DO NOT GO to Green Creek Stables…read more They will brag about how great their hay is, but did not regularly feed it to the boarder's horse. They even locked the feed stall to stop you from giving your horses hay when they 'forgot to feed him." Rude people who are in your face when the veterinarian is there. I left a few weeks after my friend who was kicked out did (see her review!) and they sued me for not giving a 30 day notice, I was afraid that my skinny, underfed senior horse would not be fed for that extra month if I did. They breeches the contract we had by not feeding him the allotted amount of hay specified. The judge ruled in my favor, but then they sued me again because they are awful people. I found lots of evidence of other horses that were mis-managed and had to be put down at this barn and they kicked that person out to in the middle of their grief, too. AVOID this farm like the plague! Zero stars but I cannot post it without one.

I'm not sure what the bucket photo is about, but it doesn't convey fresh water to me. I haven't…read moreboarded there, but any owner who gives you only 24 hours to vacate is downright cruel. There aren't many decent stables to board at these days. And in the middle of a colic episode? Things don't get any worse than that.

Plenty of trails to pick from, although they can be a bit challenging to navigate by the postings…read more This may have been caused by the number of trails and lack of water in the creek. The park is full of deciduous trees, so they are beautiful in the fall.

Thank you Nicollet County for this awesome park! It is a hidden gem along Highway 169, between St…read more Peter & Mankato. If you blink, you might miss it...but be sure to turn around when it's safe and check out this special spot! We explored the west part of the park (hiking, picnic) but the park extends across 169 and has a boat landing on the Minnesota River (we will check that side out next time!). 628 acres of Nicollet County Park, 10 miles of multi-use trails with equestrian parking & highway underpass, 3 shelters & many picnic areas along the creek, a playground, 2 volleyball courts & a ball diamond. Brown Trout are stocked in Seven Mile Creek by the DNR, but be sure to have your trout stamp! We have had wonderful hikes in this park, meeting horseback riders (at crossroads between equestrian trails & hiking trails), enjoying the space and beauty. Next time you're headed south on 169, check it out!