My review is based on the summer kids' pony camp. Our kids loved the entire experience! From…read more9am-2pm Mon thru Fri (be warned though that on the last day of camp, instead of riding, they will visit the zoo). They learned about grooming, feeding, instruction on riding, and even happily mucked the stalls. Our kids are 5 & 6 but some kids were up to age 10-11 maybe. Total there were about 12 kids in the camp. Lots of walking involved as the bathrooms are a few minutes away (they are escorted there twice daily). The instructors were good with both the kids and the ponies. Not sure how repetitive it would get if you booked consecutive weeks as ours just went 1 week. The cost for one week, with the Bergen county discount, was about $337 per child.

I barn-hopped all over North Jersey for almost 12 years before I met Sarah. She was teaching…read morelessons at another barn in the area and as soon as I spoke to her, I knew I would never look back. Sarah has an unparalleled talent for coaching riders of any age/skill, as well as a natural gift for training horses. She has a wonderful way of tapping potential in her riders and horses, and bringing out the best in them. I couldn't find anyone better to learn from! I happily drive 40 minutes to get to the barn because there is absolutely no one who compares to Sarah. I would never dream of boarding my horse anywhere else :) The barn truly acts as a family, perfectly balancing fun, relaxation, and competition. From children to adults, everyone is supportive, friendly, and kind. If you want a great place to learn, with a great trainer and awesome community, check it out!

You will not find a person more passionate about their work than Sarah. She was born to ride,…read moretrain, and care for horses and has true talent as a teacher. She works tirelessly to provide the highest level of care and training.

After having been at several barns in the last 20 years, I finally brought my horse to River Vu…read moreFarms 10-1/2 years ago. Finally we found our forever home. Excellent facilities, indoor and outdoor arenas, expansive pastures, wholesome feed carefully selected for each horse. Clean stalls and very happy horses. As my horse aged, and I was pulled away by work and family issues, Jodi Meyer quietly saw to it that my horse's care was modified to his aging issues. Always I was alerted of any problems, but his feed was changed when he lost teeth and couldn't handle hay anymore etc. Every horse is treated as though they are owned by the farm. I had to put my 33 year old horse down in Jan 2019, and Jodi was by my side and helped me reach the vet after we could not get him on his feet anymore. He had had a stroke. I will be bringing my younger horse down from upstate NY to River Vu Farms as soon as Spring breaks. There is no better place and I've been to most of them. Also, there is summer camp for kids which I have observed personally and it is exceptional. Great education on equine everything and a lot of fun with plenty of riding. What more can I say. It's quiet, peaceful and filled with GREAT Friendly boarders. Heaven.

I have been riding here for years all the staff and trainers are wonderful in every way and always…read morekeep the horses well taken care of! Best barn in Bergen county!

PARENTS, BEWARE. I…read moredon't know all the fancy horse terminology or the ins and outs of horse care, and quite frankly, I shouldn't have to. These are simply my observations. When you pay professionals to teach children around 1,000-pound animals, you trust them to know what they're doing and to take safety and animal welfare seriously. What I witnessed at Saddle Ridge made me sick. While my child loves many of the horses she got to experience there it is clear that the dollars we spent were not being used to take care of those horses that clearly worked very hard. Some horses appeared extremely thin and exhausted while still being used for lessons. Several appeared to limp or just look uncomfortable while moving. Again, I'm not a horse expert. I can only describe what I saw with my own eyes, and it was concerning enough to make me question what I was being told was "normal." And then there is the FILTH. The barns and pastures were absolutely disgusting during my experience. Mud and manure everywhere. The barn has white walls that only make the brown splatter and stains covering portions of them even more noticeable. Those brown stains appeared to be old, built-up feces and manure that had been left to accumulate over time. I genuinely don't want to know how long it had been there. And the flies were completely out of control. They were everywhere--swarming around the stalls, walls, manure, and animals. The sheer number of flies was impossible to ignore and made the already filthy conditions even more disturbing. And the smell. The ammonia odor in areas of the barn could practically knock you over. This is a place where animals live and children spend significant amounts of time. How anyone walks through that smell every day and considers it acceptable is beyond me. Rodents were not an unusual occurrence either. And somehow, the facilities for the PEOPLE weren't much better. The bathroom was disgusting. I understand that this is a barn and nobody expects a luxury restroom, but there is a huge difference between "it's a barn" and basic cleanliness being ignored. If this is the standard for an area specifically meant for customers and children, it certainly doesn't inspire confidence about the cleanliness of everything else. Then there is the constant staff turnover. This place seems like a revolving door. Instructors and employees come and go so frequently that at some point you have to stop wondering what is wrong with all these employees and start wondering what is wrong with the place they keep leaving. That should concern any parent. Children need consistency with the people teaching them, especially in an activity involving large animals and real safety risks. When a business seemingly cannot retain staff, customers deserve to ask why. What bothered me most was realizing how much trust customers put in management simply because we don't know any better. Most parents aren't horse professionals. We're relying on the people we're paying to educate us, not take advantage of what we don't know. My advice to other parents is simple: DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Visit other barns. Ask questions. Look around. Smell the barn. Look at the horses. Use the bathroom. Ask how often the horses work, how they're cared for, how long the instructors have been there, and why so many people seem to leave. You don't need to know horse terminology to know when something doesn't look, smell, or feel right. I would not trust this operation with a child or a horse. BEWARE.

It's hard to put into words what the school means to me but it would be a disservice to not share…read moremy experience. My son did not have the greatest first year of preschool at a different school so I was a bit nervous before starting his new school year at Apple Montessori in Morris Plains. However, my worries went away immediately once we started the school year. I have always heard great things about this school and it makes sense why. From the start, we were given a very warm and welcoming introduction from the director. Ms. Rathjens, and assistant director Ms. Yun. Both are very involved with interacting with the kids and greeting them throughout the day. They are attentive and responsive, and my kids feel comfortable around them. My son's preschool teacher, Ms. Kellish, and the teacher assistants, Mrs. Morales and Mrs. Ikram, are caring, supportive, and organized. My son loves going to school and always shares how nice his teachers are to him. He has learned so much and has become more independent in class. They encourage him and it shows. My daughter's toddler room teacher, Mrs. Castano, and the teacher assistants, Ms. Ucles, Mrs. Millar, and Mrs. Charles, are all so patient, nurturing, and gentle. They have helped my daughter transition well to school and never hesitate to reach out in case of anything. I also love how they have food tasting every week. My daughter is constantly singing and dancing at home, and I know it's a result from her thriving at school. It feels relieving to know that my kids are in the best care and I don't have to watch the camera like a hawk to see how they are doing. Any time I check in, I see my kids are learning and playing, and are building their independence. The parent teacher communication and level of care are unmatched. The teachers really put forth effort into all that they do and I really appreciate it all. My only regret is not enrolling my son sooner for his first year of school. Do not hesitate to go for a tour and enroll

I enrolled my son at Apple Montessori during their summer camp in 2023 when he was 2.5 years old…read more It has been an year of love, care, learning and so much fun for him! He has built friendships, developed so many skills, learnt to dance, work together and care for younger kids. This has been the best decision we made for him! Ms. Rasdell and Mr Wagner puts so much care and thoughtfulness in building the curriculum, making sure each child is getting the attention they need while also developing and focusing on their strengths. The school conducts so many events to give an opportunity for parents to network, for kids to develop new skills, have outdoor time, learn to work together and lead. I love the observation sessions and parent teacher conferences as well that gives us visibility into their day to day learning patterns and opportunities for growth! Looking forward to his tenure at Apple Morris Plains and all he learns during this time!!

My daughters have been attending Apple Montessori School in Oakland for almost 3 years (oldest) and…read more2 years (youngest). We transferred my oldest from another school because the other school did not mesh well with her personality. The moment we moved her to AMS, almost instantly, my daughter fell in love with the environment and the warm staff so much that the struggle of getting her to go to school was no longer an issue. We find the activities and curriculum to be engaging, logical and incrementally challenging. The math bead system that they have introduced to my daughter is a gold standard for education. I know my daughters will be very well prepared for later years in school. I think, overall, the best aspect of AMS is the fact that Ms. Ferentinos knows exactly where both my daughters stand in their learning journey. She has a great plan in mind for both my daughters and I'm confident she will continue to challenge them. The assistants are equally as amazing. Its the little things they do that makes the experience even better. Ms. Buckley braiding my daughters hair makes my daughters feel so special. And its an absolute comfort to drop them off every morning because of Mrs. Dermos' and Ms. Rolos' warm bubbly personalities. During these difficult pandemic times, we've seen the school really step up their game and implement world class safety precautions. This really makes us feel comfortable with sending our girls to school. Even before the pandemic, they had all ready upgraded the schools with the large UV sanitation cabinet equipment. We're very pleased with the level of education provided by AMS and we're so lucky to have found this school!

While the curriculum is great, had some unpleasant experiences and I reported three complaints,…read morewhere the staff did not pay enough attention to the child, some teachers were partial in treatment of children. There were some good teachers too that had a positive impact. Overall a very mixed experience, if all children are treated the same it would be a great school for kids.

Echo Lake Stables is truly a home away from home. Kathy and John are wonderful owners who genuinely…read morecare about every horse in their care. Blaze has been so well looked after, and it gives us complete peace of mind knowing he's in such good hands. The trails are beautiful, the horses are healthy and well cared for, and the atmosphere is friendly and welcoming. We've even brought friends riding, and they've all had a great experience. Whether you're boarding, taking lessons, or enjoying a trail ride, Echo Lake Stables is a fantastic place. We highly recommend it!

Great place to visit for beginner and intermediate riders. We paid $100 per person. Arrived at 5pm…read moreon a Saturday in October. Horseback riding: -Fitted on horse and ride out around 6pm -Rider weight must be less than 225 lbs. -It's better to ride out long before dusk -Horses are sturdy and range all different ages. -The ride duration is 1.5 hours. -The trails are wooded and elevated steeply in certain areas. Hayride: -Tractor drawn carriage with no sides. -Sit crisscross applesauce facing inward to avoid being hit in the face by branches. Western BBQ: -Served hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, soda and water, and s'mores. I was expecting more in the line of meat but it's worth the experience for the price. DJ/Music: -The DJ played a variety of country tunes in the beginning. Once everyone was fed, the music shifted to line dance tunes. The instructor taught us how to do the cotton eye joe, Cupid shuffle, chicken dance, and a couple other well known dances.

My 10 year old son loves this camp! The counselors are all patient, kind and engaging. He loves…read morethe curriculum and he always has fun (he has gone for the past three summers). It is a great value and they are also very flexible (you can sign up for a week or do a few days piecemeal). I highly recommend!