My job temporarily transferred me so I moved about 10mins away from this town and decided to take a lesson. Simple response- NEVER AGAIN! And the owner acted as if he cared. I'll spend my money else where. read more

I recently read a review of SHS and feel compelled to share my story. My son. Is special needs. He and two of his friends from school took lessons and competed at SHS. Liz was our instructor and from the minute we arrived we were treated with respect and found our kids safety were of utmost importance. The facilities are clean. The horses were being well care for. I saw none of the things that the reviewers listed. If they felt you were not ready to do a certain activity with the horse it is for your own safety. Staff and trainers at SHS have always been nothing but kind and respectful to us . I take offense to tell other people to go check out other business. If you are not happy that is your prerogative to leave. You don't bash other businesses to build yourself up. You might have had a bad experience, but that certain Loy doesn't make up for the hundreds of people who love it there. As a special needs mom I would not trust my son with just anyone. With careful research I found the staff to be more than qualified. The last comment I will leave is that saying they are anti military families. That is one of the dumbest statements ever written. This is just my opinion. It sounds like the reviewer didn't get her own way and had a temper tantrum. Not happy ? Then leave. In the process don't ruin the reputation of Seaton Hackney and the fantastic staff that runs it. Nothing is accomplished by doing that. read more

Wow, owners responses speak for themselves. Just a piece of advice - accusing me of lying is defamation of character, which is a legal charge. And btw, I have video footage from the camp, showing exactly horses to kids ratio. read more

Try to call reserve 10 people for horseback riding (5days ahead of the schedule) and called to book, i got back is they want me to have all their names, so ihang up and do my hw, meanwhile i have 5 more frds interest to go, so i got their name and call back to tell them all their names, and when i speak to them, they also ask for the height and weight, i was like ok, (as i from my experience b4 from other 2 different places no need to) , well, then i give them as best as i could, after i told her i have another 5 people, and i got yell that "BUT YOU SAID JUST 10" then like pissed me and keep reply me back w a attitide that they will separate 3 group and after 2nd group it will be 30 mins wait and 3rd group, i was like ok. I aslo questioned about if we can use the Groupon , then she said "what groupon!!??" , i answered her that on yelp, then she said she doesnt know about and said is the owner put in there, i mean how could u not know if u work there? And she found out finally, she said u must print them or they wont accept. Guess what , i called another place after, with whic this one they have w a nicer tone, and friendly voice w a reminder of what wear best and as they can separate only 2 groups for us for 1 hour each group. U can see where i decide to go at the end. read more

Notice there are seven 5-star reviews that have been filtered out of the rating. Yelp knows a fraudulent review when it sees one. Great job Yelp! read more

Bought an Amazon local coupon for a private lesson for 2. Tried to make an apt and was told that private lessons are Mon thru Fri only. They should have at least stated that on their coupon. read more

We treated my son and his darling GF to a one hour trail ride. I didn't get out of the car but the parking lot and grounds looked well maintained. It seemed like they gave them the full hour and they both were very happy and excited about the activity. When teens want to do an activity again it's usually a good sign. They said they might want lessons! read more

This is the greatest Horse camp my daughter has ever gone to. There is plenty of space for riding and they have spacious paddocks and rings for training and for riding. The assistants and teachers have a great knowledge of the equestrian sport and are willing to share their knowledge with the students and riders. We really enjoyed watching the riding and my daughter came home with many stories off her experience. I would recommend these stables to many people who have a joy for riding horses. We will most certainly be returning for more of lessons and riding. Special thanks to Marisa who spent lots of one on one time with my daughter and helped cultivate her love of horses. read more

We were greeted by friendly staff. The horses were very well trainen and beautiful. The ride was long and relaxing. Great place for beginners! read more

I came from another horse riding schoold and have to say that Hackney stables combine everything I ever wanted: outdoor lessons, beautiful nature around, friendly staff, experienced instructors. Besides, you can chose from a big variety of programms and volunteer if you want. There are also some ponies, birds and other animals the stables own which make the atmosphere even more fantastic. read more

My wife and I came here for our first private trail ride and I have to say that we had the most pleasant experience. The staff, the environment, the customer service and overall experience was beyond our expectations. The ride was very smooth, the guides were very friendly and passionate about both their workplace, and horses. I would definitely come here again, as the staff was a group of amazing people who would go above and beyond for their customers. In our case, we left our keys in our vehicle before our trail ride. We told the owner and by the time we finished our ride, a locksmith had already taken care of our vehicle. The owner had called a locksmith for us and paid for us. Overall, I would recommend this play to anyone and everyone looking for an amazing horse riding experience. read more

This was my first trail ride that I've ever done. The staff was phenomenal. They had years of experience and were well knowledgeable of horses and answered all of my questions about them. It was a beautiful day to come here and have a ride! My husband and I locked ourselves from our car and the owner called a locksmith for us and it was taken care of by the time our trail ride ended. We LOVE this place and we will be back shortly. Thank you once again, we are very grateful for the help that we received today. read more

Signed up for a last minute trail ride and it was an amazing experience. I was nervous at first but my guide Jeremiah was really patient providing helpful tips and integrating basics into the ride. From our conversations, I can tell he truly loves horses and is a professional. I had such a nice time that I promptly signed up for my first half hour lesson next week. SHS offers group riding lessons as well but unfortunately it didn't fit with my schedule. Looking fwd to my next visit (hopefully with Thunder)! read more

Really awesome, went here with a groupon and was treated superbly. Saturday was a get to know the horse kinda thing- rode around a fenced off area. Jenna was the instructor and she did great. Told us how to get the horse to do certain things and why. Very fun. The next day we did a trail ride, which was also really nice! We had two instructors one from new zealand and one from england and they also were super nice and personable. We would definitely come here again. The only thing that bothered us on saturday was the amount of annoying bratty kids that were hanging around. but that wasn't even a big deal. also the helmets were kinda yucky- i recommend you bring your own. again, no big deal. read more

It was awesome used a groupon deal and it was alot of fun. Service was fast and attentive. The girls definitely love the horses and it shows. The one hour trek goes by fast. read more

Opinions seem very divided. My experience was: Polite staff and competent instructor. So why only 3 stars? When I called to book a 1 hour private lesson I clearly stated that I was intermediate. But I was registered as a beginner and given the slowest most lazy horse I've ever sat on. Still, it gave me the opportunity to practice some basic stuff - which I needed. I'm sure I'll return though. Now they know my level - and we can pick it up from there (likely resulting in more stars next time) read more

I don't really care what the other posts have said, I rode at Seaton Hackney for 6+ years and had nothing but a tremendous experience. It's a diverse barn because the owner has so much experience in various disciplines of riding. They have top quality instruction that really teaches you how to become a good horseman (or horsewoman). They also a nice collection of horses with alot of character (they are not all easy to ride, but they are all fun and will absolutely make you a better rider). I would HIGHLY reccomend any child looking to really learn how to ride the right way come to Seaton Hackney. I have ridden horses since I was 8 years old and began riding at Seaton Hackney when I was 14. I am now about to graduate college and was captain of my school's equestrian team for the past year and managed to qualify for zone championships in intercollegiate riding. I attribute all of my success riding in college to what I learned at Seaton Hackney. During my years at Seaton Hackney I was exposed to eventing, dressage, show jumping, equitation, western pleasure, barrell racing, and even some side saddle. Marc Schumacher (the owner) is always looking for new disciplines he can expose both his horses and customers to. If you hang around Seaton Hackney long enough, you will become a very diverse rider comfortable on many different types of horses doing a variety of disciplines. I primarily focused on show jumping during my time there, but the skills I learned when I was exposed to the disciplines listed above helped me become a well rounded horsemen. What I love about Seaton Hackney most is that it has something for everyone. If you have never been on a horse before and just want to go for a long trail ride on a nice day, Seaton Hackney will have a great horse for you. If you'd like to learn how to become a solid rider with a great foundation, Seaton Hackney has instructors that can get you where you want to be. Their horses are surpisingly diverse: I showjumped a horse named Fanny, who is currently still at SHS, and then competed on during a barrell racing competition we had one summer; if that isn't a diverse I don't know what is. Overall a great place for anyone to ride. If you don't believe me, go check it out for yourself! read more

The facility is average, the horses are clearly overworked, and the instructors are very inexperienced- but the clear issue with the place is this: the owner. Last fall, many of the most experienced riders of Seaton Hackney, including much of the IEA team, left this stable to further their riding career. This was quite a blow to the owner, Marc, and he actively and aggressively harassed the riders for their untimely departure. In person and over email, he has said some very rude words to young children and teenagers- something which is completely inappropriate for someone of his education and position. He jealously guards his stable and remaining riders, while lashing out at anyone who dares to move on or post their version of the truth on Yelp. As evidenced by some of the other one-star reviews on this page, he attacks these people's characters and accuses them of working for a rival stable, something that is completely ridiculous in nature. This, to anyone reading this review, should be an immediate red flag to anyone who decides to visit this stable and interact with him. When this email (attached) went out, my niece was extremely upset, as she had dedicated many years to this barn, only to be treated like utter trash. Please do yourselves a favor, and take your riding aspirations elsewhere: there are many suitable barns scattered across New Jersey. Here's hoping the owner does not defame my character for this truthful review, as he has done with so many others on this website. read more

I find it hard to reconcile these other reviews with my own experience at SHS. I have ridden there once a week with various trainers, on different horses for over a year and have NEVER had a negative experience. There are horses for every level of rider from complete beginners to upper levels, all the horses I have ridden have been very well behaved, and obviously well cared for. The instructors have never been anything but friendly, attentive and concerned about making the experience fun but safe. No there are no 'indoor facilities', but wouldn't you notice that when you pulled in? And flies? In a barn? Really? I'm sure if your child was riding in a downpour, you would have complained about that as well. PS: If your horse does something he has never done before you rode, then who exactly is to blame? I have been riding for over 30 years, I was always told if your horse does something wrong, it is because you asked him to do something incorrectly. I'm sorry to respond to others reviews, but I love this place, and I feel as if it is a second home for me, so I got a bit perturbed. read more

Horses are well taken care of, instructors are knowledgeable and understanding, and the prices are fair. I always see lots of little girls running around with smiles on their faces taking care of "their" ponies and everyone looks like they are having such a fun time. I have also never been to a holiday party where the proprietor provides free pony rides, hay rides, food, and santa and sleigh in tow with gifts for everyone, including new and old customers. read more

We love Seaton Hackney Stables! We visited twice over the summer and both times we had great experiences: the first time, my daughter's Girl Scout troop had a class lesson and we really appreciated the care that was put in each individual training and the friendliness of the instructors. The horses were mild mannered and visibly happy, the facilities are comfortable and - if you're there with younger children - the corral with a few farm animals is a bonus. We returned a few weeks later for a family class and we liked it even better. Our instructor, Frank, was outstanding and so personable. At the end of our lesson, we felt energized and with a greater love for both horses and riding than when we started (most of us are beginners). A plus, Seaton Hackney Stables makes riding more affordable with the variety of plans offered, for adults and children alike. read more

I applied to work here thinking this would be a nice place to work or even board my horse here, and was completely shocked. I was told to come in for an interview at 11, no other information. I was not given the proper time for an interview, and the woman interviewing me ridiculed and taunted me for not knowing to bring my riding clothes. As someone that has worked in the industry for over 10 years, this was very demeaning, especially during this time in COVID, instructions on what I should and should not bring are expected of an interviewer. I was then told that my "live in option" would be sleeping on a couch upstairs, not as listed on the job description. I was also told there was no room for my horse, also as listed on the job description. Not to mention my interview consisted of me standing in on a private lesson while I was asked questions relating to gossip about people we knew in the horse industry, the final straw however, was being asked to get the interviewer items that she had forgotten before her lesson (fly spray, lunge whip) when asked like a three year old if I knew what a lunge whip was, I just about had it. Also watched instructors chase directly behind horses with lunge whips encouraging them to go forward, come on. read more

I signed up through Morris County fall book of educational events. Even though, the COUNTY mistakenly scheduled the INCORRECT time the group lessons would take place ( 4pm-6:30 ) I had to participate in the 6-7:30 pm , which I didn't enjoy as much because in the fall, it gets darker earlier. Yes, the stables had 2 large exterior stadium lights, I just prefer earlier time during natural daylight. Kelsey our instructor was awesome ‼DESPITE THE EVENING RIDING, SHE MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE ! Very patient, mild mannered, just down to earth, & extremely knowledgeable about horses in general, their emotions, behavior, how to apply pressure to get them to move & in the direction you want them to move. Having the horse respect you, these are invaluable tools aside from learning proper posture, & the actual mechanics / physics / balance of riding . Kelsey made my experience just wonderful. I am motivated to begin private lessons with Kelsey. Mark , the owner too, is so very kind & down to earth. read more

Beware of appointments! We scheduled a ride, only to find out the stables did not have it in their books. They did not offer any discounts, nothing. Quite disappointing, as we had two children who were quite looking forward to the ride... read more

I've taken my 2 year old here for multiple pony rides and the instructors have been great. She's safe and so happy. Would highly recommend.

Definite waste of time and money. I went here to the riding camp about three years ago, and it was terrible. The place is disgusting and dirty, even for a barn. Now, there was a teenage girl who was our counselor, and was obviously just the daughter of someone working at the stables. And to make it even worse, it seemed like she didn't even want this work, because she was extremely mean and rude to us. She didn't even let us go to the bathroom! My brother had to hold it for the whole day. Now, because this is a riding camp, you'd expect us to be riding horses, right? Nope. Since there were about 50 kids, almost no time was spent actually riding the horses. Most of the time, we were pretty much forced to memorize the horse breeds, learn about horseshoes, or clean the horse poop. Come on! Also, since it was full day, we brought lunch bags, and guess what they did? They literally just threw them in the middle of the barn, and let me remind you, these people aren't exactly worried about hygiene, so they just let the bags lay there in the middle of all the dirt and poop. This was a terrible experience, and I definitely do not recommend going here, since the rest of their activities, not only the riding camp, are pretty much how this whole review is based read more

This place has a lot going for it but definitely has some things that could be improved. I have attended both its half day and full day summer camps, FlexCamps, and Jockey Hollow summer camp (which brings Seaton Hackney horses from the stables). The good: -The program for the full day camp is REALLY good. It's definitely what wins Seaton Hackney all its awards, as it has so much of all different types of riding and barn management activities. -The CITs there are SO nice, friendly and helpful. (For some reason, the actual counselors are mostly not very pleasant, though they are very knowledgeable about horses.) The bad: -When I was there in the beginner group for half day camp, I was going into 7th grade. but there was a girl in my group who was going into FIRST grade (all of the other kids were in elementary school too). Obviously that age difference made it impossible for me to be challenged or make friends. (The only thing that saved those weeks was that there was this girl named Mercy (or maybe Charity, I forget--they were sisters) who was a CIT or a helper or something and was actually the nicest girl I've EVER met. But then again, I was older than her, so it was kind of awkward at the same time.) -Once at the Jockey Hollow camp, one of the instructors, Joy, told me I was a bad rider. Granted, it was no doubt true but also beyond inappropriate. A few years later, I was at FlexCamp and went on a trail ride with her and some others. She somehow dropped her phone in the snow while riding, and we spent a good amount of the trail time with her looking for it and dropping some choice words. -The horses. Some of what Lily J. said about the horses is true, as the place has a lot of horses but only uses a handful for the camp. If you are riding at the end of the day, the horses no joke look pretty dead and barely move. (However, I disagree with what Lily J. said about the amount of riding time, as we did get a lot of riding time.) Overall, I would say this is a good, enjoyable camp, especially for younger kids or very experienced older riders. One last note...I have never met the owner, but some of his comments on here seem to be so corrosive and a bit scary... read more

I used to ride for a number of years while I was younger and loved it. I found that Seaton Hackney had a PEP program. I was thrilled. Easy to sign up. Fingers crossed that my almost 4 year old girl would love it as much as I did and still do. From the moment we pulled up she had a smile on her face. The staff that worked in the office were great. When you enter to the one stable those horses are stunning. Beautiful property and all the staff were friendly and engaging as soon as they made eye contact. Chelsea or Kelsey was my daughter's group instructor, I didn't grab the volunteers name but she was just as amazing. She was awesome and so informative. She answered every question and was extremely patient with the children. My heart melted from the moment we pulled in to the moment we left my daughter had a blast. Thats what it is all about!!! Great job and would highly recommend this stable to anyone!!! read more

We used Seaton Hackney (i.e., Equishare Baraat Horses) for our Indian wedding groom procession recently ("baraat") and we received excellent service. They provided the horse right on time and it was beautifully decorated with traditional Indian decor. Payment was easy and they were easy to work with. We would recommend using them for your Indian wedding events. read more

I had to write a review after reading all of them on Yelp. I have been riding here for years and have had many different instructors. Through my time here, I have learned a lot and improved on my basic skills as a rider. Yes, it may sometimes be dirty, but it is a barn. Yes, the horses may sometimes be tired, but that is at the end of the day or if it is too hot. I think people often complain on the internet without going directly to the source first. The owner worked with my father to come up with a gift certificate/Christmas gift for me since my father couldn't afford a full riding card. I enjoying riding here and enjoy the staff who I have met and have not had a problem with them. read more

Not only have I found out through reviews that horses were thin and ill upon return to their owners, but I applied for a job as a horse/ helper and was denied because of an opinion. I was rejected from consideration because I had mentioned my support for the ban on NYC horse-drawn carriage business. I received a very terse and churlish reply by the owner who probably supplies the NYC carriages with their horses. Not only unnecessary but very, very unprofessional. Hearing from other reviews that their stalls were in poor condition (not having enough supply, looking as though they hadn't been cleaned in months as well as overworking the horses) made this situation even more unpleasant. Also, because I would have done great work to ensure that the barns would be in great shape and a big help. My great grandfather was a respected horse trainer back in Ireland and would have winced at this business owner and his reply to a job applicant and his regard toward his horses. It seems as if this place is run just as the "barns" in NYC for the carriages horses are run - purely for business with no regard toward the actual workers, the horses. Good job guys. read more

Our daughter started riding at Seaton Hackney three years ago, and she loves ever moment she spends at the barn. She has participated in the troop program, the volunteer program, individual lessons, and is now a part of the show team. Seaton Hackney incorporates horse care and training into its horsemanship program so the young riders learn a great deal about how to care for a horse as well as how to ride one. We all adore her instructors and the great interest they take in encouraging our daughter to become the best equestrian she can be. Finally, she has made several of her closest friends at the barn. The Seaton Hackney family is a warm community, open and eager to share their love for horses with everyone. read more

I absolutely love coming to seaton hackney! Everyone is so nice! The horses are so well kept and a pleasure to ride. The trails are very beautiful. If you're in the area, I would definitely suggest going to seaton hackney! read more

Very disappointed with a recent kids birthday party we hosted there. We had a large group of kids invited and shelled out a lot of money to Seaton Hackney for the party. They did not at all deliver on what they had promised. They supplied only one staff person and the wait times for pony rides etc. were enormous. The old bait and switch routine I guess, all to common these days.- i.e. they promised a certain level of service at the party and then completely failed to deliver. Definitely would not host a large kids party there again. read more

We've had a fantastic time here. The staff is very helpful and knowledgable! Horse are well cared for and pleasant. I'm surprised to see negative reviews here. It is well run. We will return again and again! read more

Excellent experience! My daughter attended riding camp. She learned tons. The staff was friendly and flexible. Camp included swim time at a beautiful pool. Animals were well cared for and facilities were well maintained! Would highly recommend! read more

I rode at Seaton Hackney for almost a year and I have to say, the instructors are very knowledgeable, experienced and all are passionate about what they do. I did learn a lot during my time there. That is why I am giving two stars. To be very honest, this barn has seen better days. A lot of things are falling apart and you would think with the amount of business they get from Groupon in addition to the amounts they charge for their lessons (more than other places in the area), they could afford some fixing up. You usually have to tack up the horse in its stall since there are only two cross ties which are usually being used. Good luck with that, when a horse is trying to kick or bite you. There is no indoor ring and I rode in icy conditions (against their weather policy) when it snowed because lessons were not cancelled. It was very dangerous since my horse was losing its footing and I did not feel comfortable. I am usually the type of person to give things the benefit of the doubt, but some of these horses looked very thin in my opinion. Ribs and bones were very visible on some and I know what underweight horses look like. I once woke up sick and could not attend my scheduled lesson later that day. I called first thing in the morning and was threatened by the owner to be charged a cancellation fee and lectured for disrupting the instructor's schedule for something out of my control. I was paying YOU very generously for my lessons. Not anymore, I have taken my business elsewhere. read more

I have been a lifelong equestrian, but fell out of touch with my favorite past time when I moved to New Jersey about 5 years ago. When I started settling into a normal routine, I began searching for a place to rekindle my passion. Since I was clueless to the NJ circuit, I resorted to google and it lead me to Seaton Hackney. I am sooo grateful it did! I have been in attendance atleast 2x per week for the last few months and it's still not enough. They have affordable options for lessons both private and group. There is a wide variety of horses and they are all well mannered. I rarely ride the same horse in the same month. They get regular turnout so they can all still act like animals when their work is done. I also took notice to the frequency of the farrier visits. Regular maintenance is vital and they are all in good condition. The staff is friendly and I've never encountered issues with scheduling, although I do wish they would take online reservations and payments. I can't imagine riding elsewhere. I would recommend SHS to anyone and everyone expressing interest in horses. read more