Atlanta Barns

[mepkkg]

Hi all, I did a search on this but there hasn’t been any recent threads on Atlanta barns. I have an interesting situation. I’m up here working for the summer and then there is a good chance I’ll be back up here full time once I finish my last year of law school. I’d like to find a barn to take some lessons at this summer, and this way get a chance to check out places I think would be a good fit for me in the future.

Ideally I’d be looking for a barn that does a mix of local and rated shows. I’m not under the illusion that I’d get to sit on anything fancy just doing lessons for the summer but when I’m eventually up here I would be looking to lease/buy. I’d probably also need somewhere that has Saturday lesson options for right now. My office is in midtown and with rush hour traffic I can’t imagine getting anywhere outside of the perimeter on a weekday at 5…

I’ve gotten a few names already but I figured COTH could help me out too! I lease a horse in Florida and am accustomed to riding 4/5 days a week so even just finding somewhere fun to stay in shape is fine too. I do the hunters/eq and am comfortable on green horses just for a little bit more background.

Thanks!

[mroades]

It will sooooooo depend on what side of town you are on…

[mepkkg]

That’s what I’m gathering…right now I’m in Druid Hills, office is in midtown. Although I wouldn’t plan on living in Druid Hills next year.

[mroades]

traffic in atl is legendary, so it will make a huge difference which way you want to deal with it.

[DMK]

if the office is in midtown, and you are freshly hired bait, er, I mean first year associate… you might want to focus on something with a nice weekend lesson or lease program and then sort out your options once you figure out when you are going to sleep versus ride, never mind traffic!

And if you have an apartment with a one year lease, after that first year you can sort out where you want to live versus where you ride with a bit more knowledge.

[GaMare]

You can try http://www.falconridgestables.com/ I’ve been there forever & have been thrilled with the training & care. They’ve got a good assistant trainer teaching on the weekend & 6:30 & 7pm lessons (mostly adults) a couple nights during the week with the head & more senior assistant trainer.

[mepkkg]

Thanks for the suggestions guys! And DMK yes my thoughts exactly…I’ll probably be resigned to just riding weekends in the foreseeable future :o

[Soaponarope]

Julie Curtin at New Vintage Farm is great. She’s in Woodstock, GA. http://www.newvintagefarm.net/

[Ponyplusaninch]

PM me about Julie Curtin, if you’re considering her.

I cannot recommend Jack Flowers at Hillmar enough. His program sounds exactly what you’re looking for. Great training, great lesson horses. Extremely sensible which is rare to find in Atlanta let alone the horse world.

[mepkkg]

Just tried to respond to your PM Pony + an inch but your inbox is full!

[Lucassb]

I would agree that Jack Flowers is a terrific guy, but Hillmar is in Gainesville, isn’t it? That would be a h*ll of a hike from midtown…

[atl_hunter]

Hi there! I live in Midtown and I train with Matthew and Julie LeMaster at West Creek Stables in Austell, GA. It’s about 30 minutes west of Midtown. Even in traffic, I can get there in 45 min or less by taking 278 (less traffic than connector or 20 west). www.westcreekstables.com

I actually started there by taking lessons once a week, and eventually entered into a lease situation and I currently train there today. I am able to ride my horse every day except Monday, which is when the barn is closed. Matt and Julie offer lessons on Saturdays, and they also are extremely flexible with adult rider’s schedules.

They attend both local and rated shows.

Matt and Julie are absolutely wonderful. They run an honest and upfront operation, and in all my years of riding and showing horses they have truly been my best trainers yet. They are extremely kind and supportive.

They also have a Facebook page which can be found under West Creek Stables.

Good luck on your future moved to Atlanta! It’s a fantastic city with lots of opportunities.

[MNW14]

I live in Buckhead and went to school down by Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. Despite the horrendous traffic I dealt with on a daily basis, the New Vintage Farm team made it more than worth it. I love being home for breaks. I cannot say enough good things about Julie and everyone she has helping her care for her horses.

[ellevt]

There are lots of barns in Alpharetta/ Milton, but getting there on weeknights from Midtown will make you want to kill yourself.

I’m at Macara stables in Alpharetta now, and I LOVE it. Great trainer, has some nice lesson/ lease horses. He does mostly rated shows though.

There’s Oak Creek Equestrian in Roswell, they have a pretty robust lesson program and Lauren just sometimes needs horses ridden, that might be a good fit for you.

I don’t know much about it, but there is the Atlanta Hunt Club in Smyrna, may be a little more accessible from work.

Also sending you a PM.

[Jello]

[QUOTE=GaMare;8173798]
You can try http://www.falconridgestables.com/ I’ve been there forever & have been thrilled with the training & care. They’ve got a good assistant trainer teaching on the weekend & 6:30 & 7pm lessons (mostly adults) a couple nights during the week with the head & more senior assistant trainer.[/QUOTE]

I will agree with Falcon Ridge. I boarded there for a few years before selling my horse. I’ve since bought a house and keep two horses at home and Sharon has so nicely agreed to let me trailer my boys out to use the ring when needed next year. They’re great people.

[Fig]

Didn’t Sharon Enteen receive disciplinary action from USHJA recently?

I would say Macara or Lauren at Oak Creek.

[mepkkg]

Thanks all! Summer has come and gone and I was able to find somewhere to lesson on the weekends to keep the rust off. I’ll be moving up for good next September so I’ll be looking for somewhere that may have a horse for a busy working adult to half-lease. My office is in midtown so I know the commute on weeknights will be rough but given my work schedule riding on the weekends will likely be more doable anyway.

[vxf111]

When I was at Emory I boarded at Little Creek. My trainer, who was wonderful, is no longer in Atlanta and I don’t know what the story is with Little Creek. It was such a good location, even if the amenities were, well… Little Creeky-y

The commute is kind of rough. If I was still there I’d probably live outside the perimeter on MARTA and keep my horses there. Alpharetta, Roswell, etc. I don’t think I’d try to live inside the perimeter.

[AmmyHunter]

When you do move up, I would look east and west, possibly south, unless you are going to live on the north side. I work for a law firm in midtown and when my office was downtown I chose to drive to Four Seasons in Madison rather than brave the Alpharetta/Roswell commute, and it was an easier drive. The northbound commute has only gotten worse, and I personally won’t do it. You may find you can ride weeknights from time to time, if there are lights or an indoor, but the hard part is knowing which night you can get there, so if you have a half-lease with a set weeknight, you just have to roll with it in the weeks that your night doesn’t work. I think Harrison Ford’s new facility is west of the city, and I’m riding with Jim and Michelle Bassett at South Wind in Conyers and that has worked well for me - they do not have full-time lesson horses but do from time to time have lease and half-lease situations available.

[GaMare]

[QUOTE=Fig;8424288]
Didn’t Sharon Enteen receive disciplinary action from USHJA recently? [/QUOTE]

I’m not going to get into details but lets just say, not one of USEF’s most impressive decisions. I wish they would release details of the hearings so people could have full context.

I have complete faith in Sharon’s focus on acting/advising the the best interests of my horse and I. She helped me through an extensive rehab with my guy and still thinks about the footing conditions on any given day relative to his prior injury. She’s a true horsewoman and there aren’t enough of those left!