Barns near Boston MA

[alicere]

Hello,

I apologise if this is a repeat question - I couldn’t seem to find any recent information on this topic.

I have recently moved to Arlington, MA - outside of Boston. I’m looking for a place to take lessons. At the moment, I have very little money, but I’m trying to get to a point where I can buy.

My background is basically as a semi-pro. I showed all around Northern CA as a junior and young amateur - I was a working student from age 12 onwards. After college, I had my own school horse business and also worked for the resident h/j trainer. Following that, I moved to upstate NY and worked for a sales/sporthorse breeding farm and then as an instructor/rider at a different barn. I have a lot of experience but I need polishing.

I’m looking to go back to riding for me and my hope is to find a lease or a project horse to purchase that is just for me, eventually but for now, I’m hoping to find a reputable barn that I can take lessons at to keep me fit and so I don’t go crazy not riding.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks.

[flowerpot]

There are a lot of different barns outside of Boston, but this is definitely not an inexpensive place to ride!

Are you looking to just take hunter/jumper lessons? If so, any barn in the area that has an IEA team or college team that runs out of the barn will likely have lesson horses that you can take lessons on. You definitely will pay for what you get. I would also suggest talking to local tack shops and seeing what their suggestions are. I would be happy to give you some advice about any barns that you find if you would like!

[findeight]

Can you tell us what your drive time limitations are and which direction is easiest for you to drive? Like are you easy access to an Interstate or expressway? Most of the barns are up the North Shore around Danvers, Hamilton and Ipswich, up around Lexington, Concord, Nashoba or down south. But there are many others scattered around-that’s where getting back in will help you find them.

It is probably going to be pricey to use the school horse and an indoor is a must, which is going to get the price up…and, honestly, traffic is a byatch so keep that in mind. Lived in LA, SF, Queens and briefly Miami. Boston and its antiquated surface street routing NOT based on a grid wins as the most difficult.

If I were you, I’d just get started anywhere and build off that. Found it’s easier to make contacts after you get back into it and can start the meet and greet plus building your reputation. Not necessary to find the perfect place at this point, just somewhere to get started you can get to relatively easily.

There is, or used to be, a newspaper style publication found at tack stores, Horsemen’s Yankee Peddler, if it’s still out there, it’s a good source for local information.

Dover has, or had, a nice brick and mortar store over in Wellesley. Fun to browse just to smell the leather but better to start digging for information at. It’s a cute town too, not too far. We used to do lunch when we went.

[SnicklefritzG]

[QUOTE=findeight;7847160]

It is probably going to be pricey to use the school horse and an indoor is a must, which is going to get the price up…and, honestly, traffic is a byatch so keep that in mind. Lived in LA, SF, Queens and briefly Miami. Boston and its antiquated surface street routing NOT based on a grid wins as the most difficult.

.[/QUOTE]

I used to live in Boston. The place is based on paved over cowpaths. lol.

[SharonA]

You could head west on Route 2. There are, I think, two H/J barns in Sudbury, about 35 minutes from Arlington: Blue Meadow and NorthGate. In Concord, there is Verrell Farm Stables. In Bolton, near Route 117 (getting close to an hour from Arlington now), is Century Mill and in Berlin, Great Oak Farm. Again, not endorsing any of these barns; just providing the info and the OP can go from there.

[Canaqua]

Where are you in Arlington? That will help determine whether it is better for you the head west, northwest or south. I’m assuming you a car or access to one? There are A LOT of barns within a reasonable driving distance or Arlington, though none close in. Traffic will be a problem, so if you can do the drive at off hours/weekends and learn some back roads (I can help you with that if you head north/west, I work in Lexington and live in Westford).

Taking lessons at a place with an indoor (you’ll want that this time of year!) won’t be cheap. If you ride very well, there is a possibility of picking up rides on horses left behind when big show barns head south for the winter, I know several people who have been able to ride quite a bit doing that. But, you’ll have to start somewhere to show what you can do and get your name into the chatter mill. So, I agree with Findeight that just getting started is probably most important.

[alicere]

Thanks for your advice. I could probably manage 30-40 minutes away. I’m not sure about easiest direction as I am still so new to the area. I have figured out how awful traffic is! Yes! Worse than LA and the Bay Area! It’s impressive!

[alicere]

I am right on the Medford/Arlington border - near the Mystic Valley Pkwy & 60 intersection. I can probably manage a 30-40 minute commute.

[BostonHJ]

If you are going to the barn in evening rush hour, I cannot think of a single barn under an hour. Arrowhead would probably be the closest but they are also one of the most expensive.

[starhorse]

I’d head out rt 2 like someone mentioned above. You’d probably be able to get to some barns within 45-60 min depending on traffic. Look for barns in Concord, Lincoln, Sudbury… I’ve heard good things about Blue Meadow, Stoneymeade and Arrowhead. They are likely not cheap - particularly Arrowhead.

[Sing_Mia_Song]

[QUOTE=SnicklefritzG;7847331]
I used to live in Boston. The place is based on paved over cowpaths. lol.[/QUOTE]

OMG, totally.

[BigEqRls]

You can also look on the North Shore–when I was a junior I commuted from the city out that way- which was easier than when I went West, though the trainer situation on the North Shore seems to have changed quite a bit in the past 12 years. I still do the North Shore commute - going out is much easier than coming in, though you should avoid the 128/93 intersection by heading out route 16 to route 1, which will lead you to 128/95. You can get to Evenstride in Byfield in under an hour if you go my way and there isn’t stupid traffic (huge accident/road work/random lane closures). You couldn’t pay me to get on the Pike during rush hour.

[chestnuthunter]

I don’t mean to hijack the thread, but do any of you know about Verrill Farms? It’s in Concord and looks to be pretty nice.

[Sing_Mia_Song]

[QUOTE=chestnuthunter;7848121]
I don’t mean to hijack the thread, but do any of you know about Verrill Farms? It’s in Concord and looks to be pretty nice.[/QUOTE]

It’s been around forever. I can tell you that 30 years ago it was primarily a cattle farm and you could smell it for miles. Don’t know if they still have to cattle, but, boy, that smell was legendary.

Alyce McNeil was the trainer then as well. They did primarily the very local/pony club shows.

[chestnuthunter]

[QUOTE=Sing Mia Song;7848613]
It’s been around forever. I can tell you that 30 years ago it was primarily a cattle farm and you could smell it for miles. Don’t know if they still have to cattle, but, boy, that smell was legendary.[/QUOTE]

That’s funny. I don’t think they still have cattle (looks to be a h/j lesson and show barn now) but that’s where I’ll most likely be boarding if my move to Boston ends up happening. I will know for sure Dec. 15 so I’m trying to go ahead and get a short list of barns just in case.

[BostonHJ]

I think of Verrill as mostly a lesson barn. I can’t say I can recall seeing them at any shows.

[findeight]

[QUOTE=chestnuthunter;7848630]
That’s funny. I don’t think they still have cattle (looks to be a h/j lesson and show barn now) but that’s where I’ll most likely be boarding if my move to Boston ends up happening. I will know for sure Dec. 15 so I’m trying to go ahead and get a short list of barns just in case.[/QUOTE]

Well, that’s a change for you, keep us in the loop. But say to you as I said to the OP here. Just pick someplace decent and close, get moved, get settled, learn your way around and THEN try to find a perfect set up, not that that ever really exists anyway.

They have a local show organization, North Shore Horsemens ass., that can give you leads, I’m sure they have a website. I could too but they would be up around Ipswich and Haverhill, might be too far to be practical. No way to know

Any dig up all your blankets, horse will want them.

[chestnuthunter]

[QUOTE=findeight;7848734]
Well, that’s a change for you, keep us in the loop. But say to you as I said to the OP here. Just pick someplace decent and close, get moved, get settled, learn your way around and THEN try to find a perfect set up, not that that ever really exists anyway.

They have a local show organization, North Shore Horsemens ass., that can give you leads, I’m sure they have a website. I could too but they would be up around Ipswich and Haverhill, might be too far to be practical. No way to know

Any dig up all your blankets, horse will want them.[/QUOTE]

Isn’t it? Never, never, never thought I might be living in Boston. Some of the board rates are giving me heart palpitations though. Not looking for an A circuit show barn, just a field and a stall where I can keep my horse.

My poor horse has never seen snow and won’t know what hit him.

[Punkie]

[QUOTE=chestnuthunter;7848744]
Isn’t it? Never, never, never thought I might be living in Boston. Some of the board rates are giving me heart palpitations though. Not looking for an A circuit show barn, just a field and a stall where I can keep my horse.

My poor horse has never seen snow and won’t know what hit him.[/QUOTE]

Chestnuthunter, if you want info on Verrill, feel free to PM me, but I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere.

[chestnuthunter]

[QUOTE=Punkie;7849298]
Chestnuthunter, if you want info on Verrill, feel free to PM me, but I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere.[/QUOTE]

Will do. It has become apparent that I am most likely not going to be able board at a barn with an indoor or any such luxuries.
Oh well. If the colonists did it so can I. If anyone has recommendations feel free to PM me!