Hunter barns near downtown St Louis?

[Littlechestnuthunter]

Looking for recommendations for some great barns near downtown St Louis. Care and turnout are of the utmost importance. Willing to drive 30-45 minutes but the closer to downtown, the better!

• Ample daily turnout
• Plenty of hay provided
• Smaller, more adult amateur focused barn preferred…would like to stay away from barns with a huge client base, I like a more personal feel
• Obviously, a great trainer is a must! I do the Adult I and II hunters and some Eq. Looking do to some local A’s and some schooling shows, may travel out of state a few times a year to show.
• Trailer parking needed
• Access to trails would be a bonus, but not a necessity

Thanks in advance for any recommendations

[kaya842]

Where about are you when you say “downtown”? There are several barns that get regularly recommended on here that will fit most if not all of your requirements. Here is my breakdown of them:

Mechlin Farm - VERY successful program, travels often to shows, seems to have more junior riders than AAs, horses are turned out individually in paddocks for a few hours (usually 1-2 IIRC), not sure about trailer parking, 50 min to downtown

KEE Inc - travel to shows frequently, seem to have more juniors than AAs, in my experience they have been hard to get ahold of, 40 min to downtown

Baskin Farm - not sure if they travel to shows but I do not see them around, they have a lesson program with lesson horses which is mostly made up of kids, larger barn, 36 min

Dublin Farms - small farm, trailer parking I think depending on the trailer size, larger pastures, horses turned out between meals (8ish hours), derby field/ some trails, smaller program, very nice accommodating trainer (Boo Gonzales) with mostly AA riders I believe, not sure if they travel to shows but they do host schooling shows on site, 44 min

Great Griffin - larger barn with kid lesson program, travels to shows often, several different trainers available, 41 min

Kennedy Farms - very nice facility, small turnouts IIRC, variety of both kids and AAs, travels to Vermont every summer as well as other shows, 30 min

Personally, I think your best bets are KEE and Dublin for the personal feel. If you are more of a DIY person or your horse does not need to be in full training there are other places that may work. There may also be a place that works better (is closer) if you look across the river in IL. I do NOT recommend Greensfelder Stables - the turnout is essentially non-existent.

[Littlechestnuthunter]

@kaya842 Thank you so much! I’m googling everything you’ve listed…question though. TKF Equestrian popped up under Kennedy Farms, is it a different program at the same barn? Any insights?

Looked at that first since it’s the closest, will keep researching! I’m in Lafayette Square.

Horse knows his job, but would benefit from occasional pro-rides…I, on the other hand, am your typical AA and could benefit from as many lessons as possible :lol:

Thx again!

[hasahorse]

I live in Skinker DeBaliviere and I board my dressage horse out in Foristell. I have boarded at Griffin and Kennedy - both have smaller turnouts that are not offered all day. If you want good turnout, you really have to go more than 30 minutes away. You may want to look to the East side. Marshall Show Stables in Moro, IL is about 40 minutes from downtown. I don’t know what they offer trainer wise or turnout wise, but Ashley has done a ton of improvements since she bought it.

[mroades]

Pegasus Equestrian

[Fluffie]

I sent you a PM.

[kaya842]

TKF is the son of Michaela Kennedy (head trainer/ owner of Kennedy Farms), who is starting his own program in a separate barn at the same facility.
Marshall Show Stables is a very nice facility. The only have an indoor, but it is a very nice, large indoor. Last time I spoke with Ashley she was not offering lessons or training as she wanted to continue to show as an amateur.
I will say that my barn, Byrnes Mill Stables, may work for you turnout and personal feel wise. It is a boarding barn (not specifically training and showing), but Taylor Forbes Wicker of Full Circle Farm comes by several times a week. She does both pro rides and lessons for several people at the barn. There is also another instructor available who does both pro rides and lessons. The horses are out from 8-5 everyday in large grass pastures (we still have long thick grass). The care is the best I have found in a boarding barn in the area.

mroades- I have only seen Pegasus in passing, but based on what I have seen and their location I wouldn’t think they would have much in the way of turnout? They are located in a more developed area (right in the middle of a subdivision I thought) and don’t have much space that can be seen from the road.

[Mac123]

Most of the barns closer to St. Louis aren’t going to have great turnout. Pegasus has small dry pens and that’s it, as it’s surrounded by neighborhoods. It is a higher-end barn feel, though.

Anything that’s out is going to have better turnout options, but will probably be close to an hour away depending on traffic - maybe more. Byrnes Mill, Riverside Ranch (Sarah Monfort has a great program there), Dublin (is Boo back? She had been gone for a while), Saint Louis Equestian Center, are all pretty far out on the more 44 side of things, while programs like Mechlin, Irish Fox, Blue Skyy and Griffin are out across the Missouri River in more the Lake St. Louis or Wright City area.

Kennedy and KEE are in Chesterfield and are probably the closest that have more turnout than Pegasus, which is in Town & Country. But I don’t believe any of those three will offer more than a couple hours of turnout a day. Ridgefield has a decent program in Wildwood, they show more on the local circuits, but don’t have much turnout either.

There’s some options to the East…Briarstone Riding Academy in Waterloo isn’t too far away and I know of a couple people who live in the more central metro area who ride there. They have at least a couple AA ladies who ride there, and it’s a lower key program that still does some of the A shows too. Might be worth checking out. I believe they have at least some turnout, although I’ve never personally been there.

[jump4it]

Marshall Show Stables, they have great turn out, a really nice indoor, and a nice outdoor. I am out at St. Louis Equestrian Center and really like it, they offer pasture board with grain which is unheard of. We have a really good dressage trainer out there and I heard Brody Robertson will come over for H/J lessons.

[rockonxox]

Brody is amazing (I’ve ridden a few clinics with him and also helped him set/take down courses and run timer at a competition)! My friend just recently moved her horse to his barn in St. Louis. It is a training barn though so probably not quite the vibe you are looking for. Absolutely beautiful and the Robertson’s are great people.

[Littlechestnuthunter]

@Mac123 sent you a pm!

Thank you all so much, this is very helpful!

[Chouteau]

I keep checking this thread to see if there is anything new I haven’t heard about!! but I think several of the posters are close friends it’s tough - the perfect barn within sane driving distance of the city just doesn’t exist so you have to decide what is most imortant to you and make the rest work. I will second the votes for Sarah Monfort, but Riverside is so far out - I currently trailer over but don’t get to see her as frequently as I’d like, and the Robertsons are fantastic as well.

[jumpermd]

I train with the Robertsons and they are phenomenal. Their training is second to none. Excellent program. Amazing care. They do not do the hunters, however. Their focus is more on the jumpers and eventers. But you couldn’t ask for a better place to grow. I have grown immensely since joining their program.