Lessons for an 8 yr old - Woodbridge, VA area

[GirlGeek]

One of my co-workers has a daughter who has always wanted to learn to ride, but had some health problems that prevented her from doing it (asthma, severe allergies). She’s turning 9 next week and has been cleared by her doctor to take lessons. Her mom wants to surprise her with riding lessons. I live in Md, so I’m not familiar with lesson barns in that part of Virginia that work well with kids her age.

Her mom looked up Shady Brook Stables, Criswood Farm, and Twin Oaks Riding Academy. Does anyone have any feedback on these places and/or have any other recommendations? Please feel free to comment here or PM me. Thanks in advance!

[Silk]

Is she anywhere near Bedford, VA? Katie at Otteridge is wonderful with the little ones and is super sensitive to individual needs. She and her family have been in the business for generations…her Mom and Grandma bred/breed the Otteridge ponies, but Katie has a great lesson program there and some really nice school ponies.

[GirlGeek]

Hi Silk,

I think almost 200 miles is a bit far to go for a lesson at this stage of the game, but thank you for the information!

[VirginiaBred]

Awwww, we LOVE Silk!
Katie is my daughter and a clone of my mother, who had a great lesson program for children. I wish you were closer, you’d love her.

[Silk]

LOL I dont know the area at all, but I figured you would know. i follow Katie and I think she is an amazing young woman!!!

[M_O_Connor]

I was going to suggest Otteridge as well…people do move to get the right training situation, and usually at the other end of the spectrum, but…yeah.

[briddygirl]

Lessons for an 8 year old girl

Hi,
I have a lesson barn in Leesburg, right off Toll Road; however, if she lives in Woodbridge, that would be a hike…I am sure there are lesson barns down that way, much closer than me…go on http://virginiaequetrian.com to see if you can find such a barn closer. Good luck!

[Janet]

Picturesque Farm (Christie Willworth- she posts here as Picturesque) has a great program for kids.

http://www.picturesquefarm.com/

7769 Piccadilly Dr Warrenton, VA 20186

According to google maps, it is about 45 miles from Woodbridge.

The places I know that were closer to Woodbridge are now developments.

[Belmont]

Wish you were closer to VA Beach. I started riding at West Neck Creek Equestrian Center, and I would reccomend them forever. Such wonderful people. Sorry I am no help at all! Hope you find her a place.

[GirlGeek]

Otteridge does have a great reputation and I truly wish they were closer! Although she’s not my kid, she is a good kid with a great attitude and I really want her to have a proper start with her riding.

[alittlegray]

You could always go to Hazelwild in Fredericksburg, they have plenty of school horses/ponies and would be just fine for a brand new rider along with being affordable. It would probably be an hour drive from wood bridge in the evening traffic, 35-40 minutes without traffic.

There isn’t a lot in the area that is decent unless you can find a privately owned place by word of mouth with someone who can take one or two students. Most of the lesson type places I know of would be south of her which stinks in the evenings with rush hour traffic.

[FlyingSwap]

Oh, darn, I do wish you were closer, OP!!! And thank you so much for the compliments, Silk and M. O’Connor! I love what I do and introducing the youngsters to riding and ponies and horsemanship…it’s just the best, most rewarding job in the world!