A friend of mine is living in NW Washington DC and is looking for a place that is not too far away where she can take lessons. She is very athletic and knows the basics but wants to do more. Is there anywhere she can go that is less than an hour away, preferably no more than 30 minutes?
I don’t have many first-hand recommendations because I couldn’t really afford horses when I lived in the immediate metro area, but there are many farms out in the Poolesville area, both HJ and Eventing. Without traffic you could likely make it out there in 30-40 minutes or so on the weekend…weekdays would be much tougher. There is also a concentration of farms in the Damascus area (upper Montgomery County), but that would be a good 45 minute (or longer) drive, even without traffic.
Otherwise there’s Meadowbrook, which is right over the D.C. line in Chevy Chase. I haven’t ridden there but they seem to have a good lesson program. It’s quite a bit more expensive than farms further out though.
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Thanks Natalie. I know it is hard to find a place in a big city but even Los Angeles has pockets tucked away with horse farms.
Meadowbrook is a great place.
used to be that way out here too but not anymore. Honestly a 30 minute commute from DC is a fantasy. it can take just 20 minutes getting out of DC! Meadowbrook is probably your friend’s best option as its right on the DC/Chevy Chase line in Rock Creek Park.
The other issue is many places just don’t have lesson horses available / the majority of places are board/training facilities with privately owned horses. But some of those places have horses available for lease.
Meadowbrook is probably the best/only place she’ll find within 30 minutes of the city (and depending on where in NW she’s coming from, that could even be a stretch). There’s also Rock Creek Park Stables in NW but I think that’s more beginner-oriented.
Meadowbrook. She could also try heading for Wheaton Park Stables if Meadowbrook is too pricey for her. A bit further but not significantly.
She could contact TROT and of course, The Equiery is online.
Another vote for MEadowbrook. Great set of school horses for an advanced beginner or intermediate adult. There is also Potomac Horse Center which is a bit further but not by much.
According to their website Meadowbrook only does packages of lessons that have to be purchased well in advance. If your friend is interested in summer lessons there, she will probably need to sign up soon.
In VA, the closest barn with lesson programs I can think of is Stoneridge in Great Falls - depending on where in NW you’re coming from that could be a 30 minute drive without traffic. Maybe The Saddlery in Great Falls would know of other lesson programs in the area? Google tells me there’s a place called Black Hill Stables that seems to offer lessons. Also that Little Burgundy Farm still exists in Alexandria.
Expanding the search to an hour from DC, there seem to be some options of varying quality in Centreville and Aldie - I know people who ride at MEA Haven and are happy there.
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Meadowbrook!
