[QUOTE=kmmoran;7021128]
I believe Helen Cast is in the area as well… My horse is at Cindi’s up in Georgetown, probably too far away, but a definite recommendation. My mare isn’t hot or sensitive, but I’ve seen her work with others who are and she was wonderful.
I think there is another thread of a similar topic with more recommendations![/QUOTE]
Actually, Helen Cast is in Georgetown (or Groveland?) now too… She leases space in that big mostly-jumpers barn along 133, next to the country club.
[QUOTE=quietann;7021724]
Actually, Helen Cast is in Georgetown (or Groveland?) now too… She leases space in that big mostly-jumpers barn along 133, next to the country club.[/QUOTE]
Oh my apologies! I forgot about that!
If you are going to work in Boston and commute to Hingham/Cohasset, I would rethink that plan. Distance-wise it is not far, but the traffic on Rte. 3 is terrible, particularly in the summer months when people are headed to Cape Cod. Seriously. My mom lived there for several years up until last fall, and I work in Boston and wouldn’t go to visit her after it took me 3 hours once. :mad:
West is not bad at all though. Larkspur Farm is in Littleton, and there is always a good dressage trainer there, and the facility is nice (Ann Romney boarded there.) I don’t know who the dressage trainer is at the moment.
Bear Spot Farm is in Concord. http://www.bearspotfarm.com/index.html and that is another really good alternative.
The trainer at Larkspur is Jane Hannigan. Last year, the BO was going to shut the whole barn down, and Jane was having a hard time finding space for all her horses and the horses she had in training, so she arranged to stick around while she was looking, and it’s worked out better than expected, so she is staying put. I think she (and her mom Sibley) are the only trainers there right now but I am not sure. It’s a gorgeous barn. They lost a lot of the turnout in all the chaos last year, but I think they’re trying to get some of it back. (When fully operational, Larkspur had some of the best turnout space of any dressage barn in the area.)
[QUOTE=quietann;7025095]
The trainer at Larkspur is Jane Hannigan. Last year, the BO was going to shut the whole barn down, and Jane was having a hard time finding space for all her horses and the horses she had in training, so she arranged to stick around while she was looking, and it’s worked out better than expected, so she is staying put. I think she (and her mom Sibley) are the only trainers there right now but I am not sure. It’s a gorgeous barn. They lost a lot of the turnout in all the chaos last year, but I think they’re trying to get some of it back. (When fully operational, Larkspur had some of the best turnout space of any dressage barn in the area.)[/QUOTE]
Good to know. The Hannigans are excellent, by the way. OP, look up Jane & Maksymilan.
[QUOTE=Eclectic Horseman;7025079]
West is not bad at all though. Larkspur Farm is in Littleton, and there is always a good dressage trainer there, and the facility is nice (Ann Romney boarded there.) http://www.larkspur-farm.com I don’t know who the dressage trainer is at the moment.[/QUOTE]
That URL is for a Hunter/Jumper barn in CT. 
Larkspur itself doesn’t have a website, and Jane used to (teamhannigan.com) but it’s no longer operational. =\
[QUOTE=BigBayHanoMare;7025244]
That URL is for a Hunter/Jumper barn in CT. Larkspur itself doesn’t have a website, and Jane used to (teamhannigan.com) but it’s no longer operational. =[/QUOTE]
Thanks, I removed it.
I work in Boston and ride at Herringbrook Farm. Ellie Colletti leases the main barn for her cloud9 sporthorses. the turnout is geat. Ellie is very professional and kind. i keep my guy in her barn and i wouldnt keep him with just anyone. I wouldnt try to drive anywhere during rush hour from Boston but on my days off and not during rush hour I can zip right down to the barn. You should take a tour and talk to Ellie.
Jane is awesome if you decide to go west!
[QUOTE=Sheila;7025255]
I work in Boston and ride at Herringbrook Farm. Ellie Colletti leases the main barn for her cloud9 sporthorses. the turnout is geat. Ellie is very professional and kind. i keep my guy in her barn and i wouldnt keep him with just anyone. I wouldnt try to drive anywhere during rush hour from Boston but on my days off and not during rush hour I can zip right down to the barn. You should take a tour and talk to Ellie.[/QUOTE]
Isn’t Ellie at Wolf Rock?
Just as a relevant piece of information, I drove from Brookline to Georgetown with light traffic in about an hour 
Don’t even ask about the ride home with heavy traffic.
ellie was at wolf rock the last year and just moved back to Pembroke
[QUOTE=Eclectic Horseman;7025108]
Good to know. The Hannigans are excellent, by the way. OP, look up Jane & Maksymilan.[/QUOTE]
I agree 100% When I was taking lessons there with my (now-ex-I-think) trainer, Jane often worked horses at the same time, and she stepped in and helped us through some issues several times. Sibley’s also really, really nice.
“Max” has been retired, but Jane has a couple of young horses she is working with now to bring up the levels.
[QUOTE=quietann;7026016]
“Max” has been retired, but Jane has a couple of young horses she is working with now to bring up the levels.[/QUOTE]
Yes, my point is though that if the OP has not heard the name, if she googles them she will learn that Jane & Max earned a place on the 2008 World Cup team, and that she trained him since he was a youngster. So she has impressive credentials.
It’s Mak;) and quietann maybe we have met!
Jane Hannigan is great. Larkspur has a heated indoor, to take the chill off the coldest days. That is a real luxury! Jane and Sibley Hannigan host Mary Wanless twice a year. Jane Karol is at Bear Spot, which is the fanciest barn (and most expensive, I think) I’ve seen. She runs some clinics, including with Arthur Kottas. I believe that both the Hannigans and Jane Karol are most interested in horses in full training, but I could be wrong. The facility in Georgetown is Twisdenwood, which, when I was there, needed some maintenance. It was once a TB breeding farm, and has a great track around the acreage. However, it usually has hunter jumper trainers and horses (I think it has over 70 stalls) and in the winter the single indoor can be crowded with jumps and lessons… But again, that was the way it was a few years ago. I live in Boston and do a reverse commute to the horses. I leave at 6 am to ride. I go north twice during the week and leave the barn to return to Boston at 9. This is doable, returning on 93 or 95/Route 1. I check Google Maps traffic and pick the best route, and can usually return in 50 minutes. The ride out is faster (43 miles in 40 minutes). I cannot go to Concord/Littleton because the ride back to Boston, even after 9 am, is impossible. So I am at a backyard cowboy barn, without a regulation dressage arena, but Sibley Hannigan comes to the area several times a month and is a great deal of fun to work with. If you go out to Acton to reconnoiter, be sure to have dinner at Spriggs! The owner, Martha, is a dressage rider.
Trainers on south shore
I read though the earlier posts and hope you found the right facility for you and you’re horse. I would
Like to set the record straight as a person who has boarded at a few facilities on the south shore you could not be further from the truth about Longmeadow farm. The Costello’s who own that farm take emense pride in the facility. The stalls each have one or two windows and there are bars between the stalls for lots of ventilation. There is even an option to hang a gate. Every horse gets individual turnout and the fences are constantly being maintained with the PVC white fencing. You will not find better footing on the south shore as the Costello’s put in eurofelt footing that gets oiled every year by arena works owned by Scott Hasslers brother. So if serious training and excellent care was what you were looking for it is unfortunate that you passed by this place. Rita Brown has an excellent reputation as a trainer and usef judge.
Cloud 9 Sport Horses Ellie Coletti located in Plymouth.
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