Hi I am new to this forum and am hoping for some sage advice. We are moving to Reading, PA this spring/summer and a MAJOR priority for the move is to find a barn for my 14 year old daughter (and I) to ride out of. Catie (my daughter) has been riding H/J for 5 years and we have had our first lease and foray into the show circuit this past year. We are currently at Equest Farm in New Orleans. We LOVE our current barn. It is run by an older horse woman, all the trainers are women, the Tulane Riding school rides out of the barn and the environment is very supportive. We are hoping to find a new home - and horse for our move. Suggestions? Thanks in advance for your time!
I highly recommend Erika Kurtz at Serenity Farm. She is great with kids, adults and a true horseman. She runs a great program and takes excellent care of the horses in her barn. She coaches school teams and trains OTTBs for resale.
She has a Facebook page as well, and is about 15-20 minutes from downtown Reading. I would keep a horse with her, and I am extremely fussy.
Linda Furches, Foxtale Farm, in Oley. About 20 minutes from Reading. She is amazing with riders of all levels.
I love Linda. She is great.
Hi Future Neighbor!
What exactly are your riding goals/type of horse you are looking for? Schooling shows/laid back, fun barn atmosphere vs. rated shows/serious training? Seasoned, more expensive show winner vs. less expensive caretaker or training prospect? I can give you names for both and everyone is pretty friendly in the area. If they don’t feel their program would be a good match, they’ll happily recommend someone else.
Great questions. We are looking for more schooling shoes and laid back fun, with maybe 1 or 2 rated shows a season, our current barn does both so we have the best of both worlds but my daughter has a more laid back approach. We also want an indoor ring we enjoy riding without having to worry about the weather. We all so do full care board - I work a lot of crazy hours and need a groom to help me out if I am going to get to ride during the week. We will be looking for a moderately priced horse (low to mid fives) that is seasoned and can be in the ribbons and then a steady less expensive one for me. We both would like our next horse(s) to be flexible enough to trail ride.
Thanks for any help. This is a big move for my daughter and getting the horse thing right will be super important.
Hm, not quite sure if any of the barns that I’m thinking of for schooling shows/laid back atmosphere/occasional rated shows would offer grooming services, but could probably enlist the help of a more experienced lesson kid?
Erika’s place is definitely great with phenomenal care and a fantastic barn family, but she does not have an indoor on site. Hosts schooling shows.
Diamond L Riding Academy/Lori Eberly is in Douglassville (about 30 mins) at Molasses Creek Horse Farm https://www.facebook.com/Diamond-L-Riding-Academy-649922738389586/ Hosts schooling shows. Will need to own/lease own horse as she doesn’t have lesson horses (all clients own or lease).
B.W. Stables/Becky Weik and Larissa Fischer are in Reinholds (about 15-20 minutes) at Stony Run Fields https://www.facebook.com/BW-Stables-138980286257313/
Katelyn Makara at Sheer Chance Stables in Honey Brook (about 45 mins) www.sheerchancestable.com Smaller indoor, but enough to keep horse going through winter. Hosts schooling shows.
Bridge Acres Stables in Lancaster (about 40 minutes) bridgeacresstables.com Hosts schooling shows (not sure how much outside showing they’re doing?).
Tasha Plunket of Spring Haven Show Stables at Flintrock Stables in Lititz (40 minutes) https://www.springhavenshowstables.com/
Those are just some to get started checking out that I think would suit your needs, as they all are pretty laid back and do a mixture of schooling and rated shows. Honestly there is no shortage of what you’re looking for in the area if none of the above work. Most (if not all) of the programs listed above also do IEA.
Linda Furches does not have an indoor.
Leigh Berman at Two Bit Farm in Boyertown has an indoor. The indoor is not huge but is is workable. Her outdoor jump ring is a good sized. She has a good variety of jumps.
Her students do a mixture of schooling and rated shows. Groom service is not the norm there but you may be able to work something out. They do a lot of IEA shows and hold a couple at the farm. Last year she had other schooling shows at the farm too. In addition to Leigh there are two other hunter trainers that work out of the barn.
Leigh has a good selection of lesson horses and ponies available. I am sure she would be able to help you buy or lease suitable horses.
I board at Two Bit but with the dressage trainer that works out of the barn.
All Thank you soo much this is perfect to get started! Many Thanks!
