Re-Rider New to NoVa (seeking updated info)

[back-at-it]

Hi all! Recently moved to NoVa (Falls Church) and am looking to get back into riding after a 5 year hiatus. Looking mostly for a dressage barn, but willing to go anywhere with a good trainer even if not dressage. I am also interested in leasing once I’ve gotten back into the swing of things. I have emailed or visited the websites of the following trainers/facilities and I have been searching the forums for info the past couple of days, but have run into a lot of old posts (anywhere from 2010-2018) or no posts. Any trainers/barns on this list I should avoid? Any I should check out that I haven’t yet? TIA!

1. Lindsay Fox/Aldie Equestrian Center
2. Autumn Rae/Scattered Acres Farm
3. Martha Wunder/Rax Run Eventing
4. Karen Kissler/Kissler Dressage
5. Stephanie Mangan/Cabin Branch Farm
6. Silver Eagle Stables

[SadieRidingHorses]

You should definitely add Ampara Visser at A Training Vision (Haymarket) to your list. Fantastic Gold Medal dressage instructor and trainer; beautiful facility. She has lesson horses and sometimes half-lease options available.

I’ll PM you about another option on your list. You also may want to cross-post in the dressage forum if you’ve not already.

[back-at-it]

Thank you! I did message Ampara last night—will also cross post in the dressage forum. Thanks again!

[Feathered_Feet]

I’ll add another vote for Ampara - would trust her with my horse any day! Helps that she’s also a nice reasonable person

[McGurk]

Is Lauren Spreiser at Spreiser Sport Horse in Marshall too far?

[back-at-it]

Not too far, but I don’t currently have my own horse and I don’t believe she has school horses

[ChestnutMare1]

I would avoid River Chase Farm and Wulf Crest Stables.

[TheDBYC]

Setting aside all matters of barn reputations for a moment… As a native of NOVA, it is my duty to warn you that the drive from Falls Church to Nokesville, Catlett, & parts of PW Co SW will make you want to gouge your eyes out with a plastic spork. Falls Church to Nokesville is a 30 ish mile straight shot on I-66. I-66 is where dreams go to die. The traffic on I-66 is bad enough to make Jesus weep. And while I’m not certain if Jiffy Lube Live has opened back up for concerts, if/when it does, concert traffic makes everything 100x worse. Do you own a helicopter? No? Go buy one. You will need it.

About 17 years ago, a young & dumb me bought a new construction townhouse in Haymarket. There was nothing much of anything in Haymarket at the time. I worked an 8-5 job in Fair Lakes. Easy, right? Nope. Took 1.5-2 hours one way. I remember having to board a cat overnight at the vet because even if I left work at 3:30, I couldn’t be sure I would make it to the vet to pick her up before they closed at 5:30pm.

Realistically, a barn in Clifton or Lorton would be a much better bet. If you really want to ride out this way, renting a weekend pied a terre in the vicinity would be the way to go if at all in the budget.

[FLeventer]

Make sure to visit the barn when you’d be headed there after work or whatever to ensure your commute isn’t horrid. I live in McLean and my commute to the barn can be 30 mins or 2 hours depending on when I leave work.

[TheDBYC]

Adding: A few weeks ago a construction crew failed to clear a night work site off I-66 on time. Result? 3 hours to travel 10 miles east from Gainesville/Haymarket. Standstill traffic on 29, 50, and all other normal bailouts. Route 15 gridlocked clear up to R50. (About 10 miles). Nearly half my coworkers at a jobsite 15 miles from I-66 were late arriving for a 9am start.

[back-at-it]

66 gets worse every day, I swear.

[back-at-it]

Do you ride in Haymarket? I do as well, with Ampara Visser!

[TheDBYC]

I don’t, though I’ve heard great things about Ampara! We live in southern Loudoun so I occasionally head down to Haymarket to run errands.