Barnfield Riding School

I love riding here. I've been coming every other week for over 2 years. Quality of the horses & lessons for an advance rider much better than some of the other places in London (I've ridden at 5 other riding schools over the years). I have a regular spot in a group lesson and it's very easy just to call up and change if need be. Always found the staff to be friendly and helpful.

It's a very good place. You can get used the staff they are very friendly. Depends what you talking about. Also you have a chance to learn about a horse. Including horse riding. Also helping out at the Stables.it make you feel confident. Depends on the different people. I been going to barnfield riding Stables since I was 10 years old.I learned different skills. At barnfield riding Stables. I feel really proud of my self.

Our experience was very unpleasant and disappointing.Our lesson was at 3:30, I was told to come by 3 for the preparation and we arrived at 2:50, however they started at 3:40 and the blond lady told me that was my fault because I arrived at 3:15.However when I complain she told me she was the only one running around and couldn’t do any further, she told me that she could only “bend over”, I though she was very rude, however she managed to keep the kids on for the ten minutes lost in the beginning.As I was asking why they didn’t provide the kind of lesson that I paid for, the same rude lady was making excuses up, pretending that what she offered was better, that what I was asking was more expensive.. etc..I wasn’t given what I did pay for, I was not happy, in fact not even my girls.She went inside and ask to the owner ( by the way, he was previously complaining that he didn’t want to do that job anymore) if he wanted to make things right with me and he says “NO”.I booked for one teacher only ( wishing to be in the arena, as they mentioned in the Mail ) so the kids could be free with horses, instead they have done exactly what my girls didn’t want to, go out with one person ( each) holding the horses, just like two years old child, my teen come back so bored.There were a young girl was waiting for a wile to talk to someone and at the end she left in tears as nobody could be bother to talk to her, ( she just wanted to help with horses, that what she said )I will make sure I will never come back there, simply because I have try to explain I wasn’t happy and they couldn’t be bother to listen, she was just talking about her frustration.Now I understand why they are not busy as much as the others, because they are unprofessional.

I wouldn't recommend Barnfield. You better go to places like StagLodge 2 or Lower Morden which are well prepared and equipped. Barnfield is a privately owned tacky institution that thinks they are better than you. They are arrogant and won't give you always horse riding classes although charging the same amount of money. You might go there thinking you will have a class, and they will put your son or daughter in a machine or a ride to the park without previous notice. Many of the teachers and the staff are rude but a lady called Lisa. Lisa is nice and sweet and a great teacher. My daughter learned a lot with her. They just take cash and don't have a proper booking system, so if they forget to erase from their notebook that you are not going, they will want to charge you anyway. Terrible experience.

My autistic and ADHD son just had a really horrid experience here. He was booked in for a trial by a lovely lady last week but when I called this morning to confirm I was barked at by a rude lady saying he needed gloves for Covid reasons. Anyone with experience of autism would know that it comes with sensory issues and I explained that on a 26 degree afternoon gloves would be tricky. She effectively brushed me off and we agreed to try the lesson but told me to be 30 minutes early. My son arrived (at the time requested), and was just repeatedly barked at by the ‘teacher’, we were told he was too early and she kept raising her voice at him to the point where he said he didn’t want to ride with ‘this rude lady’ (his words). His carer wasn’t allowed to walk with them (again incredibly unorthodox for an RDA approved school as again anyone with some understanding of ASD and ADHD would know that separating him so quickly having built less than zero rapport would likely cause massive anxiety). It’s such a shame because it seems like there are lots of lovely individuals there just not the woman we got stuck with.

I love riding at Barnfield. Over the time I have been riding there, all my instructors have been friendly, knowledgeable and adapted lessons to what I needed at that time. Although it is small stables there is a horse or pony to suit everyone!

Avoid avoid avoid ! I cannot express how disappointingly this riding school handles situations that requires understanding and empathy . It lacks critical and proper management and communication and junior staff members are left to handle difficult situations.After a fall, my daughter sustained serious head injuries a week before half term sessions I had paid for started. After countless hospital visits, we were advised that my daughter should limit such activities for 2 weeks.I informed the club of this medical guidance asked them to transfer the money I had paid towards weekly lessons (I did not even ask for a refund) .My initial email was never acknowledged having not heard back for almost a week since my original emails , I phoned.I was told they have no access to emails at the school and they ‘get too many emails’ .I was then advised another day later (as the owner wasn’t in ) you can have half your money back as credit but we have to keep the rest regardless.I was informed the reason the money could not be transferred was simply that it’s outside of their ‘policy ‘.Throughout this, the owner had left it to a young staff member to relay the decision and I was told ‘well …accidents happen and we can’t keep breaking our policy just to accommodate these situations’ .In the end I let them keep all the money. Their behaviour at this time caused me huge concerns at their lack of proper management and understanding.How would they behave if something serious happened during a lesson ?!? Especially as they make you sign a disclaimer that pretty much absolves them of responsibilities at the start of lessons.Hard to believe this is a horse riding school who have accreditation from the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) .

Just called to try to book my daughter into a hack at short notice. I was really impressed by the care and attention paid to my inquiry - accurate and welcoming with a confidence building attention to safety. Excellent first impression!!!( update after first visit )My daughter just finished her first lesson and hack with Barnfield. What an amazing horse riding school! Lovely staff, the perfect balance of expertise, high quality teaching, caring, friendly and safe. This place is almost an hour drive each way from our home but I’m determined to become a regular customer - I cannot recommend highly enough!

Wow ! I absolutely loved this place, the staff is so professional and friendly. Patsy helped me get ready (find the right hat size and boots) and I had my lesson riding Freddy with Lisa. Lisa was so calm and explained everything I needed to know in a calm and gentle manner. Throughout the ride she gave me many opportunities to practice the skills she was teaching me (stopping, turning right and left, signalling to oncoming vehicles ). She also allowed me to challenge myself and taught me to get off Freddy without the steps which i've never tried before and was surprised that I can do it. I will definitely be back here, if anyone is looking for a school to help them get back into riding or try out riding for the first time I highly recommend Barnfield.

I booked for my two grandchildren two separate ride and groom sessions. (8 years and 13 years old) with OUTSIDE ride. When I arrived they were put in the same GROUP lesson with 5 other young riders, even though I booked for them to receive each one PRIVATE session. They still charged me the full amount of £50 each (excluding hire of hats and boots ). Also I thought they would be grooming each one their own horse instead of a shared lesson again. Still charged as if they were given private session. I am so very disappointed and feel very mislead. I specifically asked for a ride outdoors not inside stable. Not only they were put in a group lesson inside the stables.I was hoping for them to get an exciting ride out NOT A GROUP lesson to encourage them to enjoy a ride in nature then join club for lessons.They were utterly bored by the group lesson , indoor … spending g too much time standing still … waiting for others. It was not what I booked for and definitely what I was charged for. Only reply I got : we are short of staff and horses. So why did they book them in and confirmed the booking and still charge me full price for two separate private rides outside , and two separate grooming session? Wouldn’t even consider a refund., or offer alternative riding session ….. we were seriously considering their share a pony scheme. Not anymore !