ashokan riding club

I had a great experience at the Ashoken Riding Club. My husband and I were staying at the Emerson Resort in nearby Mt. Tremper, and we're looking for an activity we could both enjoy. We were very pleased with our riding experience, and would definately come back again.Escorted rides are by appointment only. So you get two teachers with two adults, for a 1:1 riding lesson. So it is not your typical tourist trail ride. We actually learned something! I was trotting for the first time, despite having gone horseback riding at many different travel destinations. If I lived up here (in the Catskills area) I would consider regular lessons with these teachers.So it is not a "posh" place. Just 70+ acres of beautiful woods, safe trails, fresh air, and good companionship -- of horses and people. We loved it here. Give it a try!

Let me start by saying that my husband and I have been together for 14+ years, and have always wanted to go horseback riding. This was my birthday (which they were aware of because my husband told them), and we were excited we were finally going to get to do it. Unfortunately, that excitement turned sour the moment we stepped foot onto their property. We live about 2.5 hours away, so in an effort not to be late, and not knowing how the traffic was going to be, we left early. Our GPS got us to the location, but it was clear this was not a "business." No sign out front, just a broken down garage, and a dilapidated, over run building that I can only assume was their home. But it was the correct address, and there was a car in the front of the driveway with a magnet sign on it that said "Ashokan Riding Club" so we figured we had the right place. We were about 25 minutes early - We parked on the side of the road as there was no where to park, and walked to the house. After such a long drive, I was hoping there was a rest room we could use, but that never happened. We rang the bell a few times, and after a few minutes, Elene came to the door with a phone in her hand. We introduced ourselves, and her response was "Your extremely, EXTREMELY early!" Its true we were about 25 minutes early, but like I said, we live 2.5 hours away, didn't know if we were going to hit traffic, and didn't want to be late. Plus we wanted to make sure this was the correct place - i.e. no signs outside, and it looked nothing like a business, and lastly, we needed to use a bathroom, which was never offered to us. We explained that to her, but it didn't seem to make much of a difference. We then told her we knew we were early, and were willing to wait the 25 minutes, as it wasn't a problem - We weren't trying to upset anyone...So Elene (who is the owner) tells us to walk down to the stable and find her husband - She was busy because we were "so early" and she would come down when she was ready. Okay, first impression is not so good, but we're not leaving, and are still excited to ride some horses! Her husband Umberto greeted just outside the stable. He was a very nice, friendly man who made us feel very at ease. We filled out the waiver while we chatted, and he got the horses ready. He tells us we can leave our purse/keys in their horse treat box that has a lock on it, and he gets us fitted for our helmets. So far so good! About 25 minutes later, Elene comes down - She is the one who will be taking us on our ride. She is all business, not particularly friendly - The complete opposite of her husband. She opens the treat box and sees my bag in there, and tells me that the horses like to open the box on their own and get treats. That there's a possibility that they will eat my purse, and if that happens, its my fault for not locking the box properly, and not their responsibility. Okay... Umberto never mentioned any of this, and he locked it himself. Second impression - Not so good, but we're trying to make the best of it.So Umberto takes a horse out of the stall, and tells my husband to follow him. He got on the horse, Umberto tells him to hold his hands out, and he puts the reins in his hands. Tells him this is the way to hold the reins, and that he's doing it right. He goes back to the stall, and starts to get my horse ready. At this point, Elene was on her horse and walks over to my husband, and tells him that he's holding the reins all wrong. He tries to explain that her husband had just put the reins in his hands like this, but before he could get a sentence out, she tells him that its her property, he has to listen to what she says, and she doesn't care what her husband said. Now, we fully admit we know absolutely nothing about horseback riding, and appreciate professional instruction, and respect someone who knows what they are doing. We were eager to listen to what they told us, and follow the best we could, but this woman Elene was simply horrible. The way she spoke to us was not only unprofessional, but down right disgusting. She kept telling my husband to lean down on the horse, grab the reins, and pull them up. He did. She kept barking at him that he was doing it wrong. He tried again. Again, she barked that he grabbed them incorrectly. She never offered to show him the correct way, just kept telling him he didn't know what he was doing. Then it was my turn. Umberto nicely and calmly explains to me how to get on the horse, and I do it no problem. I lean down to get the reins, but my horse must have been extra hungry, and wouldn't stop eating the grass. Elene was now near me on her horse, telling me to "jerk up" on the reins and get his head up. But of course I wasn't doing it right, and she kept telling me to do it again. I tried to jerk his head up again, and then she scolds me, now saying that I was doing it to much, and was going to make him walk backwards. Elene then informed me that she has 1 year olds on horses doing this all the time, and they can get it - Why can't I?? Seriously? You're putting 12 month old babies on a horse by themselves all the time, and comparing them to me?? Really professional. At this point, I'm not ready to throw in the towel, but I'm getting very upset. Not only is this the first time I'm on a horse in about 20 years, shes making this a horrible experience. In an effort to make her calm down, I say "Your speaking very rudely to me - I'm doing the best I can, but your making me very nervous." My comment was totally ignored, and she kept chastising me, and saying "I have 1 year olds that can do this - Do you know how to listen??" After about 5 minutes of this woman talking down to me, and me trying to do what shes saying, I realized it will never happen, and I was done. I said I wanted off the horse, and to just leave at this point. With that, she starts screaming for Umberto to come over, and she goes over to my husband. Umberto comes over, very apologetic, and says that he will take us on the ride, and tell her to go in the house. He was so nice, and I would have totally trusted him to take us, but at this point, I had had enough. I was near tears, and wanted nothing more than to be off the horse, and as far away from that place as possible. He says he understands (it seemed like this was not the first time she had done this to a customer) explains to me how to get off the horse, and again, I'm able to follow his instruction no problem. I ask him to please get my husband (who had been standing about 30 feet away this entire time at the entrance to the path) so we can leave. He walks over to him, but Elene was already there, working her magic. She was yelling at him that his calves were touching the horse, and that will make the horse bolt, and if that happens, its his fault. Umberto takes my husbands horse over to the "unloading zone" and starts explaining to him how to get down, just like he did with me. Elene then walks over with her horse, and stands about 3 feet away, and starts chastising Umberto, telling him he was doing it wrong. Now... These people told us they have owned and worked horses in this location since 1978 - And shes not even allowing him to instruct someone how to get off a horse?!? Can we say crazy control freak?! She wouldn't even allow him to take the payment from us - Insisted that we only give it to her. While this is happening, I go into their stable (which is a nice way of saying a few pieces of wood slapped together with spit and cob webs) and get my purse. She starts walking towards me, and I assume shes putting her horse back. I start walking away because I didn't want to be in her way. She passes the stable, and walks after me, and starts yelling at me "Now you listen to me!!!" At this point, I was done. I hadn't done anything to her, and I didn't deserve to be spoken to this way. We were leaving because she was so rude to us - What more could she possibly have to say?!? I told her, we were done, we were leaving. I told her I tried to "listen to her" but she was so rude and ill mannered, it wasn't possible. She didn't hear a word I said because she wouldn't stop yelling at me. *** Now for the scary part - She kept walking her horse towards me. She got up right next to me with her horse and pulled her horses head in my direction so it hit me!!! I asked her what she was doing, and she said she was kicking me off her property, and apparently she was going to use the brute force of her horse to do so. She told us she was going to stand there and make sure we left her property, and the street. We had done nothing wrong, and wanted nothing more than to leave, yet she was trying to make it out as if we were the offenders.I don't know what we did to deserve such horrible and DANGEROUS behavior from this woman, but I worn everyone NOT to come here. Looking back, I should have called the police for the way she tried to assault me with her horse, but we just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. I hope this woman gets the help she needs, and doesn't hurt any customer. She is dangerous, and shouldn't be working with animals, or people.

I come here once in a while to take a break from training for other equine activitys such as 3 day eventing and I love it! I never thought anything would relax me from my stress but the cenery is beautiful and the horses r very well mannered.I would suggest this to a biggener or someone who needs to get away from work.

My girlfriend and I had a lovely day at the Ashokan Riding Club. Elene and Umberto were wonderfully hospitable. The forest trail was lovely and both Elene and Umberto made a conscious effort to provide instruction and guidance as to how to properly handle the horses. They were pleasant, patient and knowledgeable. The entire experience was enjoyable and we look forward to riding with them again.

Ashokan Riding Club isn't fancy nor glamorous. The horses are mild-mannered and obediant to experienced and not so experienced riders. When I am atop a horse I can't help but think of yesteryear. This is exactly what it was like. This was the mode of transport. At Ashokan Riding Club, Umberto & Elene give riding lessons to all. They do not just put you on a horse, with one horse, simply following another along a designated trail. Whatever your riding ability, you improve upon it. The greatest part by far of Ashokan Riding Club is the ride itself, through fields as well as through dense forest. You do not see another soul, you do not see another house, you are in the wilderness and that I find fantastic. You ride past an old cemetery from another era. It is like stepping back through a time warp. You forget everything else in the world. You leave all your cares behind. Any time during the year, I'd recommend for you to enjoy the Catskills on Horseback with the Ashokan Riding Club.

My son (14years old) and daughter (12years old), wife and myself really enjoy the great times we have riding on this magnificent picturesque old farm located near the Ashokan Reservoir in Ulster County, NY. The views are breathtaking, the horses well mannered and the owners are friendly, knowledgeable and interesting. We have tried other facilities, but once we found this one, we know none of the others compare.