Double J Riding Club — Local services in Lyons Township

The lesson program at this barn is amazing, especially for beginner, novice, and intermediate riders. Kathy, the main instructor is super nice, and so are the people who help newer riders tack up, etc. However, the horse care is extremely subpar, which is why I switched to a different barn. There are approximately 40 horses/ponies, with various stall sizes, but they are quite small. 10x10, 10x12 I think. Certainly not 12x12, which is industry standard now-a-days. More importantly, the stalls are never clean! I don't think they are cleaned on the weekends, and when I was there on a sunday, the horses's stalls were filled with manure and all the shavings were soaked. The facility is a bit run down like most barns, so the air circulation is ver poor as well. Additionally, turnout is very minimal for these horses, and when they are turned out it is over 10 over the horses put in the outdoor arena, which is not even that big. Some of the horses live in little dirt paddocks, but whenever it rains the mud is about 5-6 inches deep and the horses can barely move. Also, there have been some instances where I inquired about doing something to help the horses, and I was turned down. First, one December morning it was unusually warm, over 50 degrees, and the horses all had their medium weight blankets still on since it was cold the days before. I asked if the horses should have their blankets removed and offered to help do it all. The response I got was "They'll be fine, we'll have to put them all on again tomorrow then." This just shows laziness and lack of good care.

Also, another time, the stall of the horse I was riding was disgusting. 30 percent covered in manure, all the shavings were soaked, etc. I told the tacker, asking if I could clean it and where the items i needed to do this were, etc, and she replied "Oh that's not necessary, he will have to wait till monday but he'll be fine" (in reference to the horse). That is just disgusting.

Additionally, almost every horse at the barn avoids the bit when bridling, holding their head high, showing agitation etc. Not all, but most. This concerned me, but I sort of ignored it. At my new barn, pretty much all the lesson horses take their bit themselves, completely willingly and relaxed. This shows that the horses at Double J are ridden improperly consistently, making the bit painful for many of the horses.

Since switching barns, I have seen proper horse care, where the horses are so much healthier and happier. And the price for a 30 minute private is actually 5 dollars cheeper than a private ad Double J (at my new barn all lessons are private, maybe a few semi privates, instead of the typical 4-5 rider classes at double J). Additionally, I was made aware of some terrible riding habits of mine that I don't understand why no one told me in my lessons, such as wrapping my thumbs around the reins and falling back in the saddle to early while jumping.

Double J exposed me to horses and got me started riding, but in the end we do not share the same values and it was not the right place for me. I hope changes are made to improve the care and lives...

This is the first negative review I have ever posted online. I had my son's birthday party here last September. It was an extremely traumatizing experience for my 7 year old son and his friends. We were advised prior to the party to not have parents stay, which I understood due to the pandemic. However, some parents still stayed to keep an eye on their kids, which thankfully they did. During the horseback riding session, the staff put one of the smaller children in our group on one of the larger horses. While she was riding the horse, the horse went completely out of control. This 6 year old tried to hold on with her life, as the staff all stepped back and did not do anything to help. During this episode, the staff were clueless on how to get this horse back in control or what to do. They all looked shocked, confused, and motionless. Instantly, myself and the other parents that stayed, ran in to grab the other kids before they got trampled on by this out of control horse. The 6 year old flew off the horse and fell on her head and arm. Ambulance came and she was taken to the hospital for x-rays. I understand we sign waivers, but you assume they have basic knowledge on how to handle horses/situations, and you literally are not signing your child's life away! However, the staff handling the horses were young kids and had no idea what they were doing. Not professional staff, entirely inexperienced, and no follow up with a even a partial refund for what I paid. Not about the money for me, It was just an extremely traumatizing day for us without any assistance...

My experience as a first time customer at this Double J stables was very unpleasant. I didn’t know it was mandatory to wear boots while riding. I never received an email stating equipment needed and I was never told I must bring boots. The stable manager who goes by the name of CC was condescending, dismissive, hypersensitive and seriously lacks customer service skills. She did not make me feel welcome. I took time out of my busy schedule for my lesson and drove all the way from Chicago that day and she didn’t care.

She refused to do anything to lessen the blow of me waisting time, gas, & money. If offered some type of compensation like one free introductory ride, half price upon your return, or SOMETHING to show understanding, I would have happily rescheduled to come back another day with boots. However, I chose to leave due to her behavior and unaccommodating nature. If you want a stable that appreciates your patronage, and cares about you the customer, go somewhere else. There are plenty of other stables that will welcome you and treat you like a...