Reviews of Meadowlarke Stables (Driving School)

Ruth G

My daughter has taken lessons here since she was 6 years old and attended March Break Camp for the last 2 years. She loves it! Especially true because Meadowlark rescues horses.

Linda Koomoysing

Both my daughters look forward to seeing the horses and animals every the summer camp over the last three years at Meadowlarke Stable. They have learned a lot about riding and grooming the horses. They also enjoy seeing and learning about the other animals at the stable. It's been an amazing experience for them. The staff are flexible and easy to deal with too which is half the battle for a parent.

Ava Supple

I have been riding at meadowlarke stables for 2 years. I started at level 2 because before meadowlarke I was riding at a different stables. I already knew how to jump, canter etc. But when I came to meadowlarke I was starting off learning how to canter. My point is I learned hardly anything, and did the same things every lesson. Besides that the stables is very runed down, It looks like it’s about to fall down. They over work their horses as well. Their horses are rescued horses, and some are very dangerous and difficult to ride. Anyways I moved barns because of this. If I were you I wouldn’t ride their, but take the risk.

Chloe Equestrian

I LOVE Meadowlarke stables! I love your barn and your sweet horses! These seven years has been the best and I have fun riding the horses. I also LOVE doing private lessons. I ride on a weekly basis, I love all of my instructors who are patient and lovely with me! Many instructors have encouraged me and helped me. To be honest Meadowlarke is like my second home. I'm ALWAYS looking forward to my weekend lesson to see the horses! Going to Meadowlarke gives me so much joy and I don't ever want to leave! I'm looking forward to learning much more and best of all... BIGGER jumps! Thanking for having open arms for me! :)

Denia Santaluce

I've been riding at Meadowlarke for 5 years, i have loved every minute that i have spent there. i personally think it's great place for beginners because you get the full experience with the horses. The coach's are probably the best ones that i have ever met. Since all the horses there are saved from slaughter, they are so gentle and kind to new riders and riders that are very advanced. Other then that Meadowlarke is such an amazing place to be:)

Aaron Cryderman

My daughter went for camp for the first time last week. She absolutely loved it. Cece was amazing! My daughter could stop talking about her. I highly recommend this place!

xtr1971

Amazing place and people is extremely friendly. Great service

Waed Al-khuzai

Today was my first visit to the Meadowlarke Stables! After doing my reaearch and visitng a couple of places in Ontario, I found this stable the curest and the cleanest!! They care about their horses and everyone is friendly! Can’t wait to start riding with them!

handes khindria

What began as a birthday party has turned into years of riding for my daughter. Our first exposure to Meadowlarke was when we decided to host a party there for her. She quickly fell in love with the animals and she anxiously awaits her riding night every week. She loves taking the time with her horse before and after each lesson and she is gaining much skill and confidence through her weekly lessons. All of our interactions with staff, instructors and other riders and their families have been very positive. Plus, at Winston Churchill and 401, it's basically a taste of the country without having to leave the city. We always highly recommend this spot to our friends who are interested in learning more about riding.

Yousra Hazem

Went there for the open house on family day. As I took my 2 year old to ride the horse I was told that parents are not allowed to take them up on the back of the horse. Complying with their rules, I passed him to one of the staff to help him up. A second after she took him he fell off the stool/stair. He fell to the ground, crying. The girl who was in charge of helping him up the horse just looked on him while he was crying until I stepped in and picked him up from the floor. As a senior staff stepped in to get a view of what just happened, she stone-facedly kept saying "he just fell" while avoiding looking at me in the eye. One of the coldest and cowardly persons that I ever had to deal with in my life.

ES - 10YC 711102 Streetsville SS

my first experience with horses was at meadowlarke stables. that is what started my love of these wonderful animals. i have been riding with laura for several months now and every time i've fallen off or been nervous she has helped me get my confidence back.

Emilia B

The staff are very nice. Professional riding school, not run by Family farm.

Bruna Fabre

Meadowlarke Stables is a wonderful place for both beginner and advanced riders. The instructors are really good and nice. The horses are absolutely amazing! I feel so good riding rescued horses. I can’t imagine what would have happened if Meadowlarke didn’t save them. I started riding at Meadowlarke one year ago, and I have improved so much in just one year. I like that they always put us in different horses, because it makes us better riders. I go to Meadowlarke Stables at least twice a week. I love spending time with those wonderful horses and the other animals!

Jerry W

My two daughters went to a summer camp at Meadowlarke Stables last year and they loved it. The atmosphere at the camp was very friendly and the staff was easy going. They liked their counselors, enjoyed spending the time and taking care of the animals there.

R Rana

i been there with one of my friend . their services are awesome and CSR was really friendly and professionally trained. i have made up my mind and my kids going to attend their riding lesson in sep. looking forward to joining the team.

soul milky

Meadowlarke is a good facility for intermediate riders who are trying to discover themselves as equestrians and want to experience a variety of horses to help the rider get a better grasp of what sort of horse is best for their riding style. I used to ride here for a couple years + having a number of years at other facilities under my belt. I have had my differences with the instructors and workers at Meadowlarke as they can have a harsh attitude at times and can push their riders a bit too much. However, I do understand that there is a variety of teaching philosophies. I just do not believe it's the best method. I did progress as a rider and was considered one of the advanced riders, I was always proud of myself as a rider and the instructors do make you feel like they are proud of you too - due to a riding accident I had stop for a couple years and let my injury fully heal. It's scary having accidents but, I cannot stress enough, that riding falls, accidents an injuries are parts of the equestrian practice. It is never the horses fault and always the rider. I hate seeing the horses being blamed or at fault for negative experiences. So please do not blame the barn and look to improve the rider instead. I think the barn is doing the best they can with their resources available to them. However, I did feel it was over crowded, and that the facility could use an upgrade. For example: it's nice to have two different indoor arenas - Though, I felt they could be small at times regardless of my lessons having a 5 person cap. I did not share the same beliefs horsemanship wise and the way they go about teaching riders (regardless of level). The staff can be a bit harsh. I've seen countless riders from different classes and levels get really frustrated and worked up about this... and some of my friends who used to ride here have moved onto other facilities due to this issue.

Sohail S

Words of cautious for all. I had really bad experience with them, I paid in advance three month fee for my daughter. She used only one lesson and because of religious and health reasons she didn't continue and we informed them that she will continue later dates. When called for lessons, attendant gives conflicting statements and later they told us all our amount is forfeited because of non attendance.

Riyad Younis

The horses and everything Is going really great thanks

Alice M.F

Meadow Larke Stables is a great place for both beginners and advanced riders. The staff there are very friendly and I've been to the summer camp and the lessons, but there are some things I'd change. In the winter, it was freezing cold, even in the indoor arena, and that made it very unpleasant to ride in the cold weather. Maybe having more heaters around the place would be a good idea. Another problem I had was that a lot of the horses misbehaved. (They bucked, bit people, and some even rolled while a kid was on their back.) This made it very unsafe for younger riders who didn't know yet how to ride very well, and although you can't really avoid falling off when you become a part of the equestrian world, some younger riders could lose their confidence pretty quickly and could become scared of the horses, which was part of the reason why I stopped riding at Meadow Larke. The summer camp on the other hand, was both fun and challenging, with lots of great games either on horseback or not. I think that Meadow Larke Stables is a great place to go to learn how to ride and care for horses, (though I'd suggest starting off with an older, better trained mare or gelding at first until you become more confident with your riding skills) because I've definitely learnt a lot, and I love that they rescue horses as well as many other animals and give them a second chance.

Imran Khan

Very good place to learn horse riding, my 10 year loves it. I just wished it was little cheaper

Anna Ivanova

Really good place to ride and to try all kinds of different horses.

alex photography

I abosolutly love it here! I love how much I learned in the 5 years of me riding here! I love all of the horses and the other riders!

Hajra Dawood

I think it is an amazing Area, though I would like to know the prices for level one for summer camp, people say it is a bit pricey, I am looking forward to know, please and thank you!

Lindsey M. Holderness

Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. I am having a wonderful experience in private lessons. The facilities are clean and well managed. There are a variety of horses that will give you a well rounded learning experience and contribute to your growth and strength as a rider.

Faith Leung

I have learned a lot from riding at Meadowlarke Stables. From walk, trot, cantering to jumping jumps up to 2'6, I have grown as a person and a rider (level 4 now) the past 4 years at this stable. It's also in the city and not very expensive. I absolutely recommend this place :)

Arianne Belley

I’ve been riding at meadowlarke stables for over 8 years and couldn’t enjoy it more. My riding class has become a family all together and I am always looking forward to ride, barn workers are so nice and so are instructors. I would always recommend this place!!

Elizabeth

Maybe putting me with a horse that needs to wear a bucket on his face because he bites isn't a great idea. I vocalized this to everyone. Carlos and Duchess made me feel uncomfortable to ride (Duchess attacked Timmy while I was riding, and I fell off). It's not safe to switch horses weekly. One week you get a horse that is very well trained and obedient, the next you get Goliath, who continuously knocked down the barrier in the arena, and the next week, you'd get a horse that has to be whipped to move. There was a girl in my class who was very uncomfortable riding and grooming Andy, and I had Timmy. This girl was much smaller than I was and I offered to trade because Timmy is so little and I was very comfortable with Andy. Our instructor yelled at us. Veganism is preached on the wall to the barn. Made me uncomfortable. The cat was soft though. That's the only thing I enjoyed.

LB

As much as I loved my experience at Meadowlarke, it's not the best facility. Firstly, I'm not a fan of how they take care of their horses. They are pushed too hard, ridden too much, and I don't feel are taken care of well in terms of stall size, cleanliness and turnout. They also aren't great quality horses. Meadowlarke has lots of beginner horses, but once you start getting better, you'll quickly outgrow their mounts. They maybe have a few nicer horses, but not enough to go around when you get to the point where you're in a class of people who need decent horses. I guess the idea is to get your own horse at that point, but that's not realistic for everyone financially. Aside from that, I have a huge objection to one of their practices for the summer camps. On one day of the week (it used to be Wednesdays I think), each lesson group would spend a significant part of the day (felt like the whole afternoon) mucking out a stall. I absolutely believe that all aspects of horsemanship should be part of the camp, but it felt like it was the stables' effort to get a bunch of eager horse lovers tricked into doing some work for free. I remember resenting it as a kid, but now as an adult who has continued to spend time in the horse world, I see it even more clearly as a way of using these kids for labour under the guise of "teaching them more about all aspects of horses". As for the positives, it's definitely uniquely located, they do have some great teachers and lesson programs plus the schooling shows are a great introduction to showing. Stacy was one of my coaches and an absolutely great one for actually developing skills. She's a good balance between kick your butt without taking it too far. For a horse loving-kid, the camps' not the worst either (but always remember to buy your own helmet. Once got lice from their shared helmets, but should've seen that coming).

Jeanne Profenna

Great place for camp! My daughter loved it.

Ariane Garabedian

horses are so friendly and enjoyable to ride, workers and volunteers were always very nice and helpful but I had problems with the owner and is the reason why i do not ride there anymore

Selma Alkhatib

Meadowlarks stables is one of the most unorganized stables in the world I have been stuck in the same level for over 2 years now which is a 3+ 4- yet meadowlark can’t even tell me which one after being stuck on the same level for almost 2 years I have went on a 2 month vacation this summer and came back they dropped me down to a level 3- then I toke a makeup class and they put me in a level 2+ yet they couldn’t even spell my name I had to bring the list to the instructor and they spelled my name Sana in a Disgusting font and carelessly made me leave so let me tell u something meadowlark stables they don’t care about u all they care about is the money they don’t even care about there own horses where they leave them outside with no blanket no nothing in the freezing cold and the horses barely even have water and not to even mention winter weather at meadowlark this barn is disgusting and is worth less then 2 dollars.

Nisha Sandhu

Great place to learn horse riding!!

Kevin P McAuliffe

Just went for a tour, looking to get more information, before signing our daughter up for summer camp. Danielle was very informative, and gave us a very in depth tour of the barn, and answered every question we had. The barn is quite large, with multiple arenas for lessons, and was quite clean.

George Trenton

I have been riding at Meadowlarke Stables going on 3 years now. I had always wanted to learn to ride a horse and recently started as an adult rider. My instructor is Laura. She is an excellent teacher being able to identify specific details for me to focus on each lesson. With her help I have succeeded in becoming a successful and competent rider. All of the staff at Meadowlarke are friendly and I enjoy going to the stables every week and speaking with them. The horses are very well trained. I am amazed how well they respond to my cues as I ride them. There are other animals at the barn such as pigs, sheep, cows, chickens, ducks, and cats. I especially like the cats and chickens who come to greet me when I arrive at the barn each week. All of these animals are rescued by the owner of the stables, Anthea Larke. A history of each of the animals rescued is shown on a wall. The lessons are conducted in an indoor arena during winter months and outdoors when the weather is good in the spring, summer and fall. Once a month there is a spectators day for parents and family of the riders to view the lessons. There are regular competition days held at the stables for the riders to compete with each other to show their skill of riding and equestrian horse jumping. Overall I am having a wonderful experience at Meadowlarke Stables. I look forward to my weekly lesson there interacting with my assigned horse and the other riders at the barn. I highly recommend this stable as a friendly and fun place to learn about riding horses.

MA - 07ZZ 777056 Great Lakes PS

I go to meadowlarke Stables for riding and it is amazing

José Peñate

I was interested in getting my daughter into this as she is constantly asking. I signed up on the website and then called asking for Meadowlarke to call me back. Guess what? NO CALL BACK. NO INTEREST IN ME AS A CUSTOMER. No horse riding for my daughter if Meadowlarke is depended on. Seems others have had the same experience. Beware.

LIV!!

I love riding at Meadowlarke Stables! I love all the animals! Especially Gus and Adele. They're great horses and Meadowlarke is a very nice stable. :)

jason goodman

Started as a 1 week summer camp that my daughter loved and now it is a weekly event!

soulcatcher668

My Daughter started off in their summer camp program for about 3 years. She now takes lessons once a week. Friendly and understanding staff. My daughter loves it.

Farina Siddiqui

I would never reccomend this place for anyone. We were treated so unfair. After taking advance payments for 3 months of riding lessons, the ownership refused to return our deposit when our child didn't want to continue with the lessons. They kept sending us into circles through their employees but didn't return our money. I would caution everyone to use their discretion before enrolling.

penny Lidster

I ride here at the south location and it is a very wonderful place the horses are well taken care of the workers and instructors are so kind.i have recently fallen in love with moonstone and gus,I see some reviews here saying the horses are not well taken care of and the facility is gross. I can assure you that the horses and other animals are well taken care of. If a horse is sick it gets all the medical attention it needs. I also see them get fed and they are certainly not overworked. My instructor,Melanie is a wonderful instructor, and just because the stable is old doesn't mean it is horrible it is a welcoming place and I recommend riding here!

Rob Cooper

I was just out on a saw dust delivery for meadowlark stables and the 2 very nice ladies were very happy to help me and even nice enough to let me see the horses

James Savino

Awesome place to learn to rude. Friendly staff. Highly recommend!

Muhammad Farooq Khan

Great location to learn riding for kids.

Gregory Thureson

Our sons have really enjoyed learning how to ride and care for the horses....it has brought out a sense of responsibility in them

Vijayareka Gunasekaran

I visited Meadowlarke for registering my kid and the staff were kind and approachable. We were taken for a tour around the stables which was fascinating and my son was thrilled. I am enrolling my kid to the program. Thanks to Meadowlarke for printing the impression on an young mind.

Kate Henderson

My daughter fell in love with Meadowlarke and riding after her very first day of summer camp here. A laid-back vibe supported by a genuine love for the animals. Highly recommended.

Jennifer Masciotra

As a former lesson student at Meadowlarke Stables I can only say good things. From starting in their Learn to ride program to showing on their challenge team to working in the barn. Meadowlarke is nothing but a great place to nurture and grow your love and passion for horses. The horses are amazing and so is the coaching staff. Meadowlarke will always be my home away from home!

Josee Gosselin

Best riding school to learn how to ride different horses of all calibers and learn to be one with your horse and enjoy jumping. My daughter and I have been riding at Meadowlarke for the past 7-1/2 years and we made great friends and improved greatly our riding skills and confidence level in riding. All the horses are rescued and very well taken care of. They are number one priority for the owner and most riders. The Belley

Sandra Mark Lee

I chose Meadowlarke Stables specifically because animal welfare matters to me. This stable's school horses were saved from slaughter and neglect. South Stable is home to other rescued farm animals and Anthea Larke is well connected in the animal advocacy community. All of their horses are well taken care of, gentle, and great teachers to beginner and advanced riders. Stacey, Paula and Agnes are amazing instructors.

Jesse Dormody

We registered our daughter at Meadowlarke based on a suggestion from a friend. She has been happy with the classes. The instructors seem knowledgeable and work well with kids. Our daughter started riding at age 6 where as other schools we contacted didn’t have classes for riders under age 8. The management team is very responsive to emails etc. The facility is a bit older and could perhaps use some basic upgrades and the location is not ideal but otherwise a great place to learn to ride. They are open all seasons but the stables and riding arenas (or small waiting room) are not heated so winter classes require appropriate winter riding gear and may still be a challenge for kids. It is worth mentioning that many of the horses are rescued animals which was nice to learn. All of the horses seem to be very calm and approachable especially with the kids.

Amjad Ali

Best horse riding school

Jasmin Al-Rubaye [Student]

This place is amazing,all the horses here are gentle and kind,all of the horses are very well trained and i recommend going here if your new to riding!

Noma Kadro

AMAZING!!! This place is probably my fav place on earth! Everyone is so kind and understanding, I still go there for riding lessons and my fav horse is "Timmy" he's such a joy to ride and the instructors always have ways to make my classes much better!

Serg S

Overall experience is good.

Anna V

I have been riding at Medowlarke for 10 months now. Love the horses and my instructor Catinca. She is very patient and knowledgeable, able to see and explain how you can make your riding better. This is not a fancy place, all the horses are rescues, so just make sure to have right level of expectations.

Roger Fernandes

Dropped off my daughter for camp so let's see how it goes!! She was excited..

Joanne Baker

Staff is extremely knowledgeable and friendly. My child has attended both lessons and camps at Meadowlarke. Life long friendships with staff, other students and the animals!

horselover 123

I rode at Meadowlarke for a few months. As I did enjoy the coaches and many of the horses who were saved from the slaughter. I just did not like some of the girls who rode there. Some were very nice, but some were not at all. Other than that my experience at Meadowlarke was ok.

Amina Altaf

Lovely place for my daughter's first experience riding. Absolutely wonderful and patient staff. It's a great place to learn and grow.

Shana Lopez

A wonderful place to learn to ride horses. They have a large assortment of different animals and have a great March break and summer camp.

Catinca Tripa

Home to hundreds of rescued animals, Meadowlarke Stables is hands down, by far the best facility in the GTA. I am fortunate enough to share countless wonderful memories with the fantastic, well-cared-for animals, and incredible & friendly staff. As a riding instructor, I've learned so much in my time here and have grown a greater appreciation for the progressive, high-functioning care this place offers for its rescues. The horses are a pleasure to work with. The staff & management are hard-working, resourceful, diligent, and passionate people. And above all, the atmosphere is one of a friendly, pleasant, and relaxed nature; easily to call this place a second home.

MOHAMED A

Great place for learning this amazing sport!!

Tracey Andrews

I was meaning to write this review for a while. I wish I have read all the the reviews before signing up my daughter for learn to ride program. Please save your money and take your child elsewhere. It is a very poor stable in a very poor condition. The equipment they use and the rental clothes it’s very run down and very very old. They shouldn’t charge money for that. They’re lacking of staff who surely cannot watch 10 new riders on its own and show them everything. Brand new kids without any experience are left to themselves to groom the horse. It looks very unsafe. The instructors are rude to the kids and not helpful. We’ve sign up for learn to ride program...believe me...80% of that is only horse grooming inside of very smelly stables. It should be called ,learn to groom your horse’ program so people would know what they’re paying for. They won’t learn how to ride the horse here. Previously I thought if there is any negative reviews it’s nice for the owner to reply. Now I think after few months of riding classes that the owner was never here. She surly doesn’t know what’s happening here or choosing not to just to keep our money and do their own stuff. We won’t be back here this year for sure!

Vijay Maithil

I came here third time here even without any registration for my daughters. Still the barn is very clean and staff members are very friendly each time. Sure its a great place to learn ridding for kids..

Mama Three

My three children attended the camp program there this summer. I paid for the full day program including extended hours which cost almost $1000 for the week for the 3 children. On the first day of camp, my children told me they sat around for the duration of the extended hours doing nothing - no games, no activities or anything. I asked the staff the next morning if they can do something with them instead of having them sit around and they said they would try. Next day - nothing - they sat around for an hour and a half again with no activities. Thursday, same thing no activities just sat around waiting - I was also told that my children cleaned horse manure out of the stalls and although I understand learning about the care of the animals, I did not pay $1000 for my children to shovel horse manure on one of their days there. I spoke with Stacy and voiced my concern on the fact that I paid $75 for my kids to just sit around for an hour an half during extended hours and that I didn't expect them to be shoveling horse manure out of stalls as part of their "horseback riding" experience. She said the horse manure was part of the experience (I don't agree) and that she'd get back to me about the extended program and agreed there should have been something done with the kids. Never heard back. I wouldn't recommend bringing the kids there unless you know these expectations upfront as it isn't cheap with rentals and extended hours and isn't worth the experience.

J. Kelly

We started private riding lessons over two weeks ago and are really enjoying it - Gillian is a fantastic teacher and the horses are great!

Horse Lover

Absolutely loved this place, the instructors are knowledgeable and friendly, the horses are super, I have ridden quite a few of them now and enjoyed everyone. And especially when I found out that the owner rescues them. Each week I so look forward to going to my lesson. Highly recommended :)

Paula Brenn

Great instructors and a large selection of horses for each lesson. Kids learn a lot about grooming, saddling and of course on horse during lessons. Recommended!

Olga Shyshkova

Very good place. Great staff.

Natasha Bond

Amazing place. Staff are caring, instruction is great, horses are wonderful. We have been riding here for 12 years and love every minute of it. The most common complaint I see in these reviews is when people are annoyed because they miss lessons and the owner does not cover the cost of their missed class. I am really confused by this. When people miss a swimming or skating lesson with the city of Mississauga or a class at their local dance studio, or a day at college, nobody gives them their money back. Why would Meadowlarke be any different? They do offer make up classes if enough notice is given for them to fill the missed spot, but although they are running a sanctuary of sorts for animals they are not running a charity for riders. If someone misses a class Meadowlarke still needs to feed and care for that horse so how can they give the money back? I really wanted to post this because the owner it too polite to say this sort of thing to folks. Other people want to save up their missed classes and then take a bunch of make up classes without registering. It’s basic economics—if everybody did this the stable would have no cash flow so how would they feed and care for the horses? Think people! Recently I have even seen people complaining because they missed classes due to COVID. Like this is Meadowlarke’s fault? Again, they offer make-ups but they can’t reimburse! Many businesses are being hard hit as it is without having to pay people back!

Don Lem

My 12 year old girls have been attending the summer camps for the last few years. They love it. It's a no frills all round camp. Girls got great instruction for riding. They also got to learn about the animals and take on responsibilities for taking care of the horses. Great camp.

Brian Maben

My daughter has been riding with Meadowlarke for 2 years now. The staff are very good to talk to. The lessons are organized. Instructors are very understanding and experienced. We are very happy with Meadowlarke

T

Honestly though it shouldn't get any stars at all because that indicates it has some good qualities (it doesn't). Used to go here but left when an instructor took MY riding crop and hit a horse for "acting up". In the horse's defense, if I was in a stall the size of those in public washrooms (big enough to move around in, technically but is it really big enough in general?), I'd be jittery too. For a school that preaches veganism like a religion, it sure treats its animals badly. You'd think an organization that rescued horses from meat trucks would make an effort to give them a better quality life but it just seems like they took the horses from one type of misery and put them in another. Any business going their way supports what they do. I've seen stables that treat their horses as animals giving us service should be treated. Their horses face the front of the stall and don't crib because they're actually HAPPY. They also don't have patches of fur missing because their stalls are too small. It's something you'll rarely see in Meadowlarke. If other stables are capable of taking care of their animals, so is this one. They clearly don't care.

Judy Finlayson

Very dark and dreary and the location (between two major highways) is not very appealing for riding lessons. Glad they run on little energy and save animals but the horse stalls are tiny and have no light. Looks like a boarded up warehouse. Also, parents aren't able to view riding lessons. Will pass on this one despite the very friendly staff.

Hound Crew

Wonderful riding experience - perfect place for riders of all ages/skill levels! The learn to ride program was my first time on a horse. The staff go above and beyond to create a positive environment for the students.

Jason Piper

My son has a great time at this camp. Great atmosphere and great staff!

Paula Martinez

Horrible experience for my 9 year old daughter and we will not be returning to this place! The learn to ride program is supposed to be an hour of riding. What they don’t tell you is that a major component is the care of the horse, which in theory is a good thing, but they only have 1 groomer helping the kids for 8-10 kids. Clearly this is to keep their costs down. My daughter ended up spending over an hour trying to groom a horse with minimal help. The instructor shows the kids once how to do things and expects that they know, which causes frustration. For a first time riding class it’s completely unreasonable. If the kids don’t groom the horses quickly enough then it cuts into their riding time. On average she spent 20 min on the horse, and this was coming 30 min before the one hour lesson. They are also expected to stay 30 min after to re-groom, so in 2 hours most of the time is spent in the barn and not actually riding! A complete waste of money! They also rotate the horses every week and often pair the young kids with “nippy” horses on their own and expect the kids to be ok with a huge animal that is trying to bite! Completely unacceptable for a beginner class! We had previously gone to Creditview stables and had a much better experience there. They had 1 to 1 rider to groomer help and spent a FULL hour on the horse. Now I know why this place was cheaper... you get what you pay for! Would give zero stars if I could.

Michelle

We recently had a VERY disappointing experience with Meadowlarke Stables Mississauga. I attempted to sign my 2 kids up for summer camp through their website. Unfortunately the website registration system is not very user friendly so there were issues in providing multiple rider information. I received a confirmation that my order was received and immediately contacted the Stables asking for support on completing registration (as the site didn't offer support). The responses I received were entirely unhelpful. I attempted again to follow-up as I wanted to ensure our registration was received but by the time they got back to me, I was informed that my reservations were not honoured and the spots were no longer available. Then they proceeded to accept payment - even though our registration wasn't valid. All in all, the customer service was really unfortunate as the camp looks good - my kids are very disappointed as we told them they would be going. All it would have taken was a friendly phone call and a few minutes of support but they couldn't be bothered and didn't inform us that they had canceled our spot.

Bills Huang

Sending my kids to summer camp, the staff has been friendly and response promptly to inquiries

tatiana hutt

My daughter started in the early start program at age 4 (3 years ago) and has made great progress. She’s had great teachers (although there was a period where they were changing teachers every few weeks which impeded her progress - that is not a problem anymore). We will be enrolling our younger daughter as well when she turns 4. The biggest issue I can complain about is that the barn is not heated which in the dead of winter can be pretty brutal, but overall we are satisfied with the barn and plan to stay with meadowlarke as long as our daughters wish to ride. We also love that they take in rescue animals of all sorts, saving animals from slaughter.

Alex Santamaria

Disgraceful and discriminatory behaviour. I registered my two girls for lessons, told them of our medical mask exemptions, and was contacted 1 day before the lessons questioning the legitimacy of the notes, my integrity, and finally admitting they were simply too terrified to accommodate my kids as per the bylaws even if I were to provide clarification from my doctor. And this is after buying all the gear, paying for the lessons, and having my girls excited and talking about it all week. No care whatsoever for how that makes my girls feel, particularly given how difficult it already is having to explain to everyone that they have a medical issue on a regular basis. Absolutely shamful

Marina De Vellis

Please stay away from this place, I have NEVER meet such heartless people in my life. My daughter was doing learn to ride program unfortunately she was diagnosed with a medical condition with her knee that made her stop doing the program. I contacted the manager to ask her if she can let her do the program once my daughter get better she said she can't give me my money back. WHICH WAS NOT WAS I WAS ASKING FOR!!!!!!!!!!. I said if she can get a credit and she said that they cannot do that. MY DAUGHTER ONLY DID 2 CLASSES AND HAD 6 MORE CLASSES TO DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Never is my wildest dreams would I met heartless people. You are better off going elsewhere and paying a little bit more than giving these people your money. STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ed Kinor

An amazing place, Very nice staff, The best part is the horses always come first, which is how it should be. Highly recommended!

Ewa Ras

Didn't have good experience with this stable

momina zahra

Its a great place to learn!! Staff is very well experienced

Elizabeth Eves

Meadowlarke is a great place to learn to ride different horses with different personalities and to build confidence under the guidance of an instructor. I have been riding there for 6 years. The instruction is great and riders, whether competing or not, are pushed to become the best they can be. The horses, and all the other animals at Meadowlarke, are well treated and provided with whatever care and attention is required.

Meagan Chechalk

I did not like it. Some of the people working on the floor could be rude when you needed help, and when you have to cancel you can only do certain days on makeup classes. i'm paying just over $200 for 4 private classes. basically I just wasted my money cause I was unable to get a makeup class. So I pay that amount for 3 classes. I want to do horseback riding where we can actually go outside instead of being stuck in the dark barn. I would suggest another place. I did not feel happy there.

Jassy D

Good Fun, recommended

les lie

READ THE FINE PRINT. I'm still a little shocked that a business that provides care for animals and children operates with such minimal human decency or empathy. I can't comment on the actual camp experience, because although I received an order confirmation and my payment was processed, I arrived with my children on Monday morning to discover that they weren't actually "registered" in the camp. Management was overwhelmed and defensive. I had to call twice to get a refund, and was provided the choice of a refund to my credit card (not my original payment method) or a 3 week wait. I tried to provide insight and suggestions to help them prevent this from happening to any other families, and although we weren't even the first family to have this happen to them, they were clear they would not be making any adjustments. UPDATE: see response below to see exactly what I mean by the type of service you can expect. Anthea, I see that some people are fine with it and that's great for them, but there is NO way after this that I would consider sending my children to be in your care.

noreen Nawaz

This is the best place anyone can go for learning riding. This place is awesome for beginners and skilled riders alike. Staff is very welcoming and super helpful.

Ann Kazmi

Really cute place! Lots of friendly people. Very informative and helpful. A great place to bring the family and learn horseback riding. They also have a few other farm animals. Definitely recommend coming here!

SunJoon Park

Very kind staffs. Clean and neat facility! Love this stables!

C Man

Horrible customer service. They will not call you to tell you your kids are not registered even though you get a confirmation and give them payment. They should call you to let you know your not in. So you don't show up with your kids for camp and they dont them.

Jen P

My daughter has been taking lessons at Meadowlarke for about 4 years now and loves it there. They are amazing and very helpful when you have questions. When we were having some challenges in my daughter fell off a few times, they worked with us to help her get her confidence back and get her "back on the horse" so to speak. Paula, Laura and Stacey know their stuff and truly care about the riders and the horses. They are also helpful when you have to reschedule a lesson because let's face it, life gets in the way of riding sometimes. My daughter's mantra is "Born to ride, forced to go to school" and at Meadowlarke, she gets to live out this passion. I wouldn't send her anywhere else.

Duda Wanderer

I recently began riding at Meadowlarke Stables. The instructor I ride with, Laura is excellent. She gave me very specific and helpful feedback and worked to follow up on areas of improvement she had noted in the next lesson. The staff is very friendly and helpful at this stable. The indoor arena is very large, divided into two sections the size of a regular arena. The horses are all well cared for and the three I have ridden have been great rides. The nice thing is that many of the horses and other animals (they have cows, pigs, sheep, and even birds) are rescues and you can learn about their stories. The only small challenge I had was at my first ever lesson it would have been nice if someone met me in the waiting room so I knew where to go, etc. I was not a new rider though and figured it out. They have a great program for beginners designed to get you all ready so obviously this would not be the case for someone brand new. The equipment is in good condition for the most part. The stable is kept neat and clean.

Wendy Milic

My daughter loves animals, so this is a great place for her. She enjoys getting her horse ready to ride and has a great time during her lesson. She also likes to see the other animals as she walks in. It would be nice if they could clean up the parent waiting area a bit.

Amy Greig

A Horse Back Riding Farm where both student and horse happiness is front and center. Many levels of horses to accommodate riders of all levels. A safe, fun, educational environment with excellent staff. An wonderful farm to anyone starting their career in horses or anyone wanting to build on their passion. Truly a positive experience where client and horse/animal care is of the utmost importance. Highly recommended.

Wendy Tsui

Very friendly team. My daughter loves the stable. Very clean and functional.

Fum. S.

My daughter loves their Summer Camps and asked to register again for this summer. This is the first camp program that she expressed her excitement. It is quite bit far from our location, but it worth it!

Lauren Morante

Great place to learn to ride! I started riding at Meadowlarke in 2004 and recently returned after taking time off for university. I couldn't be happier to be back! The staff are friendly and knowledgable, and the animals are absolutely amazing. It's wonderful to see the transformation these animals go through after receiving some quality Meadowlarke love! Many of these rescue animals arrive and are afraid of people, and it's unbelievable how after weeks, months, or even years these animals are happy and doing a fantastic job being lesson horses or barn pets.

A C

I do not recommend this place. Tutor was very rude to my 7 year old daughter.

Mariam's Cooking and Fun

Friendly staff, convenient location in Mississauga.

Jessica H.

I have been riding at Meadowlarke Stables for many years - I have always enjoyed riding there. They truly care about all the animals there. Great lesson barn.

Olivia_ the_eq_

This place is so welcoming and easy going. I love riding there! I’ve meet really nice people and became friends. But all the horses have there own personality that I love. My favourite horse at the barn is retired but it was time. I even had a birthday party there and it was the best. Definitely recommend looking into signing up you or your kids there!

John Martinez

(Translated) The horses are very gentle (Original) Los caballos son muy mansitos

Ashley Beehoo

Communication has been quick and effective. Registration process has gone nicely.

Aditya Avasthi

As a student jumper there I've learned that another word for teamwork and amazing is medowlark stables!!!

Sal Moaied

Great experience for my daughter's summer camp. Friendly staff and the animals are well taken care of.

Tara Veldman

Great instructors and friendly staff make for a great experience.

Martha Armstrong

It's like a little bit of the country right near the city! This summer will be her third time going to Meadowlark. My daughter enjoys taking care of the animals and learning to ride.