Pine Tree Equestrian Ctr

There is something very special about Pine Tree Equestrian Center, it's developing into quite the hidden gem. Most of the reviews here appear to be written by kids or parents with an obvious vendetta, so I am compelled to write as an adult rider who has been around and has recently started riding here. I know my way around a horse, I have ridden and boarded at many barns, in the UK and here in MA, and while most of my experiences have been positive, there is a reason I am here now besides my basic need to be closer to home. Pine Tree Equestrian Center is a really nice all around farm, the historic carriage house barn and additions are in good shape, charming and surprisingly well suited for its modern uses. There are plenty of grooming areas, and everything is clean and organised. Kitchen, lounge, and bathroom areas a plus. The horses get plenty of turnout and great care, they are relaxed, healthy, and well schooled, they know and enjoy their job. The owner and instructors know their stuff, I'm no beginner and have found the lessons here challenging and quite enjoyable, they teach all levels of rider beginner to advanced, with year round opportunities for showing and other off farm events. The area is beautiful - the barn is very convenient, a pleasant mile walk from the train and close to highways, yet set back off the road in a very quiet setting. Large, spacious indoor and outdoor arenas are really nice, and I've seen no rock/footing problem or any of the complaints I read before this. I love riding here and I'd happily board here when ready to buy again. Anyway, visit and see for yourself. more

Most of the reveiws wriitten for PTEC suggest it is for kids or beginner riders, and while it is true that you can learn here on safe mounts, I think it is one of the best kept secrets for boarding your horse on the north shore regardless of your level of riding. We own two polo ponies who we are able to ride thru the winter using the indoor ring. We have been able to have help from the head trainor Emily, when issues have arisen, whether health related or riding problems even though this is not a ""polo barn"". Our horses are always well fed and looked after, I never worry if we can't get to the barn for a few days. Turn out is always consistent. Someone compitent is availavlable to work my horses if I'm not there. Sue , the owner is more than helpful. In short, great place to ride or board! more

Who ever said that the owner is a ""wench"" is absolutely out of their mind, sounds like they had been having problems with you from the get go darlin. She is one of the most knowledgeable and NICEST people I have ever met and wouldn't ever act so irrationally for no reason. She is an extremely talented rider...I've seen her get on a horse...that had been there for years and no one could seem to figure out no matter what measure they tried...and had the horse moving like a 'normal' horse within ten minutes...she has a very gentle approach to her horses. The place may not be the newest but it is definitely well run (do you even have a clue as to what the place looked like before she bought it?!) - stalls mucked daily, hay, feed, daily turnout (maybe not a whole lot...but a lot more than other places I know), swept out frequently through out the day, trails...i could go on and on... ...Not really seeing the problem with the pony barn.....the stalls are good sizes for ponies and it is well maintained, and maybe they do need a little fixing up (they are not in bad condition as some people are portraying) and it will happen! But there are other things that need to be fixed first...The other stalls may be old but really are not that bad either...have you ever been to sea view farm in rockport? that place is gross...their box stalls are the size of a large closet and there is barbed wire and exposed nails everywhere. The outdoor ring is rocky-spent many summers 'de-rocking' it- but it's not as bad as people are portraying it...I've definitely seen a lot worse. It definitely is the place for kids and beginners....the summer camp is great and the kids learn a lot! They give you a strong base in a comfortable and safe environment. And once you feel comfortable then just move up to a more advanced barn...not rocket science. I grew up riding here and I'm glad I did....I learned a lot and made a lot of good friends! I will always always always love pine tree!!!!!!!!!! Pros: laid back environment, great for kids Cons: ? more

For those of you who are trashing it, forget it, no one wants to hear your junk! They are very kind and I have leased 2 ponies from there ( One of wich I still do) an Appy name Bullet and a new horse they just got named Jack, a shetland. He was a games pony and went to the Kentucky Games. Anyway, they are nice. Everyone is down to earth. It is kept clean. Swept out every day, brushes are cleaned, stalls are mucked, paddocks are picked, tack cleaned, fresh water and hay, horses who are not ridden that day are groomed, lots of grazing areas, Arenas refooted and raked, big arenas (indoor and out) and last but not least the multiple areas. ""Pony Barn"": Basement. Sounds bad but it isnt. Many large stalls, tack area, hay area, and tack room for tack boxes etc. My stuff is down there. 3 cross tie areas. ""Main Barn"": Two cross ties, one wash stall, kitchen, bathroom, summer camp room ( Couches and tvs) Two empty stalls for tack rooms and one large school horse tack room, grain area. "" Tile Area"": Four large stalls. Sink. Entrance to the "" Pit "" Stall (in and out stall) and a hose for filling buckets to give horses water. "" Wing"" or "" Aisle"": A long aisle with lots of stalls. One cross tie. two hoses. "" Back Barn"": seperate from everything else. Two in and outs. Five big stalls. One empty one for tack. A grain area. When people say "" too many equines for such a small facility"" does it seem to small now you have taken a tour of it? I will name every horse there f you want. just leave a comment. Pros: Most Cons: Misunderstandings ( 1 or 2, easily fixed) more

Pinetree is housed in an 1800's carriage house that had been part of one of the Beverly Farms estate properties. The ""basement"" referred to, in other postings, is actually a fieldstone barn, built into a slope, which originally housed other barn animals ""back in the day"" ... great protection from cold winter drafts and I never saw it wet from the elements. This is where the ponies live now; all with their own individual stalls which have been enlarged and provides them plenty of moving room within. There is another level above (actually the first floor from the front) which is the original carriage house. Off of that, also on the second level, is an attached barn which houses the horses. We had our guy there for a year, and, had no complaints on his care. My grandaughter, the rider, had nothing less than a wonderfully pleasant experience with the facility, and, the only reason we left was to move our guy to a private barn so he could take advantage of 24-7 turnout to mend a very sore back. It is true that the stalls are somewhat dated, but, I can guarantee that the horses don't seem to mind. Each has their own window for light and fresh air to pass through; the stalls are cleaned on a daily basis and I've never known them to skimp on the shavings. The current owner has been making all of the necessary improvements in the few short years that she has owned it ... important improvements, like, improving the winterization of the barns and rebuilding the stall floors, etc\r This is a great facility for the beginner and intermediary rider. This is the place to go to learn the basics of riding and how to develop your seat and leg. Once the rider has learned the craft, it may be time to move on to a more advanced facility. It is what it is ... I've never known them to claim to be the center for advanced riders. I still go back to visit from time to time as I am very impressed with how the owner took on this project and continues to improve it for all to enjoy. And, as an added footnote, in my ten years of being involved in this activity, Pinetree's owner is the only owner that I ever saw actually mucking out stalls. She knows she doesn't have some high-end facility and, yes, there's always room for improvement ... the difference is, she recognizes these issues and continues to work, hands-on, to try to resolve them. Pros: Caring owner & barn staff, healthy horses Cons: none comes to mind more

This barn is amazing! The horses are great in walk trot canter jumps and DRESSAGE(most of them). I've rode there for so long and I know That The owner Is the best you will ever know! Compared to clearview farm which only has like 12 horses that are forced to do things and not enough stables to fit all the horses!! The indoor at clearview is like the smallest one in the world and Pine Trees is the greatest! We have wonderful Summer Camps, and LOTS of grazing areas!!!! Its truly the best barn I'll ever know!! Pros: great everything!! more

There are too many equines for very limited turnout. The head instructor is not adequately qualified. The manager is nice but lacks experience. The owner is friendly and seems very nice but is hardly ever there. The outdoor ring is full of rocks. Lots of horror stories.\r \r more

The owner is knowledgable and kind. the barn has a nice set-up and though the pony barn may sound terrible, it's really not!!! all stalls are well looked after and nicely sized. the horses are exceedingly cared after and all tack is in excellent condition. each horse/pony has their own saddle and bridle and all horses and ponies have great tempers and personalities!!! students are treated great and instructors are knowledgable and willing to help. students are put on the proper horse/pony, never on one they can not handle. the paddocks may be a little smaller than most, but still work out. Indoor ring is very nice and roomy, same as the outdoor. this barn is very nice and i do recommend this barn for any horse lover looking for a nice learning facility. Pros: Well Cared For Horses and Ponies, nice atmosphere, pleasan t Cons: none!!!! more

Do not bring your horse here. The manager is CLUELESS. (although she is a BS artist, but doesn't know what's REALLY going on) The barn owner I originally thought was a good person, has turned out to be a wench. There was a groomer who hung out there and groomed horses, and wanted a ""project"" but there were no horses there she could ride because of her size. She is a BIG girl. The owner asked me if this groom could ride my horse, and I agreed, (free of charge), because I know that there are only ponies and small horses available, and I know the enjoyment of riding. This girl was too big for the ponies there to support her weight. So I said it would be okay if she rode him. Then in late fall, I was presented with a bill for her ""services"" including EVERY TIME SHE RODE!! (above and beyond the once-a-week agreed on ""services) I tried to talk to the owner about this misunderstanding, and she told me it is over and done, and the money was due. And then she hung up on me. She had given me a final invoice that was due by a given date, and I came to get my horse early. She and her cronies tried to stop and threaten my safety when we tried to go. They insisted that I pay the amount of the invoice. I wrote her a check, but stopped payment and promptly sent her a new check for the CORRECT amount. The barn staff / owner / manager has now called everyone in the horse community spreading lies about me!!!!! Stay away from this place, as the owner / manager and trainers are not who they appear! READ: DR. JECKYLL and MR. HYDE!!!!!!!!! Pros: Only stable in the immediate vicinity......but definitely go elsewhere! Cons: the staff lies.....and they are IGNORANT!!!!! more

Pine Tree Equestrian Center has a nice community feeling, especially with the children. Although, their instructors are ignorant. Their turnout paddocks are small and there is no area to graze. There would be enough turnout if they had less horses but they have way too many horses for the size of their facility. There is no way these horses get enough exercise. When I was at the barn, the outdoor ring was filled with stones. My horse could not canter or jumped in that ring due to the horrible footing. Their indoor ring is quite nice and is watered down frequently to keep the dust from blowing everywhere. The basement for the ponies isn't actually as bad as it sounds. Although, most of the stalls in the basement need serious fixing up. Most of the tack that I have seen at the barn is falling apart, and it is difficult to find the right fit for the horse or pony you are riding. The instructors really do not know how to get along with a difficult horse. They're riding style is to hardy for some animals and can ruin them. I would not be surprised if riders easily became over confident with themselves and got seriously injured. I have witnessed tack being misused and instructors recommending young horses that have bad habits and need more training, to their students. This is dangerous and stupid. The owner is very nice and quite flexible, but is not as knowledgeable has I had thought. If the barn was fixed up and experienced, knowledgeable and personable instructors were hired, Pine Tree could be a nice place to board or take lessons. Their lessons are well priced opposed to other barns in the area, but they need lots of improvement. Pros: nice atmosphere and prices are good Cons: instructors are ignorant and are not knowledgeable horse people more

My boyfriend's daughter was looking at barns for her to take lessons, and we made a visit to this establishment this month. I was appalled to find that the ""instructors"" had attitudes, and acted like they were the end-all when it came to equine knowledge. I didn't want to be rude, so I refrained from correcting their major mis-quotes. My family has been breeding and training eventers for four generations, and have had top honors in many competitions as well as stallions who have sired champions with highest of ratings in FEI international shows. The staff lied if they didn't know the answer, or just plain showed how ignorant they were on the subject. We watched a lesson, and it was laughable. A trained primate could have done better in teaching this child on the pony. \r The facility itself has NO grazing area, because all the turnout was made of woodchips or sand. Grass cannot grow in these circumstances. The stall areas were cramped and very dark. There were four stalls which were adequate, but all others looked like dungeouns. There were even ponies relegated to the basement of the barn!!!! I was shocked!!! Horses should not live this way. I would not recommend this barn. My heart goes out to the horses that reside there now. Pros: There might be a nice horse there, but I didn't come across him. Cons: Most everything you'd expect from a barn falls far short of normal expectations. more

My cousin was at Pine Tree with her pony and took my pony for about a year and it was the worst thing that has ever happened to them (person and pony). First of all, Pine Tree lies A LOT, they lie on their website, they lie about who is riding your horse, they lie about everything. Pine Tree as very little land and hardly any pastures (the ones they have are completely MUD) My cousin was an already good rider- she found Pine Tree as a place to ride her pony and mine because she lived in the city... A few of the instructors there were young and know-it-all acting- they used her ponies with out permission and were just bad animal owners. Besides my pony getting ridden by people that could not handle him, his feet got ruined and he lost a lot of weight due to no grass in the mud paddocks and not enough grain. My cousins pony got very bad habbits and got her already not-so-great feet ruined as well. Kids and adults at the barn do not respect other peoples items and horses. People and kids would take my cousins pony and shop off her mane and brush her when ever they felt like it. The manager at Pine Tree seemed to be very nice, but really isnt, she has NO backbone and doesnt know anything. When my pony first arrived, a girl went and rode him and he had just endured a 8 hour trip. First of all that isnt neccesary and second he isnt theres to ride. The older kids at the barn also have an obsession with rapping every animals legs with polos with is not always needed and can injure the ones who dont need them. When we got our pony back, he was starving and had horrible habbits and he came back with some of his tack broken... Unfortunatly instead of Pine Tree finishing our pony- they decreased his training and werent expeirenced enough. No one at this barn knows anything. I highly suggest to NOT go there. They lie way too much and they have WAY to many horses for the size of the facility. Pros: not many Cons: mostly everything more

This barn was told to me as a good, warm place to go. It might be if you're 12, and don't own a horse or have cared for your horse, or know anything about horses in general. Not a good barn for people who have had horses in their lives forever, and know the ropes. This barn has good care for the horses, and all the horses look good, but the management has their own agenda. If you are a boarder, they require you take lessons despite the fact that both you and your animals are very seasoned--in some cases more than the people who want excercise your horse. The owner is wonderful and down to earth, but is only there on the weekends. I found there to be a gaping lack of communication between the person who was ""working"" with my horse and myself. I had specific things that I wanted to be accomplished for the extra cost, and she wanted to do her own thing. The barn opens later in the AM than most, (normal feed times at MOST barns is around 6AM) and closes earlier than the average working person can get home and change to go and ride. (7PM) Apparently, this does not even allow for the normal ""bed check"" at night time right before the horses go to sleep for the night to make sure that all the horses are okay. (There is a 12 hour gap where the horses are on their own) If you want later hours, special arrangements must be made prior to coming on the farm with the owner. All in all, this is not a barn that has a good ""community"" bonding for more experienced adults who just enjoy riding. It's great, however, for children who need to learn not to walk behind horses, how to tack a horse, and learn to walk, trot and canter. I have been to about 4 barns since owning a horse (15 years) and this is the most uptight and rule-regulated barn I have been to. Not a barn for those who expect to be respected as knowledgable and experienced equestrians. Pros: The owner is really a lovely person. The horses look good and are taken care of. Cons: The barn is over-run with children taking lessons, and doesn't promote a sense of community. more

I have gone to summer camp there 3 years in a row and it's been terrific. The horses have good temperments,are well behaved, and exceedingly well cared for. The tack fits each horse properly and is not damaged. Friendly atmosphere and INCREDIBLE instructors. The instructor puts you on a horse that is a good fit for you and you also get to experience riding all the horses there. Riding rings are large and cared for. Pastures are well kemp, as well as the stalls. Spacious grounds. This barn will make you feel very confident and you will surely get an amazing education not only on riding but on horse care and health. This barn is perfect for anyone, young and old, any experience. Not a show-off barn. Owner is VERY nice and friendly. Also she is knowledgable and knows every horse and his/her attitudes. The ideal barn. Pros: EVERYTHING! Cons: none! more

If you are looking for a riding program that has nice, personable people, reasonable fees, and good, friendly horses, this is the place for you. The atmosphere of the barn is like no other, people are very helpful and kind, always ready to help. Pros: Personable, caring, helpful people more

We have two riders who have been to 4 different stables. It's not that Pine Tree is a little better -- it is dramatically better. Start with the staff. The owner is friendly, personable, knowledgeable and down-to-earth. These qualities are the key when you compare to other stables who may be fancier, but there's an air of being pretentious. Pine Tree is far from pretentious and has values that mirror what I want my children to have.\r \r The other most important area is coaching and safety. Again, this is very impressive. They understand the different needs of the students and manage their enjoyment while teaching safety.\r \r Not only have we been to 4 other stables, but we've been riding for 8 years. We loved our first teacher but not the stable. We love it all at Pine Tree (and we've been here over 6 months). Pros: Atmosphere, Staff, Safety, ""Down-to-earth"" Feeling Cons: No website more