Woodland Horse Center

I have always wanted to learn to ride a horse. Finally got the change to try it at age 42. These folks made me feel welcome and safe. The introductory lesson was definitley the right way to get me started as I met the staff, teachers and their beautiful horses. Signed up for a series of lessons and my instructor instantly made me feel that I did not wait too long to get started. She is so patient and encouraging. I can now post the trot and am learning to canter So excited to go to class every week! If you think it is too late to get in the saddle...it's not. more

A girlfriend and I signed up for their free trial lesson. We were so excited, until we arrived and was treated horribly by the main office coordinator. Pretty much because we were 5 minutes late-- Sorry, we can not control the what happens on the roads, we traveled an hour and 20 minutes to get to Woodland. Although the rest of the staff was great, we chose to not return for lessons at Woodland because of how we were treated by the coordinator more

My family and I rode at Woodland for six months in 2006. During this time I noted: several horses being used that were markedly lame/sore (back problems) and two horses that died from colic. When it was raining, lessons were doubled up and held in the indoor, which was barely large enough to house one lesson. They would not let us reschedule. We considered buying a horse to board there, but were told that we could not bring anything in from outside and had to buy one of THEIR horses (which were horribly over-priced and under-trained -- $3500 for a horse they picked up at auction for $600 just two weeks before and I was the only one riding it. Horse was arena worthy and that's about it). Many of their "new" horses are fresh from auction and have no English training at all (those are the ones they would put me on because they were not "ridable" by the kids). IMO their horses are overworked (ridden a max of 4 hours a day) and many are too thin. Their instructors, for the most part, are not qualified to be teaching and do not teach correctly. During my six month stint at Woodland NO ONE mentioned using the outside rein as support or how to use my legs or use of the core muscles or anything about aids or straightness. They do have lots of shows and camps and fun stuff to do. That's about all I can say that I liked. more

Closer to Burtonsville than it is Silver Spring, back off the road you'll find the Woodland Horse Center. A horse lovers' haven, where they'll teach even the most skittish of children to ride and care for horses. With an indoor ring as well as paddocks for riding, there's plenty of room to exercise and enjoy a ride. Special events for kids draw a little crowd, where at Halloween, the kids AND the horses get all dressed up for the party! more

Woodland teaches English balance seat riding. Rates are reasonable and the location is convenient to Howard, PG, and Montgomery counties. There are separate lessons for children and adults. The children' s program is divided by age - 5 to 7 year olds are in Pony Pals while those 8 to 15 are in children lessons. Pony Pal lessons are taught in a safe, fun environment with parents as part of the class; they walk beside the horse and help their child. Woodland offers a free introductory lesson every Sunday (except when Sundays fall on major holidays, i.e., Easter, Christmas, New Year's) at 1:00 p.m. The lesson lasts about an hour and a half. more