Glen Grove Equestrian Center - Lake Forest, Illinois

Cara L.

I've been riding at Glen Grove for about two years. I started riding when I was 11, and was a working student and later a groom. I took a 7 year break from riding to finish college and start my career. Being plus sized I was very apprehensive getting back into riding. Many barns have weight limits, which I respect and understand, but it means a whole entirely awkward layer that needs to be addressed. The stables was accommodating and I started back riding their big school horse Moose. Never once in all my time there have I been made to feel ashamed of my weight. When I started looking for a horse to shareboard, they found me a big mare to work with, and in a year and a half together we've made great progress.

Paula has been a great trainer. Before I stopped riding I had been riding with the same trainer since I was 15 years old. I was apprehensive and nervous to be riding with someone else. She was easy to work with and amazingly adaptive to my personality. I've witnessed her change her teaching style between different riders, taking different approaches to different personality types and intuitively figuring out the best way to teach a person.

I've yet to see a trainer here who's training methods I disliked. The trainers work to instill confidence, stress safety, and teach their students respect and understanding towards the horse.

I've made great friends and have went to several shows now. Our show team is wonderfully supportive of one another and everyone has a great time. The barn is full of good people and having spent my time at a lot of different stables in my teens and 20's, I have to say it's amazingly low drama. I'm not sure if I've been at any barn before where some sort of meltdown or conflict between trainers, boarders, or owners hasn't happened at least once a year. Two years at Glen Grove and there's been nothing like that. Overall, it's been a great experience.

A edit two years later:

I still love this barn, love these people, and love the trainers. The mare they found me to shareboard that I mentioned in the review above was purchased by me later on that year. The sale and transition of ownership was smooth and while me and Arti have had some ups and downs over the last two years, overall the ups have outweighed the downs. We've been showing a few years and it's a great group of people to complete with. Everyone is supportive and is there to cheer each other on.

We qualified for B medal finals this year and on Sunday we placed second in the Limit Medal. Arti was absolutely perfect for me this show and I can't say enough for this barn and what they've done for me and for my horse.

Tea B.

Glen Grove shows zero empathy to their animals: limited and crammed turnout takes place only in dirt arenas or rocks. Thus resulting in the regular acing (tranquillizing) of lesson horses. Lesson horses reflect their negligence through anger….they bite, kick, and become dangerous when tacked up. These behaviors don’t come natural in horses, they are learned through the abhorrent environment they have to live in. Green horses are put into the program and ridden by riders who should be on schoolmasters, not a project that Glen Grove profits from. Training here for 4 years with Paula made me lose the love for this sport. Every lesson I would come out feeling unworthy and unaccomplished due to the constant yelling, pressure, and unapologetic attitude of Paula. Please save your money, this barn is greedy and unethical.

Thabita S.

I have been riding here for almost 7 years now. Its been an excellent experience and barn! and the new barn is awesome they have two different arenas for riders and there both are great sizes 😀. I have tried one other barn and have had a horrible time there do I moved back to glen grove eqestrion center. All the trainers any workers are very nice they all work very hard to keep the barn in excellent shape and the horses in excellent condition 👏. I'm so proud to be a part of the working students!!! I would never be where i am with out glen grove eqestrion center! If I could give them a higher rate I would!!

Kira E.

My daughter recently attended a camp at Glen Grove and (after waiting 48 hours for my nerves to simmer) I feel like I should share our experience.

On the third day of camp, my daughter called me, in tears, telling me that she'd been bitten by her horse. I was skeptical, figuring that if she was really hurt, the camp would have called me, but then she sent me a picture, and I became alarmed. The picture looked bad. This had happened over an hour ago, and no one from Glen Grove had called me, and all they had done for my daughter was to give her give her an ice pack.

I called Glen Grove, and Sue (I think she's the owner?) answered. She seemed annoyed that I had called and said that yes, my daughter had been bitten, but it was no big deal because it hadn't broken the skin. I told her that I had seen a picture of it and it looked like it needed to be treated, at which point she huffed, went over to my daughter, took another look, and said it just looked like a rug burn but if I was really worried about it "[she could] put alcohol on it, but it's going to hurt really bad." My daughter was right there - I could hear her yelping in fear in the background. After a few back and forths, I asked Sue to clean it with soap and water (that's what I read on the internet) and put some bacitracin on it. We hung up, no apologies, no assurances, she was just so annoyed that I was making a big deal of this.

I am not a dramatic mom. I always assume that my kids actually did what they've been accused of, and I have been to the ER a bizzilion times for scrapes, stitches...you name it. I am not upset that a horse bit my kid at camp - stuff happens. But the way that this camp handled this issue was so unprofessional, so dismissive of any responsibility, I don't think that they should not be running a summer camp.

I later heard from my daughter (and 2 other girls who told their moms) that later that afternoon Sue was trashing me to other parents - telling everyone about my "overreaction." Sue also told my daughter that her particular horse (Clover) doesn't like getting his hooves cleaned, so that's why he bit her (wait, that's part of the grooming she's supposed to do - and...hold on, has this happened before?!).

Glen Grove has a lot of horses, and they are relatively convenient (right off of the highway) and the facilities are pretty nice. Maybe I just hit Sue on a bad day. But it takes a lot for me to get riled up and this had me on fire.

Eva B.

I am writing as a boarder at Glen Grove.
Before I came here I was at another stable around in the area. What really hit me here was the difference in horses behaviour.
Horses at Glen Grove are happy. They are being well taken care of. They have daily routine. I am not afraid to keep my mare here, because I know, even if I am not present, she's gonna be fine.
The owner is fantastic, the customers are very nice, boarders too. And because I happened to be teaching horse riding I can tell the instructors present high level of teaching techniques. The fact that Glen Grove has so many different trainers is a huge advantage for students.
Yes, teachers have to sometimes raise voices. It helps students to focus on task. It is not to offend anyone.
This facility is 5 min from Chicago. Unfortunately busy roads around with not always educated about riders' safety drivers. This is the only reason the outdoor must be limited.
I am astonished seeing so many negative reviews here. I happened to know how many customers are very happy here:)

Sara M.

my Daughter has been riding here for 4 years now and we couldn’t be more pleased with our trainer Paula, the owner Cyndy and the entire staff! There knowledge and training cannot be surpassed and it’s comforting to know that my Daughter is being trained with the correct technique always keeping the horse and riders safety first. There compassion for these horses shows in there every day dedication.
If you want to lear to ride, give Glen Grove Equestrian Center a try.

Ashlie J.

When I was very young I was horseback riding and had a terrible experience, then I came to horse feathers and I started to love riding again. I am devastated that my instructor nick, has passed away. He was an amazing coach and pushed me out of my comfort zone. I haven’t been riding for quite some time but would recommend this place for anyone. I personally don’t have any special needs but seeing what they do for our special friends is amazing. Love this place so much!

Dianne W.

My granddaughter has been taking lessons at Glen Grove and I am very pleased with the progress that she has made, and the overall quality of the Equestrian Center. The facility is well-maintained, and the horses all look to be very well cared for - clean, well-fed, calm, well-tempered. The school horses are clearly well trained and instruction is well supervised. It is clear that safety is a primary emphasis in the instruction area. Both my grandaughter's instructor, Morris, and other teachers in the arena displayed high levels of professionalism while maintaining friendly yet firm interaction with their students. Beyond the actual riding instruction, I am impressed that lessons include instruction in the care of the horse. My granddaughter has accompanied the groom/attendant in taking her mount back to its stall, removing the saddle and other tack, performing basic grooming, and securing the horse back its stall. This interaction with the horse provides a better appreciation for all that is involved in the riding process. It is a real benefit to have access to such a fine facility in the northern suburbs.