Monach Farm Riding Stables, Cambridgeshire

Having booked Own a Pony Days as a Christmas present for our two granddaughters we were concerned to read some of the latest reviews. Our girls had their trip last week and had a fantastic time. The organisation was great, they were well cared for, they learned a great deal and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They want to go back for one of the short residential courses.

The negative reviews are misleading. This is a working farm, not a 5* hotel, there is mud and animals get dirty, but the care, tuition and enjoyment for the children are superb. The girls came home with a laminated picture of themselves with 'their' pony - a nice touch.

My husband booked for myself and my son as a gift. There was no interest in rider ability. Everyone is rushed to get boots and riding hat on so they can get the groups turned around quickly. No qualified person to ensure correctly fitted riding hats are worn! I spent the time walking around a paddock with a group of small children! There's no teaching involved. I didn't even need to guide the horse. They have all clearly walked the same routine over and over and would do it blindfolded! The woman who was a so called instructor was rude to clients and members of staff. Once finished, they couldn't get rid of you quick enough. No hot drink or ice cream for kids as advertised! More importantly, the horses didn't appear to be groomed or adequately cared for. My son and I went to pet a horse on our way out and got a filthy look from a member of staff! Non existent customer service, no sign of teaching and tired, sad looking horses. Such a shame. Monarch gives a bad name to riding stables. I have had great experiences elsewhere so there are good ones out there. Don't waste your money on this one!!

Awful riding school, untidy horses, stables, people. Instructors have no qualifications, including the owner, who is also rude and obnoxious. If you want to learn to ride.... Don't go here!!

I think that monach farm is an amazing place to go, with very knowledgeable, kind and helpful staff. i have been riding from a very young age and i do believe that riding at monach farm has been the best and always will be. Monach farm is a very clean and tidy place with staff mucking out and cleaning stables daily I love being at the farm it is my favorite place to be.

I have read the latest reviews, of course, everyone is entitled to an opinion and that's all it is, their opinion! I like to be open-minded and make my own mind up! After all, everyone gets caught on an off day now & then. The instructors have an abundance of knowledge and experience between them, the horses are well kept and get plenty of rest time. The nature of the UK weather means it is much wetter/colder at this time of year, therefore horses will get dirty quicker and spend more time in stables, warm and protected from the winter weather, but they are washed & mucked regularly, unfortunately stables don't come with a flush facility so unless someone is there to scoop as soon as horsey poops, I think you get my drift! As for stroppy teenagers, I agree there was a problem, nothing worse than someone with a potty mouth (not just teenagers) ... its generally referred to as just being a teenager and them thinking they are big, lets face it we've all been there. This has been sorted and the current group of helpers have lovely manners, are always polite and many have been riding from a very young age and are far more experienced than most adults.

Sorry but I do know people are entitled to their own point of view but really. It is winter and horses do get muddy when out in fields. All horses at monach get 2 days out a week. Stables are cleaned out according to a Rota. You need to appreciate horses are kept in more so their stables won're be pristine. The lessons are taught by professionals and anyone who has teenagers knows they are not always happy and chirpy. Give monach a break horses are well cared for, people do come back time after time and I have always found it a friendly and caring establishment.

I have had now had numerous lessons at the farm and really enjoyed them. After reading some of the reviews I decided not to be judgemental and be open minded about using the school, the girls who took my lessons, although young were all working towards qualifications and were helpful on questions I had. Some of the horses lived out in the field so we're not going to be spotless! But all (although sometimes muddy legs) were clean and where tack was placed were dirt free. I also noticed deep beds but as this is a working farm with 40 plus horses understood this could not be done in the day but fresh beds were given every night and every horse was fully mucked out on a Monday (when they all got to have a day off!!) not over worked as some of the previous reviews. Although the owner didn't have the greatest people skills, she had great knowledge and I also noticed you could request to change your instructor if you were not happy. Overall I would highly recommend and will be taking my children over the Christmas break to enjoy the wonderful family run farm.

Worst riding school!! Had a lesson the other day! Horses are unkept and filthy dirty! Have mud all over them and unbrushed manes and tails! The people that run it are barely out of school and clearly have no qualifications!! The 3 teenagers we had during our lesson were miserable, grumpy, sour faced and spent more time talking to each other than us! As well as frequently swearing! All in all it was a terrible experience apart from the horse was well behaved and friendly!

Worst riding school in the county!!!!! Horses were unkept, messy, mane and tails unbrushed, mud everywhere. Scruffy horses that look uncared for. The 3 "professionals" that took our lesson were no older than teenagers, clearly had no qualifications, were rude and sour faced and spent more time talking to each other than to us. When the lessons had finished we took the horses back to stables full of shit.....no clean bedding and after asking why i got told "we dont have time to do the beds". Only plus point is that the horse was friendly and looked after me well. Wouldnt go back...unless it was to rescue those horses from the horrible teenagers!!!!!!!!

as other reviews have said the owner of this riding school is horrible. The horses were really sweet and my daughter loved going there whilst other members of staff taught her. Then we had the owner of the stables teach her who shouted at my daughter constantly with no constructive criticism, her lesson was boring and my daughter was taught nothing at all, she made her cry twice and then expected us to book again...i think not!! If u go to this riding school make sure if a small large built woman is going to teach u, u run!!!!! Such a rude woman who hasnt got a clue about people skills! A massive shame as this school is nice and close to us and would have been perfect but i WILL NOT have my young daughter treated that way by someone.