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December 2023 by Christy S.
Castle Rock has an amazing apprenticeship program. The kids gain many skills from being in the program and grow as riders. The perfect balance of work and play.
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July 2023 by Lauren D.
Despite odd previous experiences emailing with the owner several years ago, I went because of a personal recommendation from someone who worked there. When I got there, I found out that person doesn't work there anymore and it's obvious why. It was very hot. The owner promised she would provide us with water but we had to ask several times. There was nowhere to sit and watch lessons. There was only one person present who MAY have been an adult. She looked 17 or 18. She sat down and played on her phone and made the two 14 yos working there do everything. One 14 yo was nice. The two other "instructors" acted pissed we were there. There was nowhere to change into riding clothes. There were two 10 year-old children working there, and one said they only had hot water to drink and weren't allowed to go to the owner's house (which is on the property). Lesson was $100 per kid per hour. Given the employees are all under age and don't have sufficient resources for their own safety, I was incredibly concerned about the safety of the kids I brought for the lesson.
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April 2023 by Quita Becerra
My girl loved this place. It was such a great community full of girls. She had her first lesson and her being with the other girls practicing around her gave her alot of confidence. We will definitely be going back
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November 2022 by jmasuo
Our daughter Nichole had lots of fun attending the Thanksgiving Camp. Thanks
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November 2022 by Guillermo Jose Briceno
FUN FOR ALL
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March 2022 by Mirely Vasquez
Place us an amazing place for kids of all ages...
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January 2022 by Guillermo B.
I took my daughter Sophia she's 8 years old first time riding a horse very nervous but it was a great experience she had tons of fun and she will definitely go back the girls are there that train lessons are awesome. I will continue to take my daughter for riding lessons and recommend for anyone as well it's a great experience fun with people are great the horses are nice.
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November 2021 by N L.
Great instructors who really care about kids. Very impressed. Recommend it highly! The holiday camps and lessons are phenomenal.
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November 2021 by Mayuri M.
DO NOT GO TO THIS JOKE OF A "barn"!!! It's awful on so many levels but here are the main reasons The "head trainer" is high half of the time, clouding her jugdment to make rational decisions for CHILDREN AND ANIMALS!she is the rudest human being I've ever met and her ego is sky high! She manipulates the children and takes advantage of them forcing them to do all the labor around the barn like cleaning stalls. The entire barn is run by kids 9-15. So unsafe!! They run the barn maintenance, lessons , camps and more!! They are inexperienced and get this, they pay upwards of 400$ for this joke of an apprentice program.the horses are treats so poorly and stalls often aren't done and filthy. They spent 22 hours a day in a small stall with rare tournout which is escential for a horses health. Every thing about their treatment is horrifying. Nancy is a money hungry snob who cares about no one but her self . She's 83 and never leaves her house except when she feels like screaming at children criticizing them. Cliff nancys boyfriend put up security cameras to watch little girls all day. He is an alcoholic and is extremely dangerous . Nothing about him is safe. Their visiting trainer thinks he's all that. An awful man. I've seen him first hand abuse horses punching them in the face, kneeing then in the side etc. So sad and a big reason I left the barn. DO NOT GO TO CASTLE ROCK ARABIAN. You will find nothing but trouble!!!!!!
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October 2021 by Karen D.
My mother has emailed Castle Rock Arabians three times over the last few weeks to set up a lesson for a 15 year old to have an experience with a horse. She has also driven out to see them and they told her to email again. She wants to work with Castle Rock Arabians because she remembers taking her grandchildren there several years back, but she may need to give up if she can't get a response.
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August 2021 by Delaney Sundquist
Nobody showed up for my first lesson. (But the horses are beautiful.)
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August 2021 by J P.
This place is so poorly managed it's scary. I can't believe that no children have gotten severely hurt here. The lead instructor is high on pot 90% of the time. The owner Nancy DuPont hasn't been a part of the horseback riding for years because she's 82 and can't. She hires children to run the ranch for so she can pay them pennies on the dollar compared to qualified instructors. I took my 12 year old there for lessons and her instructor was 2 years younger than her and had very little horse knowledge. Afterwards my daughter got lice from their disgusting helmets that look like they've never been cleaned. They have a horse named famous that is so skinny and uncared for you can actually see his hip bones rub together and they make that old horse work the camp all day long in the heat. The ranch also employs a drunk who comes out around 2 pm or 3 pm daily stumbling around slurring his words, he is Nancy's long time boyfriend/partner. He is also the handyman and security camera control man. Everything is broken or breaking and Evan the arena has garbage in it. I hear it used to be a great place for kids but now it's a broken down ranch where kids should never be allowed.
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July 2021 by Natalia M.
I went there for a period of time, while I was there I noticed that all the kids there were bratty and rude. No discipline! For The adult situation, there is no situation. There is ONE adult roaming around whom which by the way is not qualified..Makes people cry DAILY! She manipulates the kids and over worked them. The "trainer" takes kids phones away and sometimes doesn't even return them for a day. They have no right to do that. The stunts they make the kids pull are dangerous and reckless. LITTERAL KIDS RUN THE PLACE! there is no adult supervision. they don't care for the horses. Super disorganized, Several kids got COVID! Children get scolded for a mistake that was the "trainers" fault. Giving them even one star makes me feel eery and they don't deserve it! They OVER WORK EVERYTHING! back to the "trainer" She has tons of attitude. They Abuse the horses to the extent. DO NOT GO THERE! IM WARNING YOU! Its also super expensive please don't support!
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May 2021 by Erin W.
Castle Rock Arabians, its owner Nancy, and the apprentice Lexi D. gave my 4 year daughter an experience to remember! She was ecstatic about her half hour lesson and couldn't wait to go back. Signed up for another package of classes. The staff and owner are extremely friendly, the grounds are well kept and the animals seem to be very well cared for. Thanks again Lexi, you were the apple of Willow's eye! Would highly recommend Castle rock!
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April 2021 by Jennifer B.
I absolutely love Nancy and everyone at Castle Rock Arabians. My daughter loved her week at camp through spring break and it never would have happened if it weren't for Nancy. I have 3 kids, my oldest child was shot with a shotgun and blinded while participating in a junior pheasant hunt hosted by the state of California when he was 11 years old. This has made it very difficult for me to go back to work full time and even more difficult to pay for things like a week long horseback riding camp. When my 9 yr old daughter asked me if she could go to horse camp I heard $$$$$ and thought that it would never happen, but I took a chance and called Nancy and see what I could do. I didn't tell Nancy about my son or monetary hardship, but she could tell by my reaction when she told me the price that I couldn't really afford it. Nancy asked me if I knew anything about horses or office work and when I told her I used to be an office manager she asked me to work for her at the ranch a couple days a week in trade for my daughter to go to camp. Of course I jumped at the opportunity. Not only did my daughter get to go to camp but I got to go with her and was able to see how much fun she was having and she really was having the best time. She loved the girls that worked with her, as well as riding and grooming the horses. At the end of the day she would go on and on about all the fun things they did and how much she loved camp and all her new friends which I later found out were the apprentices. I believe that is what makes them different, the apprentices. Even though there are always 4 adult trainers running the camp the apprentices are the ones the kids seem to bond with the most. The young adults that work there are experienced riders who have been riding and training for years and know what they are doing. Nancy doesn't let just anyone that wants to work there work with the kids. They have to have a lot of experience and knowledge just to be considered for the apprenticeship program and eventually a proven ability to teach . They have to earn the right to participate in camp and teach lessons. They start at the bottom and work their way up to apprentice trainer. This means they had to clean stalls, feed and groom horses, and work on the ranch. As you can imagine I am a bit overprotective when it comes to my kids after what happened with my son and I can say I believe it was not only safe but a lot of fun for all the kids . I got the chance to know most of the apprentices and they are some of the most responsible young women and men that I have met in a very long time. There have been times that appointments have gotten mixed up or people have gotten mixed around but that happens everywhere and anytime a customer is unhappy with their experience Nancy personally addresses the issue and does her best to make them happy. I intend to continue working for Nancy in order for my daughter to continue enjoying the lessons and camp as much as possible and because I enjoy being there with Nancy and the Rebecka. I would not allow my daughter to go back if I thought it was not safe or if there were un qualified staff or instructors working with her. I highly recommend Castle Rock Arabians to everyone that will listen.
