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Meadowlarke Stables

2800 Meadowpine Blvd, Mississauga, ON
53 reviews
Business claimed Last updated: Over a year ago
About Meadowlarke Stables

Located just north of the 401 in Mississauga, Meadowlarke Stables offers you an excellent variety of equestrian programs. From riding lessons to birthday parties to our horse shows, we can meet your n Go to full description...

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Meadowlarke Stables, Mississauga Reviews (53)

3.7
53 reviews
5 Star
30
4 Star
7
3 Star
2
2 Star
2
1 Star
12
By Vera on Jun 27, 2023
Guest Review
horseback riding lessons well organized, recommended for any age group
By Auburn Smelt on Jun 27, 2023
Guest Review
very pleasant experience with horseback riding, recommended for any age group
By Sharmil Lodhi on Jan 31, 2023
Guest Review
Extremely very bad experience with the owner - Anthea who just wants your money & very rude & full of bad attitude instructor - Jessica who wastes your time & does nothing & lies that they don’t have a horse for the kid & asks ppl rudely to leave. Just to let Jessica know that when customers come, they have paid, they are not coming for free, so learn your manners & behave well or else will be slapped hard for your attitude. Wish Anthea should have taught her daughter - Jessica proper manners & behaviour in childhood. But am not surprised cause maybe Anthea was raised the same bad way of telling lies & misbehaviour. Came to know that the stable is run by Anthea & Jessica is her daughter so it’s a family business where they only want your money. They never start class on time but always expect customers to be on time. They didn’t remind to send students 30 minutes early in the last class on the email & class actually started after 7:13 but expects parents to remember to bring kid on time after 5 weeks delayed of last class. I asked to either reschedule the class with proper reminder to parents to bring kids 30 minutes early or to refund the last class money, but instead of apologizing Anthea bangs the phone on customers face, I have already reported them on BBB, posted everywhere on social media & being a CEO myself, I have conveyed it to all my contacts who will be taking their business away from Anthea in both North & South Meadowlarke. Both mother & daughter should be ashamed of themselves & even though they try to hide from me, they won’t be able to hide on the Day of Judgement. They are liars & everyone knows where liars go after death. They pretend to go by rules but do they follow rules? Have they ever started any class on time? Even the very first class which was run by Laura, all parents were sitting for more than 40 minutes when she showed up smiling whereas class was delayed but they don’t care. They just care for getting the money. Even receptionist - Paula is ill mannered which isn’t t surprised as she is working for greedy & liar family. So never ever waste your hard earned money on such greedy & liar family operated business…
By Leslie Aziz on Jul 16, 2021
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READ THE FINE PRINT. They provide order confirmations and accept payment for day camp sessions that are already full. Multiple families have incorrectly assumed their children this meant their children were registered only to discover they are not. They are not interested in adjusting their communication to prevent this from happening again.
By Cobalt Fruit-Bat on Feb 15, 2017
Guest Review
I love Charlotte! She is kind and gentle, the animals love her. I hope she gets her own farm one day, I will go there.
By ajsam on Sep 09, 2016
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My 9-year old daughter attended camp here this summer and was subjected to info and images regarding veganism and animal cruelty. Pamphlets produced by PETA, ivegan.ca and other activist groups were made available to the kids, one of which shows a graphic photo of animal dissection. Kids at camp were discouraged from eating meat and animal products (e.g. milk & eggs) but were not educated about proper nutrition for growing, developing children and were not informed of alternative protein sources. Only one slanted side of the story told here. Also, children were offered non-dairy milks to try (referred to as “cruelty-free milks”) without parental knowledge or consent.

It is disappointing that the stable owner would use her position and that of the camp counselors, to influence sensitive, impressionable children. When I spoke with the owner about my concerns, she did not seem to think there was a problem with what was taking place at her facility. She did agree to remove the animal dissection pamphlet but when I visited later in the week, the pamphlet was still visible and available to children.

I am in no way judging vegans, vegetarians, meat-eaters or animal-activists but it is inappropriate to present this type of information and literature to children of this age (7-12 approx.) under the guise of a horseback riding camp. It is not the place to do so and parental consent was not offered or given. The information is not being told with all sides of the story and it is being presented to children who are not necessarily of an age to make a moral or lifestyle choice of this nature or magnitude.

My daughter, along with others who attended the same camp, will not be returning to this facility for summer camp or any of its other programs.
By ErinI on Aug 23, 2016
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My child is attending a summer camp at Meadowlarke Stables. The horses are quiet and steady, and the facility is aging but decent. I haven't seen a riding demonstration yet to assess whether the instruction is any good.

My negative review is specific to the fact that my child came home from their first day of camp with a fist full of propaganda from extremist animal rights organizations including PETA, Toronto Pig Save and iVegan. On a barn tour, I also discovered massive display boards pushing veganism. I have nothing against vegetarians and vegans, but am appalled that this stable is using their position of influence to force their opinions on impressionable 7-12 year old youth without giving them an even somewhat balanced perspective.

1) Few qualified dieticians would recommend a vegan diet without significant coaching and support, given that it is hard enough for disciplined adults to meet all of their dietary requirements from strictly plant sources - certainly not something to push on young children, who require additional macro and micronutrients for growth and development, and who are from families not familiar with this lifestyle
2) These organizations use a sensationalized slant that misrepresents the animal care industry. The owner of the barn is apparently connected to these organizations.
By Lily213 on Feb 03, 2016
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I have been riding here for a few years and I have learned so much from all the instructors I rode over the years. This stable made me the person I am today, confidence and brave person knowing I can be around large animals like horses. I would recommend anyone who is willing to learn to RIDE a horse and gain experience from handling horses. They also do birthday parties and camps which are popular!!
By AmyG on Feb 03, 2016
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A Horse Back Riding Farm where both student and horse happiness is front and center. Many levels of horses to accommodate riders of all levels. A safe, fun, educational environment with excellent staff. An excellent farm to anyone starting their career in horses or anyone wanting to build on their passion. Truly a positive experience where client and horse/animal care is of the utmost importance. Highly recommended.
By Lava Turkey on Nov 12, 2015
Guest Review
As a former lesson student at Meadowlarke Stables I can only say good things. From starting in their Learn to ride program to showing on their challenge team to working in the barn. Meadowlarke is nothing but a great place to nurture and grow your love and passion for horses. The horses are amazing and so is the coaching staff.
Meadowlarke will always be my home away from home!
Comment by Meadowlarke on Nov 24, 2015
Thank you for your kind words. We love that Meadowlarke has given you so many fond memories!! Always feel free to return "Home"
By HorseAmbassador on Nov 11, 2015
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Just had to say a few words about what a great place Meadowlarke Stables is not only for learning a fun sport but also for learning skills that will stay with riders throughout their lives whether they continue riding or move on to do other things in their lives. Meadowlarke's animals which include horses, cows, pigs, turkeys, ducks, chickens, dogs and cats have all been rescued either from the meat auction, overcrowded meat breeding farms or various shelters and pounds giving them a caring environment to live, work and ultimately retire. The instructors are knowledgeable and caring individuals who teach their riders to not only ride but to respect and care for all the animals at the stables. Many of the students who ride at the stables have never come into contact with animals larger than a hamster or a goldfish but through their lessons, volunteering and working develop confidence with the animals and the people they interact with at the stables. Many become leaders at camp, hosting birthday parties or become riding instructors and these skills will take them into any classroom, boardroom, community involvement or just make them stronger members of their families. Both my daughter and I have ridden in lessons and horse shows, volunteered and worked at Meadowlarke for a number of years and would not continue to be there if we felt that it was not a healthy, humane, fun and educational place to be.
Comment by Meadowlarke on Nov 24, 2015
Thank you for your kind words. We love all animals and take great pride in being able to give them a second chance at life. We couldn't agree with you more about the skills you in horseback riding being beneficial in all aspects of life.
By xiaoxiao on Oct 18, 2015
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My kid has been that stable for one year and changed to other stable after, because some teacher in that stable is so mean, they yell at kids every class, and there is no rule to principle those teachers. I know one mean teacher's name is Alannah, if you have to go to that stable, try to avoid that teacher for your kids' sake!!!!
Comment by Meadowlarke on Nov 24, 2015
I am sorry to hear that you child did not enjoy their lessons at Meadowlarke. We would appreciate the opportunity to discuss your experience further
info@meadowlarkestables.com / 905-821-0419
By Violet Flyingfish on Aug 24, 2015
Guest Review
Absolutely loved this place, the instructors are knowledgeable and friendly, the horses are super, I have ridden quite a few of them now and enjoyed everyone. And especially when I found out that the owner rescues them. Each week I so look forward to going to my lesson. Highly recommended :)
Comment by Meadowlarke on Nov 24, 2015
Thank you for your kind words. We love that you have found a passion for horses! If we do say so ourselves we do have some wonderful horses - we feel very honored to have been able to give them another chance at life.
By Cinnabar Termite on Jul 30, 2015
Guest Review
I am very sad because Samson passed away today he or she was a loving horse to ride and I am very sure that every body in the camp is very sad. Samson was a very friendly horse to ride and comfortable to ride and I loved Samson .
Comment by xiaoxiao on Oct 18, 2015
what caused a lovely horse died? It is because the stable abuse those horses?
Comment by Meadowlarke on Nov 24, 2015
Samson was a beloved member of our Meadowlarke Family. He had been a working horse/cart horse for many years before being sent to the meat auction by his previous owners. Samson was rescued by Meadowlarke Stables in 2010. He was such a wonderful horse - great for teaching beginners as he truly was a gentle giant. We estimated Samson to be around 23-25 years old, which is a good age for a horse. Samson was not himself one day and when we called the vet out and it was discovered he was suffering from something called Nephrosplenic Entrapment. Basically his bowel had flipped over his spleen, causing a great amount of discomfort. On the 2nd visit from our vet it was recommended to put Samson down as he was in a great deal of pain. In younger horses surgery is an option, but our vet felt that with Samson's age he was not a viable candidate for surgery. Never an easy decision to make. We miss him very much, and feel blessed to have had him as part of our family.
By Mamaof3 on Jul 07, 2015
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My three children attended the camp program there this summer. I paid for the full day program including extended hours which cost almost $1000 for the week for 3 children. On the first day of camp, my children told me they sat around for the duration of the extended hours doing nothing - no games, no activities or anything. I asked the staff the next morning if they can do something with them instead of having them sit around waiting and they said they would try. Next day - nothing - they sat around for an hour and a half again with no activities. Thursday, same thing no activities just sat around waiting - I was also told that my children cleaned horse manure out of the stalls and although I understand learning about the care of the animals, I did not pay part of the $1000 for my children to shovel horse manure on one of their days there. I spoke with Stacey and voiced my concern on the fact that I paid $75 for my kids to just sit around for an hour an half during extended hours and that I didn't expect them to be shoveling horse manure out of stalls as part of their "horseback riding" experience. She said the horse manure was part of the experience (I don't agree) and that she'd get back to me about the extended program and agreed there should have been something done with the kids. Never heard back. I wouldn't recommend bringing the kids there unless you know these expectations upfront as it isn't cheap with rentals and extended hours and isn't worth the horseback riding experience for the amount of time they are there.
By RiderGirl on Jun 26, 2015
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I've been at meadowlarke stables for about 3 years now and I LOVE it there! I like how all the animals are rescued from slaughter and given a second chance. The staff is very friendly and I always look forward to my lessons!
By Julianna Gibbon on Feb 08, 2015
Guest Review
I really like that the horses at meadowlarke were given another chance and trained to be riding horses. It's a super friendly place, i don't know why people say Anthea is mean ,she's a great manager and anyways willing to give a smile or a hello. She taught my class when my instructor couldn't teach she gave encouraging feedback, and didn't hold us back. Infact one of my previous riding peers went on in a higher level. But, there's room for improvement, like anywhere. An indoor viewing lounge or smaller lesson groups. I would recommend meadowlarke stables to anyone beginner or advanced looking for a place to develop their riding skills.
By horselover12 on Jan 26, 2015
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I would like to begin by saying that i had been a rider at meadowlarke for many years and have seen the ins and outs of the business. What Anthea is doing is a very nice concept, she saves her animals from slaughter, rehabilitates them and turns them into riding horses. Thats all good. Now the bad. I want to start with the condition of the animals. The horses live in a grass/dirt paddock as most stables have, however the problem lies on the fact that the paddock is filled with months worth of manure and instead of having it cleaned out, they shove all of it into a giant mound in the center of the paddock. (which the students have a suitable name for). On some days the horses are up to their hocks in mud and dirt, inevitably causing diseases such as thrush. The horses are constantly ridden with little breaks, their stalls are filthy and are almost never mucked down to the matting (unless of course theyre hosting a trillium show that weekend). The horses mains and tails are brushed so little that they are rock solid, and have to be HACKED off with knives. The horses are never blanketed in the winter and the only ones that are, are the owners more expensive horses. Many of the horses often get cuts due to poor fencing and stable conditions. Turn out in the winter is very dangerous as the paddock is covered in ice and they simply open the stall doors and let the horses run into the paddock as they slip all over the ice and risk severe injury. The riding taught there is completely wrong and made fun of by the rest of the riding community. The head coach is aggressive and makes students use the crop in an almost abusive manor. If all this isnt enough i havn't even started on how they treat the people. Parents are treated rudely and the staff is very unfriendly. They have a 24 hour policy on booking "makeups" if you miss a class, however if your lesson is at 5 pm saturday and you call at 5:15pm on friday to cancel, they consider that a breach of the 24 hour policy. The barn owner recently spent a fortune on a new show barn while this barns roof is leaking, often dripping water and snow on the horses and riders in the arena. This is a mass money making cooperation with no love for the people or the animals. the lessons are dirt cheap but you get what you pay for. For a similar price there are much better barns out there in the same area. I am repulsed by this business and would never recommend it . If I could rate 0 starts i would
Comment by rider1212 on Feb 17, 2015
In terms of the stalls being mucked out, they have deeply bedded stalls so rather than having rubber mats than shavings on top they put about a foot of soft shavings down for the horses comfort, this way as well when the horses make a mess its a lot more absorbent than a rubber mat. As for the "Hacking" off of manes and tails, remembering that most of our horses come from auctions, when they arrive at the stables and begin their training most of their tails and manes are in such poor conditions from where they came from that the only solution for then is to cut them off rather than them suffer from a badly tangled mane or tail. The rest of the school horses get there manes pulled throughout the year to keep them at an appropriate length therefore not plausible for it to be so tangled it needs to be 'hacked off'. Horses naturally grow winter coats, unless they are body clipped (which Anthea's private horses are which is why they get winter blankets). Actually blanketing horses in the winter can cause problems in them fully developing their winter coats. The policy with make ups is completely understandable and is followed by most stables. In order for there to be organization between the instructors and the times in which horses are available to use to prevent the horses of over working. The head coach is actually not aggressive but demands hard work from her students (which if you look at her students seem to be the most successful at shows). But if you prefer a more laid back riding experience there are tons of other riding instructors available to you. Also referring to the owner having no love for the animals lets just remember that not only has she given all these horses another chance at life but she also rescues pigs, cows, chickens, ducks, dogs, turkeys and cats from being killed as well as she is a vegan herself due to her LOVE for animals. The riding that is taught here is not made fun of by the riding community as you would notice we have a track record for our riders coming out on top in shows against other riders from the riding community. The riding that is taught here teaches kids how to RIDE not how to sit on a horse.
Thought some clearing up had to be done about these unclear assumptions about the stables.

- A former rider, worker, and customer of Meadowlarke Stables
By skydancer on Jan 12, 2015
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Really enjoyed my experience starting riding here. The staff were encouraging and obviously loved the horses. They also had other farm animals which was an unexpected bonus. My horse was such a sweet heart can't wait for my lesson next week !!
By Unknown Guineafowl on Jan 06, 2015
Guest Review
It is such a great barn and the instructors are very friendly. I like this barn because the horses are not push button, and that makes it great to learn from them. And no, they are not push button because they were not trained properly, it is because they are rescued, and that is the great part! They rescue the horses from slaughter and give them a chance to be loved once more. I think its pretty neat and not like any regular barn. I have learned so much from there, and hope to learn more! The pony that taught me a lot was Spock. And Bella was a challenge for me, bu Linn taught me how to handle her and it was great. I now absolutely love that pony!
By bob Ox on Jan 04, 2015
Guest Review
In my eyes this stable is great because they save horses from slaughter giving them a second chance which not many other stables do. I am currently setting up a assessment lesson to try out this stable and see if I like it or not. But from what I see, watching my friend ride and meeting all the horses, my view on this stable is not bad. I do think it is ridiculous that the parents cannot watch their children ride because some kids need their parents encouragement to do different things but this method makes sense for the more advanced kids. Overall I am excited to do my lesson
By Ali on Oct 21, 2014
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As a parent I don't recommend their business. Parents aren't allowed in the barn or arena and they aren't allowed to watch lessons, so you won't have an idea what and how they teach. They say, there is one viewing day per month. But if you have a young child, who sometimes needs your support, it won't help. And again, how can you leave any feedback, if you don't see what they do.

Before you register your child there and pay for the whole session of 4 lessons in advance, think twice. They don't return customers' money for the 3 left, if you don't like their service on a first day.

Now, question. Why do they have only one viewing day per month, and why isn't it planned on the day of an initial lesson?
By Cobalt Macaw on Apr 18, 2014
Guest Review
I'm not much of a person to post my opinion online, or even through words for that matter, but after reading some of these review I just had to put my opinion and my story out there because honestly it isn't true.

I'm in my third year riding at Meadowlarke Stables and it is absolutely amazing! I decided to start riding because I was absolutely terrified of horses. I went to a couple barns to look around before Meadowlarke and honestly out of all of them Meadowlarke had the nicest people, and I still agree with this. Meadowlarke may not be the prettiest barn in the world, but the people there and the horses definitely make up for it. I don't know what those other people were talking about how the barn's owner and manager are mean. they are not! the owner has helped me improve my barn management in a supportive way when I started volunteering at their summer camp and I'm very grateful to her. I also see her around the barn every now and then and I have never seen her show any "bad attitude" to ANYONE.

The instructors are also amazing! They are supportive and only want to help you excel. Yes, Stacey is a bit strict, but after riding with her for a little while it isn't bad because you improve a lot with her. I know this because I started riding with her at the end of last year and although it was brutal at first it was definitely worth it. She improved my riding a lot and although at the moment I'm not riding with her I can't wait to get back to my lessons with her again.

I also started showing last year and did very well for my first year showing and second year riding. This year I will be showing in the Challenge series in the Intermediate Division and although I'm nervous for the big change I'm also excited. I'm riding a great horse and have amazing instructors.

I ride in two lessons at Meadowlarke one is a private and the other is a group. This has helped me a lot and I recently started riding at an eventing barn and got placed in their Intermediate level classes and I know that I owe that to Meadowlarke.

Meadowlarke has changed me a lot from the little girl who was terrified of horses to a confident teenager who is now pursuing a career in the equine industry.

This barn is amazing, and don't tell me that there is something "better" out there or that I should "open my eyes" to what is really happening around me because after reading all these posts I've realized that the people who are criticizing Meadowlarke haven't quite opened their eyes just yet.

P.S. I have yet to see that mean dog that was mentioned earlier, and as far as I know I've seen them all.
By rider123 on Feb 02, 2014
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Meadowlarke stables does a great thing by rescuing horses. However the horses and over-ridden and become lame very often. They also spend a great deal of time in a standing stall and have little time off to be outside. It is not the safest environment as they have students teaching younger children to ride who have no standard approval to be instructing lessons. There are a lot of nice riders to interact with and the horses teach you a lot. However there are a few people there who are incredibly rude and the barn owner has little respect for employees and really anyone with an opinion. Very difficult and unrewarding place to work and difficult to get along with. There are a couple of great coaches for advanced riders but as a beginner it is not very safe and the skill set that an instructor should have is not met a lot of the time. The barn is very money hungry and doesnt care about the well being of the riders and pays little attention to the horses and well. It is the students or workers who really care about the horses and their well being. Most of all the barn owner is just all around rude and not a good atmosphere for children who want to have a positive experience where they learn from mistakes and arent harshly critisized.They dont like family members in the barn and look out for the barn owner! She even had a mean dog that would growl and bite, around the barn during childrens summer camps, which I think is unacceptable.
Comment by Meadowlarke on Apr 28, 2014
Hello Rider123
Thank you for acknowledging the work we do to rescue horses, we work very hard to be able to offer them a second chance at life. We currently have over 35 horses on our school, the majority who would have been sent to slaughter. Our horses spend the majority of their time outside as a herd - they get to lead a very natural life, coming inside only for lessons or special care. They are very happy and healthy.

We are very fortunate at Meadowlarke Stables to have many longstanding employees, we have instructors that have been with us for over 20 years, and barn workers that have spent their entire high school time working for us. With so many long standing employees we can't be that bad to work for!

We do have dogs on the property that are in the office with us all day - they are not out free roaming the property - the odd exception is when the camp counselors ask for the little white dog to be a clue in our epic Amazing Race each Friday of camp - there's nothing like watching 60 campers chase a little dog around - great exercise for everyone :)

We offer a wide variety of lesson programs from the complete beginner through to the rider looking to compete locally or nationally. We have many longstanding students who have been with us from the beginner levels up. We also have many returning students, who go away for college or university and return during the summer months.

Family/Friends are welcome to watch weekly lessons when we are outside during the spring/summer/fall months. During the colder months when we are inside we do offer lesson viewing days when we invite family and friends into the barn and then into the arena to watch the lessons.

We wish you luck with your riding and continued passion for horses.
By Chestnut English-Setter on Apr 28, 2013
Guest Review
I have been riding at meadowlarke for about 11 years now and I would never move to another stable. I love meadowlarke and the coaches here are amazing. They taught me everything i know and the horses are so well behaved. Anthea (barn owner) does such a wonderful job rescuing such great horses and she is such an amazing women for doing so. Its so great to see all these horses come from not even being ridden to now competing in shows. I hate seeing bad reviews about this place... YES theres flies its a barn and it may not be the nicest stable there is but if you took the time to get to know each horses story then the looks of the stable would mean nothing. I would never ride anywhere else but here. Its the BEST barn there is and Stacey is such an amazing coach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you want to learn to ride I would recommend this stable forsure. They have such great instructors that will teach you everything you need to know. I rate it 5/5 because there is NOTHING bad about this barn.
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Email address: info@meadowlarkestables.com
Payment methods accepted: cash, visa, mastercard, debit card
Located just north of the 401 in Mississauga, Meadowlarke Stables offers you an excellent variety of equestrian programs. From riding lessons to birthday parties to our horse shows, we can meet your needs. Come and find out why Meadowlarke Stables is the stable for you.
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