Kensington Stables

Excellent experience. The trail guide was so nice and knew about horses. I’ll do it again.

The woman who accompanied about ¼ of our group’s trail ride told me that their horses are not put out to pasture, and then told me to «wipe that sad look off of my face» because driving them out to a cold, lonely pasture with strange horses would be like putting a little kid in a strange backyard to be savagely beaten up on, as horses get aggressive and wild-​like when they’re not in controlled environments.
Uh-​huh.
She went on to say that horses enjoy their jobs and having a place to sleep and that being ridden allows them plenty of exercise, and that trail rides are like one big social party for them.
Yeah, I don’t buy any of that, especially considering the dark, dank stalls in which they live with barely enough room to move around in, and the fact that they seemed easily spooked and irritated by all of the traffic and commotion of the city. It seems like a rather bleak existence for a highly social herd animal.
The staff were, from what I could see, friendly oddballs. I had a rather nice trail ride, although the horses are allowed to get WAY too close to one another in single file line (I was assured this was a safe distance, and again I just don’t believe it), and one horse kept freaking out, bucking and kicking the one behind him, which I thought was quite dangerous. It made an otherwise pleasant experience stressful. I don’t remember trail rides ever being particularly stressful.
The biggest issue with this place besides the stalls and quality of life for the horses seems to be the lack of initial instruction for novices. I was lucky in that I’ve had ten years of experience, but some of the people in my group had NEVER been on a horse before, and they were given no guidance beyond «Tighten the reins!» and «Give him a big kick!»
A simple 5-​minute tutorial on the basics of riding would be VERY helpful for newbies. The staff I met genuinely seem to care about their horses, and the horses are indeed sweet and docile, but I can’t help but thinking that Brooklyn, NY is not the place for them.

I’m currently traveling for work and trying to ride wherever and whenever I can.
I happened to have a day off in NYC and found Kensington Stables through some googling.
I called to try and arrange both a lesson and trail ride and they couldn’t have been more accommodating. They managed to find me a trainer for a 10AM lesson and someone to take me out on a trail ride just after. We actually started the lesson early, as I arrived early. Everything was great! They have a small space in the stable that perfectly suitable for lessons. I rode Professor first, and while he challenged me it was great! That’s exactly what lessons are for. I received great instruction and definitely got something out of the lesson.
After that I switched over to Aladdin and went out for a trail ride with Bill. The park was lovely and it was a nice change to get some fresh air. I got some great historical information on the park as we rode as well, which was fantastic!
All in all the horses and staff were all fantastic and I definitely plan to come back next time I’m in the area.

I am just amazed that this place is still in business. I used to ride here as a child and have very very fond memories. I can’t speak for the way it’s run today but I rode the trails in Prospect Park on Kensington horses over 50 years ago, so they must be doing something right.
Do yourself a favor, if you know nothing of riding, get some rudimentary knowledge of basic western horsemanship online and keep in mind horses are living, feeling, and often very opinionated beings.
Bring a carrot or an apple, and make friends with your horse before you climb on. Otherwise these horses have absolutely no use for you as they know the route better than you do so just relax and enjoy your ride.
Do not kick the horses in their sides. They are trained to follow the lead horse and have no interest in your opinion. A simple «giddyup» will do. Be kind to your horse and you’ll have an enjoyable ride.
Gosh this makes me homesick :)

I was physically attacked by an employee of Kensington Stables in Prospect Park because my dog was too close to the horse trail in Prospect Park. She followed me, my wife, and our puppy through the park even though we continually asked her to stop escalating the situation. Was my dog too close to the trail? Questionable. However, I immediately attempted to make the situation better. I walked away and apologized. Even though I really didn’t have to. It didn’t matter
The experience was one of the most horrible experiences of my life as a New Yorker. We were followed through the park by a Kensington Stables employee who proceeded to call my wife a ‘beat up C+++” and told us to go the «F+++ back to Ohio.» She informed me that «hipster «M+++++F+++++s» like me were ruining «her» neighborhood, and that we should «go the «F+++ back to where we came from» She continually got in my face with her fists raised screaming «you’re not a man» and daring me to punch her. She walked all the way through the park and the parade grounds to our apartment building screaming «call my boss, Call my dad, I don’t Give a F+++ what you do you white M++++F+++++ do, you pieces of shit.»
She would not stop berating my wife no matter how hard she tried to defuse the situation.
Witnesses to the situation described the employee as «having the devil’s eyes“according to Chola a 65 year old Caribbean woman who saw me the next day and tracked me down to see if I was OK. Lindsay, who was the other dog owner present, described the employee as «unhinged» and «crazed» and tracked me down on our morning walk to ensure that I was OK. Seeing me on the street the next day she said «that was the craziest experience i’d been part of in awhile.» Lindsay said she spoke to the teenage girl and questioned her coworker’s behavior. The teenage employee said, «she does that sometimes.»
It should also be noted that the employee had left the tour she was on leaving responsible a teenage girl to tend to the entire group.
Upon informing management they were sympathetic and nice, however they did not reprimand the employee, let alone fire her. Which is so obvious that they should have done.
Having lived in the area for awhile I can tell you that overall Kensington Stables is a decent place providing a positive experience. However, no matter your race, you should know that their employees are capable of spewing hate at any moment. I would have to guess that the majority of their employees are perfectly fine people, but as long as this specific employee is on staff know that your experience could include racism, xenophobia, and abandonment. I am tremendously disappointed in Kensington Stables, all though I am smart enough to know one person does not represent an entire organization.
At your own risk try out the stables, just know what is accepted from their employees.

I did the carriage ride with my boyfriend for his birthday, we scheduled it for 7:30 pm. I called the office 1 hr before the time to let them know that we will be there at 7:30 pm. we got there 15 minutes early because we were tight on time for the evening, the horse and carriage wasn’t ready, they really took their own time to get the horse and carriage ready. The ride took off after 8 pm. However, it was our first time doing it and of course it was with my sweetheart that made it worthwhile. The driver was great at explaining the history of Prospect Park to us.

Don’t ever go there if you love horses and looking for a place to really ‘ride’ and ‘learn’ something. A big dissappointment for me. After 3 years having my own horse and riding successfully, i felt really weak about myself and i was really sad about the horses there. They can’t even fit the boxes they stay, they wouldn’t be able to turn around even if they want to. i am not going to start talking about the hygiene or anything. and mice everywhere. a big NO ! Sorry.

Hi guys, I’ve been riding for about seven years, and this is where I started. There were many problems with this stable, and there still are. My instructor was Sam (Samantha). SHE.WAS.AWFUL. My first lesson, she decided to pick up a stick and smack the horses butt with it. Sticks are NOT CROPS! Do not let anyone smack your horse with a twig/​stick, because horses do have nerves. Not a lot in the buttocks area, but they still have them. I rode genie. Once smacked on the butt, he did a crow hop and Flared his nostrils. NOT a good fist lesson. My actual lesson was always taken up by at least two other people in a tiny circle and started half an hour late because of the trek up to the mini-​arena. I would refrain from this stable if you are a hunter/​jumper. They do not own jumps, or if they do, they are hidden REALLY well.

Had a very bad experience. The instructor was not helpful at all. She just sat on a hill and barked out orders at my young girl, who was about 50 feet away, and could not even hear what was being said to her. My daughter is just starting horseback riding and she is very enthusiastic but after this lesson, I saw a dip in her enthusiasm. Instead of building her courage and enthusiasm, the instructor shot it down. My girl was somewhat discouraged. We are definitely NOT going here again. Will be trying lessons for her elsewhere. Throughout the course of lesson, there were a number of unprofessional things said by this instructor and I could not help but agree with my daughter when she complained afterwards. It was a good thing that I witnessed it first hand.

As the only place for horseback riding in the city I was impressed with the staff and how much they care for the horses. They are clearly well trained in dealing with the inconvenient but expected complications of riding a horse in an urban setting (Prospect Park). I wasn’t blown away with the condition of the stables and was concerned with the age of the horse I rode on (Tinkerbell). I strongly believe she should retire to a friendly farm that would appreciate her beauty and companionship. While I am sure it is difficult to maintain a horse stable in NYC, it would be nice to know a horse would not be worked too hard on a consistent basis (Tinkerbell had just returned from a prior ride and I am sure she is not the only horse that was not given a break after numerous, strenuous rides throughout the day).

I rode a really calm, sweet horse named Genie, and my friends rode Emma and Louie who were also very calm. During the walk through the park, Emma kept trying to eat the leaves, but other than that it was a great ride. Everyone on the staff was really knowledgeable and patient with me as a beginner. This is great for people of all skill levels. Riding through the traffic circle was a little scary but you can tell the horses are used to it and aren’t spooked by the cars. Overall a great experience and I would definitely recommend it to anyone in the city looking for something different to do!

Just got finished horseback riding here. Staff was all incredibly friendly and knowledgable. Our horses, Genie, Louie and Emma, were well mannered. Emma enjoyed eating grass and leaves, but a simple tug of the reins brought her back into control. Genie and Louie were very well behaved. This experience was definitely worth the $ 37 and I would be very likely to go back again.

I’m torn between 2 and 3 stars. I came here on my birthday for a trail ride with my partner who had zero riding experience, I had experience with lessons from my teenage years. The stable is rather remarkably hidden a few blocks away from Prospect Park, it looks run down and depressing for humans, never mind the horses. The trail guide was a friendly woman with thankfully extensive riding experience. Even though my partner had no experience, not much instruction was given at the outset – I think 5 minutes would have been appropriate as the site emphasizes that «all levels» are welcome. You do have to walk the horses across a huge traffic circle. The ride itself went well — the guide was talkative about her knowledge of the location and any questions we had about the horses, she also didn’t ride far ahead – until a sudden storm from hell came down, a thunderclap ensued, rain poured, winds raised, the horses went beserk and my partner flew off his horse Emma. It was everything I could do to keep my own horse Aladdin in check, and I was very VERY nervous that he would bolt again, particularly with roadways right there. The trail guide did her best to capture the horse that was loose, but my partner was hurt and had to limp along the horses as we attempted to make our way back. The guide was calling for help to the stable owner, but after he didn’t arrive we decided to proceed with heading back across the traffic circle. I saw my life flash in front of my eyes multiple times during this ride. I don’t blame the guide at all – she did apologize and did everything she could to control the situation. She also didn’t know the storm would come so suddenly. However, I think that the trail rides themselves should be off limits for those without riding experience because of a few factors. Prospect Park is full of things that can spook the horses besides thunder. Dogs without leashes – BIG dogs without leashes, cars, garbage trucks, cyclists, runners. Also, the proximity to major traffic intersections.
The stable owner, in comparison to the guide, was completely indifferent when we arrived with my partner limping and muddy. No, «are you okay» no nothing. I only give this place 3 stars because the guide was good and she deserves some credit.

Went for a great mid afternoon trail ride today. The instructor, Mel was great. I rode Aladdin, a lot of reviews say that he’s not a good horse to ride, but I found him to be fun and exciting. If you’re a beginner I understand not wanting to ride such a spitfire, but horses are horses. They’re animals and unpredictable. I think Kensington Stables is great, and I look forward to going back!

Went on a trail ride with my friend and it was $ 37 per person. I was given the horse «tinker bell», who I’m sure is a very sweet horse but VERY HARD to control. When I was on top of her waiting for the guides, she started walking away from the group TOWARDS THE HIGHWAY. I barely have any experience with horses and I wasn’t really given any instruction prior to the trail ride so I had to make do and guide her back to the stable. The trail ride wasn’t that eventful, it was peaceful and quiet around prospect park. When we arrived at the stables I pulled tinker bell to a stop and she stopped, then went, then stopped then eventually walked ALL THE WAY into the stables with ME ON TOP OF HER (my head just skimming the ceiling). I barely received any assistance getting off of her and I was told to just leave toward and slide down. If I were to come back I wouldn’t want to ride Tinker Bell.
1 star — conviently located in Brooklyn
1 star — trail ride is actually 1 hour
–1 star — I made reservations for 12:30 we started at 1 – 1:15
–2 star — I asked for another horse besides Tinker Bell because I was unable to control her and I was REFUSED by the worker saying «Oh she’s just like that, just scratch her».

Kensington Stables is the best place in the world.
Nothing else in my life ever could compare to the memories and experiences I’ve had at Kensington.
I encourage everyone to ignore any and all negative reviews of Kensington and to come for a ride anyway, because I cannot begin to understand why anyone would have a negative experience here.
So please, check KS out and go riding. You’ll have a great time. :)

After reading some of the more negative reviews, I wanted to offer my opinion.
Yes, it’s true that the initial training is very quick and not a whole lot to go off of, but the instructor walks by your side, or your group’s side, and offers constant guidance. Kinda like a yoga instructor adjusting your poses.
Yes, it’s scary because the horses can seem unpredictable when they prefer eating, or when they suddenly stop or turn. BUT, they feed off your energy. Be calm, be alert and assertive, and you should be fine. No accidents here, and we were a group of five, none of us which had any prior training.
All in all, a very lovely experience, as we hadn’t done horseback riding before, much less through Prospect Park.
My horse was Dakota and he was mostly interested in eating shrubs and disobeying me. But what an experience! Recommend it, even if I was terrified for a good chunk of it.

LISTEN UP!
i was a horse owner before moving to the city, and i want to say this place nice, but to all the non horse people you need to hear the truth:
YOU ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, YES THE EXPERIENCED RIDERS DONT HAVE TO BUT THINGS HAPPEN, HORSES SPOOK SOMETIMES, YOU SMARTEN UP AND PUT THEM ON. the owners cant make you and many people resist wearing them, so they ASK. PUT IT ON!
ALL stables smell so dont be shocked, horses are eating and pooping machines. even with constant cleaning they still smell like a barn should and does — even in the country.
prepping and saddling takes time, so expect that, dont be in a NYC hurry, relax and take your time and allow the stable handlers the same courtesy to do their job.
Horses are lazy, /​yes there are exceptions/​. they dont want to trail ride and dont want you on their back telling them what to do.
They are stubborn! again there are exceptions…
Horses settle their own problems with other horses by biting each other and kicking eachother, HARD and FAST!
That said dont think for a second that you kicking them to make them move hurts them in the least! or slapping them on the ass. so if a trainer is rough with a horse dont be shocked and think they are abusing them.
A horse is BIG, AND STRONG, A horse needs to know who is in charge, and you as the rider ARE IN CHARGE, AND THEY BETTER KNOW IT, AND IF THEY DO KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN CHARGE you will have a much better behaved horse and a much better ride!
So be nice but be firm, of course no hitting in the face, but let me tell you ive been on my own horse when he or she doesnt want to move and starts turning around to head back to the barn, and the best way to handle it is grab a switch from the nearest tree and smack them on the ass to get their attention, the SMACK doesnt hurt them, its actually the Swooosh sound that gets their attention, sometimes even that wont make them play nice, so you then give them a Swack on the side of their neck, oh yeah, now they are moving.
stand near any horse and swooooosh a branch or crop and you will see how quickly you get their attention.
When you first get on, the horse will know right away if you know what you are doing, so be firm but nice, and dont pull on the reigns so hard, they hate that!
So get out there and have a nice ride, be smart, be firm, and SLOW DOWN.

It was my first time riding and I was excited to get on a horse. Unfortunately, they kinda just put you on the horse, tell you to hold the reins tight and there you go. They only thing they really said was to keep the horse single file and don’t let them turn around because they like to fight. I really wish there was more instruction on how to do basic things like stopping or steering; no such thing prior to getting on the horse.
I ended up getting thrown from my horse after he got spooked for some odd reason. You sign away everything in their 3 page disclaimer, so I have no fault in that regard. It would have been nice if they had called to make sure I was okay. Nothing. I ended up 10 hrs in the hospital with a broken wrist and possible surgery.
They need to give better instruction to newbies. I just don’t think they know how to teach dead beginners. (Scary point: they ASK if you want a helmet. ASK. It should be mandatory. I would have had major injuries without it.) And have a little compassion in injury situations. Ironically, I would try riding again, just not with this group.

My horse, Bingo, had a mind of his own or I wasn’t a good enough rider to make him obey. He would ride through the foliage, making leaves smack me in the face, so he could grab a bite to eat. Kind of like a drive-​thru for horses.
Once I got past the fear of riding through traffic to Prospect Park and near bystanders in the park, it was pretty great. The instructor, who had us cracking up when she said she would ride her horse through a Burger King drive-​thru, was patient and stayed with us.
I felt like an empowered warrior goddess … until my bra got stuck on the saddle as I slid off to dismount and my boobs almost fell out the bottom of my shirt. Some guy was giggling off to the side as he waited for the moment. Thankfully, an employee came to my rescue.
Unlike some reviewers here, I’m no equestrian, so this place exceeded my expectations because I had none. And $ 37 for an hour seems like a good price. I think this is a fine spot for city folk who really don’t know a darn thing about horseback riding.
Disclaimer: The stable smells horrid. Not sure whether that means it’s not being cleaned as it should or that stables generally smell like horse shit. You be the judge. You likely won’t be on your way to ride as soon as you get there because they have to set up. Also note, I went here two years ago.