Manito Equestrian Center Inc

I must give my opinion on Lisa Schadt and Manito. When my daughter was 12, about 14 years ago, we discovered this wonderful place. It literally changed our lives for the better. As soon as we entered the property for the first time, we both felt a soothing sense of calm and peace - something we both really needed. A bitter custody battle had left us emotionally battered and I needed to find my daughter a safe and positive activity to help her heal and Manito provided that. Lisa and everyone ever associated with this place were always very helpful and caring and from what I have observed, that has never changed after all these years. If you are looking for an excellant experience for your children, this is the place to send them. Sign up for a few lessons or the summer camp and see for yourself. If a student is willing to follow the rules, (which are there for the safety of the people and the animals), show respect for others and the horses, and put some effort into the experience, you will benefit. I trusted Lisa 14 years ago with my youngest child, and I will trust her again as soon as my grandchildren are old enough to sit in a saddle. She is a wonderful role model, a positive thinking business woman and to deny your children this experience would be a shame. There is so much more to this place than horses. Pros: Positive learning experience Cons: Not one thing! more

My daughter rode at Manito during her childhood and would have moved into one of the stalls if we would have allowed her to! She gained many life skills and a good work ethic through volunteer work at this farm. Some of her best friendships in life were formed at this beautiful place and she has precious memories that will be part of her forever. The owner has worked very hard to provide wholesome quality programs for children and our community is very fortunate to have this preserved farm for our children and for future generations. When I have grandchildren, I hope they will live close enough to experience the same wonderful experience at Manito. Highest praises to their efforts and good results! Pros: wholesome, safe place for kids Cons: none come to mind more

I have lived in various places throughout the U.S. and have ridden extensively most of my life. This place is amazing. I have gotten to know the staff and owner very well over the last years. The manager and owner are genuine, caring people who work hard to maintain the peace, tranquility and beautiful setting that make the place so special. I appreciate their diligence in keeping the horses healthy and happy and in keeping this beautiful haven a place of peace. If you're looking for drama, you won't be happy here. It's not that kind of place and they work hard to keep it that way. Although I have ridden for many years, I always learn something new in my lessons and truly have no complaints. Highest praises, jobs well done! Wish there were more places like this as when I travel there is nothing that compares. Pros: friendly staff, nice horses, beautiful setting Cons: can't think of any more

This is place is definitely not a place to go to!! First off, the owner, Lisa, is never on property and when she is she is always freaking out about something. She seems like a very paranoid lady that doesn't trust anybody. The barn manager, Roy, is friendly but is very two faced. He is constantly talking badly about people behind their backs and making fun of people. Everytime I am on property, and I've been there for a few years, he is only knocking on the owner - talking about how miserable and crazy she is, saying about how she shouldn't be in the business, etc.. He calls her a whack job almost all the time. I have also seen 16 year old kids driving around on the farm machinery, completely out of control, while the mananger tells everyone not to tell Lisa because them driving is against the farm rules. The riding instructor, Erin, is also very horrible. She talks and talks to the parents during the lessons and barely teaches the rider. She doesn't care about advancing their riding and it seems like the owner is only in it for the money. Pros: Nice scenery Cons: Horrible owner, manager, and instructor more

If you are looking for peace and tranquility in a beautiful setting, this is the place to be. I have been a horse person for most of my life, have been through the show circuits, have seen it all. At the end of the day, the things that matter are what this place is all about. The horses are well cared for and have been given a great home for the remainder of their lives. The children have smiles on their faces and are taught in a safe, comfortable environment. The owner and her staff work diligently to keep it that way, and in this business it takes a lot of dedication and perseverance. The owner apparently put her farm into the green movement instead of living the easy life from selling her farm for the bucks. I know horses and I know horse people and this place is a charming, once in a lifetime find. I don't know how they've survived in this incredibly crazy business. God bless them. Pros: charming, idyllic Cons: a sheep amongst the wolves more

My daughter and I rode at this beautiful farm for eight years. It is because of this farm that my daughter learned respect of animals, resonsibility, compassion and good riding skills. Over time, we got to know the owner very well- she was (and is) an excellent role model for my daughter and for many of the other children who ride at Manito. At Manito, their actions match up to their words. The animals are very well cared for, loved and respected. The owner's compassion and dedication is what led my daughter to enter veterinary school. I would not trade this part of my daughter's childhood for anything. Our community is lucky to have a haven and oasis such as this. Highest kudos. Pros: beautiful setting, dedicated/professional owner and staff Cons: we need more places like this more

I have been riding at Manito for eleven years and feel that Manito was very instrumental in developing way more than my riding abilities. What makes this barn different is the family atmosphere, their integrity, honesty and interest in their students. I started out as a volunteer and eventually joined their staff. This helped me form character, a work ethic and an understanding of the amount of care necessary to keep the horses happy, healthy and content. The owner always treated me well and she seems to have a strong interest in helping the community. I have been to a number of barns in my life, and this is one place where the owner and staff work as an efficient team and the mutual respect is evident each and every day. The horse business is difficult and full of many unsavory characters. I have the greatest respect for the amount of time Manito's owner puts into screening potential employeesand weeding out those who are inappropriately matched for a children's program. Yeah, it makes some people mad, especially those who have been dumped for poor behavior. This is the most peaceful, tranquil barn I have been to and I know how much work is involved in keeping it that way. Highest praises! When I have children of my own, this is the only place they will ride. Pros: peaceful, high integrity, worth the money Cons: wish they would host more open (public) shows there more

As a former instructor at this farm, I do not suggest the farm to anyone. In my short time there they was always a difficulty in keeping instructors. The owner was never on the farm and was usually difficult to reach. Although the horses were well maintained and were at a range of abilities, I found it difficult to allow students to reach their full potential. The owner seemed more concerned about making sure she got paid than allowing the students to grow and be acitve riders. I never felt comfortable around her and became increasingly uneasy when she fired someone in front of me. I would on suggest this farm to someone who want to ride for pleasure, but not for someone that wants to become competitive and a serious hobby. more

Manito Equestrian center is like my home. I have been riding there for at least 10 years and I have started to voulunteer about 2 years ago. I am very disappointed in the review from loveshorses08. Every single horse at Manito has had a wonderful life ever since Lisa brought them to manito. all are well cared for. These horses have been given a second chance, a chance not all horses receive. Eagle was loved by everyone and it was sad to see him go. And if you loved Eagle, than why make up such horrid lies. These lies hurt everyone. Pros: wonderful barn manager, great horses, beautiful property, more

Manito is a nice place that has good horses and a nice facility. The arenas there are nice and big but don't get raked often enough and the outdoor has way too many rocks and has hard footing 96% of the time. The horses are cared for, stalls are nice and the water is always clean, all of the horses seem really happy. Nice riding instructor and knows how to bring the kids along in their riding skills. My daughters riding has advanced greatly since she started riding there. The barn is also getting out there more and getting noticed by going to horse shows which is a great experience for the kids. The prices are a bit high though but prices are going up everywhere and you have to make ends meet. Pros: Nice horses Cons: Bad arenas more

I've been riding at Manito for several years. Instructors are all courteous, knowledgable, professional and helpful. The grounds are gorgeous and immaculately maintained. Safety and ecology are number one priorities for owner. Horses are cared for lovingly and have a wonderful home. I have progressed considerably as a rider since beginning lessons at Manito and became captain of the equestrian team at my school. Experience with many different horses has broadened my equestrian skills and helped me become more versatile and competitive. I highly recommend Manito!!! AAA+++ more

All 3 of our children have had the opportunity to ride, take lessons, attend birthday parties and hayrides at Manito over the years. The setting is tranquil. The instructors are friendly, knowledgeable, and responsible. The owner is caring and compassionate. This is an excellent riding facility for anyone interested in quality horsemanship. more

Manito is peaceful, beautiful and wonderful. I give it a five star rating and would recommend it to any parent or adult rider. I heard of Manito when I lived out of state; their reputation in my circles is top-notch.My family ran their own horse operation for many years so I am aware of the challenges that farm owners face. This owner cares a lot about the horses, the children and the environment. I have been at Manito for years and these facts are consistently obvious to my family and to me.Additionally, my child has learned a lot since riding at Manito and I appreciate their attention to teaching about respect and proper care of the animals. Doesn't happen often. Highest praises for the good work and to the staff who is about the best I have come across. In this business, it is hard work and the turnover is a problem everywhere. more

This barn is super expensive and for the price you would think they would put out some nice riders but they don't. Most of the riders at this barn have horrible equitation and can't ride worth a darn. The barn owner is never on property and she is just in it for the money. Instead of putting money towards the horses, she is driving around in a Lexus. One horse there is terribly sick and he isn't on any medication like he should be. He was in a lesson where he couldn't breath anymore and he went down with a beginner kid. A few of the horses have also taken off with students while on trail rides and have bucked riders off in and out of the ring.The barn owner has absolutely no horse sense and should not be running a horse stable. She is even afraid of horses. Pros: Nice horses Cons: bad staff more

Manito is a beautiful stable with great horses! The arenas and trails are amazing. The staff is great and Heather, the riding instructor, is the best I've had. There is a wide variety of horses to choose from and all are excellent steeds. Roy is also the BEST barn manager I've ever met. Very friendly environment, everything is well taken care of, overally great facility. I would recommend anyone horse person I meet to go there. 5 stars and 2 thumbs up :) Pros: Good horses, great people, facilities nice. Cons: Carolyn, the ""other"" riding instructor. Not friendly at all. more

Dear readers, Pros: Friendly and personal staff, lovely facility, beautiful horses... AN ALL AROUND FAMILY ATMOSPHERE! Cons: nothing more

I have ridden at manito for 2 1/2 years. Overall it is a facility. However, i have had 7 different instructors since i've started riding there. About every couple months they'd be getting a new instructor. The prices were very high. Although pricy the lessons were usually fun. I always enjoyed leasing and the trails are beautiful. But now that i think about it I really haven't learned that much. Some of the horses are getting old but most of them are very sweet and well manered. The care they give the horses could have been a bit better. The one thing that upset me was that the owner was never to be seen. She was rarely seen at the barn, she never interacted with the horses or called to check up on how the lessons were going. My friend and I would help out with Birthday parties or tour days. Each time she said we would get a free trail ride or barn credit. We never got a thing. It also seemed she was untrusting at times. When my friend would lease i would take out my favorite horse to graze him and just walk him around. But when she was there and she saw us she usually made me put the horse back. Everything added up and it got very agravating. If you want a barn to ride at just for the fun of riding and dont mind high prices then go for manito. But if you want to learn how to ride i would suggest a different barn. Pros: nice horses, grounds, facilities, trails Cons: never see the owner, frequent change in instructors more

I rode with Manito for many years. I never learned a thing. The instructors are horrible. I had a bad experience there. My horse took off with me on his back. Even thopugh the other two riders out on the trail ride with me were adults, the instructor casually walked back with the other two riders. While I was being brought back to the barn at full speed afraid for my life. When the instructor finally arrived at the barn, she casually asked if I had fallen off. Then she told me she could not risk the safety of the other two riders. WHAT?????? I was the one on an uncontrollable horse. I told the owner about this and her comment was that one of the other horses out there did get spooked and that the instructor did what was right. I could not believe this!!!! The only thing the owner was upset with is that the instructor did not report this incident to her. I now ride elsewhere. I began riding at my new Stable in May of 2007. I have learned more in less than a year at this new stable than I learned in the many years I was a Manito. On top of this her prices are high. Pros: Many horses. Nice property and rings. Most horses are nice. Cons: You don't learn, prices very high, they do not care abou the rider only the money. more

I was very pleased with this day camp for my 4 year old. Each day, each child was assigned to a horse and an instructor to work with. I know nothing about horses or riding, but it was amazing for the children to be getting individualized attention and not having to wait their turn. Pros: Individual attention, Friendly, beautiful Cons: I cant think of any more

This is an equestrian facility that has turned out exactly NO successful riders. It's best quality is it's convenient setting. However, the farm is notorious for excessively high prices and an excessively high turnover rate of instructors. If you're wealthy and your child wants to take a riding lesson once a week, fine, but if you are looking for consistent quality horse care and development of a true equestrian, this is not the place for you. Pros: convenient setting, open space Cons: over priced, high turnover more