Bear Creek Stables, Manchaca TX

I’ve gone to bear creek for a total of 4 years now, for me it’s always been amazing.the horses all have different personalities making it easy for every rider to find a horse to suit them.i’ve made so much progress in such a small amount of time.i came back here in late august of 2019, i used to go here when i was 6 and left when i was 9.when i came back i had not made much progress at my other stables, but when i came here i went from strengthening my leg muscles to jumping 2ft and higher in a matter of 10 months.i love this barn and you should too.

Having ridden at Bear Creek Stables for several years now, I can attest to the excellence of the instruction, the beauty and tranquility of the setting, and of course, the joy of being around such noble steeds.

I signed up for Western Riding I through UT's informal classes. The facility was nice; the instructor was great, and the assistants were sweet. I liked the horses and never felt unsafe at any time. The people are knowledgeable and friendly; the horses are well treated and obviously love them. I was surprised by how much fun it was and how stress relieving. My entire experience at Bear Creek Stables was positive, and I would recommend them to people of all ages.

This is a great place for a child that is a horse lover. My daughter has been coming to Bear Creek Stables for four years. She attends the camps and take riding lessons. She loves BCS so much that she invites her friends to join her at camp. This morning as I was dropping her off as camp, she said, “I feel like this is my second home. ”

This review is just for the kids summer riding camp that Bear Creek offers. I have no idea if their other services are good or not.

My two daughters, ages 10 and 14, attended horseback riding camp this past week. It was definitely not as advertised. The website said that campers would be put in appropriate classes after being evaluated by an instructor. Actually, they were randomly grouped together without any regard for age or ability. The website said that when the kids were "not mounted or involved with horse care, campers will be participating in arts and crafts, nature walks, and games". Actually, there were zero arts and crafts, zero nature walks, and zero games. Apparently there was a lot of sitting around and waiting.

A rundown of the camp: on Monday, they were shown how to groom the horses (they watched, did not participate) and got to ride horses for about 45 minutes. The rest of the time was spent waiting for their turn with the horses (keep in mind, they were there for 4 hours). On Tuesday, they said it was a little better because they got to go on a trail ride, scoop horse poop, and clean out the tack room. So at least they didn't have to just sit around quite so much. Wednesday, their group was only on the horses for about 35 minutes. They were given minimal instruction about trotting and jumping. They cleaned saddles and bridles. They sat around some more. Thursday, lots more waiting around. They washed a horse. Then they practiced riding the horses through an obstacle course (which was what they were going to do for their "show" on Friday). And then Friday, they sat around, watched the other groups do the obstacle course, and finally did the obstacle course themselves. So they were on the horses for about 30 minutes on Friday, with most of that time just sitting on their horse and waiting for their turn to show off on the obstacle course (which took about 3 minutes to go through).

On the positive side, they said that the instructors were nice (for the most part). They especially liked George, but he was only there on Monday and Tuesday. I think the instructors/counselors were actually doing the best they could with what they had but this camp needs more structure and more activities. If you just need someone to babysit your kids while you are at work, this camp is probably fine. Otherwise, it is a waste of time and money.

Bear creek stables is basically my home! I go out to ride 6 days a week and help with Tuesday and Thursday night lessons. I’m a helper at camp and go out to help as much as I possibly can. They are such an amazing family barn. It’s the perfect place to go out and get a good riding experience and connect with people. Bear creek is my family and I definitely recommend coming out!

Bear Creek Stables has offered me so many good experiences through out the years. I started riding here when I was 7 years old at Summer camp. I fell in love with the horses and staff, and I haven't left since. I've been lucky enough to take lessons, lease my favorite horse, participate in horse shows, and make some best friends along the way! I love spending my free time out here because there's a great and wholesome environment, where everyone takes part in keeping the barn clean and ensures the horses are happy and healthy. Safety for riders and horses is always their #1 priority. I whole-heartedly recommend being a part of our barn family. Whether it's by taking lessons, helping out when you can, or simply taking a trail ride. Bear Creek holds a special place in my heart. Whether you are new to the barn or have been riding a while, you are treated like family!

When I was in high school, I took English riding lessons at Bear Creek Stables. Now that I have daughters, I'm so glad Bear Creek is still around. The staff's love for their horses and equestrian sports is genuine and apparent.
My daughter, age 8, took private English riding lessons for about 7 months at Bear Creek, starting in November 2017. When is came time to sign her and her younger sister up for summer camp, I knew just where to take them. Bear Creek is a great place for beginner and experienced riders. At the end of each week of the summer camp, the campers participate in a show in which they are able to demonstrate some of the things they've learned.
Today I watched both of my young daughters trot and jump over cross rails. They've had such a great time learning about grooming, tack, and general horsemanship. I was so proud at the amount of confidence and grace they've picked up in such a short period of time.
Thank you Bear Creek Stables for providing a safe, nurturing place for kids and adults to learn more about horses and riding.

I worked at Bear Creek stables for four years – and I was so lucky to find them. I’ve ridden at many places now, as it’s kind of my thing to ride where ever I travel, and Bear Creek stands out as one of the best for two reasons – safety for riders AND horses, and loved horses that are well cared for. As an employee, I saw firsthand the love and attention each horse (and rider) received. Linda was always quick to intervene if she discovered any of the horses were in any amount of discomfort (whether the horse was one of hers, or a boarder’s horse). She also made sure the horses were routinely well cared for. We had a complex system of scheduling the horses in classes, ensuring that they all got time off to rest during the week to make sure they weren’t overworked. Besides my experience seeing Linda’s kindness and compassion for her animals (and her students), my coworkers (the other instructors and her trainer) all had stories of horses Linda had gentled over the years. Her trainer and I had many conversations about some of the “old fashioned” methods and how inhumane they were – and how we were thankful to have found Linda whose quiet and consistent methods created an atmosphere where both blooming riders *and* their horses could thrive. Besides schooling and training, it was often times Linda who personally looked in on horses if they fell sick. I remember whenever the vet would get called out, Linda would spend the day taking care of the sick horse, going beyond just giving them meds by checking in on them frequently and even sitting in their stall to keep them company. She was (and is) one of the most attentive horse owners I know. And now as a mom, with my kids just starting to get into horses, I am thrilled that they will be able to make some memories at Bear Creek with Linda and her wonderful horses – and I am *incredibly* picky about who I trust with my kids. I plan on driving in from Houston, staying with family in Austin next summer, so my oldest can attend Bear Creek’s camp.

This camp was the biggest waste of $540 that we have ever spent. If you are thinking of trying it, know this:

1. The whole week started on a negative note. When I paid for the camp and filled out the online paperwork, I assumed that was all I needed to do. I received a "confirmation" email that I assumed was a receipt, and didn't open. I received a call a few days before camp was to start saying that I needed to print out the paperwork, get it notarized, and get my children's shot records, and bring them to the camp before my kids could begin. Being a working parent with little time, this was frustrating, because nowhere on the online paperwork did it say I needed to do this. She said it was in the inconspicuous email that I had assumed was the receipt. I told the lady that I would just get my money back. She said that I could do that, but I would be forfeiting over $100 in application fees and deposits. The woman that I spoke with had definitely not been trained in the art of customer service. I told her that I understood the need to go through these steps but that it was frustrating that their communication was so poor. Took an afternoon off work, spent the $10 to get paperwork notarized, sat in the pediatrician's office for 30 minutes to get the shot records, all in the hopes that this camp was worth it. I was sorely disappointed.

2. The kids are outside in the heat all day long, with no reprieve. The counselors are provided with popsicles and eat them in front of the campers, while the sweating children watch and salivate. That is just cruel. For as much as this camp costs, you can't provide the campers with popsicles? Either provide everyone with one, or nobody.

3. There is ONE lifeguard for over 30 kids in the pool. The owner said that this is all that is required, but I looked up the Texas Department of Health Youth Camp Matrix and it states: "For every 35 campers, or fraction thereof, engaged in waterfront activities, there shall be one certified lifeguard and one additional person (either a certified lifeguard or trained adult lookout) on duty. " In the pool area, there was ONE adult (I have the photo to prove it). There were some counselors-in-training in the pavilion area, paying not one lick of attention to the children in the pool. I asked the owner if the lifeguard had to jump into the pool to rescue a camper, who would watch the kids still in the pool? She replied that he could yell to a counselor-in-training, who would come and get the owner from the office. I don't know about you but this doesn't make me feel very comforted.

4. The paperwork clearly states that you can drop off when the gates open at 7: 45. For working parents, dropping off early is important. My husband got to the camp at 7: 40 one day and the gates were open, so he drove in. He was told by one of the employees that if you drop off before 7: 50, you will be charged $5 per kid. For one thing, this isn't consistent with what the paperwork states. For another, really? Way to earn repeat customers! To be honest, they don't really seem to care about keeping the parents happy.

5. This camp consists of minimal crafts, 45 minutes of horseback riding, and 30 something kids crammed into a tiny pool, the rest of the time waiting around.all day long. My kids were so bored that they begged for me to pick them up early every day, and wanted to leave right after the horse show on Friday (10: 00 am). Really? I paid this much to have to sign my kids out early and find a babysitter? Kids said they spent most of the day sitting around waiting for their turn, or for the counselors to finish with the horses. Can't you fill the transition times with singing? Games? Doublecreek Farm has activities all day long, plus horseback riding, plus talent shows, singing, archery, REAL swimming lessons in a gigantic pool.kids are entertained every minute. And they provide ice cream.and not just for the counselors.

I recently took my family out for a trail ride. Not only was the scenery beautiful but the guide was helpful and the horse calm and kind. Our guide did a good job making sure we were all comfortable with our horses before we headed out. Once on the trail we saw and abundace or wildlife, and thr guide did a excellent job of pointing them out, he even stopped to help the kids see the deer. He did a good job keeping the trail ride interesting with helpful tips and facts. The trail ride ended up being shorter than an hour but our guide made up for it with some arena time. He let us trot and even trotted alongside the kids to help them go, and stay going. My kids love the experience and had a wonderful time. Great place for a trail ride we will definatly be back!

My daughter takes English riding lessons at BCS. She loves it! Her instructor Paulina is great, leading them to learn new things each week. This is one activity my daughter gains so much from, and the price is awesome compared to other stables for what you get. I would recommend this stable to others.

I take lessons here on Thursday evenings under the instruction of Kevin. He is attentive and gives constructive criticism and helpful tips throughout the lesson to help the students improve and learn. Every lesson I learn new things and feel more comfortable in the saddle. The facility is nice and the staff are kind and helpful. I enjoy taking lessons here!

I love Bear Creek. The owner truly cares about the safety and wellbeing of ALL of the horses there, not just her own. The horses there are happy and well cared for. I have taken lessons with Kevin since last spring and I have learned so much! Now I lease one of the owner's horses so I can ride even more. I am at the stable nearly every day and I have never once seen a horse be mistreated. On the contrary, these horses are p
ampered and well-loved by everyone who works there. The facilities are well-kept. We have the luxury of riding either inside or outside. Many stables in the area don't have an indoor arena but this one does. They also have nice trails that are used by boarders and for trail classes and private rides. The owners and everyone who works there truly care about the horses, and are passionate about what they do. Safety for both the horses and the riders is a top priority. I would recommend Bear Creek to anyone who is interested in riding.

I picked up riding again 9 month ago after about 14 years of no riding. Bear Creek Stables has been awesome! I love the the instructors horses and staff. Everybody is very friendly and always helpful. Bear creek stables offers english as well as western riding lessons and the instructors are very patient and knowledgeable. I have been leasing one of their horses for 6 months now and I couldn't be any happier!

I have been a boarder at Bear Creek for several months. I moved there to escape barn politics. It is a very old facility, not well cared for, but it was quiet and my horse was much calmer.

Initially, I had to provide my own feed, as my horse did not eat the feed they used. Ok.
I pay $25.mo to use the indoor "arena" - very uneven surface that leaks in multiple places when it rains.
I pay $25/mo for turn out every other day. That has been inconsistent and not when the area is wet. There is no pro-rate for number of days the horse is actually turned out.
I also pay additional rates to give my horse a flake of coastal between morning and evening feedings.
The "flakes" are very skimpy and my horse was loosing weight. So I buy additional coastal and my own alfalfa to supplement. I have to go out every night and fill her hay bag myself because they feed the evening meal about 3: 30-4: 00 and the barn hand leaves at five. 3: 30 pm- 7 am is too long to stand in a stall with nothing to eat.
I buy my own shavings now because there wasn't enough shavings to cover the mats and the stall was always dark and dank, reeking of urine. (The owner's are clean and deep in shavings.) I pick the stall after it has been "cleaned" daily.
The grounds and barn are littered with bottle caps, coke and water bottles, twine, wire etc. I routinely pick up trash EVERYWHERE. My horse has scrambled in the isle twice because there was a long piece of bailing wire laying in the aisle. They haven't invested $50 in that barn for probably 25 years!
The stalls and runs are both too small. When it rains and the run doors are closed, it is completely dark.
In the end, my board is as high as any of the great barns in Austin.
They make a living doing group lessons and summer camp for kids. Boarders are are not a priority. During lessons (3 evenings and Sat mornings a week) and summer camp (EVERY week, all summer long) access to the arenas is restricted and I can't get in when my trainer is available.

2 days ago, the so called "trainer"/barn hand, completely lost it with one of the owner's horses. He whipped her over and over because she bucked on a lunge line; Chased her backwards as fast as she could go, whipping her across the chest for 200 yards. The horse was completely undone and had no idea what he wanted. He ran her in a gallop on a 8' line, whipping her. When he asked her to whoa, if it wasn't instantaneous, he whipped her some more.
I finally stepped in to stop it. The abuse was very severe and unwarranted. The poor horse was panicked and dripping in sweat. I notified the owner and her husband. The next day, the "trainer" was still there.
Apparently, the concern is for convenience for the owner and not the safety and well-being of the horse. I am moving to a safe barn.

ADDED NOTE: The owner, unhappy with this review, called me at 6: 30 last night and said, "I like your horse, but I don't like you. I want you off the property by 10: 00 tonight. ", and hung up. Fortunately, my new barn accommodated preparing the stall and I was happily out by 8: 30.

As a boarder I can say that the stable areas are well maintained and the horse's are well taken care of. There is ample area to ride, including an indoor arena for bad weather days. I began taking riding lessons several months back, and was amazed at how much I didn't know about horses. The lessons are fun and informative, and the instructor's are great. If you are a beginner or just want to improve your skills, this is a good place to be.

I really enjoy bear creek. The horses there are splendid and the staff are very caring. I have been riding there for five years and my experience is beyond amazing. My connection with the horses and staff is more than I can explain. I hope that others will get to have the experience and connection I had.

We've been borders for about five months and are able to use the round pen to have our horse trained. The young man training our horse has an excellent rapour with all the horses including ours. Our horse has trimmed down nicely from the exercise she receives in training and appropriate feedings. I have also started taking lessons to improve my riding skills. I really appreciate the patience the instructor shows and hints he provides. The lessons are fun and very informative about riding and horses in general. I highly recommend taking the lessons at Bear Creek. They change the horses around to keep you improving so you don't just get used to one horse. The trainer is very good about making suggestions to everyone in the group so that one person is not embarrassed. Thanks to the hints received in the riding lessons, I really enjoyed my summer vacation doing a cattle drive. I stayed on the horse even when a long horn charged my horse. I'll keep using Bear Creek Stables and recommend it to others who love horses!

Our two daughters ages 7 and 9 have been taking western riding lessons for 2 years at another stable and have shown interest in learning English. We decided to purchase a lesson at Bear Creek Stables as we were interested in signing them up for English riding at Bear Creek if they enjoyed their 1st lesson.

The kids did A LOT of standing around watching the instructor saddle up the FIVE horses which was time consuming and took 20+ minutes. This would have been a great opportunity to teach the students how to saddle up the horses. Instead, the kids were so bored.

The lesson was going okay until 2 girls from the next class after ours entered the arena about 30 minutes before the end of class. They approached the horses that were part of the class and hovered from one horse to the next. This caused confusion in itself but they also were telling students to do one thing only to have instructor say to do opposite. For example, one of the girls told my daughter to loosen her reigns only for the instructor to then say out loud to my daughter "for the zillionth time, I told you to shorten the reigns).

The same girls would stand in front of horses making it difficult for my daughters to get their horses to move forward to participate in their lesson. At one point, they were loving on the horse by its head which caused the horse my daughter was riding to move backward pushing into horse behind her. Thankfully, that didn't result in a kick.

My youngest daughter was keeping her horse still while waiting for the instructor to tell her what to do next. The same girls came back up to the horse hovering again around its head causing the horse to jerk its head down quickly and forceful yanking my daughter forward so quickly and hard that her face slammed into its neck nearly causing her to fall forward off of the horse. This made for a very dangerous scenario and she got very lucky as she could have gotten seriously injured. Thankfully, she held on tight to the reigns otherwise she could have been thrown off of the horse. The instructor was unaware and I had to let her know that my daughter was shaken up and crying. She no longer wanted any part of the lesson.

I spoke with the instructor after the lesson asking
a. Why are students from the next class in the ring, hovering, causing confusion and making for a dangerous situation?
b. Why is a new student/smallest girl (43 pounds) placed on this horse if it is known that he is shaky or to allow other students to engage with this horse during the lesson?

The instructor basically said that she felt very overwhelmed during the lesson.

I ended up calling Bear Creek Stables after the lesson and spoke with the owner Linda. She could not have been more uncaring. I explained to her that my daughters have been riding for 2 years, feel very comfortable on horses and that now I have one that is completely spooked. She said that maybe she would get over that feeling if she rode another horse one day. When I asked her if she thought it was safe to have students from another class in the arena hovering around the horses like that, Linda said she had to go because she had someone there waiting to talk to her and if she would like to have me call her back. I am still waiting for her to call me back.

Needless to say, we will not be going back to Bear Creek. If you are thinking about signing up for lessons at Bear Creek, I would advise against it. At least try out a class before you commit.