Langley 204 Riding Stables Campbell Valley Park

This might have been fun if I was 5 years old. After describing mine and my friend’s skills– we’ve both had lessons and are experienced– we ended up doing a 2 hour trail ride. We expected to have some freedom and at least be able to trot most of the time, but we were only allowed to trot about 5 or 6 times for the entire ride, for about 8 seconds each time. As soon as the horses started cantering, we would slow down to a walk. We asked repeatedly if we could go faster, or trot more but we were told no because the weather was hot. Our guide basically ignored us the whole time and we walked so slow that she was actually texting on her cell phone most of the time (we didn’t even need to hold on, we walked slower than people do.) So to say the least, we were very bored. Definitely wasn’t worth the money or the trip out there.

I have been going to Langley 204 for about four years now. I started out taking lessons and received constructive, consistent, instruction in a relaxed atmosphere. Eventually, I got my own horse and chose to board her there. She gets excellent, personalized care, and I often get updates on her latest antics from the stable owner :-) The stable is located right across the road from Campbell Valley Park which has beautiful riding trails. It is a friendly. positive environment where the horses are valued and well cared for, and people from pre-​schoolers to seniors enjoy them.

If you’re sick of those awful nose-​to-​butt trail rides with a half a dozen people you don’t know, Langley 204 is the remedy. You will have a «guide», but they are more like an escort. They will take you out as your own group (or if you’re a single, they ask if you don’t mind joining a pair). The largest ride I’ve ever been on was 4 people (including our escort). Lovely way to spend an afternoon. There are specific areas for trotting and cantering if you’re up for it, and they will not push you beyond your riding capacities.
The Stables are across the road from Campbell Valley Park and they have an access point to the equestrian-​approved trail. The ride is about 3hrs if you go for the full 11 km, or there are shortcuts. The horses at 204 are lovely and well-​tempered. They won’t put you on a mount that you can’t handle – they have horses available for beginners and kids as well as experts.
I’ve been riding in Campbell Valley Regional Park 5 or 6 times, and 3 or 4 times it was on a trail ride from Langley 204 Stables. Price is comparable, but the experience is better than a lot of places I’ve been.

We ride about once a yr on a 3 hr trail ride at Tiger mtn. I called Langley to request a 1 hr lesson, followed by a 2 hr trail ride as part of our 10^th anniversary. Theresa, the owner, advised us to take a 1hr ride. Glad I agreed! She had us brush and outfit our training mounts, Kit and Kalani. This was dirty work but we loved the chance to learn more. Training to trot, turn, stop, etc. was harder than expected. These are not the typical beaten down trail horses. They are «real» horses with minds of their own. Not bad mounts, don’t get me wrong. Just a challenge for a novice. It was fun. For the ride I switched to Reno. We walked and trotted for about an hour. Overall it took about 3.5 hrs with Theresa as our guide. Highly recommend this place!