Brightleaf Stables is my favorite place in the world! I have been riding here for several years and now I am so happy to board my own horse at their beautiful farm! My horse is SO well taken care of at Brightleaf! I love everything about Brightleaf! - the owners Heather and Steven, the instructors, the other boarders, all the horses, the trails (the BEST TRAILS), the barn, everything! I could not be more happy and I’m so glad I found them!

It was a beautiful day! We enjoyed the private ride! The hosts were so friendly and helpful! I definitely recommend and will be coming back! Thank you! 🙂

My wife and I went there recently as part of our anniversary plans for the weekend. The trail was great for an inexperienced rider like myself but long enough to be truly enjoyable. The staff were great! We actually got to ride with one of the owners and she was awesome! She answered all of our questions and provided good feedback about my “riding”. We will definitely be back again for both a couples ride and also give my young daughter an opportunity to learn how to ride. Did I mention it is in Durham!!!! Can’t beat the location and the experience right in my backyard!

Heather is very kind and welcoming, kids are in good harms in Brightleaf Stable, beautiful environment. My 4yo daughter and I went on a horse ride it was a lovely tour, beautiful scenery in the woods, perfect with the hot weather and very safe! Heather and her staff, kids and volunteers were all very friendly and took great care of us. I highly recommend it!

My daughter and I really had a great time learning today. It had been years since I had ridden and a first time for our little one. Heather did amazing with my little girl. I later asked how comfortable she felt her first time ridding..she told me I was definitely comfortable and I cant wait to go back. Shes already asking about horse camp in July. The horses were calm, relaxed, and very enjoyable to be around.Thank you both so much for a fun time and great guidance.

AH-MAY-ZING! Or should I say AH-NEIGH-ZING!!! I took my daughters there this morning to go on a guided trail ride and to check the barn out for future potential lessons and Im so very glad that I did. The owner Heather is kind and knowledgeable and her horses were perfect for beginner riders. (And experienced ones!) She knew exactly what horses to pair my daughters and I with.She also knew when and how much instruction each particular rider needed. I really appreciate that she was there for my daughters needs (new riders) but trust me enough to let me ride like a kid again but with out feeling like she was watching over my shoulder. (Old school rider.)💯% going to return soon.

What an amazing experience! Heather was fantastic and friendly... the horses are gorgeous and friendly. Took an hour ride wife wife for birthday surprise!

The owner and her staff were so helpful and patient with my daughter who was extremely timid and nervous. They went at her pace and never pressured her about anything. Eventually my daughter got enough courage to get on, and off, and on and off again, until she finally stayed on and they walked with her for 30 minutes. It was a really great experience, and we cannot wait to go back!

My son and I had a wonderful experience horseback riding at Brightleaf Stables! The ladies were friendly and knowledgeable about horses, not to mention patient with us. Thank you Heather and Bailey for helping us feel comfortable. I look forward to going back for our next riding lesson even earlier in the day and for trail rides too! Doc & Griz we miss you already! :-)

My kids have been there several times and we have been extremely pleased each time with the experience. The owner Heather is always very accommodating and super friendly as are the other people we have had interactions with. The horses always appear healthy and well taken care of. My kids always ask when we can go back the second we leave. Highly recommend!

It was the perfect place to go for a trail ride on beautiful a beautiful piece of land!They were so nice and everyone had the best time!!I’m so thankful for that experience and we will definitely go back!

We had a blast on our trail ride! Horses and owner were amazing, I definitely recommend them!

My daughter Emily came for her birthday and she loved riding doc! He was a very sweet horse, everyone working here at brightleafstables are very nice and professional. We will definitely return for future visits.

Enjoyed the very natural, wooded trails, and the [beautiful, blue-eyed] horse was very manageable.

What a great place! I brought my 6 year old daughter here to do a trail ride and she loved it. The ride was very technical and fun. Bailey was a great hostess and did a great job with my daughter!

My daughter really enjoys her riding lessons there. The staff are very friendly.

What a wonderful experience. Everyone was super nice and the trail ride was super shaded and fun to be on. The horses were so sweet for my 8 year old and I. We will return for sure.

My 6 year old son and I did a trail ride. It was his first time riding. He absolutely loved it and hes ready to go back. So we booked a trail ride for his birthday in a month.

Horses and stables were clean and well cared for. Owner friendly and accommodating. Only downside was the trail was not very exciting, and EXTREMELY muddy. Seemed to go through private property rather than actual wooded trail. I had a very stubborn horse that refused to go through the mud and wanted to keep going off path. Which was fine for me, but a less experienced rider would have had difficulty. (Also, she got too close to a tree, scraping my knee)The ride was 50 minutes, and my daughter was a bit disappointed at the quality of it.Their adorable boxer Sophia came along and made it fun, so there was that. Not sure if we would use this riding service again, but all in all an ok experience.

I have been there several times and absolutely recommend them. The owner is very professional and makes every effort to understand the riders level and requirements. She clearly has put significant thought into making the perfect environment for both the riders and the horses.Brightleaf Stables is second to none in the area - I cant wait for my next visit.

Have been riding at Brightleaf for several months now and can not begin to say enough good things. The owner is professional but makes you feel like family. Lessons are tailored to specific rider wants and needs with a focus on safety. The property and surrounding trails are perfect! Would recommend over and over.

Great horses, very gentle and competent, caring staff. My grandkids love it.

We took a trail ride at Brightleaf Stables and loved it!! We were able to book day of with no problem. Heather accommodated our wide range of experience and helped my boyfriend feel comfortable his first time ever on a horse. He was so beaming the whole car ride back! The trail was beautiful as well. Thanks to Doc and Pumpkin for a wonderful ride!!

We had our daughters birthday there this past weekend, let me say.. this was by far the EASIEST STRESS FREE birthday EVER!If you have a child that LOVES horses, definitely recommend going to Brightleaf Stables (for a visit, camp, lessons, party...ANYTHING!) The owners are great folks! Upon booking our party, Heather gave me a run down of what to expect and was clear about what was included and needed from us (which was pretty much nothing). We were told if we wanted a meal at the party, we could bring in food, be provided grill use or they could also do lunch (for additional). We opted to grab some pizzas to keep it simple, plus it was a pretty warm afternoon.We arrived, tables were already set up and ready for us.The kids loved the horse rides! Heather and Steven led the rides and throughout they were teaching the kids different facts about horses, how to care for horses and safety around horses.We cant say enough about how great the farm and staff are! We will be watching the calendar for upcoming events and will be back!Thank you again to Brightleaf Stables for an easy, memorable birthday that was enjoyed by ALL!

My boyfriend surprised me with their Valentines trail ride and it was fantastic! The horses and wooded trail were beautiful. Heather was very nice and her super cute dog Sophie was there to greet us. We had so much fun and will definitely be back!

Great India marwari

My 10 year old daughter is taking regular Horseback riding lessons and they are going great! She is learning how and why to do everything correctly. She is given space to grow as a rider in a safe environment. She loves going and loves the horses. I highly recommend Brightleaf Stables for trail rides or lessons on the Brier Creek and N. Raleigh area.

Great place for a trail ride. My girlfriend and I had such a fun time. Heather did a great job matching horses to our skill level and was a really relaxed and kind host. It’s a beautiful place with beautiful horses. What’s not to love?!

This is a great place to begin or continue your riding. The owner is hands-on, and invested in finding the perfect equine match for each rider. My child started riding there at 3yrs; two years later she has progressed very well. I love that the kids have the opportunity to learn everything that goes along with riding, including taking care of the horses. 10/10 would recommend.

My husband planned something different for us to do and this was great. I’ve never been on a horse other than a pony ride when I was little. This was fun and the trail was pretty. Everything was explained well and it was fun. I’ll definitely do it again

We had lots of fun, horses behaved very well. Trails are in the forest and out of the sun, some uphill and downhill so makes for interesting ride. Big thanks to Steven for letting me use his personal horse. Will definitely come back!

Beautiful place. Heather is the best. Horses are so well behaved. Had my daughters birthday party here and all the kids and parents loved it. Amazing experience. Will definitely return.

Loved this riding stable! Gorgeous trail, well taken care of horses, and awesome owner! We did not have a reservation and we just happened to come across this place while visiting NC and they took us right along with the next ride! Was absolutely amazing and if we get the chance we will definitely be returning. 👍

Had the best time with Heather and her horses! Wonderful scenic trails to ride through. Princess is a beautiful horse, I miss her already. Heather offered an awesome experience and excellent recommendations about restaurants and places to visit. Will definitely go back and I cant wait!

Heather is fantastic, we can tell that she loves the horses and her clients. The horse farm is expansive and yet still close to everything.

My niece had her birthday party here and it was wonderful!!! They are very friendly!!!! My niece had a great experience!! It’s for all ages my grandfather loved riding the horse and just being in that environment. I would recommend this place for everyone! We had a great time!!!

This is a great place for a horseback riding lesson, horse camp or to take the family on a short ride. There are a variety of horses that are great to ride. They are hands-on and want you to learn all about horses.

The local library sponsored a morning of reading and dancing for children. We enjoyed the horses, ducks and bunny. Plenty of shaded area and lots of open spaces.

Took my daughter for a trail ride today. We were impressed with Brightleaf. Everyone was super friendly and we loved the resident dogs as well :-) The horses were very well cared for and the trail ride was beautiful and relaxing. We can’t wait to go back! Thank you Heather for an enjoyable girls day out!

I would never recommend this place to anybody. Very rude nasty place and people. And thank God we never met. But I DID go to your place and I DID speak to you on the phone and I know riders who HAVE been there and have spoken negatively about Brightleaf and I see why now!

If I could give these guys more than 5 stars, I would. I brought my 12-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son to Brightleaf Stables for some horseback riding, just for a fun family outing. Not only did Heather and Jennifer provide me with all the detailed info I needed before we arrived, they went out of their way to ensure our experience was as safe and enjoyable as possible. As an added bonus, they each shared a wealth of information with us during our hour-long ride, teaching us more about horses than I ever thought I could know. I highly recommend Brightleaf Stables for anyone looking for a rewarding horseback riding experience. Well definitely be visiting again.

My daughter and I had the best trail ride! The whole experience was perfect . Everyone was friendly and the horses were super sweet. Highly recommend for a time to relax and enjoy some outdoor time. Well worth the time and money!

My friend brings her daughter here for lessons. Heather is the owner and is very nice, patient, and knowledgeable about all things horse related! The location is great. It truly feels like you are in the middle of a huge farm.

Excellent place to ride for all ages and skill levels. The horses are healthy, happy, well trained and loved! I would highly recommend this place to learn to ride, ride the trails, have a birthday party, lease or board horses.

OMG..... How many ways can you say AWESOME!!!!! We went out as a family today to experience horseback riding for the first time and had a ball. Heather was more than wonderful. She along with her family and staff made us feel very welcomed. Heather is very patient, understanding, and kind. Her horses are gentle and very friendly. I fell in love with Luna💗, she took good care of me on the trail. You can tell that Heather loves and takes great care of her animals and farm. It really shows. We will be visiting again.👍👍👍 AWESOME 👍👍👍

Loved the obvious outdoor atmosphere. The stable is not widely spreaded out so its easy to take your little ones from one point to another. The horses are super friendly and easy to pet. Would certainly recommend to families whose kids are interested in the outdoors and horses.

Went to a library reading event for kids here, craft included. Beautiful place and the family that owned it was so nice!

They were very accommodating scheduling our trail ride, and when we arrived we had the best time. My kids (8 and 10) and I had a lot of fun and our trail guide was quite helpful. We are going to use them again for my daughters birthday party!!-Kim Stewart

I had a great experience visiting Brightleaf Stables. Im outdoors a lot. While there I never saw a single Nat, mosquito, fly, bug whatever. 👍👍👍👍👍

Had a great trail ride! My Dad and I hadnt been on horses in a long time and Heather was very nice and accommodating. Would definitely love to return for another ride!

Brightleaf Stables was a huge disappointment. Im an experienced rider and was hoping for a nice riding excursion, but instead, I was put on a skinny, older, beginner type horse. Unfortunately, to make matters worse, I was lumped in with a group of absolute beginners, first time riders, and several really young kids. If I had known that when I showed up for my ride, I wouldve cancelled. It was very slow and the trails werent really horse trails. In fact, it appeared to me that the guide took us off the stables small property to ride on a muddy road through someone elses property. I had to wonder if the people who owned the land were even aware or in agreement with Brightleaf Stables using their land. It looked as if it was also being used by ATVs because the road had lots of big, deep, mud puddles that the horses refused to go through. The access road was so wide, you didnt even feel like you were on a wooded path for horses. I dont plan to return, and I wouldnt recommend that anyone waste their money at this stable.

Today we celebrated my daughters 6th birthday. Heather was very easy to work with and the kids had a blast! We will definitely be back to enjoy a trail ride in the near future!

Excellent place to visit with great staff. I loved my hour trail ride. Its a beautiful place and the scenery was AMAZING

The horses and the grounds are so well kept, and the owners take such good care of their animals. Great location, great trail rides, an escape into the country without having to go too far.

Great family friendly barn! My horse was so relaxed there! People and owners are fantastic people!

The lady that owns the place is nice and the trail rides are pretty relaxing.

This was my first time riding. I really enjoyed myself and will definitely be returning!!

Great family friendly stables, we couldnt be any happier with the lessons they offer for young kids

Friendly staff and beautiful horses.

Wonderful location.

Brightleaf Stables staff didnt know much about horses and werent very experienced riders, so they werent very helpful to us novice riders.

Nice