Chamounix Equestrian Center

I was given a 4-​lesson package at Chamounix Stables as a birthday gift this year. My trainer Elise was great, as were all the other riders in my lesson group. The Executive Director, Lezlie Hiner, was fine initially and communicated with me as to what lesson group would be the best fit for me and the forms I needed to complete. However, I had a big customer service issue beyond that and wanted to inform other potential riders and Chamounix customers of my experience.
The first three lessons I had went well — I arrived half an hour before each lesson as my trainer instructed me to do, and the first lesson was paired up with a girl who had been riding at Chamounix for some time and was able to show me around, where the grooming equipment and tack was kept, etc. The stables are very nice, my horse was fun to ride and well-​tempered, and the lessons were structured well.
The morning of what was to be my fourth and final lesson, it was raining heavily. I checked Chamounix’s website and social media pages for any weather-​related updates that morning (there were none) and called their phone number. I didn’t reach anyone, but the voice message states that lessons are held rain or shine. Having heard nothing from the director or instructor, I went ahead to my lesson as planned and arrived 30 minutes early, as before. This gives me time to get settled and begin grooming/​tacking up my horse by quarter of. When I arrived, the place was deserted. There were no riders in the corrals outside, no riders or stable hands inside, everything was closed up. I stayed for a few extra minutes to make sure I wasn’t missing anyone, but left after determining they were closed. I emailed the director telling her about my experience (and mentioning the $ 27 round-​trip Über ride the morning cost me). Lezlie was unapologetic and said the stables were indeed open but that I had arrived too early (I arrived the same time I always had, and early is what my trainer had encouraged me to do) and that she would allow me to have my last lesson the following week at my usual 9am time slot, despite that being something she ‘never offers.’ I was mildly unhappy at her unapologetic tone, but figured she was doing the best she could so I accepted rescheduling my last lesson to the next Sunday and figured I’d just have to eat the Über fare.
The next Sunday, I arrived at the stables at quarter to 9, and they were open with people there. However, I quickly discovered that I had been placed in the 10am class, not my normal 9am, which meant I had to sit around in the cold for over an hour waiting for my lesson because I had been told the wrong thing, again — and that I would miss an appointment I had scheduled for after the lesson. I wrote an email to Lezlie explaining this and requesting a refund for my final class due to the inconvenience she had imposed. She didn’t write me back, but when she arrived at the stables a short time later, she came up to me, thrust a check into my hand for the final lesson amount, and said:
«You’re an asshole, and I don’t mind losing your business.»
I was shocked that someone would think it was OK to speak to someone in that manner, let alone someone who is a customer. As a small business owner, she should know that is it NEVER OK to name-​call or be blatantly rude. I have ridden horses for many years and I know that ‘horse people’ are often not the friendliest of folks, but I’d never encountered someone as belligerent and unaware of the role they played in this. I told Lezlie I would be sure to include this in my review of Chamounix, at which point she became angrier and accused me of not being able to write anything about her and her company truthfully that would also be accusatory, since she refunded me the final lesson amount. I told her, as I write now, that I would include every detail about our interaction. Yes, she agreed to move my last lesson. Yes, she refunded me that amount after. But she also was callous initially and grew to full hostility, and she refused to acknowledge the inconvenience she caused me. Other customers and potential customers need to know the way this small business director treats people.

This place is a hidden Philly gem. Tucked away in Fairmont park is this little equestrian center that has dozens of beautiful horses. There’s an area of picnic tables to eat lunch, but be aware that the friendly cat will greet you and inquire what you’re eating. They also have Adirondack chairs to sit near the horses. The staff is really friendly! They gave us a tour and took our photos with my phone. The kids had a great time. Best of all … it is completely FREE!