For those who live in the confines of the city or suburbs, owning horses might seem like a far-fetched dream.
After opening West Stables in 2020, McKenzie and Erik Montague created a space where Cypress residents can own and train horses without needing to move out to the country. Only minutes from Towne Lake and situated on approximately 11 acres, it offers the convenience of proximity along with the space to go horseback riding or simply reconnect with nature.
“The way we look at West Stables is basically like your opportunity to come be in the country without having to go out to the country,” Erik said. “We tried to create a facility that gives all the experiences to people who either want to be horse owners or participate in horsemanship without the reality of driving out to a ranch or a farm, which is pretty difficult for a lot of people.”
West Stables offers two main services – boarding and lessons. The property includes covered barn stalls, a tack room, turnout pastures, two arenas, and a round pen.
On the boarding side, horse owners can choose between full or partial boarding services from on-site staff who provide daily care for the horses. The property’s boarding facilities include stalls in the main barn and container barn as well as a shaded pasture and turnout area.
Boarding services in the barn include daily watering, feed and hay given morning and afternoon, daily stall cleaning, trailer parking, and turnout and winter blanketing upon request. For those who prefer to give more hands-on care themselves, partial services ask owners to provide feed and hay as well as clean out their own stall.
In the pasture, boarding allows two to four horses per pasture, daily watering, feed and access to a round bale 24/7, and trailer parking as available.
“We have a number of people who keep their horses with us who live in a neighborhood where they have no room for a horse, but they have the benefit of having the horse close by so they can go see it every day,” Erik said.
For people who desire to learn about horses or become comfortable with riding a horse, West Stables offers beginner riding lessons all the way to advanced western techniques.
The facility’s trainers not only have a passion for horses but have been involved in professional riding and barrel racing for their entire lives, McKenzie explains.
“The two instructors who have been with horses since they can ever remember, they are the ones who run the barn, and they also care for the horses,” McKenzie said. “They’re the expertise that keeps all the horses healthy and safe – they’re the brains behind all of the care for the horses.”
Pricing is $39.99 for 30-minute lessons and $79.99 for a one-hour lesson. The facility offers lessons to ages three years old and up.
For people interested in boarding, the Montagues recommend visiting the facility to ensure it’s a good fit for them and their horse. For lessons, they advise booking a class online before moving into a regular program, especially for first-time riders.
The Montagues ask those interested in volunteer opportunities to visit the facility and meet with West Stables staff to ensure they are qualified to work around horses.
While largely focused on horses, the Montagues say a local goat and a few chickens also lounge around the property. Additionally, the facility hosts parties, events, and summer camps for kids and teens.
“Personally, I think animals make a lot of people happy, and horses especially,” McKenzie said. “Being around them and their nature just makes you feel calm.”