I had a great time with my family. James was very patient and accommodating, and helped all three of us enjoy a beautiful ride through the hiking trails, and took some amazing photos. He also surprised us with some cookies during a break in the ride. He has a vast amount of knowledge of the local area, but that is dwarfed by his knowledge and skill with his horses. They were all extremely impressive in how well they handled my 7 year old's high energy, and had a very calm demeanor the whole time. We also followed up with an archery session, and James is just as patient an archery instructor as he is a riding instructor, giving us tips on proper stance and handling of the bows. It was a great experience, and I would definitely like to plan another visit! read more

This place is the best kept secret in Southern California! James is a great guy and treats the horses so well. He'll bring you on the most beautiful tour of the most amazing mystical cavern. I've never seen anything like it. The horses are all happy and healthy. You'll have the best day of your life here. read more

James and his crew were amazing! We had a group of 6 people and went Saturday morning at 10:00 am. They had everything prepared for us before we got there, and James had a lot of energy. We booked a full day of various of activities such as archery, sling shot marksmanship, sword play, braiding, western roping, spear throwing, knot tying, horseback riding, and mounted archery. James is very knowledgeable in his craft and taught us everything we needed to know about these activities. My personal favorite was mounted archery from a horse because it involved riding a horse and trying to shoot while the horse moves. It was thrilling and exciting for all of us to try these different activities. I would highly recommend anyone to book activities and horseback riding! read more

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This is an amazing experience. James and Chris are fantastic. The horse trails, hiking tour, and the bow and arrow experience was awesome, me and the family really loved it. We felt very comfortable and safe around the horses and with James long line of experience. My brother and his wife got to experience all the activities and enjoyed it, so much so that they want to do it again the next time they come and visit. I would recommend this experience 120% to all my friends and family. Thank you James and Chris for such a great time in the outdoors!! read more

We had such a great experience! James is a real horse whisperer. I was a little nervous as I ended up riding a horse with a baby and 5 years old on the back, but the long ride went so smoothly. Horses were very calm. And James was leading them as well. James gave us a tour, showed different plants, found real growing onions on the trail, climbed with us in Sand Castle, showed bobcat footstep and real bee hive, let my kids feed horse with hey and gave important life lessons. He generously shared with us his own snacks as he saw we didn't take anything for our kids, brought water for us as well. James is a person with a a big loving heart towards horses and children. We had a fantastic time. We will definitely be coming back to try his other fun activities. If you are coming there in summer time, be aware it's getting really hot during the day, make sure you have covered legs and shoulders as protection from sun as well as bushes while horse walk you through the path. read more

Yesterday we visited the "Second Happiest Place On Earth" as James would say. We wanted to do something fun and different while visiting family in Frazier Park. I'm so happy we went on this adventure with James and his incredible horses. He is so knowledgeable about his animals as well as the forest we traveled. April, Onya and Swiss Knew the trails like the back of their hoofs My two year old had the best time, he was so excited, He didn't want to get off his horse. Thank you for the amazing experience! Can't wait to come back. read more

American Jousting Alliance - Onya and Swissy gearing up for our trail ride! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Frazier Park, California

James was a great guide for our horseback adventure! He showed us how to safely get on and direct the horses, and then took us on a beautiful tour around Frazier Mountain. Afterwards we also had fun practicing archery with him! Overall, James was very hospitable to us and is very knowledgeable about the area. You will definitely have a good time with him! read more

This business is 10/10. From his welcoming personality to his patience in teaching I can't recommend him enough. I went here for my gfs first horse riding experience. Found out this amazing gent is also from Oklahoma and we really connected over that shared history. He was so knowledgeable and authentic, he was easy to get to know. I enjoyed his expertise of the area and getting to ride his beautiful horses April and Rowdy. Thank you James for the amazing memories and tour out to the Sand Stone Castles. Thank you James and I'll be looking forward until next tin read more

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We love this place, If your looking for a representation of Medieval times, with a host...... James, who transcends the experience by his caring approach, please put this place on your bucket list!, we had children aging 8-16 (5 in total), and everyone was smiling, Archery, Spear Throwing, Horse Back Riding (goes into the Los Padres to the most picturesque, nature made....Sand Castle), along with many other activities, (Jousting, horse pulled sled rides, rope throwing, etc., etc., I overheard James speaking with my son Levi (8), with his soft gentle approch, he said to my son, if your ever wondering what to do with your life....go help someone else, what a wonderful lesson..."go help someone else", and he said "this will put you back on your path" what a wonderful sentiment, especially now! We called around to several places before discovering Southern California Horseback Trail Rides, in Frazier Park, It was half the price at twice the value! I dont leave many reviews, but, when the customer becomes delighted (me), it's hard not to! PS....Already planning the next trip! read more

American Jousting Alliance - Horseback Riding Near Me - Frazier Park, California

Went here with friends to spend Easter Sunday and it was very fun! We did a lot of activities including horseback riding, archery, and calf roping. We also visited the stunning sandstone castle which is amazingly beautiful. James is very welcoming and friendly with us. The place is a hidden gem, very relaxing and quiet. I would definitely come back and spend a night to try more activities like spear throwing and dirt skiing. Horses were very friendly and fun to ride with! Thank you again James! read more

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So so fun! We came here to take our kids horse riding, and had no idea just how much fun it would be. Amazing horse ride and hike. Then archery back at the ranch. We will definitely be back. read more

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What a unique way to spend a birthday! Beautiful horses and amazing views. James' passion for horses reflected so brightly in his teaching. It was a little warm so remember to bring snacks and water! James was kind enough to carry them for us on the adventure. read more

American Jousting Alliance - Horseback Riding Near Me - Frazier Park, California

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We had an incredible time with James today horseback riding and hiking! He was so knowledgeable and kind with our kids and all of us! None of us had much experience, and our younger child was at first terrified and by the end was riding like a brave champion! Our daughter rode the biggest horse like a champ! The horses were so beautiful and the scenery was gorgeous! We can't wait til next time and plan to fit in archery too! read more

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James is incredibly kind and gave us an advanced tour of God's Country as how he'd described it. We saw beautiful views of the mountains, sand castles, and the forest from the surrounding areas. Our group had an intense trail and one of them almost fell off his horse from when she got a little too excited. The event all gave us a huge burst of entertainment as we were all tugged by suspense watching our friend ride and calm down his horse. Nonetheless the experience is something to remember! The 1 hour ride is $50 per person but we opted for the $75 pkg which includes 1.5 hours with more exploration and some archery afterwards. I saw things of wild life and nature I wish to remove from memory (ie the natural bio breaks of horses) but it was a great afternoon. Be warned: you will be sore the hip down almost immediately the day after. read more

Amazing experience! My husband, son and I went out on a wonderful trail ride beyond James' property. James is wonderful guide and an all around great guy! We had so much fun. We will be back - again and again!!!! read more

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My girlfriend and I decided to go horseback riding, and I am glad we chose this place to ride. It was super fun and James was a great host! Keep in mind I have never ridden a horse. James was very helpful. He gave us some pointers on how to handle his horses before we got on which was very helpful. Overall great experience and highly recommend this place. read more

American Jousting Alliance - Horseback Riding Near Me - Frazier Park, California

This is such a gem! We went on a one-hour trail ride with James in Lockwood Valley at sunset and it was everything we wanted. James has a lot of really interesting stories so definitely get him going! He matched each of us to a horse that went with our temperaments and that was such a treat. His horses are all good-natured beautiful horses and our group had a blast. I will definitely be back! read more

My daughter and I had a great time. James was able to accomodate us on really short notice (pretty sure he skipped his lunch). The horses are beutiful and very well trainined bur you still feel you are riding a horse, not just siiting on one while it followes the one in front. James is very knowledgable with the local environment and plants and animals. More importantly he was great with my daughter. He pushed her out of her comfort zone and gave her the motivation and support to succeed. read more

Wow what a great place to go for an adventure. We were staying in a cabin in the area and found it on the internet. We showed up and were greeted by James as we pulled in. He was so awesome. We brought out two daughters to go on a sunset horseback ride. He took the time to teach them all about the horses and how to brush them. He then saddled the horses for a ride. I got to ride Rowdy who was a great trail horse. When we finished the ride James took us on another adventure in the archery arena. James was so patient and a great teacher. We can not wait to go back for more adventures. The Potters read more

I highly recommend horseback riding here! My boyfriend and I wanted to go horseback riding and found "the second happiest place on earth" as James says. James was a great guide. He was down to earth and made the whole experience very personal. He gave us pointers and taught us how to lead the horses. He took us up a beautiful trail. There are other fun things to try out when visiting this place. My horse's name was April and she was fantastic. After our trail ride, we shot some arrows at targets. Great experience all around! We can't wait to go back! read more

We had a wonderful day horseback riding and bow "hunting". James, our guide, shared lots of local knowledge and interesting facts on our ride and took us to a hidden gem, The Sandstone Castle. Albert, Jasmine and Buddha were lovely guides on the trail, making sure horses and riders were comfortable and safe. James never missed an opportunity for the perfect photo op, even encouraging us to "act". We only wish we had had more time to try out jousting, but we will be back. read more

Our group of 11 had a blast here over Labor Day weekend. A few us stayed on the ground and learned how to throw a spear and shoot arrows. Others of us learned how to throw a spear and spear a ring, both from the back of a trotting horse. And then some of us stayed and went for a sunset trail ride which also included a fun, short hike to sandstone mountain (not sure if that's the right name, but it was super cool!). James was a great host, very kind and you can tell he loves what he does. If you're looking for a unique activity to do with a small group, I highly recommend this place. Check out the website for more info! read more

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We had the most amazing trail ride today! James is awesome and so kind. I took my 4 kids (ages 10, 9, 5, 4) and they all had a blast. My 4 year old insisted on collecting about 20 lbs worth of rocks as a souvenir and James insisted on carrying every single one of them all the way back for her. The horses were kind and gentle and we saw owls, lizards and sand castles. So go for a trail ride! You'll love it! read more

Love our time there! We went for our anniversary and it was amazing to see all the nature and we had great horses (Onya and April). Thank you James! read more

American Jousting Alliance - Horse, trails, Frazier park, horse back riding, mountains, nature - Horseback Riding Near Me - Frazier Park, California

This place is sooo much fun! I've actually had it bookmarked for a couple years, and finally got the chance to visit. I woke up early Sunday morning wanting to go to the beach, but then I started going through my bookmarks and saw this place, I had to finally go! So my son(14y/o) had it in his mind that we were going to LA, when we pulled up to park here he wasn't happy. He had the look on his face of disappointment, I told him to give it a chance, and within minutes he was no longer giving me the teenager's frown. We started to have a good time. James Zoppe, the owner was great. He had given us a little back story of his life, and told us how his family traveled with the circus and did horseback riding tricks. The first activity of the day was archery. He taught us how to shoot a bow and arrow, we practiced that for a while and then we had a contest , who ever had the most points from the bullseye wins. I lost that one, but I still kept telling them to call me Katniss(Hunger Games) for the rest of the day. lol Next we did spear throwing, it was not as easy as I thought it would be, it really takes skill, but it was fun. We practiced that a bit and then had a contest for that too, at first I sucked at it but then I won! I went from the spearing level of catching ground worms to catching lions. Lol After spear throwing was spear throwing while on horseback, this was even more challenging. We rode Rowdy the horse for the activities, and he was a very good horse. My son won this one, he got a bullseye. The last activity was ring spearing with the jousting sticks on horseback. This was also challenging but fun. Trying to steady your stick while riding a horse to fit in each little ring took some concentration but it wasn't impossible. I felt like I was in medieval times. James was a great teacher and very nice and patient with us. You must call for appointments so that he can get everything ready for your group, depending on your group size he may need to call for help handling the horses. When you call he will give you a price depending on what activities you want to do and your group size. I plan to go back and visit so I can bring more people to experience this. If you are looking for something different than the norm, some real outside hands on play, then you should give it a try. read more

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This place was an absolute gem. Completely unaware of the vast beauty around this location. My friend and I went for a horseback ride and it was an incredible experience. James is one of the most genuine human beings you will ever meet; he just exudes his love for people, for nature, for God, and for horses. He gave us an incredible tour of the beautiful scenery and shed some insight from his vast knowledge. His assistant Christopher was a pleasure to speak with and was an absolute trooper leading my horse through slight brush and walking in all the dust. It was so great to get to know both of them. I am definitely coming back for more! You will not be disappointed! An an fyi, please only park in the actual site location. There are a lot of private residences in the immediate vicinity. Please respect their property and follow James's instructions for how to get there. It is at the very tippy end of Green Leaf Springs Rd. Saddle up because you're in for a ride! read more

If I could give 10+ stars I would. James and his horses made our trip! I've done horseback riding before, but he made the experience fun and informative. You can tell he treats his horses with love and respect. He had the best spirits and personality. Just a short trip from Los Angeles, and you can get an amazing tour of the National Forest. I can't wait to go back and visit again. Thanks James! read more

For the horses I believe it is the happiest place on earth and it was pretty great for the rest of us. Amazing experience from the beginning and James was a truly hospitable and engaging. Our entire family had a wonderful day and spent hours there getting horses ready and putting them to bed. We would recommend taking a day to enjoy the horses and the company of James Zoppe. We will get there earlier next time and participate in all the fun James has to offer from jousting and archery to trail riding and a cozy fire pit. read more

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My family and I had such an amazing experience horseback riding with James! This is such a unique adventure. Our kids (ages 4, 9, and 19) absolutely loved it and so did myself and my husband. James was so friendly and taught us so much. He also showed us so many great sights. I absolutely recommend it! read more

This was such a GREAT experience! My mom and I recently had our birthday so we decided to do the sunset trail ride with James. He is so friendly , affordable and down to earth. He really appreciates nature and is quite knowledgeable about the plants and wildlife! He was great helping us on our horse and showing us what to do, and his assistant did a great job leading us! The scenery was so pretty, and cool, we even got to get off the horses and explore some really cool rock formations! His horses were also very friendly and compliant, such sweethearts. Thank you for the awesome experience, I'll be back with friends! read more

American Jousting Alliance - Horseback Riding Near Me - Frazier Park, California

A beautiful spot with great horses. James is a wonderful knowledgeable guide and puts everyone at ease.

First time riding for my kids and me, and it was an amazing experience. Felt safe the entire time and James was so knowledgeable and personable. Definitely recommend a trail ride! read more

My family went to Zoppeland over the weekend to celebrate our daughter's 12th birthday and had a fantastic time. We went on a horseback trail ride with James and his helper Chris who walked beside us to help lead some of the feistier horses. At first I was a little bummed that they were leading the horses in this way until my horse, Snowflake, decided to give me a hard time when Chris dropped the lead. She was spooked by the rocky trail, probably annoyed with my lack of experience and tried to run back to the ranch. I became a little scared and almost got off until Chris found us and brought us back to the group. The overall experience was pretty awesome surrounded by gorgeous country and good company. Needless to say it was an epic wild west adventure and I'm sure we will all remember our little Hannah's 12th birthday! Thank you James! read more

We went there with my girl, we did hiking with horses, we were doing it first time, but we had really nice time, they teach us in the beginning and followed with horses from front and behind. We didn't even make appointment, we went there and they were just coming back from another ride, and they agreed to accept us :) James and Trevor are very professional and they both are very good guide! Thank you guys! I will definitely come back again! read more

You will love this! It's called Zoppeland http://jameszoppe.com/ecms/uploads/tinymce/july2.jpg They have dirt skiing, spear throwing, beginning Jousting and horseback riding for any age. The kids just have the best time. I never knew they had anything like this in Frasier Park of all places, we stumbled across it. The horses they put on are sweet giants then you get to throw a spear. What a great time.! James who is the owner is very nice ( and the Red Knight) I loved the Jousting, very cool. read more

James and the American Jousting Alliance is the one of the best kept secrets of Southern California. I went here and had the most incredible and surreal time being out in the country. You forget about the city and are one with nature. The horses are beautiful and well trained and very friendly. James loves what he does and goes the extra mile to make sure you have the best time imaginable. Knight for a day is something I never thought possible. You truly feel as if you were training during medieval times. We also went on the most beautiful trail ride and saw landscapes you only see in the movies. We will be back! read more