Kelly Jennings is still my favorite trainer and horsewoman after many years. I can't say enough how I appreciate the rare yet under appreciated aspect of her care, her fairness and always having the rider as well as health and happiness of horse paramount. This is an excellent barn with excellent footing. read more

Kelly & Cellar Door Farms are truly the best kept secret. After leaving a stressful experience with my last trainer, I had my guard up a bit. But in short order realized that what Kelly offers is so top notch it's mind blowing. She is truly an expert in horse care, behavior, musculator, training, and nutrition. In the course of a few weeks the difference was already apparent in my horse, in his energy, mood, and overall comfort and temperament. After a month, his coat color got so rich and shiny it was sort of mind blowing. His ground manners, physical balance in the arena, and responsiveness under saddle has transformed. He is feeling so much better, his topline is coming back, and he is happy every day. She has an incredible eye, as well, and had a vet come confirm a few signals she'd picked up on in the health front - all were 10 out of 10 right, and his care is now catered to his needs. I cannot overstate the transformation in my horse; he went from a grumpy old man to a sweet goofball - seriously he even likes dogs and kids now, his ears haven't pinned once, and he cuddles...I didn't even know he had that in him! Signs of a horse who has care that is working for him. He has shivers and the way she is working with him to train, feed, and supplements tailored to support his body have made the shivers so negligible I don't notice them anymore on a daily basis. And - as for training us humans, she is OUT OF THIS WORLD. When I got back in the saddle as an adult after 17 years of not riding, I was (and still might be :)) wildly out of shape. The most important thing to me was to really learn to ride well - not just be able to stay in the saddle. I've never been so sore in my life, but it is so magical because I'm really understanding how the body and muscles connect with a horse, how the smallest shift can make the loudest statement. What's really incredible is the way Kelly teaches not only taps into your physical positioning and helps build skill - but she also quickly picks up the way you process information, or what your tendencies are, and so the way she communicates to teach is both consistent but also tailored. I'm not kidding when I say she can tell if I'm dropping my shoulder on the outside- side of the arena, based on the smallest shift when she can only see the other half of my body. She is incredible and as another reviewer stated, a true horsewoman in every sense and depth of the word. I honestly could leave a yelp review a day and still not fully capture everything that makes Kelly & her Cellar Door Farms so unbelievable. The assistant trainers are amazing, the grooms are amazing, the other clients and culture are so lovely and welcoming and fun, and I feel honestly beyond lucky that I and my horse are there. If you're shopping for a new trainer or stable, I honestly can't recommend Cellar Door more. Kelly is life changing, with an unparalleled level of care and expertise to care for you and your horse, and grow you as a team, whatever your ambitions may be. read more

I owe everything to Kelly. She's transformed me and my horse into something beyond my wildest dreams. Her love and knowledge of horses is something I've never seen before. She even makes her own homemade kefir for the horses every night! Kelly has worked with me over the past few months to fine tune my position which has made both me and my horse perform better. I can not sing her praises enough. This is her passion and you can clearly see in in her teaching and care of the horses. read more

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Kelly is the definition of a true horsewoman. She is extremely professional and always puts her horses and riders well being at the forefront. She and her team go above and beyond in every aspect of the horse's care and it shows with happy, shiny, dappley horses. I wouldn't trust my horses in anyone else's care. read more

I found Kelly through a referral from a coworker who told me she had just started her barn. I took 3 lessons with Kelly and I was hooked! Her love of the animals really shows in her teaching approach. She utilizes training technics to teach her students through proper riding you can ride your horse to be soundest it can be. Having worked as a professional in the past, it was a breath of fresh air meeting Kelly who combines education, experience, and ethics so well. I would highly recommend Kelly to anyone who is looking for a boutique show barn experience with good people, outstanding horse care, and a nurturing environment for you and your horse. read more

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very little socialization in between their already very limited individual turnout. if your turnout is smaller than your arena you're doing it wrong. some of the horses can touch each other over fences but that's it read more

I have been riding for over 30 years and cannot say enough great things about Kelly Jennings and Cellar Door Farm....True passion for the art of horsemanship and creating partnerships that shine in the show ring. Genuine respect and consideration for owner/client. Clear, consistent prompt communication. Attention to horse care and wellness that is second to none. (Slow feeder haynets so horses don't get ulcers from standing around with empty stomachs? What HJ trainer do you know who does that?) Compassionate training of the horse that seeks first to understand, then to inspire a better performance rather than using force or coercion. And it is a great facility- Bell Canyon is a lovely, serene equestrian center with great footing, a large jumping arena, plenty of turnouts and access to miles of beautiful trails. My horse and I have never been happier!!! read more

Cellar Door Farm - Tristan showing off the dapples he is blooming with at Cellar Door Farm. There is grass to hand graze your horse on, even in August! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Lake View Terrace, California

Kelly is an incredible rider, trainer, and horsewoman. She puts the horse's well-being before everything else and is truly committed to their health and happiness. She is exceptionally knowledgeable in all aspects of equine health and wellness; focusing on riding and training to work with a horse's natural way of going to improve their fitness and performance. She is a very skilled instructor. She is able to break down each rider's strengths and weaknesses and explain in detail what they need to do in order to better communicate with their horse. She has worked hard her entire life to get to where she is now and has created a top notch program that is supportive and effective. She continues to improve and update her facilities and equipment, giving her clients and their horses the very best that she can. There are few trainers that I would recommend to any type of rider with any type of horse, and Kelly is certainly one of them. I have been lucky enough to work with her, ride with her, learn from her, seek advice from her, and keep my horse with her, and in every situation she has far exceeded my expectations. read more

We moved to Cellar Door about a year ago and have been thrilled with care, attention and progress made with both our daughter and her horse. The horse is happier and healthier and the new stable environment is great. Having now shown a number of times, we can see the improvement in our daughter's confidence and preparation. We are very happy and look forward to continued progress. Thank you Kelly read more

I LOVE CELLAR DOOR FARM! I have had many coaches in my riding career, but Kelly blows them all away. She is an amazing teacher and friend. I love how her focus is safety and building a connection with the horse. She doesn't just tell you to do something, but explains the "why" behind it. My riding has improved so much over a very short amount of time. I plan to be apart of this barn for years to come! read more

I have ridden with Kelly for several years and love everything about her style of training. She expects a lot from her students, but is there to help every step of the way. In lessons, she is attentive at all times and constantly giving constructive criticism based on years of riding experience. In her down-to-earth manner, she will always mention when something is wrong, whether it's your position, the horse's balance, your mindset, or anything else, but also is equally apt to give praise when you improve. For example, in a recent lesson, we were working on my position over the jumps, and at each jump she would say, well that was a 6 on the scale of leaning too much, we want a 0. It's better than the 8 from yesterday, but still more room to improve. When I asked Kelly to explain a comment on my position I did not understand, she not only explained in detail right then during the lesson, later that afternoon she texted me specific pictures of myself that showed what I was doing wrong and why. It's these very specifically tailored comments and criticism that I love about Kelly's training and that will truly help your riding. As the assistant trainer at Erin Duffy Show Stables, Kelly trained me for a few years up to the big junior equitation medals, improving my riding such that I was able to place in the top three of the USEF Talent Search, Maclay, and other top medals during the Thermal circuit. I then went on to college for three years and only recently came back to train with Kelly again, but even after this time she is helping me to again attain the same perfectionism in riding. After being out of Kelly's training for so long, I really appreciate it even more, as there were several comments and helpful criticisms she made in her first 15 minutes watching me that my trainer at college has never said in three years. In addition to her great training in lessons, the fact that Kelly prioritizes so highly the wellbeing of her clients' horses is extremely important. My horse has had some health problems and Kelly has always been sure to take these into account, never overstepping his physical abilities while still devising a program that will make him (and me) the best athletes we can be. read more

Kelly is an absolutely fantastic trainer, and just a wonderful person to be around. I trained with her for about 5 years. Her style is clear and concise and I never had a hard time understanding her instruction. She's patient and experienced--exactly what you want in someone who works with children and horses--and she keeps her training fun and personal. I can't say enough good things about her or her style--I learned so much from her in the years she taught me and will always consider her a great mentor and role model in my life. read more