Nice facility with excellent opportunities to learn at all levels. Great trainer, Kyle, works with…read morekids and adults. He works with patience and enthusiasm to bring along horse and rider. Kyle's crew often participates in local play day events, and several riders have gone on to compete at top levels in Western events.

Cecilia's years of experience are hard to beat in a barn manager. She's resourceful, practical and…read moreapproachable. The barn has a family vibe vs a just a place where your horse lives. Cecilia teaches lessons but also brings in other trainers for clinics and other professionals for informational sessions.

I stayed here recently, it seemed like an amazing idea - Elephants delivering breakfast right to…read moreyour doorstep... a perfect trip for an animal lover like myself. The reasons I was charitable enough to give this place one star: *The fact that some of these animals were rescued from "worse" futures (euthenasia, animal shelters) and routinely given vitamins and supplements to help their health; *Our view of the elephants from our bungalow was super cool; *the bungalow itself was adorable; *the ostrich performed a mating ritual in front of me and my sister, repeating with encores when encouraged by applause; *the abundance of stars in the sky - something I don't see as a city girl; *the fact that the elephants had more than 10 square feet to walk around in, which leads me to... The reason I only give this place one star: You guys are lucky you got one. The treatment of animals there is abysmal. We read the brochure, watched your promo video and heard your stories behind this huge preserve - a preserve that supposedly spreads 50 acres. During the tour, a group of us was led around to various cages, each housing a trained animal retired from various stints in movies, commercials, calender shoots, etc. Each animal was given about 20 square feet to live in - barely enough room, in some cases, to complete an entire stride, much less walk fast or run. The cages the animals are kept in have no greenery, no dirt, just concrete floors (easily to hose down, I presume). I had a difficult time believing the lions, jaguar, alligator and other creatures actually lived in these tiny cages - so I asked "where do they get their exercise?" I recieved a vague response: "oh we take them out regularly". Take them out, regularly? How thoughtful of you. These animals have a right to clean, attractive spaces that allow them to move freely and enjoy their lives. At least the elephants got a nice big acre. But what about the rest of these gorgeous creatures? You should be ashamed of yourselves. Spend some money and provide these poor, lovely animals a real home.

I have to agree with the other reviews. This place kinda depressed me a little. I LOVE animals and…read morebeing a Leo, Lions are my all time favorite. First of all thank god the tour was only $10 a person because if my date had paid more I would have felt horrible. I entered this place with excitement and couldn't wait to see this "rescued" animals in a "happy" environment. Now maybe some of the animals are better off where they are, but man the cats seemed so depressed. First off the tour was super speedy, a ot of the animals seemed sedated or just plain sad. The lion didnt even move when we walked over. The king of the jungle just layed there, that was the ONE animal i was stoked on seeing and I couldn't even get a good pic of it. UGH. The lionesses were beautiful but were in this tiny cage. Same with the other cats, the jaguar, cougar, lynx, tigers, leopard, all them...TINY cages. They were pacing, which means they were nervous or just plain fricken antsy. How the hell could cat that size be kept cooped up in a cage like that most of their days?!! The elephants, ostridge (however you spell it) and zebras had TONS of room. So these guys I didn't feel bad for. The bungalows looked pretty cute and I had originally planned on goin back to maybe stay over night. But honestly I left feeling so down I'm not sure I'd want to go back. They take these animals out on a fricken leash to get their exercise...are you kidding me? Now maybe I didn't get the fulls story..maybe these huge cats have a larger area they get to go play in and run and be somewhat the wild cats that they are. I hope to god I am not fully informed and their only time out of those cages are NOT walking on a damn leash. They seemed like they loved the people that worked there but were dying for attention. They wanted to be petted and i would have loved to have touched them...but the cost for a more advanced tour where you get to touch the animals was fricken $900!!! Um...$150 maybe even $200..ok but $900 ....good lord. Everyone here seemed really nice so it's hard to diss this place, but seriously as a cat lover...it didn't leave me with a good feeling. =( Even the zoo's have larger cages than this place. Not very nice. =( I mean it was nice to get out and do something different but because it made me sad I can't give it more than 2 stars. And the second star is only for good measure...because maybe just maybe there is something I'm not getting about this place. The animals didn't look unhealthy so maybe they are ok after all.

The most magical place in the valley...Such a peaceful atmosphere where both you and your horse can…read moreregenerate and thrive. This barn really is a gem, and so is the community it has created. Paddocks, stalls, multiple wash racks, large turnout, trails, arena, and a round pen offer a fun and safe environment for both people and their horses. The barn manager and staff are both passionate and knowledgeable with what they do; always keeping the horses and their needs as top priorities.

From the owner: Our 50-acre horse ranch in mid-Carmel Valley features a full-size arena and roundpen, as well as…read morevarious boarding accommodations to meet your horse's needs. And we boast perhaps the most recognizable barn in the entire in the entire valley. it's the big silver one across the street from Folktale Winery.

Silvermist Stables is a gem. Michelle runs it with heart, integrity, and deep care for both horses…read moreand humans. The property is peaceful, well-kept, and welcoming. If you're looking for a place where your horse will be safe and truly cared for, this is it.

From the owner: Silvermist Stables offers top-notch boarding services and an exceptional equestrian experience.read more

From the very first lesson, Bar SZ Ranch has felt like home. Our daughter has been taking lessons…read moresince April, and I honestly can't say enough wonderful things about this place. As a horse person myself, trusting someone else to teach my child was a little scary. But our daughter wanted more than just riding lessons at home--she wanted to be part of a real barn community, make friends, and spend time around horses. Bar SZ Ranch has given her exactly that and so much more. The Borland family is incredibly welcoming and makes everyone feel like part of the family. Michelle is an amazing instructor--kind, patient, encouraging, and knowledgeable. She meets each child where they are and helps them grow in both confidence and horsemanship. At just 8 years old, our daughter attended the week-long Wrangler Camp and says it was the best week of her life. Watching her riding skills improve each week has been wonderful, but what means the most to us is seeing how excited she is to go to the barn and how much she truly feels like she belongs there. If you're looking for a place where kids can learn to ride in a fun, safe, and supportive environment while becoming part of an amazing horse community, I can't recommend Bar SZ Ranch enough. We are so thankful we found this special place.

We camped out on the property and had a wonderful experience. The ground was great for pitching…read moretents, and there is a nice communal kitchen and campfire. FYI... no showers, and there are portapotties. But the camping on the ranch is limited to a small number, so it was quiet and peaceful. The ranch is only 15 minutes from the West Entrance to the National Park. We did several long hikes and covered many different trails. If you are going to Pinnacles there are showers and restrooms there that you can use. Our kids also got the experience of feeding all the animals and a great horseback riding lesson. Tim and Michelle were wonderful. We would recommend them and the ranch to everyone.

My horse died suddenly in Sept 2025 at C4 from severe dehydration and stones=NEGLECT. Barn mgr…read moreCecelia unwilling to calmly discuss offering grass hay mix to boarders instead of 100% alfalfa. I will not ever return or recommend C4 for this reason alone--too many horses die at C4 every year from unnatural causes: severe dehydration triggering colic, plus stones from alfalfa-only hay--a deadly combo. At the ER vet I learned too late that 100% alfalfa hay causes stones. Cecelia knows this and continues feeding 100% alfalfa. I hope she changes her ways, and stops worrying so much about profit. If one does what's best for horses' nutritional needs (grass hay mix) , it will pay out 10 fold in other ways she will hopefully one day realize.

The best riding and boarding facility in the county! I'd recommend C4 Stables to anyone who's…read morelooking to board their horse or learn how to ride. Cecilia is an amazing instructor.

Paula has an amazing and beautiful property set against the eastern hills of Hollister's mountain…read morevista. The boarding facility is super clean, very friendly and the owners are extremely knowledgeable about horses. My horses boarding time there spanned many years and was filled with wonderful care, special memories and I made life-long friends. I highly recommend Legacy if you're looking to board at a facility that cares about your animal's well-being 24/7, 365 days a year and especially when you can't be there. I trust them inexplicably with my horse's lives. The only reason I left this beautiful facility was to move my horses to acreage on my own property. Otherwise, I'd still be there.

From the owner: We specialize in Personalized Care for your Horse with Safety and your Needs in Mind…read more Stalls,Paddocks. Cleaned 7 days a week. Covered arena.

Patience is a wonderful person- you can really just tell. The horses are kept very well. And the…read moreproperty is small but nice. I can also tell she is tried and true a deeply knowledgable horse person. It's unquestionable. My favorite thing she said "even the experts should have trainers for themselves." She enjoys having her own trainer very much.

From the owner: At Glynnsong Farms we believe in dreams. Dreams of turning your horse into the champion you always…read moredreamed it could be. Dreams of you becoming a better rider and winning blues ribbons. Dreams of dancing with your horse and becoming a true partner. Glynnsong Farms a tranquil place for harmonious training of beautiful horses. Training-lessons -sales. Boarding and overnight stabling available.

FHS and trainer Stephanie Walker are the best. She has created an exceptional environment where the…read morehorses' comfort and happiness are always the priority. She helps all levels of riders realize their full potential in a very unintimidating way. I would highly recommend this barn for boarding, leasing, training, and lessons.

Stephanie Walker at Free Heart Stables is a true horseman. She understands the equine holistically…read moreand teaches her clients from where the horse is at physically and mentally, and always for the good of the horse. My daughter entered into the horse world via typical horseback lesson experience. She received excellent instruction in rider form at a top riding school but she became bored with just jumping on a horse for the purpose of getting through the transitions and jumps while looking good. She craved a deeper bond with her equine partners. So, being a brand new horse person myself, and only to support my daughter from afar, I found Stephanie in a Google search. I figured some horseback lessons that simulated actual horse ownership would cure the bug. I also decided that since this experience would be more than just tacking up the horse and riding, I decided to take lessons too so I could supervise my daughter from the ground. When my daughter first started riding, I wouldn't even pet the horses, and I was the least likely candidate to be a horse owner, that's how resistant I was to this whole horse fever she caught. I thought for sure these true "horsemanship" lessons would end this nonsense. Well, Stephanie didn't cure the horse bug. She made it worse, it was contagious, and I caught it. She stirred a new passion in my daughter and I that opened up a whole new world where horses are now more than a hobby, we have a new lifestyle. Fast forward to today, we are the humble owners of a beautiful, dramatic, and sensitive thoroughbred gelding and Stephanie is our trainer. Forget thinking that this is your typical trainer situation where the expert does the hard work of training your horse and you come out only to ride and experience the fruit of that labor. Stephanie is teaching US how to train our horse. Her lessons involve us in every part of the equine from the how the horse thinks to how the horse moves - on good days and bad days. Some of our best lessons, even when we first started, have been in (and continue to be in) imperfect conditions where we were making mistakes and Stephanie patiently taught us what was going on with the horse mentally, how we created the situation, and how to correct it. She will not do it for you, and she will make you take it slow to do things right. You can do things fast, or you can do them right. Thankfully, she has the patience and calm demeanor of a saint with kids and nervous, newbie, somewhat resistant, older adults. Stephanie just has something special to offer people that is vitally lacking in our fast paced, over tech'd, and over-achieving culture. The character qualities that are being instilled in my daughter (and myself) through this journey is not something the fanciest training barn or most expensive private school could ever teach. It is hard work that teaches you how to slow down, be present, and be teachable. Though the word has lost its meaning, Stephanie is a true natural horseman and she will teach you how to understand and communicate with the horse from the moment you make contact. If you want a truly fulfilling equine partnership that is unlike anything offered at training and lesson barns, contact Stephanie. Your horse will thank you.