A little over a year ago, I was looking for a place to take lessons. I tried many different barns…read morein the area, but after I rode with Sarah, I stopped looking. I look forward to my riding lesson every week because I really like being sore for 3 days after. No, really. Sarah is an amazing instructor. She cares about all her students/clients, those with or without their own horses , whether you are jumping 1.2m or 6 inches, as long as you are willing to learn. Sarah will challenge you in many ways during her lessons, but remaining positive at the same time. She has high expectations of all her students, but you will learn so much. Highly recommended!!

For over three years now Sarah has educated my daughter in all aspects of riding and horsemanship…read more Sarah have been attentive, knowledgeable and very engaged to help my daughter continue to grow as a rider.. Working with Sarah has been an amazingly positive experience for both myself and my daughter.

I've been riding with Pam and her crew for almost 4 years now and can definitely recommend it. She…read morereally cares about her horses' welfare as well as safety for all. Even though I don't take private lessons, her attention to detail in group settings has improved my riding more in a one year than it had over several years with other instructors. Her assistant instructors are timely, excellent riders and instructors who are patient and respectful. Frankly, all of them have been provided better instruction in individual or group settings that I have gotten almost 95% of the time in the past 20 years of riding from lead instructors, no joking. She'll also never over-mount you or put you on a horse that you need to tune up for the program so she can make money off the horse before it's actually ready to be a program horse. Also if you do package lessons or lease, she'll help you squeeze in extra rides if she has horses that need to be ridden. This helps your riding and also helps fit in make-ups if you are, sick, traveling or lessons were rained-out. Pam is also incredibly ethical; she's the most ethical person I know in any line of business. This means she's not putting her interest in making money over yours: she won't try to sell you a horse, push you into a lease or lesson packages you can't afford or won't benefit from. If you're nor interested in any of these options; she'll treat you just as fairly and equally as any other rider. Regardless of whether you ride once a month, once a week, or 6 times a week, she treats all student the same: with respect, patience, fairness and diplomacy. The final part is that it is a relaxed barn atmosphere. Safety is upmost: but no one cares what attire and equipment you wear as long as it is functional and meets current standards. Horses are kept tidy, but there are no full time grooms handing you fully groomed, impeccably trimmed and polished horses. The upside is there are no high-maintenance people, nor is there pressure to show, or pressure to fit into a certain mold in terms of fashion, dress, or brands of attire.

Seven Oaks was recommended to me when we moved to the bay area. I have been riding for over 20…read moreyears and have found that these ladies really know their stuff! I've been riding with them for the past 4 years. All of the instructors teach Carrie Coe's and Pamela Miller's carefully thought out training program, so you never need to worry about who is teaching you because they all follow the same methodology. Also, they have been working with my horse and have helped us go from training level to third level while keeping my horse happy all along our dressage journey. I would recommend Seven Oaks for anyone interested in dressage. Not only is it a fun, friendly environment, but if you are interested in competing, they can help you reach any goal you set for yourself.

I've been taking lessons at CRA for about a year now as an adult beginner and I look forward to my…read morelessons every week. I love arriving at the barn and seeing all the beautiful horses. The owner and staff are all lovely as well. My favorite thing about CRA is the amount of progress I feel I've made after each lesson. The instructors are all very knowledgable and always provide helpful feedback that has helped me with my equestrian journey. Definitely give this place a visit! Plus, they've got the cutest pony, Merlin! (see attached photo)

I am so happy to have found California Riding Academy in Pacifica. The barn is super convenient…read morefor me to get to from San Francisco - I can easily take a weekday morning lesson before my PM shift at the hospital. The horses are incredibly well cared for. The barn and arena are very nice. My instructor Sierra is very helpful and patient. I was finally getting strong enough to really properly post the trot when the Covid19 lock down hit. I cannot wait to get back to the barn and to the horses. I highly recommend California Riding Academy.

My daughter has been riding with Jan for the last year and has grown so much as a rider and is so…read morehappy with the whole experience. Jan creates a wonderful barn culture and really supports each individual's needs. In addition to my daughter's experience, I have my own personal experience riding with Jan. I started with her when I was 6 and rode with her until I graduated high school. I'm so beyond lucky to get to share my best childhood memories and now relive them with my daughter. Jan is the best!

Jan is amazing! She has been training my daughter for nearly 3 years. She knows when to push, when…read moreto encourage and how to get the best out of the rider and horse. Her love of horses and knowledge shine through, her warmth and sense of humor make it all even better.

Incredible place to learn more about horseback riding and humanity! Among the absolute best…read moreteachers that our kids have ever experienced.

I normally give very good reviews, so this is my "venting" review so to say…read more.. I have taken two lessons at Misty Ridge Farm of the Portola Pastures. The lessons were with Bobbi Petrov. I am extremely upset with the outcome of the whole thing. I paid for 4 lessons: $230 and could not attend two of them due to a very rigorous work schedule. When I e-mailed Bobbi to let her know I was not gonna be able to make it, I was informed that she needed a 24 hours notice if I wanted to cancel the class and then retake it at a later time. This was not explained to me beforehand and I am very upset w/ them, since I paid for 4 lessons and I only got 2 out of it. I wasn't even given time to read over what I signed, because Bobbi was late to the first session and I was simply given a form and asked to sign it. Now, in terms of the lessons themselves- Bobbi probably does care for the horses, since you're given about 30 minutes to groom and tack your horse first and then almost 1 hr on the horse and 30 more minutes to untack and get the horse ready for feeding and bedtime. My problem with the lessons was that Bobbi didn't actually show me anything. The more advanced girls were asked to show me things and then she was just yelling instructions from this little stage area next to the barn. I am very disappointed with the way lessons are taught here and I am also disappointed with the way they do business. I doubt I will ever take classes here again. Or at least not at this farm. Portola Pastures has a lot of opportunities for lessons, so I might end up choosing a different farm and/or instructor.

The Great American West and what living use to be like back then. Lemmy tell ya most people living…read morein the Bay Area haven't a clue as to what it was like back then. From: concrete jungles, venti lattes, not knowing your neighbors, and paying 1/2 your months salary in rent. For those looking for an escape from the mundane and a change of pace from their liberal strongholds, the Chaparral Ranch trainers/hands/horse masters will provide you a temporary way out. Nestled in the Woodside hills with winding trails, scenic views, birds, trees, rabbits, more trees...and oh yes horses will give you a taste of olde School California. Mixing history with activity I can see no other better weekend escape. Take a trail ride or get a lesson, who cares just get out and enjoy nature! The horses and staff are experts on gettin you up and havin a guud olde time. So get off your butt and getta ridin!

Never got to ride with them. Took 10 days to respond to voice messages, and website is outdated &…read moreconvoluted. Found Bay Area Ridge Riders at same time, and had a great experience. My advice is to keep looking.

If you want a quality lesson program, look no further! The Stanford Red Barn has a beautiful…read morefacility, wonderful coaches and staff, and great horses. I can't imagine a better riding environment.

If you are an adult who wants to get involved with horses, consider yourself fortunate to discover…read morethis magical spot minutes away from the Stanford Mall and the medical school. I stumbled unto the Red Barn, an equestrian center managed by the university's Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Education, this Fall while looking for lessons in unmounted horsemanship. While many local stables offer basic horse care camps for kids, this was the first one that I discovered for adult newbies. The 10-week course is a great introduction (or refresher) to anyone wanting to learn about feeding, grooming, tacking (saddling and bridling) and vet care. In other words, what's really involved in owning, leasing or riding horses. Although the class could probably be condensed to 8 weeks in terms of material covered, the 10 weeks offers lots of hands-on experience with horses as you learn to approach them confidently. Because of the small group size, you get plenty of practice. The result - tasks that seem formidable at first (like lifting and picking the horses' feet) seem easy and natural by the end of your 10-week class. One of the surprising aspects of the Red Barn was how friendly and helpful everyone was, in addition to being knowledgeable. This includes the mounted horsemanship instructor Sarah (who also runs other community programs at the barn), the fantastic crew who care for the property and the horses and the Stanford students who ride there. Whether you're learning to bridle a horse or buckle a horse blanket, there is always someone to ask for suggestions. It's the ideal learning environment for folks new to horses, as you are part of a supportive community of experienced horse people very wiling to share their passion and love for horses.

I've been boarding and riding at Ciara West for over a year. Ciara West has a great barn manager,…read moreSteven. He is incredibly engaged in making Ciara West run well and comfortably for horses and people alike. The facilities include an indoor arena, an outdoor dressage court, and a round pen. There are several small trails for general exercise around the property. You can keep your horse in a box stall with turnout, in a solo paddock with cover, or full time paddock. Ciara West feeds real deal hay three times a day. There are three bathrooms one in the upper and two in the lower barn. The weather at along skyline is typically not so hot as down in the valley. The view at sunset of the ocean is spectacular. Finally, there are trainers available across multiple disciplines. And the community of equestrians is welcome and friendly.

Great barn with no drama, excellent trainers and all day turnout. Management is thoughtful and…read moreresponsive, workers appear happy, and horses do well there. Even the barn cats are extra cute!