There was a horrible mix up after I cancelled my reservation and it has taken over four weeks to get my refund. I just checked the mail, and management sent me a very nice gift to say sorry for my inconvenience. I CANNOT wait to finally get to go there for a ride!! read more

We enjoyed our horseback ride to the beach. I was a little intimidated by the 6+ hour trip as an unseasoned rider. Our guide Dave was on the gruff side, but not in an offensive manner. Honestly, he was what I expected as a guide..yet not what I expected, another interesting character in our adventures. He got us to a faster trot and gave us a couple impromptu riding lessons. This gave me some ease about the trip length. The horse I was riding, Trigger, needed some extra encouragement and Cody, ridden by by my wife was "spirited". The views along the ride alone are well worth the few days of anticipated soreness. read more

I really enjoy riding here. The guides are great with keeping everyone together and each one has his and her own stories of the area and fun experiences with the horses you ride. When you are done riding make sure to ask where the apples or carrots are to give to your horse and thank your guide. I love Lisa as a guide. She is fabulous! read more

Beautiful scenery and great for beginners. One flaw was the blonde lady leading our group. I realize she was just doing her job, but she was really aggressive and made the whole group uncomfortable. Hopefully she finds yoga. Overall a good day! read more

My husband and I took our 8-yr-old daughter and her friend here for a beginner's trail ride for our daughter's birthday. Her friend and I were both beginners. My daughter had been taking riding lessons for over a year, which we're very thankful for, considering what happened here. She was so excited about this birthday ride! The horses were jumpy right from the start, and the guide, Ken, acted like he was emotionally frazzled, because every time his horse acted up, which it did quite a bit, he started screaming at it. It was weird. One of our party accidentally dropped a scarf onto the trail, which completely irritated Ken. He went back to get it while we waited on the somewhat narrow trail which was bordered on one side by a quick-dropping "cliff." Ken came back with his horse, who seemed angry about coming back (I think he thought he was going back home for food when he was initially turned around to get the scarf.) So when Ken gets back with the scarf and his angry horse, his horse starts butting my daughter's horse in the rear, pushing her backwards down the cliff, and his horse wouldn't stop doing it. All four of her horse's legs were off the trail at this point. My heart was in my throat, and we had to tell Ken that his horse was pushing my daughter's horse off the cliff. Ken didn't seem to "be there". All he did was yell at his horse, which made the horse's behavior even worse. Eventually he got off his horse and moved him out of the way, and my daughter's horse found her way back up the steep hill. Unbelievably, Ken was ready to keep going to finish the trail ride, so we had to tell him that we needed to go back. On the way back Ken was screaming profanities at his horse, like "you f-ing stupid horse". He was clearly not in control of his emotions, which is what I think made his horse even jumpier than he was when we started off. Bottom line is that Ken's bad judgement could have caused serious harm. I would never recommend this place to anyone, given that we both felt lucky that our little one made it out alive! The owner/manager of the place seriously needs to hire quality guides. Ken was not it. It's taken me two months to write this review, as I was so shaken by the experience. read more

My BF and I took a guided 2-hour Fir Top Trail tour, using yelp deal. It was my first time, riding a horse and I had a great time! I will go back for sure, maybe for the beach trip next time? *PROS* - Our guide (Jesus) was very nice and very experienced with horses, growing up, riding horses all his life. - Horses were really calm and well-trained. Our horse, Houdina and Danny are both mid-sized, around 12 years old, growing up at the stable. Like some people here mentioned, Danny was little slow, walking so Jesus gave my BF a little whip. - Going up on a hill in the Pt. Reyes State Park, mainly in the woods, is so soothing and meditating, breathing fresh air. The trail goes up and at one point, we just turns around and took the same path, coming down. You can't see ocean or anything but the view of the valley was pretty. - We took the first trip of the day (9AM) so we were the only people so it was practically a private tour! - It was after some rain/fog and the ground was perfectly moist so we didn't have any dust problems. - When it says 2-hour trip, it WAS full 2-hour trip and plus! Jesus was not rushing or anything toward end of the trip. *CONS* - Helmets can be little bit cleaner? - For first timers like me, it was kind of hard to figure out what to bring and wear for the riding... Also, at the location, it's not clearly shown where to park our car and where the office was... And it'll be nice to know what kind of facilities there in advance. I hope they can add those info to their website someday. *SUGGESTIONS* - Bring some carrots. I wanted give my horse some *tip* at the end of the session. - Bring tips for guides. They work really hard. - Bring your own bike/snowboard/skateboard helmet if you want a clean helmet that fits on you. - The State park's public bathrooms are in the parking lot. Go to bathroom before you go on the trip. There's no bathrooms or possible locations once you are on the trip. *No washing sink at the bathrooms. So bring your own wet nap or wash your hands at the stable. - The registration office is toward the back of the stable. Once you park your car, go to the area where horses are and walk toward the end where you see all the saddles are hanging. - It would get pretty dusty when it's dry. Bring your scarf or mask to cover your mouth. - My butts hurt after some trotting. If you have bony bottom like mine, maybe you can wear one of those padded biker pants or something? - Don't use map, typing in the address on google map. It'll give you a wrong location. Use their direction on their website. read more

My partner and I booked the Fir Top Trail with Five Brooks Ranch as part of our honeymoon trip to San Francisco and the surrounding areas. David was our guide and did a fantastic job of accommodating both our skill sets. He matched me with a lovely, responsive horse called Skipper and put my not so experienced partner on (trusty) Trigger. We had an amazing experience and the trails around the area are stunning; David also took us past an Osprey nest. At the end of the ride, David refused our tip as it was our honeymoon and instead insisted that we head over to Point Reyes Station nearby and buy a couple of cocktails with the money. A lovely ranch, with beautiful horses and even lovelier people. read more

Great experience, my fiancé has years of experience and I had none. Very professional from start to end. Amazing ride on Fir Top Trail for two hours, so beautiful. Dave is a great guide, and everything went great. Lots of instruction, plus they took photos of us with our own phones which is a nice touch. Highly recommended. read more

Took a 1.5hr drive here from SF because of the awesome yelp reviews. Trust me, go here instead of Half Moon Bay if you want to go for a ride. I called in two days before to make an appointment for a two hr ride for four people. Pretty good deal if I say so myself. No fuss, no hassle. When we got there, the woman greeted us and told us to sign some papers. Pretty soon after that they got us on the horses and gave us a few rules and pointers since we were all beginners. Our guide's name was Warren and he seemed pretty friendly, but did not talk much during the trail ride. My horse was named Danny and he was pretty slow. Probably just trying to enjoy the scenery. The ride itself was very relaxing and the majority of it was in the shade. We got to trot four or five times, which was a nice unexpected surprise. At the end of our ride, the employees at the stable allowed us to pet the horses and we even got to feed them some apples! Funsies! This place is much recommended. The horses were well kept and the staff was friendly. I would definitely come here again! read more

David was awesome!!! Showed up on 4th of July at 9am for 2 hour ride that ended up being 3 hours because we didn't have to be back until 12. Started off with basic instructions and slowly worked our way up to '2nd gear' that's what David called it. Beautiful trail... Will definitely be back for the 6 hour beach ride... read more

I had a party at this ranch and I found the owner to be absolutely awful. He wasn't very nice to my guest. One of his horses was acting up, which my friend was riding. She decided to get off and asked for another horse, he screamed at her and told her no. I feel that was definitely inappropriate and it ruined her first experience of riding a horse. I gave this place 3 stars instead of 1 because of our guide, who name I can't recollect. He was absolutely awesome, too bad the jerk he works for isnt. I would never return to a place that doesn't treat their consumers with respect....what are you without your consumers? A funky barn with beautiful horses!! read more

I took my granddaughter for the 2 hour fir ridge ride. The trail is beautiful. Deep in the woods. Not a lot of sun but so beautiful. Vanessa was our guide and it was just the 3 of us. My granddaughter had a bit of a struggle to keep Harley from stopping and eating grass but she kept working at it until Harley finally gave up. I road Paulie. A big horse that liked only to do what the lead horse was doing. He would trot when the lead horse trotted and only once was I able to get him into a slow canter for a minute or so. Both horse had sweet dispositions. I was comfortable with the trail, the horses and guide. I would go back. read more

Made a nervous pilgrimage here with doubts about my battle with fear, fear of animals. Emerged a champion, high on adrenaline, thanks to the amazing people here and my new friend, my ride, horse Danny. We went in without an appointment since I wanted to figure out if I'd get less scared once I got to see the horses and possibly other horse riders. After a lot leisurely 30mins of seeing, we asked if there were spots on the next trail out for the day. Too late. About a dozen people had just left. Clearly their reservations get full easily. We doubtfully asked if I could get a 10 min ride just around the paddock so I could shake my apprehension away. A hilarious German rancher didn't think twice before setting me up with Meg who clearly knows something about everything! She firmly yet patiently goaded me on a gentle horse and a few steps became a guided 25 min ride. Apart from a wonderful horse ride, we came out feeling like family, having fed some horses, petted some others, and chatting with many a rancher. They have about 35 horses, I'm told. Going back soon for a trail ride with a reservation! read more

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We had a great ride at Five Brook. The horses were good, the staff carefully made sure that everyone's stirrups and equipment was adjusted right, and the terrain was varied and beautiful. We had beginners and advanced riders in our group and all were well satisfied with their ride. A member of our party lost something on the ride and they promptly mailed it to us. We will be going back to enjoy this excellent stable! Highly recommended! read more

This was my first time horseback riding and I had a blast. My boyfriend, took me out here for a two hour guided ride with City Slicker Dave. Dave did a fantastic job making me feel safe as well as calm with all of his funny jokes. The trail was gorgeous and the horses were so well trained and cared for. Would definitely come back again or maybe plan a corporate event here next! Thank you Dave! read more

I spent the first 25 years of my life wanting to ride a horse. I wouldn't say I was obsessed, but it was among the top three of the list entitled "Things Becca Really Wants To Do." The Yelp deal for Five Brooks appeared around the time my boyfriend and I were contemplating a long weekend in Point Reyes, and a plot was hatched. While the man passing out the liability forms and arranging our rides seemed like a really nice guy, I do wish that we had gotten more instruction. All of us (including my boyfriend, myself, and the three giggly teen girls who were to go on the ride with us) were beginners, and my boyfriend and I had certainly never been on horses before. We were told the names of the horses we would be riding, the horses were led up to us, and one by one we were helped onto the backs of the horses. However, we were really only given the most basic of crash courses in horse-handling. Pull the reins left to go left, right to go right, pull back to slow down, give a little kick to speed up. Nod, nod, nod, I fervently nodded. The trail itself was pretty, but unremarkable. I was hoping we would perhaps end up at the top of a ridge to stop for a moment and take in the view, but we rode until we needed to go back, and then we turned around. Our guide was very quiet, which was fine, but he didn't "guide" as much as he taciturnly led the caravan. And what a dysfunctional caravan we were! The giggly girls giggled in front of my boyfriend and I, and couldn't prevent their horses from lagging behind and chomping on the grass every couple of minutes, so the whole affair was very stop-and-go. The guide is definitely not responsible for these girls' ineptitude, but I do wish that after the tenth time it happened he might have said something other than "Pull!" Or, perhaps, he could have come back in the line and shown them how to pull so as to elicit the best response from their animals. I know that would have taken time, but it seems like the time lost would be made up in the way of not having to stop every couple of minutes. I most certainly do not want to give anyone the impression that I know best, and there are many factors that I'm sure I'm not taking into account. But I left the stable wanting more. Some of that was in a good way - I loved the act of riding and am now committed to taking some lessons. I'm grateful to Five Brooks for showing me that I loved horseback riding every bit as much as I thought I would. However, I wanted more instruction, more time with my animal. What was he like? What did the parts of him look like that weren't the back of his neck? What was the best way to stay on him without feeling like I was going to die every time he broke into a trot? If I'm in error and these things really would take a significant amount of time, money, and effort, I do apologize. But all the same I think that by their omission, Five Brooks is missing a great opportunity. read more

This a while back but nonetheless was an awesome experience. Especially enjoyed our guide who was comical/keep us laughing and enjoying the ride and made sure we felt safe. read more

David our guide was fabulous the most educational guide 1 have ever had! We had 6 riders in our group and David took 3 of us out of the group for a more challenging ride while his "sister" took the other riders under her care. There was story telling along the ride along with David riding ahead with our camera so he took videos of our group! This was truly special as we has not only still life to take back with us but video clips!! He made us all look so goodWe took a 2 hour tour at 3 pm read more

Five Brooks Ranch - Horseback Riding Near Me - Olema, California

Amazing. Amazing. AMAZING. After a horrible experience at Mar Vista Stables in SF, I was a little nervous to get back on a horse. It was my boyfriend's and my anniversary last Saturday and they were able to accommodate a private 3 hour ride through the wilderness last minute. Let me first say, their horses looked so incredibly well taken care of. There was plenty of water and food for the horses that were awaiting their next ride. We ran into a woman boarding her horses there prior to our ride and she RAVED about Andrew and the rest of the people that worked there. Andrew introduced us to Carol, our trail guide, and told us the names of the horses we would be riding. Once we mounted, despite telling them our experience, they gave us a review (which was AWESOME). And another woman gave me some tips about Danny, who I was riding. Danny is supposedly a stubborn boy that likes to go incredibly slow and act up if he can tell that he can get away with it. Danny did awesome with me! Carol said he loved me because she could tell that he showed me respect and listened to every command I told him. At the beginning, Brian and I thought we were beginner riders, Carol said she considered us intermediate. We felt good about that, lol! Carol was a pure delight to have a 3 hour ride with. She answered all of our questions - and we are a talkative couple, asking ALL the questions we could possibly think of lol. She stopped to take photos of us, taught us to read body language of the horses, and how to back up on a horse (provided they are trained how to back up). She even let us trot and slow gallop (I don't remember what it was called). Every other place I have been to restricted any galloping or trotting, LAME! But it was so beautiful. I also think it's important to share how clean these horses were. At every other stable, I would pet my horses and immediately have a black hand. I was petting Danny the entire three hours and had no spots of dirt on my hand. I told Carol how amazing that was, and she told me they brush out and clean their horses prior to putting their saddle on. Ugh! AMAZING. I am still sore today from it, but these people were professional and left me so excited to come back. Next, we plan on doing the 6 hour private beach ride! Ask for Carol! She is INCREDIBLE! read more

I booked a ride for my father, who was visiting from out of town, and my daughter. The ride was great, they enjoyed it very much, and were thrilled when the guide offered to take a few pictures of the two of them and email it to us for the album of my father's visit that I was putting together. They didn't take any of their own pictures because of what the guide said. A week later there was still no email with pictures, so I called and the person said that they will make sure the guide sends it. Another week later, still no pictures, so I called again. Of course they again swore to me that they would do it and of course again, no pictures. Its a real bummer. So the great trip was totally ruined for us, we have no memorabilia of it. So there you have it. read more

We had our yearly Diabetes Family camp at the Olema Campground this year. Five Brooks Stables came to the campground to give all the kids rides. They were SO patient with the kids and the houses were all so calm. All the kids had so much fun, it really made camp extra special! read more

Took my wife and kids here for a first time on a horse experience. It was amazing and we plan to go back soon. Two things to note on getting there. It takes longer than you think (but totally worth it) and there is no gas stations nearby. Fill up before you head out! read more

It was ok. Took my girlfriend here, and it was her first time riding a horse. Did the two hour ride. We were grouped with a family of four, so there were six of us total in the group, plus our guide. A few minutes into the ride, the father told the guide that the horse his daughter was on had a bad rear leg. The guide took a look at it, and said everything was fine. We continued, and about half an hour later, that horse came to a big slow down. The father again complained to the guide that the horse was in pain. He told his daughter not to move the horse. He was experienced in horses, and knew something was wrong. Another group passed us on the trail. Our guide was communicating with someone else on a radio. Eventually, our guide gave up his horse to the girl who was on the injured horse. They tied the injured horse to a tree and said they would get him later. The guide walked for a few minutes while we rode the horses. The other group leader came back and grabbed our group. Our guide went back to get the injured horse, and took him back. So we got bundled with the group that passed us, and now we had about 12 people in our group. We continued on a trail, and after about 1 hour and 15 minutes, turned back around. All in all, we were on the trail for about 2 hours and 30 minutes, although 10 - 15 minutes of that we were stopped and waited for the guide to figure out what were going to do about the injured horse. There was not much talk from the guide during the trail, other than him yelling at us to kick our horses harder to make them go faster, or keep more space between horses. I was hoping for a ride that would lead to the top of a mountain or something were we could get off and enjoy scenery, not just a trail ride for about an hour and turn around on the same path we took going up. If you haven't ridden horses before, like us, your groin and legs will be sore. Stretch beforehand if you get a chance. read more

I came here in January to surprise my boyfriend for a little horseback riding fun. And we had the best time here. Everybody was super nice and friendly. We both have experience in riding a horse as kids but we haven't ridden in many years so when I called to reserve a spot; the guy suggested the one hour ride. We did an hour private ride and we both really enjoyed it. Our guide was so nice. She offered to take a picture of us at the end of our ride. And the drive to this ranch is very beautiful. Five stars! read more

I have ridden horses all my life, I don't love them, but I am somewhat comfortable on them. That being said I have never ridden a horse like Denny. This horse wanted to take his time. I could kick him etc, but he just wanted to plod. I don't mind plodding, but I had two people behind me, who's horses want to get on with life, and they kept nipping at our heals. I asked if I could change positions, and the guide said no. So I spent my trip kicking Denny, finally got a "love switch" as the guide called it, and that quickly broke. The horses have bits, but their mouths are so tough, they don't do much. I guess I am just spoiled, because in all my travels I have never ridden on such a non-responsive horse. I was by far the most advanced rider of our group, and I got the horse that could easily have been part of a broken merry-go-round. That being said, it's beautiful there, and I can't imagine Denny spooking at anything. And the last five minutes of the ride, I broke the rules and stayed behind, so I got to have a few minutes of peace. And they let you canter, the problem is that you have to have a horse that has the energy to canter. I just felt guilty every time I cantered with Denny. He's clearly a horse that is being over-ridden, or has something going bad with him. When you have to start whipping your horse, there's something going wrong. read more

For my boy's 8th birthday, he wanted to ride, so we took the whole family of 4 for the 2 hour group ride. Beautiful loop trail, healthy happy horses. Pleasant guide. I rode Lulu, a huge (part draft?) all black sweetheart of of horse. Some of the smaller saddle horses were on their second summer ride of the day so they weren't fresh and eager to run or anything, but that was fine by my family as they were not in a hurry or in any way experienced riders. All in all a great experience. There are stables much closer to us in Half Moon Bay, but the horses there look all aged and sad. It was well worth the long but nice drive to Five Brooks for some great riding on well cared for animals. read more

Scott was great and showed us around. It was a cold and rainy day and we still had such a great time!!

As others have noted, the guide is key to what type of experience you have. Our guide Paul gave no instruction other than the basic "pull reins to the right/left/back" and off we went. The entire group were all beginners. People! This is NOT learning how to ride. Instructions on how to sit, proper form, what to do when cantering, etc. would have made a huge difference. All Paul said was "just do what you need to be comfortable" and "stick your butt to the saddle". Uh, no. Paul delighted in torturing us with progressively longer trotting where the term "butt slapped" doesn't even begin to describe the agony of being pummeled for two hours on a hard saddle. Most of us were praying just to get off after the first hour. From time to time Paul would go into some rambling quasi-hallucinatory story that was inaudible to those of us in the rear and nonsensical to those of us at the lead. We seriously wondered if Paul had been tossed one too many times without a helmet. The trail was dusty (summer) so if you're at the end of the caravan, you'll need an oxygen mask. Paul continually threatens to fun faster, and at one point even told us we would have to slap our horses and come vaulting over a downed tree as fast as we could. Then he finally told us he was kidding. Yeah, that sure was fun. Unless you've ridden before, have taken lessons, and are comfortable on a horse, this is NOT the stable to try a taste of riding. At no point are you asked if you'd like a helmet (by the way, horses "kill" or injure more people than any other animal on earth so it is not a joke to request a helmet). In fairness my horse was amazing. Super patient and I learned to trust his instincts. But the ride itself was less than fun. Way less. Paul seemed to take delight in letting us know that in 36 hours we would be unable to move. How is that an enjoyable experience?? read more

My boyfriend and I went to Five Brooks Stables yesterday for a two hour private guided tour. I have only been horseback riding once over 20 years ago and I wasn't a fan! My boyfriend is a more experienced rider than me of course but he is still somewhat of a novice. Needless to say I was nervous. The experience was so peaceful. I rode a sweet and laid back horse named Trigger (who I think is perfect for children and first timers like me:). My boyfriend rode Delilah who was huge, pretty, and had confidence aka a bit of a "tude" that made us laugh and me proud as a feminist! Our guide Sharon was very sweet and gentle. She made sure that I was comfortable and was personable and terrific. The surroundings were simply amazing. Being immersed in nature made me feel so lucky to be riding Triggy (my nickname for my horse) in Northern California. I got lost going there because GPS and cell service is pretty spotty in this area. So be sure to go the old fashioned route and google map directions before you head out. Enjoy! PS The trees ruled!!! read more

Great experience, kids love it. Horses are well train price are reasonable, instructor are friendly., and the scenic are great

We took my daughter and some friends to five brooks for her birthday. The was a large group of us (9), and a big range in riding experience. The staff was so helpful to the young ones (8), and gave us a great experience! My daughter (12), was excited to be able to trot with her horse. We are already planning our next trip to the barn! read more

WOW! What an experience they made for us! My wife and I came in as beginner riders and Dave was so very helpful and good at explaining/teaching us the basics. I went from apprehensive to completely comfortable and it was 100% due to him. I can't say enough nice things about our guide he really was top notch. We only were able to do the 1 hr ride, but it was breathtaking and something we won't soon forget. He even found a place for us to take pictures and was our photographer (with my phone) for a while. Setting up a bunch of pictures, placing us/the horses for the best shots. They were some bomb pictures! (Dave'll get that haha) I can't wait to get back on a horse again and we will definitely tell our friends about this place. Dave if you read this thanks so much again my friend. You'll be someone we will remember for a long time I wish I could've bought you a beer. All the best bro! read more

Ryan was an amazing tour guide! It was my first time riding a horse and he made me feel comfortable. He explained everything to me very well, and he knew so much about the wildlife. We will be back. If you go.....request Ryan! read more

Also came to Five Brooks Stables via a yelp deal. The occassion was for a friend's birthday. We had a great time traversing the woods with our fearless leader who had countless stories about the horses meanwhile trying to encourage us to ride faster and push our horse to the limit. I've never been horseback riding as an adult and I was quite frightened that I would not know what to do or would receive a stubborn horse that wouldn't listen to me but at the end of the adventure I felt like I was ready to purchase a ranch. Go with a group of friends and you will have a great time. read more

Just wow! Our 3 hour private picnic ride with David was just epic! Next time I hope I'll be ready to take the 6 hour ride to the ocean.

This place is great! Perfect for a weekend getaway! Riding horses along the trails is a nice escape from the city; calming. The horses are well trained & friendly, and the rides are nice because there is a limited number of people on each ride. Based on who takes you out for the ride certain things will vary, our guy was pretty cool and he let us do a lot of trotting-which was a blast! There is also a variety of rides you can choose from, just make sure to call ahead and get reservations (especially on the weekends). So, pick up the phone and get ready to saddle up! read more

Lovely stables, went for a 2 hour ride, that was more then enough for me. we brought some carrots and apples for the horses. beautiful ride BUT it got a bit boring 45 mins into it. read more

We had such a great time on our trail ride. Our guide, Devin, did a great job with my 8 year old. Her direction gave her the confidence she needed to rider her horse! It was such a fun time. read more

Five Brooks Ranch - Horseback Riding Near Me - Olema, California

I had a GREAT birthday trail ride here. Jesus was an awesome guide, my horse was spunky, and the trail was beautiful. We had a group of five, one of which was a little girl who could barely reach the horse with her feet, but Jesus kept her right behind him and took care of her without keeping us all back and bored. The views were breathtaking and the woods were quiet. We saw a fox on the trail which was an added bonus. You can tell the people who work here enjoy what they do. I will definitely be back! read more

Recently took a 3 hour private ride w/ my girlfriend for her birthday. It was great. Guide was friendly and trails were real pretty. I haven't experienced any other horse back riding around SF, but this seems like one of the best. read more