I started taking riding lessons with DaNae in late summer 2024 and I am so genuinely pleased with…read moremy experience so far. I went to Los Lagos as a beginner rider. I'll admit, it's pretty daunting to pick up riding as an adult. It's *a lot* to learn! But I appreciate and love how DaNae motivates and challenges me each time I'm there. The facility is so beautiful and it's a huge perk to have a covered arena! And if we can't ride on rare occasions, we've got educational lessons. Everyone I've met at the facility has been welcoming. And I've also been really lucky to take my lessons with a great group of girls. I recently heard that DaNae purchased the property and it's so clear that she's putting so much love into the space. I can only anticipate positive changes ahead. Looking forward to continuing my riding lessons and can't wait to see how much I'll learn in time. Who knows...maybe I'll have a horse of my own and board it at Los Lagos someday!

Excellent equestrian center with great people working to make it the best. I took a riding lesson…read morethere and was very impressed.

Amber Forney is the best! We retired from San Jose last year and decided with all the Equestrian…read moreCenters nearby that we could finally learn how to ride a horse. So my husband (age 57) and I (age 58) got started with Amber at Cornerstone Training at Royal Oak Farms in Granite Bay. During our weekly lessons Amber taught us everything about horses; how to groom, how to saddle, how to mount & dismount, how to post a trot, and how to canter. She went at exactly the right pace of learning for us. Amber introduced us to new goals each week, including intro to dressage and trotting over low barriers. Amber is fun, her training horses are sweet, and the equestrian center is well groomed.

Very disappointed in this facility. Home of the 20 minutes lesson and little accountability. My…read moredaughter took lessons for one year and I have many issues with this place. I tried to be patient because the owners are very nice, but at the end of the day I wasted a lot of money and wasted a year of lessons for my daughter. I paid for an hour lesson and sometimes my daughter would be on a horse for 20 minutes!!! when I called the owner on it, she told me it wasn't quantity but quality that mattered. I happened to disagree, if I am paying for an hour lesson, I expect my child to be on a horse for an hour. She also got very little guidance in grooming and tacking, had to do it mostly on her own, which didn't help with her confidence in the process. Finally, they have very few riding horses and kept her on their Welsh pony Molly for a year. Now that she is at a professional riding facility, she is very unprepared to ride a real horse and has to start as a beginner due to her lack of confidence. I have also found myself alone, with no adult nor responsible person on the facility and two children waiting for a lesson. The owners are very laid back and do not seem to get involved with their students personally, they are more interested in their own performances but happy to send you an invoice that they may not be able to honor. I do not recommend this facility, it was a waste of time and money for our family.

We have been here for 9 months now and I can say it is such a wonderful barn. The training is top…read morenotch, Nikki is an amazing teacher and my son has brought his riding skills up so much in a short time. The other trainers Gail and Catlin are also very good. The people boarding and in training program treat you like family. The barn and grounds are kept up nicely with improvements all the time. The barn manager Natalie is awesome, always helpful and responsive to any needs. We have our 2nd horse coming here tomorrow. I would recommend this place to everyone!

I have been training at this barn for several months now with my son (age 11). I am so impressed…read morewith the great care that they take of the horses. Also, everyone is so warm and friendly. It is a great community of people who are passionate about riding. I am especially impressed with the owner/trainer, Nikki. She really knows how to bring out the best in you. I can see so much improvement in our riding during the few months that we have been working with Nikki. She is a great balance of pushing you to grow in a way that feels supportive and super positive. I just can't say enough good things about this barn.

Go elsewhere!…read more Hillside facilities are very run down and have a lot of deferred maintenance, but my daughter started riding here because I liked the owner Kathy Pead. Unfortunately, as time went on, it was apparent that her lesson instructor Destiny, who is only 18 years old, needed some additional teaching experience and mentorship. She is quite young and doesn't have the best judgement yet (however, in Destiny's defense, it seems like she has a lot of responsibility at the barn and is doing the best she can). Sadly, my 12 year old daughter was put on a horse named Daishar who was too advanced for her skillset and he BOLTED off during a lesson. My daughter was screaming and crying as she had no control over the horse, but eventually was able to roll off him when he slowed down. Thankfully, she did not sustain any injuries. This scary incident could have been prevented as she asked Destiny to get off the horse before leaving the arena, and also asked Destiny to grab the reigns to help guide her out as she sensed Daishar's energy changing and told her she was scared. Destiny did not take these requests seriously and told her no. I'm also horrified that Destiny had her get back ON the horse after this happened (despite my telling her I didn't think that was a good idea). After this situation, I thought it was important to discuss the situation with Kathy and confirm she had insurance coverage. I requested a declarations page to show the policy is paid up and active as I understand she is on MediCal and insurance is expensive. She said I am the first customer in 50 years to ever request this and told us we are not welcome for lessons anymore. If she had the coverage, don't you think she would've just showed it to me? In hindsight, this was a blessing in disguise as I am looking forward to finding a barn that takes my child's safety more seriously. Be careful if you decide to take lessons here.

Positives: -Great location: easy access to Orangevale Park…read morefor trail rides, etc. -Affordable -Owner is pleasant and lives on-site -Riding lessons for beginners and mommy-and-me available weekdays and weekends -Relaxed environment -Kid friendly! -Work Exchange Accepted! You can work in exchange for lessons and boarding of horses. Cons: -No front gate between main road and facility -Many areas where maintenance is overdue -Limited training or lessons for intermediate or advanced riders/horses -Many of the barn staff lack general horse knowledge and/or are under 18yrs old.

I recently decided that I'd like to take riding lessons and I had the opportunity to take a number…read moreof group lessons with my sister and sister-in-law at Knicker Knob. The trainer who worked with us, Amy, is incredibly patient and kind. Her teaching style is so thorough and clear. She and the other trainers stress horsemanship -- you learn how to get your horse, tack them up, and you learn about the anatomy of the horse and so much more. It's not just a lesson where you jump on an already tacked up horse, ride, and go home. You truly get the full experience and the goal is to prepare you for a day when you might own your very own horse. The barn has a very welcoming and relaxed feel, everyone is so kind and wonderful. The lesson horses are also great! Whether you're an adult looking for lessons or you have kids who want to take lessons, I would definitely recommend checking out this place and trying it out. It's also amazing that they have access to Folsom Lake trails.

This is the best barn. Jennifer is a great trainer and goes out of her way to make sure boarders…read moreare comfortable and lessons are great. We searched many barns to find the right one. This is it. Highly recommened checking out this barn before making any decisions.