My kids and I love Patti! She is a wonderful trainer and very good to her students. We are very…read morelucky to have her.

Patti has been training my daughter for over 3 years. She is very knowledgeable and has a great…read moreconnection with kids. I was looking for a trainer who would teach kids how to really ride horses safely, improve their skill levels and motivate them to succeed. I love that her lessons are close to full hour of riding, not just 20 minutes like many other places. I love that she teaches kids to learn from each other. I love the compassion she has for her horses and students. I love how my daughter has not once told me that she is "too tired or sick" for a lesson. We tried few other farms before Patti's; many had an attitude of just cashing checks and having kids trot around for fraction of the hour. Patti will teach you or your child how to actually ride horse and improve your skill. Three years later, I have a daughter who is confident rider and a never-ending love for horses. Best money and time I have ever spent.

Although I have only taken a few lessons with Da Vinci it is an amazing lesson program. I have…read morebeen riding with Sarina for about seven years and have been doing Pony Club on and off. I'm hoping to get more into it when I get another horse. Everyone is very nice and helpful and it's very professional and the horses are well kept.

Wonderful facility - we have been with Hillary for 8 years she really cares for the animals. We…read morehave two geldings there that are happy and healthy. Three rings to ride in and a huge wilderness to ride in for those who will cross the creek. Disregard the negative reviews. I knew both the people who posted and they were bullies. I recommend this facility highly! Jill Lander

I have a 30 year old paint gelding who has been at Briarcliff for almost 5 years. We were at our…read moreprevious barn in Castro Valley for over 20 years. I would like to say that Briarcliff is the premiere boarding facility in Santa Cruz county. It has been my experience that the horses are well fed and cared for, the property is beautifully maintained and we are able to have our preferred Shoer and any Vet we choose. The owner is on the property 24/7/365 and always has her eye on the horses, making sure they stay healthy and happy. If you truly care about your horse and the care it will receive, Briarcliff is your only choice in Santa Cruz county.

Avoid as hell. This barn has a very toxic culture. Lots of badmouthing and bullying among riders,…read moreespecially from older women towards younger riders. Some young riders replicate the behavior to fit in, and perpetuate the toxicity. Women are cat fighting at every corner. it's just awful. I'm a foreigner, and several white women were harassing me and verbally assaulting me on my first day. I felt there was a lot of racism at this facility. The barn owner has no welcoming culture, she tolerates bullying at her facility and greatly participates. She is unjust, and does not take feedback well. Also, the barn owner does not maintain the property at all. She asks you to pay extra for using the arena, but she won't maintain the arena or hire barn workers. Arena gets floaded all year long, the arena is in neglect. It's a pretty bad place for leasing a horse, as they'll ask you to clean stalls for free! It's a neglected place, and there are too many undiagnosed mental illnesses going on there. It's best to spend an extra $100 at another facility that has a better code of conduct and will guarantee you peace of mind. After all, you should always have fun riding!

WOW-- am I really the first to yelp about this place? I can't believe no one from the Covered…read moreBridge Park yelpers did a review on this awesome place. We were told about this horse ranch from our ranger at the campsite. We were looking for a playground for the kids to play and he mention the park with a horses ranch close by. Read about my review of the park itself under "Covered Bridge Park." Back to the horse farm-- we took a walk thru the covered Bridge(awesome bridge). At the end of the bridge we took a left and ran into this wonderful horse ranch. Open to the public FREE (even better)! While we were there, we discovered that many of these horses were rescued horses--so cool but sad to read the stories of where each horse came from. If you have little ones or if you love horses yourselves.. this is an awesome place to visit.

This is a beautiful place that does outstanding work. Kat (owner and Therapeutic lead) is…read morepassionate about children/adults with social, medical and/or emotional special needs and helping them connect and blossom through working with horses. Highly recommend!

The Instructor here is very caring and safety conscious with the riders and the mission of the…read moreplace is centered around respect for the horses. Lovely setting too!

I have been boarding my 4 mares at The Barn for 9 yrs now. Its a wonderful, serene atmoshere, and…read morethey ate very family oriented. My girls are very content and they love it there. I also have another livestock animal being boardef there and hes also very happy there. The owners are wonderful people who make you feel like your part of their family. Its a great place to board at.

The Barn is NOT CLOSED and has never been closed…read more The BARN is a very family friendly, easy going place. It has a historic barn that is what I love the most, and keeps me coming back. I really prefer the slower life, old barns, and porch swings. The Barn has one large arena, a round pen, a kidney shaped turn out and then a large hill side turn out. The footing is not the best, kind of deep in some areas but you work around it and for the price, and the beautiful surroundings, its definitely worth it. They also have a brand new round pen up top with direct access to the trails. I love the Barn because it has everything I want and need and no snobby rude trainer bugging anyone. People are around if you want help, or if you have a question but no one bugs anyone and we all get along like family. The way it should be. I moved my horse here in the fall of 2013 because she was coming out of founder and colic needing stall rest. She is now sound and healthy. She loves her huge paddock (Roughly 24X48) and enjoys the bunnies that play in her stall. She also loves to roll and lay in the sand so it works for her. If you have a horse that loves rolling you know what I mean. Wash rack on side of the barn for bathing. The place is kept up with raking, sweeping etc. The place is not left to be a mess. It might be older but its not lacking for care. I love that they feed and will clean if needed.

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.

I just moved to the area in June and was so nervous about finding a new trainer since I was coming…read moreall the way from North Carolina. The trainer Charis was so friendly and extremely responsive to messages when I first reached out. She even made herself available for our first meeting while she was actively at a horse show to give me info on her training program and about her barn. All the people sitting around her were beyond welcoming and chimed in enthusiastically. I decided to go ahead and book my first lesson. I honestly haven't looked back. As someone who values a community so much and feeling comfortable with the people I spend time with, she is that person.

I moved to Charis around a year and a half ago after having multiple bad experiences at different…read morebarns, and it is one of the best choices I have ever made. I came to Charis scared to ride over poles on the ground and since then I have gone to numerous shows and competed up to the 2'6 confidently to close out my junior career. This program has made me a fundamentally more confident and better rider, and given me countless opportunities to grow and gain experience in an amazing learning environment, on safe and quality horses. Charis truly has the horses', students', and clients' best interest at heart and goes above and beyond as a mentor, instructor, and professional to help rider's reach their goals and literally make dreams come true. This truly is the best program in the Bay Area for hunters, jumpers, and equitation. The facility is wonderful with ample turnout (a rarity in California) and top quality footing. This program has fundamentally allowed me to pursue my dream of becoming a professional, which would have never been possible without Charis, her expertise, or any of her amazing horses! Weather you are an ambitious junior looking to compete and win on the 'A' circuit, looking to import or bring along a young horse, or just someone looking to have fun or learn to ride, there is no better place than this program.