The facilities at Flying M Ranch are AMAZING and the owners are very involved and always making…read moreimprovements. The prices are very reasonable, and Cantera Farms Riding Academy is the best. My daughter has been with Cantera for 4 years, and at Flying M for approximately 1 1/2 years. I can't say enough about this AMAZING barn!!

Melinda is awesome! Our 8 year old started private lessons with Melinda and she had a great first…read moreexperience. Melinda is very patient and such a good instructor.

We had a great experience celebrating our daughter's birthday at this amazing place. The…read morecommunication was great in planning, they were accommodating as our needs changed. Upon arrival, the space and structure of the event was well set up. The employees guided riders based on experience level and allowed space for the more advanced kids to steer and trot and then beginners had their experience career to them as well. Parents were comfortable with safety measures and everyone was very happy.

The Good: The facility is nice with 1 large arena with…read morelights and 1 round pen, both with great footing. The boarders are friendly and the horses have plenty of room to roam in their pastures. Each pasture has off the ground feeders. We were told Folsom Lake was a short ride across a neighbor's property however we were (understandably) denied access at the time due to the heavy rains and uneven footing so I cannot attest as to the distance of the trails. Four very sweet dogs greet you upon arrival and Rory (owner's son and ranch hand) and Greg (owner's husband) are both incredibly sweet and easy to talk to. The Bad: Tack Space / Trailer Parking: Originally we were offered space in the community tack shed. Upon arriving with our horse, we were advised that community tack shed would not be provided because it was free tack storage OR (not and) free trailer parking. We were told to use our trailer for tack and supplies. That is not what was quoted prior to arrival, as you can check on craigslist posts. Restrooms: There are none outside of the owner's home. Fine for adults, difficult with kids. Self-Cleaning: This facility requires self-cleaning of the pastures every day (shared with your partner). There was a gal there you can pay however as of 03/22/17 she is no longer offering cleaning services. Our unfortunate experience: Our boarding adventures at 8 Oaks lasted all of two months before things escalated beyond acceptability. Our horse is a post-impaction survivor as of only 5 months prior and oat and other cereal hays are highly discouraged by his vet. We were skeptical to move to 8 Oaks as they offer grass and oat hay in a 2-horse shared pasture setting. After many conversations, Cathy Andrews (the owner) ensured us that our horses' diet (grass & alfalfa/ digestive smartpaks) would be accommodated by separating the two horses during breakfast as our intended pasture mate was also on an alternative diet and would need to be separated for breakfast (only) regardless of who he shared with. The accommodations were honored for a short duration. It didn't take long before we were repeatedly reminded by the owner of the inconvenience separating during breakfast caused. We were asked to compensate additional monthly funds to supply our hay choice outside of our boarding agreement on two occasions. We were later then "offered" the option of picking up the hay ourselves. There were several instances where our horse was injured, in which we felt we should have been notified yet weren't, including obvious lameness due to a bloody leg injury. When various concerns were brought up to the owner her responses were indifferent or dismissive. On one occasion, upon seeing my horses injuries, the owner noted in passing that "I saw that a couple of days ago, and thought about texting you..." but she obviously didn't, then redirected it back on me as my fault for not having been there the last 2 days. Additionally, it was discovered that our horse was being left in the breakfast pen until mid - late evenings. This was contrary to assurances from the owner that he was to be moved back to pasture after breakfast. The pen had nothing in regards to shade or shelter, and is too small for him for that long duration of time as well as denied the option of shelter from sun/rain/hail that the normal pasture provided. The client-customer relationship degraded further when we found him in that breakfast pen mid evening, surrounded by the debris of a broken metal structure that had fallen apart. Overall I felt the lack of care and concern demonstrated by the owner to be unprofessional and in our case, inhumane. Since leaving, I've heard a few horror stories regarding others' experiences at 8 Oaks that I wish had been published when I was looking, including issues with another past boarder that had a similar experience with feed. I wish better luck to the next person, but would advise against boarding there if you expect communication of any sort if your horse is ever injured or ill, or if your horse has dietary needs other than grass/oat hay. *************Response to Owner Rebuttal************* Unfortunately there's a character limit so I've attached a picture to my original review containing my response to owner's rebuttal.

I feel so fortunate that when our horse needed a new barn, now that hes retired from the show…read moreworld, 8 Oaks Ranch had an opening. I met with Cathy, the owner and immediately got good vibes. The property is gorgeous and well maintained. No easy feat for property of this size but its obvious this is a labor of love by Cathy and her family. The communication here is wonderful, there are group emails sent to boarders advising of this or that relating to ranch info or just for Cathy to invite people to ride with her on beautiful Folsom Lake Trails, a few minutes down the lane. Any questions or concerns are easily brought up and discussed, Cathy is so easy to talk to.

I've been riding my whole life and decided to go on a trail ride as a treat for myself. All my…read morehorses are now gone so I was excited to get back in the saddle. Marina was the guide and she did a great job. Bomba was the horse I had the pleasure to ride. He was a very fun horse and I just adored him. There were other people on the trail ride who did not have much experience but Marina was great helping them out while also making sure we didn't slow down. I recommend this place to everyone it's truly great.

We had came from far away to do another horse riding lesson with two kids that have already done…read morelessons. When we first got on the horse the instructor was already screaming and staring at the kids with such a rude attitude.We started the trail and she was not patient with us at all, with even more screaming and made our experience so stressful.One of the kids was having a hard time and started to cry and instead of helping she kept screaming and telling him to go. There was also another person with us on the trail and I heard the instructor make comments! This was not a good experience and especially for the kids that were so excited. They are not patient at all and really need to work on their attitude and way of speaking to kids! Thank you for responding, I already knew this was a trail ride and the kids had more than 5 rides already.There is still no need to be shouting and being extra mean since the beginning even before the ride, it does not make it enjoyable and It does not qualify someone for this job. I will not recommend this place to anyone.

In just three months, C3 Ranch gave us a miracle…read more When Vain arrived, he was starving, underweight, and showing clear signs of decline due to neglect at his previous barn. The difference today is astonishing. Thanks to Stevie, Lacey, Lance, Sabrina, and Caden, he's not only regained full health--he's thriving. His coat is shining, his spirit is restored, and he's back to moving with strength and pride. He and his brother Fire are living the life they deserve--safe, nourished, respected, and free.

I boarded two horses at C3 ranch and I could not be happier with the establishment, I live in El…read moreDorado Hills and this is the closest most convenient place to board a horse. There are trails attached to the property as well as an indoor arena, an outdoor arena and a circle pen. Stevie Courvete and her family run this place like a well oil machine.

From the owner: Watch for News and Updates! (Feb. 2026) Shingle Springs…read moreStables a great place to board! Arenas, round pen, stalls, paddocks, and trails.

Great trainers and location. I love working with the horses! It has had hugely positive influence…read moreon my mental health.

We cannot say enough wonderful things about Maaike. My daughter has been training with her for a…read morefew years and has grown immensely in both confidence and horsemanship. She now rides Western, English, and is even jumping courses. Maaike is consistently positive and encouraging, with a deep understanding of new riders. She ensures that each rider progresses at their own pace, making the entire experience enjoyable and supportive.