This suburban farm offers horse boarding, riding lessons, kids camps and birthday parties. We have friends who's daughter attended their summer camp and loved it. Based on their experience we decided to have our daughter's 6th birthday party here and it was great fun for all. For Birthday parties you essentially have the exclusive use of a little park-like area in the center of the farm that has a play structure, picnic tables, a good number of shady trees and a small barn with petting-zoo type animals. The party rentals are two hours, with the first hour offering pony rides and during the second hour the petting zoo barn is open. We had two pony's at a time for the kids to ride, and with 10 kids that worked out to about two rides each. This was perfect timing so that we could do Pizza and cup cakes after the pony rides, then once the kids were done eating they excitedly ran over to pet the animals in the petting zoo. For the petting zoo portion there were chickens, pigs, bunnies, goats, sheep and a miniature horse the size of a large dog. The kids LOVED petting and brushing the animals. You don't need to add any additional activities or entertainment for the kids because the two hours are nicely full. The kids were constantly in motion and playing on the play structure when not riding a pony or in the petting zoo. All the kids seemed thrilled with the activities and were having tons of fun. All-in-all the process of having a party here, from reserving the day to clean up afterward, is pretty smooth. The only downside was a multi-page contract form that had to be signed by the parents of all the kids. The forms have to be returned to the hostess and the hostess then returns them to the farm with a guest list, as one packet, the Thursday before the party. It would be easier if the parents could just do the form on-site, but I'm guessing that the management wants to be sure the parents read it fully and agree to the terms in advance. But despite the paperwork I highly recommend Morning Star to anyone with grade school age kids. read more

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Kid's Birthday party review Discovered via local moms club and "background checked" on yelp, we decided to have our son's 4th birthday party at Morning Star and I prayed it would live up to its stars b/c we had friends driving from Concord, SF, and beyond to attend. The verdict is that we'd give it a 6th star if we could! The things we loved were that they have a covered option in case of rain, a sweet playground at the uncovered area, where the 2-5 yr olds had a total blast, and a little petting zoo. The trainer Rachel, who led the kids and ponies, two by two, was a pro and helped even the nervous kids feel confident. Each kid got about two rides, which was perfect. The owner helped us set up tables and put up a shade/rain structure since it had rained all morning and we weren't sure if we'd need it. Also, $200 for a 2-pony party for two hours is a great deal in my book, esp compared to $800-1,000 Discovery Museum party price tag (we love it there too, just, gulp). The only down side, as others noted, is the release forms. They are necessary of course, but the onus of getting each family to sign them and submit before the party is on the party-thrower. It is time consuming up front and I wasn't making any friends for a while there, but it makes it so guests don't have to mess with forms when they get there. One idea is to have people use CamScanner or another scanning app on their phones so it can all be done electronically, and to leave a few day's cushion for missing forms. Lastly, I appreciated that all of the animals looked very well-cared for and the whole property was clean and inviting. read more

Morning Star Farm - Horseback Riding Near Me - Novato, California

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A beautiful corner in northern Novato! Morning Star Farm is a gorgeous place to learn how to ride horses. There are several on the property and many are taken to the hills closeby for a nice ride. If your child is interested in riding, this is a great place to start! read more

My daughter just finished a week of camp. She loved every minute!! Each day Id pick her up and she'd say ' I loved it even more than yesterday!! Wonderfully run place! Not only did my daughter get a lot of riding, she learned about what it takes to love and take care of a horse. Highly recommend!! read more

This place is awesome ! So much fun with my Niece and Grandniece. Plan to go back every other week for pony time read more

A family-run and oriented operation and a casual, friendly, fluid environment. No cliques. No pretense. No fads. It's a busy place on Saturday mornings with kiddie birthday parties, a jump-house and balloons and such so if that kind of hub-bub isn't your thing, this wouldn't be the place for you but it's not all the time and not every day. Lessons: Group or private - several trainers to choose from on your horse or on their lesson horses. They also invite specialists for training clinics once a year. I've been taking lessons with Kevin once a week for a couple of years. He's a rare type of person who can be both with horses and relate to people in a calm, patient and empowering way. I'm always smiling throughout my lessons. Boarding: There are three arenas, one is covered and lighted. The arena footing well groomed year 'round. There are two round pens, and an acre grassy turn out. Boarding rates are sensible in pasture, pipe corrals, and in/out barn. Horses in pastures are grouped by mares/geldings and easy keepers/and those who need a little more to keep their weight on. Pasture horses must be vaccinated and wormed on schedule. Vet clinics are held on a regular schedule to ensure compliance and reduce the cost for everyone. Trails: YES! all season riding from the facility in either direction, you can ride Mt. Burdell over to Olompoli or in the other direction take a shady loop nearby or venture over Little Mount or up to Ship Mast trail and beyond for as long as you have time. It's a great location with great people! read more

I've been acquainted with Morning Star Farm for over twenty years, beginning with a friend boarding her horses there. Through the years I've had a birthday party for my son there, my daughter has taken group lessons, learning how to ride and safely be around horses, and I, myself, have sponsored a horse at MSF. All during that time the stables were run professionally with safety for the animals and humans in mind. I have never found the owners to be rude. Currently we board our horse at MSF and are very happy, especially with the covered arena, tack room and washing facilities. The lights are nice too. Beautiful setting. Lots of trails to ride on. Generally, a very friendly group of of people board their horses here. Just recently, Vicki and Kevin brought in a clinician who was classically trained, but uses natural horsemanship training in her teaching. It's the same approach MSF believes in, uses on their own horses and teaches. Bang for the buck, Morning Star Farm gets a five star vote from me. read more

Great riding horses, instruction and a wonderful place to be with your horse or get a horse experience.

They are obviously more interested in keeping their money flowing in rather than actually teaching you about riding. The group lessons are crowded and with little to no commitment to the individual rider. The owners, Vicky and Kevin are focused no rule enforcement and often quite rude. Horse care is extremely poor. We moved our horses out when the Vet told us that they would die if we left them in Vicky and Kevins care any longer. of course they kept our deposit. read more

Daughter's third birthday party here. She loves pony's and this farm did not disappoint. Her birthday is in December and I loved the fact that there is a covered option in case of the rain was a great option. The kids had a ball riding the ponies around and than getting to play in the petting zoo. It was so much fun. Vicki is very strict with the forms, but she has every right to be and as long as you follow her instructions, you are good. Great place for a Birthday party! Thank you read more

We've been boarding our horses here for a year. This place has a nice, relaxed atmosphere, and everyone there is friendly. It's not all hoity-toity like other boarding facilities I've been to. Very down-to-earth. read more

When I first arrived I expected high expectations, but after watching my friends daughter I was very disappointed at the trainer, Robin. They hired her to not only teach her how to ride but how to jump. The lesson was all about walking around the arena and lifting her leg. Robin would yell out directions without her knowing half of the things she was saying. She wasn't communicating properly. When I took her to her lesson, she was very rude and kept telling her she wasn't following directions, on the other hand, when my friend took her, Robins behavior was way different because she didn't want to seem like the bad one in front of the riders mom. This is a nice ranch, but they should get a better trainer who will start and end successfully. If anyone decides to ride here, I highly recommend a different trainer. read more

We celebrated my daughter's 6th birthday party here this weekend. It's a great spot for a party, even in November when the weather can be iffy. We got lucky with a beautiful and cool day but they do offer a rain provision. The kids loved the pony rides, the petting zoo and the jungle gym. I don't think you need a bouncy house as there are tons of activities to do. We had 10 kids and everyone pretty much got to ride as much as they wanted. I didn't like dealing with the long contract and getting parent signatures beforehand but day of we didn't deal with anything and I suppose that is nice. All in all, great spot for a party, reasonable price and very fun for the kids. (and easy for me!) read more

We had my daughter's 5th birthday party a few weeks ago at Morning Star Farm! What a great experience! The waiver form was no big deal and the owner was easy to communicate with! The kids had an amazing time! Easy clean up and super fun! The bouncy house was perfect as were the farm animals. Thanks Morning Star farm for giving my daughter a fabulous 5th birthday party!!! Would highly recommend this farm! read more

I wanted to say this farm is amazing for birthday parties. We celebrated my daughter's 4th birthday and this place was great. We had the pony rides, the bouncee house, the playground and the petting zoo! We all had a great time and all the guests loved it! Parents and children. The staff was kind and friendly. read more

I've been riding here since I was 4. I'm 25 and I still love the place. I've been to a few different stables and there is no place quite like it. Every thing is well maintained, organized and the horses are happy. Be sure to ask about joining the Morning Star Vaulting Club. read more

I take weekly lessons here and I have been doing so for quite a few years. 2 simple words: It's amazing. The instructors are extremely professional and give you clear directions and I improve every week. I love it here, its my home away from home! read more

My 11 year old god daughter just took a one week camp here and she loved it. She had a great time, really learned how to ride and will remember her experience with MSF for the rest of her life. For her it was a dream come true. The teachers were calm, professional and really helped a total beginner learn how to ride & care for her horse. Her family & I could not be happier with the care and education she received. read more

Morning Star Farm was a fantastic place to grow up. I did a summer camp here at age in 1996, then took weekly lessons from 1998-2008, and boarded my horse here from 2004 until last spring when I moved out of the area. I'm sorry Steve had such poor experiences here (and curious as to what vet he uses, and their reasons such a diagnosis!), but I can honestly say that riding at Morning Star throughout my youth has made the the respectful, aware, safety conscious horsewoman I am today. Most, if not all, of their riding instructors are CHA certified, which is a program that focuses on safety awareness. If the rules seem strict, its only because safety is the top priority, and abuse is not tolerated. Vicky and Kevin genuinely care about every horse on their property, and just because Steve never saw them checking on them, doesn't mean they weren't. If you are serious about showing and competing, perhaps Morning Star is not the best match, but for a safe, fun, family friendly environment to enjoy horses and humble horselovers (the snobby type of equestrian tend to not fit in too well here) give MSF a chance. If its a show barn you're looking for, or someplace where you can do whatever the hell you want without considering safety, Morning Star is probably not the right place, but if you want to enjoy your horse (or any of their wonderful, safe school horses), make some friends, and witness minimal accidents, give them a call. The stall sizes are standard for the region- the smallest are 12x24 which is quite normal. The pastures are divided my mares and geldings, and further divided into 2 groups of each based on amount of food required to maintain weight. The school horses are nothing fancy- if you took one to a rated show you'd get some funny looks, but they are carefully selected for temperment and safety- though they do have a couple of nicer horses for more experienced riders. There is FANTASTIC trail access to O'Hair Park and Mt. Burdell Open Space, where you can ride for MILES. The arenas are well-maintained, watered and dragged regularly. The feeding/cleaning staff are friendly and caring, and keep an eye out for every horse and every facility. If a horse is acting strangely, they let someone know. I felt fine leaving my horse behind when I left for college because I knew he was being well care for. read more