Kaylyn is a 6-star instructor. She was patient, kind and friendly. Her students and horses…read morebenefit from her peaceful presence, and her enthusiastic spirit. We had a group of 5 (2 absolute beginners) and she was able to wrangle us in an orderly manner and brought a sense of security and calm to our ride. I highly recommend this riding school amongst the 6+ we have supported over the years and my kids absolutely loved their experience. The terrain is flat and safe so no surprises there. We will always hold this experience close to our hearts, thank you Kaylyn!

Went to watch my Granddaughter take riding lessons they actually are learning not only to ride but…read moreto take care of the horses I was very impressed with this Horse camp!

We had a great time riding today. My friend's niece was visiting from Australia, and we decided to…read morebook a trail ride in Buellton as part of her visit. I worked with Bob on arranging the details, and he was very interactive and helpful. Our guides for the day were Randi (spelling?) and Ethan, and they were great. Two of us were beginners, but they explained everything thoroughly and were very friendly and helpful. The ride itself was great, a sunny breezy warm day riding though the willows and the cottonwoods, with two wet river crossings! I made friends with my horse, Jake, who was a perfect gentleman. Everyone had a great time, and we would definitely go again.

The guides were nice and the horses were fine but the place can definitely look a lot better. It…read morewas my girls first time at a "ranch" and wow were we surprised with how run down and ghetto it looked. We paid $124 and $175 for the "experience." Not what I was looking for and almost turned around once we got there. I regret not doing so. The owner texted me after 50 minutes of our "experience" for a tip. . .seriously!

Took my parents up here for a visit and we loved it. Katie was really wonderful. She was kind,…read moreaccommodating, and made the whole experience really enjoyable. A great way to spend a relaxing morning while seeing the gorgeous rolling hills. Would definitely recommend. I'll be making sure to stop by again when I'm back that way.

The most amazing experience! The land is beautiful. Our guide was so informative and we even got to…read moresee all the animals on their land. We finished off our time at Fess Parker with a great win tasting! Would recommend to everyone looking for a more personal experience.

We had a really nice time at Vino Vaqueros. Our group did the 9am ride, which ended up being a…read moregreat call as the weather was cool and comfortable, and it made the whole experience more enjoyable. Char was our guide, and she struck a good balance of keeping things relaxed while still making sure everyone felt comfortable, especially since a few people in our group hadn't been horseback riding before. I rode Boomer, who was steady and easy to ride, and we appreciated that they gave a simple safety overview before heading out. After the ride, we did a casual tasting of both a red and white wine and then chose a glass of our favorite to hang with. The setting was quiet and pretty, and it felt low-key in the best possible way. One of the dogs Nana even joined us for the ride. Overall, it was a calm, well-paced outing that felt thoughtfully run without being overly structured.

Had a lovely time on our trail ride! Some of the horses were a bit stubborn at times, but whatcha…read moregonna do? Just added some amusement and laughs to the experience hahaha. Our two guides were great and one took plenty of pictures during the ride, which was really nice because we got to have those memories documented without worrying about having our phones out while on horseback. The trail itself was a beautiful view of the springtime flower blooms on the hills. I'd recommend bringing a hat or sunglasses because it can be a bit bright, and there's room for a water bottle in the saddle bags.

What an amazing experience we had we rode horses for an hour and a half. The horses were all so…read morebeautiful and well taken care of everyone was so welcoming and helpful during the full experience. Our guide was Jimmy he was so great told us stories and some background of the horses and the ranch. After we went to their bar and had some drinks, they were a 10 out of 10. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for some fun or romantic experience. Thank you so much :)

Went horseback riding for a friend's birthday on Saturday and it was wonderful! Driving to the…read moreranch felt like entering a fairytale! The road was filled with streams, shady trees, birdsong, and gorgeous green countryside. We brought produce for the horses to snack on and got to feed them! We did the 1.5 hour trail ride and there were only 4 of us in our group, making it comfortable with fun conversation. It was such a beautiful day and beautiful trail. Our guide was funny and kind, and helpful when some of the horses were going a bit slow (shout out to Tot and 530, the horses!). Every cowboy we encountered were also funny and kind. We truly had a wonderful experience and wish we could've stayed the whole day just hanging out at the ranch!

Very kind family. Beautiful horses. Well organized. Bring carrots to feed the horses.read more

Had an absolute blast riding there. Wish I could go back more. The ride to the dunes was so much…read morefuns and the beach pictures were stunning.

What an amazing experience! The two gals that worked as guides were so good at their job. They made…read morethe experience even better with their knowledge and dedication. Not only did they make the trail ride amazing, you could tell they were super hard workers and took great care of the animals. The trail itself and view were gorgeous! The entire experience felt rustic and real. Great job!!! My daughter and I would love to ride again when we are in the area. If you like riding horses, you should treat yourself to this experience

Amazing experience. I took some family out for a horseback ride and it was so worth it. Everyone…read moreworking there was so polite and kind. Super helpful with us first timers. The horses were well taken care of and just such sweethearts with great personalities. The view on the one hour like ride was spectacular. The price is very reasonable. I highly recommend this hike.

I traveled to Pismo Beach with 4 girlfriends to ride our horses on this famous beach and needed a…read moreplace to overnight board. Ocean Breeze was very accommodating and the price was quite reasonable. The facility is cute and rustic, but very clean and the horses were very well taken care of. Heather and her friends gave my group a guided tour of the beach on our first outing there. Everyone at the stable was marvelously helpful and friendly! I would highly recommend this facility to anyone looking for a short-term stay. Our group had so much fun riding in this area that we will definitely be planning another trip in the near future!

When it comes to boarding, Heather treats every horse like her own. As a trainer and instructor…read moreHeather is patient, kind and incredibly knowledgeable. My daughter and her horse grew leaps and bounds with her guidance. If you are looking for summer camps, lessons or to board I highly recommend!

Love having my horses out at Varian Equestrian Center! You truly can choose what you need and they…read morehave it on site! I have a mare recovering from surgery and they have a spacious outdoor stall for her while she recovers and if she needs to move indoors they have that option as well! My younger mare is living her best life in a pasture with other mares enjoying friends and freedom. The arena and facilities are well maintained and if you ever need help with your horses they have multiple training options on site for both horse and human. I have been lucky enough to have my younger mare do ground training with Mike in 2024 and learn everything she needed to be successful when she was started under saddle. Mike is also her favorite human, he is kind, fair, and incredibly knowledgeable! When it came time for her to start under saddle I knew Jaime would continue that work and he has giving my young one a solid foundation to grow from! She is confident on the trails (which they have onsite!!) and in the arena and is sensitive but not reactive, more than I could have ever dreamed about in a green broke horse. I fell in love with the facility and people while my younger mare was there for training and moved both of mine out full time. Kristy and the barn staff are so friendly and attentive to the horses, I can truly rest easy knowing they are both in good hands. So happy to have VEC as my new home barn!

This is heaven on earth for equestrian enthusiasts! Gorgeous grounds, professional incredible staff…read moreand happy horses. Home to legendary horses. Visit Varian Equestrian Center... your horses will thank you! I'd give 100 stars if I could!