Had a great trail ride on 2/11/2025. Kaity was very helpful, knowledgeable and had a great personality. It's been about 15 years since I've been on a horse and she made it very comfortable and easy for me. I ended up being the only rider at that time frame so I got a personal experience and was a great and enjoyable ride. I rode Maverick and he was very well behaved. Had a great time and will definitely get back sometime for a ride. Thanks again!! read more

Poway Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - Poway, California

This review is specifically for potential boarders and why you might not want to board your horse here. I am beyond fed up with the way Debbie and Nicole talk to their customers, and the way they do so publicly is beyond unprofessional. A group chat for boarders was started a long time ago as a way for the owners (Debbie and Nicole) to communicate emergencies with boarders as well as for boarders to communicate with each other. Lately, it has been used for public arguments and power trips. Today, September 8, 2024, the boarders notified management that the horses had no water at 10am. Instead of checking into the issues immediately, they blocked all boarders from being able to communicate. It took 3 hours to get their staff to manually fill waters for 20+ horses. It is 104 degrees. 3 hours to complete this task in 104 degree weather is gross negligence and asking for "time to figure things out" is absurd. Considering this has been a known issue in the past, there should have been an immediate action plan that was put into place the second the first border stated their horse had no water. We all received a board increase notice for October 2024 (which is the second rate increase this year) and the new rates are an astounding nearly $100 increase for many boarders. Their claim is that they can't keep up with costs, but as a boarder it appears to be stupid financial decisions made by the owners. They own 23+ horses of their own that they use for trails and camp. I can only imagine the food, vet, and farrier costs for those horses costs over $70k a year, and I would be willing to bet that the trail rides don't bring in that kind of income to cover the costs. It certainly seems as though the board we pay is also covering the costs of their excessive amount of horses. The ultimate slap in the face happened last week when boarders were repeatedly told that finances were terrible and they just couldn't keep the rates "low" anymore. (Please note this is not an affordable barn, there are many more in poway with lower prices that include the cost of hay). Then we find out in the group chat that they bought a "mini home". Mini homes START at $20,000. I have no clue what they paid for theirs, but you would think if you're experiencing financial issues that cause rate increases that you wouldn't also be spending tens of thousands of dollars on a mini home for who even knows what. Once again, it feels like something the boarders are paying for. Nicole also loves to try to start up new business ventures. She had platforms built out in the mountain area of the trails to be able to host weddings. How exactly do they plan to get the wedding party there? It's up a mountain... no bride is going to walk that, and being carted up in a truck seems weird, especially if you have to cart around 50 guests, but whatever I guess. Though, it would seem prospective brides and grooms may have asked these same questions as they have yet to host a wedding at all (as far as I'm aware), despite the newly built platforms that I would also wager cost over $50k to build. She also thought running a dude ranch at $1500 a week was going to happen?? The itinerary is literally the same work they should be paying employees to do. No one in their right mind is going to pay THEM $1500 to work. Most people don't even MAKE $1500 in a week at their jobs. LOL! $531 a month for a place that can't even clean urine out of the stalls is just plain absurd. Then tack on the way that they speak to their boarders and blatantly refuse to fix simple things like hoses, it really feels like a slum lord situation. Anyway, please see the screenshots attached for info on: The water failure Hose replacement refusal and now deleted messages Other business ventures read more

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My bf surprised me on my first horseback riding adventure. This was such an incredible experience! I was very nervous at first and Ernesto did a fantastic job at explaining everything and making me feel extremely comfortable. This was a beautiful route and so relaxing. The scenery was gorgeous and we got lucky and were the only two on the ride. Hats off again to Ernesto, he made the whole experience so much fun! He made us laugh, and taught us all about the horses. I rode Cadillac who made me feel like a pro by doing most of the work haha. I would love to do this again and would recommend to this to newbies and beginners, and also more experienced riders. 10/10! read more

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Great place for your kids experiencing the horsemanship & enjoying nature. It's been almost 6 months taking my child to be there & we are very satisfied. Special thank for Ms Nicole (the owner), coach Bailey & Connor who taking care of my daughter with great care and love. I would recommend to anyone who wants their kid surround by safe and nice environment for learning. read more

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Amazing! My cousin was having trouble on her horse but thanks to Gaby, she didn't fall off

I recently moved out of PEC. The owners kept hundreds of my deposit and said it was because the stall was left dirty with urine and shavings in stall. First of all, we pay for stall cleaning in our board fees. The workers should be cleaning it. Second they said if we mucked our stalls they would charge us for disposal. This happened to friend and me but did not happen to others, ot seems they make unethical decions but dont apply them to everyone. Also, they are so hard on the staff that turnover is a constant issue, thus errors in feeding occured often. I dont recommend this place. read more

I absolutely love boarding my horses at Poway Equestrian Center. The staff is knowledgeable, caring, and attentive! The stables/ stall are clean and well kept. The Footing is fabulous and wonderful to ride in. Gorgeous and groomed trails. read more

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Great Trail ride on Jake with Hannah ! It was about 74 degrees at 11 Am and just great to be in the outdoors on a horse and nature .. The horses are beautiful and well taken care off and well behaved - Had a great morning !! read more

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We had a very nice trail ride. Gabby was wonderful. She explained everything step by step. She was kind and understanding. We had a picnic that was so beautiful. The food was great as well. It was a lovely experience. read more

Poway Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - Poway, California

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I had a really scary & dangerous experience here on 8/4/21. There were 4 riders and 2 guides, so 6 horses total. We were not given helmets before riding, which I wondered about but thought they would have done so if they thought we needed it. During the walk, one of the guides' horses got spooked, causing the other horses to freak out and some started running, including mine. It was so scary and dangerous. Some time later, the same horse got spooked again and the other horses reacted again. Everyone was scared and the guides recognized the danger of the situation. They were super apologetic and explained this was a domesticated horse that hadn't acted this way in the past. Afterwards my husband asked why we hadn't worn helmets and the guide said, "Didn't she (the other guide) offer them to you?" She hadn't. I guess both guides had assumed the other guide had done so. They also hadn't told us what to do in case a horse is out of control; they had only given us basic instructions of how to turn, stop, and go forward. I hope they implement more safety protocols. I'm thankful nobody was hurt that day. read more

We arranged horse riding for my sons' birthday. The view is so beautiful, the horses are very tamed, and the instructors are very professional. We enjoyed the ride very much, and my son said they would love to come again. read more

Poway Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - Poway, California

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Not recommended for kids birthdays. Horrible experience. One of the girls who works there regardless kids safety. She told the kids to brush a very dirty horse. It was windy and kids breathing all dirty horse hair and dirt. Later one throws up and one get terrible allergies. Will never come back this place. read more

We had our daughters 7th birthday party at Poway Equestrian Center and she loved every second of it! Genevieve was super helpful during the event and she made sure things ran smoothly. Our daughter and her friends loved the trail ride and loved learning how to care for horses, it was truly a memorable experience and we look forward to coming back! read more

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Great experience, great staff, great price!! Initially, it seemed that we were not going to be able to ride at our appointment. We had scheduled for 230pm but were running 10 minutes late. I was told on the phone that we were not going to be able to ride if we got there 10 minutes late. However, after talking with Ashley she moved the schedule around and got us hooked for a 3pm ride!! It was amazing for me and my date to experience the greenery along the trail. Thank you Poway Equestrian for your flexibility and great customer service (get Ashley a raise)! We'll be back! read more

My kids have been to numerous camps over the years without any issues. The experience my kids had at Poway Equestrian Center is by far the worst ever experience we have encountered to date. First they sent us waiver forms the Friday before the camp started, by this time they have already charged us the full amount for the camp. Within the numerous waiver forms are many unreasonable terms including waiver for negligent behavior of their staffs. Here are a listing of the issues: 1. The so called instructors, which we later found out that two of them were temps (unsure what type of training they've had), did not provide much instructions for novice riders who have never ridden on horses before. They gave them verbal instructions on how to manage a horse without having a horse nearby. They then put them on the real horses and expect that the kids can manage themselves. When my younger child's horse wasn't cooperating, he got very scared, started crying and asked to come off. He wasn't allowed to and the explanation given to him was that his boss said kids cannot get off the horse. My older child tried his best to manage the horse, the instructors were very impatient, they shout out rude comments to the kids and accuse them for not being able to do what they are told to do. I cannot understand their expectations for these young kids, let alone their impatient and rude attitudes. They are there to have fun, not to be yelled at or ignored. My kids witnessed another young girl's horse running off; the girl screamed, the instructors did not immediately went to help. Poor girl wanted to come off after they calmed the horse, yet she still was not allowed to be off the horse. 2. Within the stack of waiver form was a form for swimming. I did not sign that form because swimming was not part of the camp when I initially signed up. At around 12pm I got an email asking me to give verbal consent to send my kids to the pool. My kids do not know how to swim. I proceeded to text the coordinator and asked her how deep the pool was, thinking it may be a 1-2 feet children pool only. I never got a response. When I got there to pick up my children, I was told that they were on their way back from the pool. I would later find out that the pool was a standard swimming pool with water at least 5 feet deep. 3. As I was waiting for my kids the person there told me that there are many kids for this week's camp, 21 in total. I was surprised, because when I initially signed up on the website, the limit was set at 11. And my friend who has sent her daughters to the same camp last year also confirmed that limit. I then witnessed the cars pulling in from their rides back from the pool. They came back in 2 SUVs. Needless to say, there were more than 5 kids coming out from each car. I would later find out that there were actually 9 kids, one stacked on top of another, in my kids' car. None of the kids had seatbelts on. They even have kids who don't know each other sat on a stranger's lap. 4. After hearing about the car ride we proceeded to give the place a call, because we were especially concerned about the reckless behavior of their staffs transporting our kids in a staggered manner without seat belts. From a parent' perspective, if I can't even trust you to transport my kids in a car in a secure way, how do you expect us to trust you to put my kids on an animal? The coordinator told me that she was unware of that happening and apologized for what happened. We have informed her to not expect our kids for the rest of the week because we simply cannot trust her staffs anymore. She understood and told us that she would proceed to talk to her manager before she can issue a refund. 5. No refunds were ever given. We spoke to the manager who in turn spoke to the owner. We asked that the owner to call us. She waited till the camp was over then called one of us on a Sunday. Her excuse for not issuing a refund was that we did not come back on Tuesday to rectify the situation with her. If she truthfully was going to rectify with us, why did she wait till the camp is over to call? The best part is she argued that the kids were not unsafe while riding in a car in a staggered way without seatbelts. Never again, would give negative 5 stars if I could. read more

This place is amazing!! This is our second year of horse camp. Last year there was still so much Covid drama and they did an incredible job of still making it so so so fun for the kids despite all the limitations. So we sent our oldest and middle child this year and they absolutely have the best week ever at camp!!! Highly highly recommend. read more

Our daughter loves her horsemanship lessons here. We like that the kids also learn about the behavior/science of horses in addition to the riding. The experience brings a calm and joy to our kiddo. Everybody was very nice, friendly, and you could see that they care a lot about the safety of kids/riders. The horses are all friendly too - they peek out when you drive by.  Thanks PEC for the great experience! read more

We loved our trail ride on horseback. Ashley was amazing. Recommend going in the morning and during the spring everything is so green and beautiful. Great views! Great for beginner or experienced. read more

Had a great ride today through Penasquitos canyon. Our hosts were very accommodating in spite of our late arrival. The water was up due to recent storm activity and we had to try a different route as the regular trail had flooded. My wife and I had a great adventure navigating through the canyon to a scenic waterfall. I even got to live the "Oregon Trail" dream and ford my horse across the water. Both of our guides kept things fun and mellow for us the whole way through. Would definitely recommend for an outdoor adventure in the San Diego area. read more

Poway Equestrian Center - Riding through the canyon - Horseback Riding Near Me - Poway, California

What a great experience! Beautiful ranch with so much to offer. My experience with this company was excellent. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable and so passionate about horses. I booked a trail ride and paid a little extra to learn how to groom the horse and help put his saddle on. Jalapeño (the horse) was very well trained and I always felt in control. Charlotte our trail guide was very friendly, knowledgeable about horses and the trails around the barn. I learned so much. I also learned that they have so many other amenities like horse boarding, yoga, training lessons etc... Cool place, with a cool vibe! read more

PEC is a great horse boarding facility located in Poway. Super nice place with unbelievable views overlooking the San Diego area. read more

Poway Equestrian Center - Views from the ranch - Horseback Riding Near Me - Poway, California

This was the worst and the most unsafe summer camp my kids ever had. They overbooked. The student to staff ratio was way higher than the past camps. Their staffs were completely reckless. The first day of the camp, they stuffed 9 kids in one two-row seat vehicle on the way to the swimming pool. The kids had to double deck and of course without seatbelts. I don't even know if this is legal in California. One of the reason for us to join this camp was that the camp was outdoor and the kids could social distance. I don't know how you could social distance with 9 kids in one car. The staffs showed the kids one time how to control the horses and then they just put the kids on the horses to let them do whatever. Both of my kids said they couldn't control the horses at all. And one of the staff shamed my kid to cry for not being able to do what she was instructed the first time. We didn't want to put our kids at risk and skipped the rest of the camp. We just can't trust any of their staffs to have common sense and have the kids' safety in mind. read more

I bought a Groupon for a one hour trail ride and made reservations through their website. They sent an email with details soon after the reservation was made. Then, the morning of our ride texted me with a reminder and directions. Once there we had such a good time! The horses looked well-kept and healthy. The ride was beautiful, the horses were amazingly well-tempered, and along the trail we stopped at an incredible viewpoint where they took our picture for us. The owner and staff were friendly and experienced. They did a great job showing my ten year old how to ride. We were very happy with our visit and hope to be able to go again! read more

I started taking riding lessons at PEC over 2 years ago on a horse I was leasing (after having taken lessons at another barn in Poway that was no longer a fit for me and after looking at a couple other barns nearby). The facilities are so spacious, with a jumping arena that has beautiful views and a covered seating area. I bought my own horse in March 2019 and I have boarded him at PEC since I bought him, and have been very happy at PEC. The barn is onsite family-owned and operated and I know that my horse is well-taken care of, including services when I am out of town. There are lots of different boarding options at PEC to meet different budgets and needs, and PEC has always been so helpful, knowledgeable and friendly with anything I need for my horse. There is a huge Western arena and a new dressage arena also with shaded seating areas and access to trails, so there are plenty of places to ride with lovely sunset views! read more

Monica Albair Reining is a stellar business. She finished my Appendix mare, who was very green when she got to Monica. Monica also broke my Gypsy gelding in very well. She also took my WB colt from having no training at all, all the way up to wearing a saddle, being lunged, bathed, and standing in his stall and cross ties. Also taught all of my horses how to patiently stand in cross ties, and get clipped on their muzzles, bridle paths, and ears. All things I would not have been able to do on my own. My horses were always in great shape with Monica, and were always groomed very well. Monica taught me how to handle my horses better, and always teaching me new things. She also took my mare who was ouchie from arthritis, all the way up to where she could be loped in a loose rein, and the mare became more sound than she had ever been in her life. Monica got the mare really well in shape. Even my gets complimented how well my horses behaved while in training with Monica. Monica always held my colt for my farrier, and also did medical care for my horses when they needed medications. Monica also took it upon herself to clean my horses' stalls so that they were always bedded with clean shavings, and the stalls looked great. Monica Albair is rated one of the top reining trainers in the nation, and there is a very good reason she is sponsored by Professional's Choice. Monica Albair is always fantastic at communicating to her clients, and always, always goes way above, and beyond for her clients. She is a stellar young horse trainer, she is a stellar human trainer, and takes the time to explain horse behavior, and is also stellar at training horses. 5/5 stars read more

I have never been horseback riding before so for my birthday, my husband got me a one-hour trail ride at Poway Equestrian Center. It couldn't have been a better first experience! Nicole and Ashley were amazing and patient and I got to ride a beautiful horse named fancy. The whole experience was amazing and I recommend it to anybody, especially if you've never ridden a horse. I'm going to bring my daughter and son back as soon as I can! Thank you for an amazing time Poway Equestrian Center! The scenery was beautiful and so were the horses and you ladies are awesome! read more

This stable is beautiful and management was awesome when I was there. I boarded my horses there when Nancy owned it and it was my favorite stable hands down. Not sure what it's like now since ownership has changed and I know a few trainers have moved in. When I was here, it was really quiet, AMAZING trails right off the property...you can ride to Iron Mountain. This stable was drama free and with the nicest boarders you could find. I trail rode with several people there. Very clean and healthy horses. It was very content and peaceful. read more

Had a morning ride with my daughter (11) and two new friends. Nicole and her Assistant (girl from New Mexico, sorry I don;t remember her name) were extremely nice and helpful. We only had an hour ride but the trails were accessible from the property. Ran across some beautiful coyotes, and other nature animals. Great morning, and would come back again. Thanks Nicole! read more

I've boarded there for almost 2 years. The view of San Diego is breath taking. Plenty of arenas and trails to ride. Management always very helpful. It has become my little peace of heaven. read more

Lovely small riding stables with very knowledgeable young woman able to make experience feel safe but exciting for four beginners, including grandparents and 8-year-old grand-daughter. Such beautiful terrain and nice looping trail through woodsy area with ups and downs made it feel almost like we were on own out for a trail ride. One hour more than enough to get our legs and seats pleasantly sore with pictures taken at top to keep the memories alive forever! read more