I was recommended to Ramon by a friend, and I'm so glad I listened. When he first came out to shoe…read moremy mare, she was so anxious from past bad farrier experiences that she needed to be sedated. I'd only had her a few months, and I was nervous about how it would go. Ramon handled her with such patience and gentleness that after that first visit, she never needed sedation again. She trusted him, and so did I. Since then, Ramon has continued to exceed my expectations. He truly understands horses, not just how to trim and shoe them. He's incredibly calm, patient, and kind, which makes a world of difference for horses that need that extra reassurance. Recently, he worked on a rescue horse we took in who hadn't had proper hoof care in years. His feet were long, overgrown, and he had zero handling experience. Ramon took his time, never rushed, and somehow turned it into a non-traumatic experience for the horse. By the time he was done, the horse's feet looked amazing--a total transformation. I've recommended Ramon to everyone I know who's looking for a farrier. I saw another review mentioning communication issues, but that has not been my experience. Ramon has always done his best to keep us informed and shows up when he says he will. I also don't believe it's fair to give a business one star without ever experiencing their work firsthand. Once Ramon works on your horses, you'll never want another farrier. His prices are fair and very competitive--especially compared to others in the area. Expensive doesn't always mean better, and Ramon proves that time and time again. He's not just trimming and throwing shoes on--he understands hoof angles and proper biomechanics, which is so important for long-term soundness. More than that, he's a great man with a great soul--and your horses will recognize that from the moment they meet him. Highly, highly recommend.

Ramon has been providing farrier services for my horses for the past 5 years. Ramon is very…read moreknowledgeable and very patient. He has always shown up when he says he will and if for whatever reason he needed to push back my appointment he's always kept open communication with me to inform me of any changes. His prices have stayed consistent and he is always happy to help. Ramon has a really positive attitude and a great personality. He also has someone that helps him and they're both great! I have never had any complaints and I've recommended him to others. He's done a fantastic job and my horses all seem to be very comfortable around him. Thanks Ramon for all your help and for continuing to make the drive out to keep my guys feet looking good!

I've always had a peripheral itch to try polo (current hunter/jumper rider), and recently got a…read morerecommendation for this club from a friend. Within the first five minutes, I was sold. It felt intuitive, invigorating, more exciting than any sport I've tried in a long time. Urging my indefatigable pony, Nala, onwards to score our first goal felt as if I had found myself on a ferocious, beige little Pegasus. I already signed up for Polo Academy this spring! So stoked. The instructors were awesome, and I enjoyed the mini drills and scrimmage that we did during the lesson. Totally recommend

Long overdue post on my new favorite hobby at my absolute favorite place, South Bay Polo! I started…read moreout super cautious and being absolutely TERRIFIED of hitting my horse instead of the ball. Fran was patient with me and very understanding and so was everyone else at the club! Polo is usually considered a sport with a very high barrier to entry: typically most people think you need to be an avid equestrian, you need to be super athletic, you need to be crazy rich, you need to own multiple horses, and thats definitely not the case. South Bay is an incredibly welcoming, safe place to learn how to play polo. Fran has an excellent program called "Academy" where you'll be placed in a group of your peers who are also new to polo and you all learn the basics at a comfortable, stress free pace. No one is ever pushed to go faster than they are comfortable going and emphasis is placed on accuracy with the ball and safety ALWAYS safety first! Some people may think of polo and think SPEED but...as one of the pros say "theres absolutely no point in being the fastest to get to the ball if you don't know what to do with it once you get there!" Club members are absolutely wonderful and kind, always super patient with all my questions and super eager to help out. Some of the members are really all-stars competing in tournaments at levels I could only dream of, but when you surround yourself with players at that level they help you improve simply by watching them and interacting and practicing around them! You can always try out a private lesson first to see if polo is for you- it is very different from any other style of riding Ive ever done, the reins are held in your left hand and mallet with the right hand. But I promise you, the second you hear that perfect THWACK sound when you have your first connection with the ball you'll be addicted to it! (for the record I whiffed the ball maybe 10-20 times before ever actually getting a solid hit lol) I still have a very long way to go in my polo journey and I am super excited to have found a place that nurtures my growth!

Shannon is an exceptional instructor. She has been teaching my daughter horseback riding for the…read morepast 10 years, and my daughter absolutely loves her kind, patient, and encouraging approach. Shannon has played a huge role in helping her grow and progress through the levels with confidence. My daughter truly loves the horses and the entire stable environment. It's also a wonderful place to spend time while waiting--calm, peaceful, and welcoming. We're so grateful for Shannon and the entire team.

We have been attending lessons at Painted Star Equestrian for 5 months now. We LOVE Shannen's…read morecurriculum for horseback riding. The kids always know what their next goals are and how to level up and what they need to do to get there. My youngest fell in love with horseback riding here. She is often overshadowed by her two older sisters' achievements and she has found her own "thing" here. She has learned a greater level of responsibility and independence. Her confidence has grown both on and off the arena and we couldn't be more proud of her and thankful for Painted Star!

I got to know Bright Ranch and the Bright family. They are all caring. I have known them from when…read moreI was 8 years to when I was 19. I did weekly lessons and learned a lot about the horse and riding. I learned how to ride all kinds of horses from green (not fully trained) horses to the competition horses. It was one of the reasons why I became so into horseback riding. I loved Dennis's deep knowledge on horses and how he worked and partnered with the amazing horses he has in the stable. I also learned to work with cows and learned to do advanced techniques over the years. Dennis teaches you that patience helps you a lot around horses. He teaches you to be safe on the ground and in the saddle. Yes, it takes years to learn to horseback ride. It is the same for all sports and even learning instruments. You gotta understand that things take time. I describe horseback riding is like a tree. You learn the basics or the standard skill. Each basic technique you learn branches off to more advanced skills. Also, repetitions are key! Anyway, I recommend Dennis Bright as a caring and acknowledgeable horseback riding mentor. He has the safest horses to ride compared to the other stables I visited. The biggest thing he makes sure is that you the student is safe. Not many horseback riding teachers do this! - Kathryn K.

My 8 year old daughter did a week long summer camp here and I cannot recommend it highly enough!…read moreShe got a horse riding lesson every day, got to brush the horses and help take care of the other animals on the farm, learned about the garden and helped harvest the vegetables... basically every 8 year old's dream! The camp counselors were all so friendly and the owners were so helpful and seemed to genuinely care about the kids learning and having a good summer camp experience. We will definitely be back next summer! I wish we lived close enough to do riding lessons here on a regular basis!

Working with the owner of Ligara Farms has been a treat…read more Susan has a delightful personality, and knows how to get Things done. Her thoughtful approach with her customers comes first and her stables are beautiful and clean. Carolyn Bredsteen

Don't make an appointment, they will cancel you last minute without reasons but they require you…read morecancel your appointment 24 hours ahead. No customer service available, no response with emails. Not a good business attitude.

FHS and trainer Stephanie Walker are the best. She has created an exceptional environment where the…read morehorses' comfort and happiness are always the priority. She helps all levels of riders realize their full potential in a very unintimidating way. I would highly recommend this barn for boarding, leasing, training, and lessons.

Stephanie Walker at Free Heart Stables is a true horseman. She understands the equine holistically…read moreand teaches her clients from where the horse is at physically and mentally, and always for the good of the horse. My daughter entered into the horse world via typical horseback lesson experience. She received excellent instruction in rider form at a top riding school but she became bored with just jumping on a horse for the purpose of getting through the transitions and jumps while looking good. She craved a deeper bond with her equine partners. So, being a brand new horse person myself, and only to support my daughter from afar, I found Stephanie in a Google search. I figured some horseback lessons that simulated actual horse ownership would cure the bug. I also decided that since this experience would be more than just tacking up the horse and riding, I decided to take lessons too so I could supervise my daughter from the ground. When my daughter first started riding, I wouldn't even pet the horses, and I was the least likely candidate to be a horse owner, that's how resistant I was to this whole horse fever she caught. I thought for sure these true "horsemanship" lessons would end this nonsense. Well, Stephanie didn't cure the horse bug. She made it worse, it was contagious, and I caught it. She stirred a new passion in my daughter and I that opened up a whole new world where horses are now more than a hobby, we have a new lifestyle. Fast forward to today, we are the humble owners of a beautiful, dramatic, and sensitive thoroughbred gelding and Stephanie is our trainer. Forget thinking that this is your typical trainer situation where the expert does the hard work of training your horse and you come out only to ride and experience the fruit of that labor. Stephanie is teaching US how to train our horse. Her lessons involve us in every part of the equine from the how the horse thinks to how the horse moves - on good days and bad days. Some of our best lessons, even when we first started, have been in (and continue to be in) imperfect conditions where we were making mistakes and Stephanie patiently taught us what was going on with the horse mentally, how we created the situation, and how to correct it. She will not do it for you, and she will make you take it slow to do things right. You can do things fast, or you can do them right. Thankfully, she has the patience and calm demeanor of a saint with kids and nervous, newbie, somewhat resistant, older adults. Stephanie just has something special to offer people that is vitally lacking in our fast paced, over tech'd, and over-achieving culture. The character qualities that are being instilled in my daughter (and myself) through this journey is not something the fanciest training barn or most expensive private school could ever teach. It is hard work that teaches you how to slow down, be present, and be teachable. Though the word has lost its meaning, Stephanie is a true natural horseman and she will teach you how to understand and communicate with the horse from the moment you make contact. If you want a truly fulfilling equine partnership that is unlike anything offered at training and lesson barns, contact Stephanie. Your horse will thank you.

I started taking lessons at equestriantraining.com in May of 2010 and almost a year later I still…read morelove it there. The Instructor is very safety oriented and friendly. I feel very comfortable taking my 9 and 15 year old nieces out for lessons. Her prices are reasonable and flexible at the same time. The lesson horses are reliable, healthy, in good shape and clearly happy with life. We go on trail rides and upper level riders do eventing. One of the great things I like about this stable is that you get to learn about horse care and the responsibilities of having a horse and not just the riding part, so I guess you get to learn it all! I would and do recommend this stable to all my friends and family.

Jeanette was amazing with my 5yr and 2yr. Wonderful experience, professional and so easy to work…read morewith. Everything we needed was provided and age appropriate.

I don't normally leave comments, but I will recommend Jeanette Arnaout Training. My eight-year old…read moredaughter attended her summer camp this year, and she came back with confidence and joy with horses. Thank you, Jeanette!