Cash only business and the owner doesn't 1099 her employees. Cash only with a very unsecure…read morepayment system. My cash payment disappeared and when confronted about it, the owner laughed. Lesson ponies aren't treated well and the instructors clearly aren't treated well. If you value honesty, integrity, and believe in decent treatment of animals, avoid at all costs.

Wanting to start lessons again after a very long time away from riding…read more I've just went through a major surgery removal of a bone tumor in my frontal sinus and been in recovery for a few weeks so I had extra free time to go check out some stables for lessons. Met Peggy and she showed me around. Really lovely facilities. Really sweet lesson horses. And from my front door to the stable is only 19 minutes I'm looking forward to coming back and signing on the dotted line, just waiting for my surgeon to release me both back to work and back to riding See and meet everyone soon DJ Amber Leigh

I recently moved my horse to BHE from a barn in SoCal and I have been so very happy I did! Kate and…read morethe trainers hear TRULY CARE and I can tell how much time they've spent with my horse. My horse has had a chronic problem with white line disease in his hoof and BHE has not only brought in an excellent farrier (shout out to James McCracken!!) but the team has treated his hoof TWICE A DAY! and he's finally on his way to recovery. Like most owners, I just don't have the time to be at the barn every day and I rely upon the team to take care of my horse. I am so grateful to have found a barn that makes a point of giving each horse what it needs (and without upcharging me for every added thing) rather than just tossing some hay in their stalls and leaving the owner to figure out the rest. BHE has an extensive staff of experienced people who work beautifully together and go out of their way to provide the kind of personalized care I would do on my own if I could. I will also ratify what others have said about the atmosphere at BHE. I am relatively new to the horse world but I have definitely experienced the snooty, catty, gossipy behavior that gives it such a bad rap and BHE IS NOT that. Any time I have spent there has been such a pleasure. If you're looking for a barn that will be the "happy place" for both you and your horse, I think you'll enjoy being part of the BHE family.

I've been riding at Blackhound Equestrian for 11 years, and there's truly no place like it. From…read morethe very beginning, me, who was someone who knew nothing about horses, was welcomed into a professional yet incredibly supportive environment where both horses and riders are treated with respect, patience, and care. The trainers here are phenomenal, experienced, detail-oriented, and passionate about helping every rider grow, no matter their skill level. Over the years, they've helped me build confidence, develop strong fundamentals, and continually challenge myself to improve, all while maintaining a healthy relationship with all the horses I ride. The facility itself is beautiful and well maintained. The horses are clearly happy, healthy, and well cared for, and the emphasis on horsemanship and responsibility has shaped me not just as a rider, but as a person. Whether you're looking to ride casually, compete, or build a lifelong passion for horses, Blackhound is a good place to do so. After more than a decade here, I can honestly say this barn has been one of the most consistent and positive parts of my life.

I was looking for a facility that has large paddocks for my big mare, a trainer that likes…read moreThoroughbreds, a place with a solid reputation, a team/family atmosphere and I found it with EBRA. My horse feels at home and the trainers have great experience to draw from. Helen and James both ride and train the highest levels of eventing and are amazing with young horses. Too bad it took me 2 years to find them! Looking forward to all the days to come!

My daughter and I both take lessons from James and Helen and I can recommend their program without…read morereservations. It's one of the few training barns in the area (or anywhere) that can teach everyone from beginners on wonderful school ponies up to riders making the jump to the upper levels. They also do an excellent job starting young horses and are true horse people who appreciate a wide variety of horses. The barn gets excellent hay and is willing to feed as much hay or pellets as it takes to keep your horse happy, and doesn't charge extra for lunch feedings or extra hay.

I went to this place and got the package of four lessons which is 350 dollars, but I had told…read moreMarguerite that I had barely started to even trot at the other place I went to, she ask is I was a beginner and I told her I was over the phone fast forward, when I got there everything was fine but she told me to go to the barn a talk to this lady who was going to give me a helmet and take walk the horse out my mom was with me so she had to sign and release form, but the lady wasn't that nice she wasn't rude but she wasn't very welcoming, the horse had hesitated when walking out of the barn, and the lady told me to look forward and walk but the horse still didn't move eventually he did. We got to the gate of the arena and the horse stopped again, and the lady who had helped me get a helmet in the barn yelled at the horse to move( this is where I started to feel nervous because I felt that I couldn't trust the horse.) Marguerite told me that she could tell I was nervous and that it was ok because she puts little kids on this horse.(I was riding in shoes because my boots that I had gotten didn't come into the mail yet, and I told her that but she said that it was ok) so we kept riding but I was confused because it wasn't Marguerite teaching me it was someone else that and I thought she would because that's what she told me over the phone, which is fine I was just confused...the lady who was walking with me around the arena was nice. The lesson ended and we left. Later that day I told my mom that I didn't want to go back because I felt to uncomfortable there and it didn't feel like a stable system...and the other horse place I went to you would learn to brush and tack up the horse, overall just learn horseman ship but here you don't unless to get there early (she didn't tell me till the second lesson) but we asked for a refund and she refused to give a a refund( she never mentioned that she didn't give refunds) she told me and my mom to take after lesson with the boots so we did but i felt pressured to take this lesson.but she said she would charge 120 for the next lesson and give 110 back is we didn't like it. The next lesson came around and I wasn't in the best mood I felt pressured to take this lesson and I just wasn't in the best mood, I got on the horse ( the same one from the first lesson) and he felt jittery to me and I felt uncomfortable I had a weird gut feeling, so I stopped the horse and told her and my mom that I was uncomfortable and she ask why I couldn't answer at the time because I don't know what to say but she just told me to kept going, I felt confused by her instructions because she never told me if I was doing it right, but we kept walking and I felt more and more uncomfortable the horse was stubborn and was focused on follow Marguerite more...we walking around for a bit more and we stopped and she was telling to to look where to want to go then walk so I did. I don't know what happed after that because it happened so fast but the horse had got spooked by a truck driving on the road a threw me off, I landed on my hip ( I was ok but I'm bruised really bad and can't really lay down or sit without it hurting) I got up and talk out of the arena and I was shaking I don't know what happened after that as my body was in shock from what happened. She proceeded to tell my mom that I'm not ready and it was like talking to a 8 year old ( I'm 17) and that riding probably wasn't for me and that I would have still been on the horse if I kept my back straight, and that I wasn't listening and was hesitant to listening to her( I was confused and she never told me if I was doing something right or wrong.) Please be careful when choosing this place ask a lot of questions, because she tends to leave stuff out.

Overall the experience was okay, I would not recommend using this place if you're looking for…read morequality riding lessons. From the very beginning it seemed like an unfit establishment for our family, but wanted to be optimistic. The trainer provided very poor communication on how to find her place and was late on day one. She immediately jumped into defensive communication any time I asked for clarification. She seems very well established and knowledgeable, unfortunately that doesn't translate into her training with first time riders. Trainings are rushed, but ironically she just sits in a chair disengaged from the trainees. I was shocked as a parent and as someone who has no experience with horses when I was asked to prep the horse for riding. Seems extremely unsafe. Once I communicated that we no longer needed the services she became combative and refused to reimburse for the advanced payment for lessons.

New management always creates drama and sour grapes. I am a relatively new boarder of three months…read moreand so far, so good. I have had none of experiences like those negative ones listed in earlier postings. Here is what my experience has been: A full time manager: helpful, pleasant, always there, listens to my comments and requests. Accounting and other staff always professional and friendly. Three full time workers: they keep my horse's stall clean with plentiful bedding, feed her accurately and in a timely fashion every day. The barn and stall are very, very clean. The workers are friendly, helpful and work so darn hard! I never see them rest. Resident trainers: are all willing to help me out when I need it, are very friendly and fun to hang around. There is always someone nearby to lend a hand, so I never feel like I'll get in a bind by myself. Other boarders: friendly, communicative and nice. (Do you see a trend here?) I've had interactions with many different people at all hours of the day and, generally, everyone is polite and considerate. Additional notes: this is a carefully maintained barn with employees who appear to genuinely care about the place overall. They have lots of fun events, like BBQ's, potlucks, cattle sorting, picnics and fun "play days" for horse and rider. (Have you ever seen a horse bob for apples???) There are plenty of Western and English riders. They host interesting clinics on various disciplines. The board rate is very reasonable and I have fun and feel safe. I have absolutely nothing to complain about! But don't just take my word for it - come and see for yourself. Giddy up!

Alma is a great all around trainer whom my daughter loves very much. We've been coming here for…read morelessons for the past year and have been happy with her progress.

My grand daughters have been with Saddle Up Academy for 5 years now. The program is welcoming,…read morediverse and family-friendly. My kids started as beginners and are now both on Saddle Up's equestrian team. My grand daughters confidently ride both english and western. My daughter is also an equestrian of color, growing up riding right here in the East Bay Area. I wish she had an outlet like Saddle Up Academy when she was younger. There is no equestrian program quite like Saddle Up Academy. The welcoming environment is unmatched as well as the affordability.

The family who owns this ranch is very friendly. They treat my horses very well, they feed them and…read morekeep the stalls clean. I am so glad very moved them here.

My grandkids are taking riding lessons. The horses they use for kids are so gentle. For parents…read morewanting to get their kids from behind that laptop, this is the place to go. They learn the fundamentals of caring, feeding and riding. Differently recommend. Michele Sims is the trainer.

I took my daughter here for her first ever horseback ride. We did an hour tour with Gary. It was…read moregreat. The place is the only one I know of in Co Co County. I highly recommend it for beginners or those like us, who just wanted to try something new. The prices are great too.

May - We wanted to schedule a riding session using our Groupon because they are expiring soon…read more Bethe says sorry, 'We are booked through end of June because of a deadly horse virus and are running in limited operations mode." But she says they will honor the Groupon through the end of the year. Ok, fine with us. August - Called and left a message to book a session on September. After no response in one week, I called and left a message AND an email to follow up. Finally got an email three days later saying she just got back from a horseshow competition. She says ok, we can schedule your session in September. I email her back immediately because I want to schedule lesson #2 because she is difficult to get a hold of. September - I email to confirm our lesson #1 date. She replies and says, "I'm sorry, we don't have you scheduled on that date. I thought it was last week. But hey, there's an opening tomorrow for your 2nd lesson". I want to cry. End of September - We email Bethe saying we give up and call Groupon to get a refund. Outcomes: a. I now question Groupon's quality of vendors. b. My friend and I really let our group of friends down with all the back and forth of scheduling rides. Made us look incompetent. c. I really wanted to go horseback riding but now am afraid to go near this place and meet with Bethe in person for fear of more disappointment.

My daughter wanted to ride a horse for her 6th birthday and finding Urban Cowgirl Ranch was a…read morehidden gem! On the website you can find the number to contact someone about the toddler tot program. But basically they allow kids a chance to meet horses, get comfortable around them and then ride them. The staff were amazing and great with kids. We got to pet some rabbits and meet many horses. The most kid friendly horse the kids can even paint and turn into a unicorn, a little girls dream! My daughter got to ride 2 horses and loved it. I couldn't recommend this place enough.