My friend Maddie and I volunteered at Connemara Ranch for the past two weeks, and it was one of the most meaningful and eye opening experiences I have ever had. Talley was incredibly flexible and met us where we were with our horse experience while sharing her wisdom and deep knowledge of equine therapy, something she helped pioneer in Malibu. Every horse at the ranch has such a unique personality and is so clearly loved, cared for, and well trained. Over the two weeks we rode every day, painted and washed the horses, practiced equine therapy activities, and built such special connections with all six horses. Talley made us feel so comfortable from the start and became not only an amazing instructor and teacher, but also a true friend. Every ride was beautiful and completely unique, and I am so grateful for everything we learned about horses, equine therapy, and ourselves during our time at the ranch. read more

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We absolutely loved our ride. They were amazing. The horses were wonderful. We had a rider that was very nervous and she took really good care of him making sure he felt secure through the ride. This is more of an intimate ride not one of those commercial places in Los Angeles. I highly recommend this over anyone else because it's more intimate. The lady owns her own horses. It was a great experience and we would do it again.. read more

Don't keep searching Google, this is THE horseback riding experience you've been looking for. My fiancee and I were first time riders and maybe a bit nervous. Tally showed us the ropes, and gave great instruction while we were still on the ground. This made getting on the horses and working with them that much easier. Tally also picked horses with the right temperament for us newbies. The ride was SPECTACULAR. Photos don't do it justice, you just need to do it yourself to find out. read more

Connemara Ranch - Horseback Riding Near Me - Malibu, California

Go. Just go. The owner of the ranch is wonderful, such a relaxing time going through the mountains, looking at the ocean, and being in nature with such smart horses. You won't regret it! read more

Connemara Ranch - Horseback Riding Near Me - Malibu, California

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I loved this experience! Being out in nature fed my soul & calmed my thoughts. Talley is a great instructor & human being! I will definitely be here again in the winter. read more

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I had such a wonderful time riding with Tally. The views from the trails are spectacular. Unforgettable experience! I highly recommend the private ocean view trail ride!! read more

I had the best time with Tally! I booked a sunset private ride, which was amazing. I rode Midnight who was such a sweetheart and so fun to ride. The scenery was breathtaking and Tally was wonderful, her connection to her horses is something special. I highly recommend Connemara Ranch read more

Connemara Ranch - Watching the sunset with Midnight - Horseback Riding Near Me - Malibu, California

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Terrible experience. Read Previous Reviews!!! The women who was guiding our experience was very unpleasant to be around . She kept making mean and passive aggressive comments during our ride. Horses seemed miserable, and no wonder she probably abuses them . Look into other ranches. read more

I had amazing first experience horse riding at Connemara Ranch with Tally. She was so sweet, helpful, and patient. Duke my horse for the time was amazing, he knew exactly what to do at all times and really made my first ride relaxed and easy! read more

The most glorious day was enhanced by by Great guide. She was personal, interesting, charming and informative. A must ride for enjoying horses & the beauty of the Cali coast!!! read more

Just absolutely beautiful, beyond words. The guides know horses like nobody's business and were so friendly and helpful. I'll be back! read more

Connemara Ranch - Duckie and Apollo - Horseback Riding Near Me - Malibu, California

Wow - this was the best horseback riding experience. Three friends and I went out with Talley and had an incredible sunset ride. Talley is such a gem, and was very patient and kind to us - which was huge as we are newer riders. This is the coolest trail I've ever been to with the best Ocean and Mountain views I've seen in Southern California. read more

Connemara Ranch is a VERY Special Place and should be highly respected. Talley is an amazing Person, Woman and Horse person. This is my Third Ranch I have found in Malibu and The Third time is the Charm. This is a very unique experience. Most Horseback Riding Places do not let you feed the horses carrots, or let you groom them, or even paint them. This is the most Magical and wonderful place in all of Malibu if not all of the West Coast. I highly recommend paying for any activities anything there. There is a lot to handle and she does it smoothly. They have Horse Therapy which is very special and you learn many Ground Work, Leadership and Personal Development Skills as well as She is a person of some of the most wisdom I have found. They also have a charity to help disadvantaged children. She also keeps her horses very well kept and groom and these are the nicest horses I have ever met, there is nothing like this experience. Just go and get there and enjoy the time you are lucky to receive at this Amazing Horse Farm. read more

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My husband and I took a beautiful Anniversary sunset ride with Talley and Kevin this past weekend and it was such a treat! Having been riders in the past we wanted to do a little more than walk which we got to enjoy. The horses were very sweet and well taken care of. The ride was so beautiful and we are excited to ride with them again soon! read more

We had a Great ride with Talley and a Kevin. Their gated horses were smooth smart and energetic. No barn sour tendency's noted. Our two couple group included both novice and experienced riders. We never felt Like we had to cajole the horses to move forward. The ride took us up and down hills and local valleys. The pace was great and the views superb. A wonderful experience with plenty of walking and trotting. I highly recommend scheduling your next ride with Connemara Ranch. read more

Talley is very knowledgeable and gave very clear instructions. As first timers, we weren't going to be matured riders within a few minutes. I appreciate her regard for safety and her love for her horses and nature. Booking was quick and she was responsive. Captured pictures and videos for us. Great! Something was off - she kept poking me with snide remarks and unpleasant sarcasm throughout our lesson. Being beginners and having cautioned us, my young daughter made an honest mistake (Talley did tell her gently first time - my girl is only 6). Talley's sharp reprimand disheartened my little girl. Talley seemed impatient with me and my family as much as she tried holding back. She seemed unhappy at the core, which dampened a special day for us. Should have read past reviews. I don't know what is going on in her life to not like people. I hope her beautiful horses give her continued comfort. Only if she was as gentle as her horses... read more

Best Horse Ranch experience ever ! Tally is the best host guide I've ever had ! Plus her extra attention to us during our private ride was extraordinary! She also helped me in my proposal to my now fiancée! You won't make a mistake in choosing this ranch . From the spectacular views to having a great trail ride ! A plus service across the board !!! read more

AMAZING EXPERIENCE IN EVERY WAY! I just want to say that our experience riding with Talley and Kevin was completely opposite of what some of these negative reviewers describe. We were a group of five, including my 10 year old niece who had never been riding before. Talley was incredibly patient and caring and joyful. She handled my very scared niece so lovingly. We learned so much about the land we were riding on. The views were EPIC. The horses are so gentle and steady. Talley and Kevin truly took impeccable care of us. I understand that people have off days but my experience was full of joy and amazing memories. I can't recommend this place and Talley and Kevin enough. My hopes were high (it's my birthday) and they were far surpassed. we will be back! read more

We found this through a limited sale offered with LivingSocial.com And wow! We really enjoyed our day at Connemara Ranch. Talley, owner and operator, has an amazing understanding about horse sociology and their interaction with humans. Talley begins our day in a large corral with about 3 horses. Our group of 8 riders and two college volunteers learn from Talley the basics of horse and rider sociology. Each of us were able to practice interaction to gain trust and connection with the horses. It was a really neat way to begin our ride. Then we took a break for a picnic lunch as the volunteers helped Talley prepare the horses with saddles. Our ride was breath taking. One of our riders lost her cell phone from her back pocket and Talley rode back to search for it. She was gone for about 30 min, but returned with the lost phone! I recommend this ranch to anyone looking for a peaceful experience with riding! read more

Connemara Ranch - Horseback Riding Near Me - Malibu, California

I had a really lovely time with Talley and her gang of horses: Oreo, Tiny, Julia, Romeo, and the rest. I think my favorite part of the experience was the waterhole rituals lesson. I had never interacted with horses that way! The trail ride was nice - Unlike at other stables, the horses at Connemara are very high-spirited (which made the trail ride experience much more interesting - my horse, in particular, seemed to love to ride next to the bushes and I had to keep steering her back on track) and also seem to be well taken care of. read more

Wonderful sunset ride with Tali and Kevin! They are both extremely knowledgeable and will make even beginners feel comfortable. Trails are basically private and the views are gorgeous. A great way to spend an evening! Highly recommend! read more

Connemara Ranch - Horseback Riding Near Me - Malibu, California

This may sound corny, but this is the kind of place that makes you a better person. I thought I saw Donald Sterling and his girlfriend riding there. Sterling was getting a little jealous that she was getting too affectionate with her horse. For men, this is a good place to take a pretty girl. She'll fall in love with you. Also, there's a lot of pretty gals that work there, who seem to be yearning to have a guy in their life. read more

Our visit to Connemara Ranch was lovely! I took my girlfriend for her birthday and it couldn't have been more perfect. We chose the sunset ride, and it was absolutely magical. Talley and Kevin were wonderful hosts and we enjoyed every minute. Their horses are beautiful and well looked after. We will look forward to visiting again one day. read more

Connemara Ranch - Horseback Riding Near Me - Malibu, California

Amazing Valentines day ride! Awesome trails and magnificent views. Talley and Kevin are awesome! My wife knows what she is doing but I was a beginner that has ridden probably a total of 10 times over the course of my life, and just trail riding. Until this ride I had no idea all of the things I was doing wrong. Talley gave me pointers on posture and communication and for the first time I actually felt like I was in control of the horse. Part of this is because these horses are so well taken care of. My horse was the most responsive I have ever experienced. In the past I felt like the horse was just following the trail with no real regard of what I was wanting to do. This horse definitely was responding to my direction first and not to the horse in front of him. Great rider and great people! Thanks guys my wife loved her Valentines day because of you :) read more

Had a great time riding this past week, I arrived with a friend who was much more experienced than I as it was my first time riding but Talley paired me with an amazing horse that made learning the ropes quick and fun. We had great conversation and direction throughout. The trail was great, we got memorable pictures and I was excited to be able to book the excursion though my planning was quite last minute. I look forward to coming back and mastering the trail as my experience continues to grow! Thanks so much for making my first time a great time! read more

WARNING! CAUTION!.....in my opinion, NOT SAFE for inexperienced and new riders. my bf bought two living social deals to surprise me for my birthday yesterday. i guess they normally do a morning group ride with instruction and a picnic, but the group was full for yesterday. this is what's written on the living social coupon: "You'll begin with a lesson on connecting with horses before you saddle up for the mane attraction: a 90-minute trail ride through the Malibu Hills, where you'll receive riding instruction and a picnic lunch while taking in Malibu's beauty as you've never seen it before." so because the group was full, they made an exception and took us out for a 3 PM ride with just me and my bf since it was for my birthday. which is super sweet of them. i've been casually riding horses since i was probably 3 or 4 when my family would go on vacations to a ranch several times a year. i'm no expert though, but i know enough that what happened yesterday wasn't really ok. it was my bfs first time on a horse and he wasn't provided any riding instruction prior to hitting the trails. he was told to look in the direction of where he wanted to go, and the horse's head would follow. which i know IS NOT TRUE. moving and holding down the reigns is what steers a horses head, not your head. i'm almost positive that his saddle wasn't tight enough on the horse which caused the saddle to shift from side to side. he was told that it was his fault that it was shifting and that he needed to stay centered. his horse was really slow and took his time. there were longs periods during the ride where both guides were leading at the front and no one was in the back behind him. IT'S HIS FIRST TIME RIDING A HORSE PEOPLE!!! NOT SAFE!! what if his horse freaked out and bucked him off or ran away???? instead of one of them heading back, he was instructed to HURRY UP! make tongue clicking sounds to make it go faster (which doesn't work. kicking the horse in the belly with your heals tells your horse to go)! i also don't think he was taught to hold his reigns correctly. i know i was instructed by them to hold one side in each hand, which isn't what i was taught at the ranch when i was growing up. so i disregarded that instruction and held both reigns in my left hand. also, both guides held their reigns in one hand. i felt that like we rushed on our ride. like it was a race to the top and back down. it wasn't at all relaxing. all i could hear was talley (i'm assuming the owner) telling my bf and his horse to hurry up, hurry up, hurry up. we made it to the top and saw the ocean for 2 seconds. there's the ocean and let's go. we didn't even stop, so i had to rush to take a picture. we also had to spend part of our ride searching for people's lost items b/c they dropped them on the previous ride. it kind of stressed me out how instructions were barked at my bf from far away because i'm like....wtf....go over there and HELP HIM...he doesn't know what he's doing. i even held my horse back to wait for him and make sure he was still visible. THIS IS NOT SAFE. the ride was supposed to be for 90 minutes, but it felt like it was under or around 60 minutes. i didn't time it though. we didn't get our picnic lunch. we definitely didn't get any instruction.....i don't care if an exception was made to take us on a private ride.....NOT SAFE NOT SAFE NOT SAFE...and it doesn't feel so special when you rush people through it like you have to get back to the stalls ASAP so you can wash your horse. where's the fire?!?!?!?!?!? definitely didn't even seem like an attempt was made to match the living social described experience..... woohoo..happy birthday to me....feels like we got jipped. read more

Took me a hot minute to write this because I wanted to be fair. My friend and I purchased an LA Deal voucher for a 90 minute ride. Well, I screwed up and only bought 1. After contacting Tallie, she graciously allowed me to purchase the ride for the same price as the LA Deal even though it was over a month since the deal had been offered. We arrived 10 minutes early, while one part of our group was over 30 minutes late and the second part of our group had to take the second ride. Tallie was very verbal about her annoyance with customers. While I share her fustrations, I was there on vacation. To enjoy horses and scenery, not be a therapist. After we picked our helmet, we were handed a horse and lead it over to the "learning area." I was given Ella and my homegurl rode Tango (the one that likes the water bucket). I liked that the reigns had color coded guides, but I needed more instruction on how to stop the horse or slow it down. Taiz was very patient and giggled at my awkwardness (not in a mean way). When Tallie arrived, I was scolded and glared at. This made me a little nervous before the actual ride. I was very pleased, though, that Tallie was unable to lead our group. Instead we were lead by Reba and Taiz (SP?). They were patient, encouraging, and clearly loved horses. Several times Taiz noticed that my horse was mad-dogging the horse behind me. At one point, the horse stopped and nudged her head to the right. I'm not gonna lie, I was scared for my life. But Taiz, ever so calmly, said that the horse was just bothered that the horse behind her was all up in her butt, so I had to basically scold her and redirect her attention to the front. She also instructed the rider behind me to slow down her pace so my horse wouldn't get agitated. Throughout the ride, both Taiz and Reba gave us helpful information related to our specific horses to warn us about things like them rubbing against trees or having a crush on the lead horse and trying to cut in front of the other horses. When we got back, I realized that you could only pay cash or check. I had neither. Tallie, once again, was kind enough to allow me to pay via paypal. I kept forgetting, and she didn't even hassle me. So here's the thing. Yes, Tallie appears impatient and rude. I think she is fustrated with customers, loves horses, and has limited patience when teaching new people. In my perspective, if she has the ability to only deal with customers who are advanced riders that may help. In addition, she is way more personable when dealing with people on a business level, versus teaching. I dont think I would go back because it is far, but I did enjoy the ride in spite of some of the other things. read more

I took this trial ride with six of my girlfriends and all of us were extremely disappointed. Had we know it was going to be like this we would've picked another ranch. The women who were running the show were not friendly, to say the least, and actually quite rude. Their manner was very brusque, and it intimidated all of us and, at times, the way they phrased things made us feel really stupid and like they thought we were idiots. There were two very nice women there, but we didn't have a lot of interaction with them. Clearly, not exactly what we were expecting. What's more, during the ride the guides didn't talk about the area, the terrain, what these three huge satellites were doing there, what the story of the ranch is, etc. We weren't expecting a play by play or any kind of serious tour spiel, but a little info would've been nice and is what my previous trail rides have been like. And finally, to top it off, two particularly ornery and difficult horses were given to me and one of my friends, and neither were listening to any of the commands we were taught. I know that oftentimes it's the rider who is the problem, so I accept my role in that, but it was so bad halfway through the ride I just gave up. The guide who was bringing up the rear gave me a few instructions at the beginning, but then stopped, so I assumed she was sick of trying to help me. At the end of the ride, I wanted to understand what I was doing wrong so I asked her. Her response, "Oh you weren't doing anything wrong, he just likes to mess with people." Really?!?! Then why would you give me that horse???? If you're thinking about doing a nice, relaxing and fun trail ride, all of us girls agree that you should maybe consider a different ranch. We wish someone would've told us what it was really going to be like. read more

My 16 yr old daughter and I did the sunset ride a few days ago and had an amazing experience. It was my first time on a horse but was shown everything I needed to know beforehand and Kevin, our guide, did a great job making sure we were always comfortable and having a great time. Views were amazing and I highly recommend! read more

As others commented, I would not say the business owner has the warmest personality. I think she does far better with horses than with people. She paired everyone up with a horse. It seemed like my horse had a cold. I felt horrible, but Talley did not seem to notice that anything was wrong - or, if something was, I guess it did not matter. Still, I did not care for my horse trying to clear its nasal passages all the time. She directed us to go to an arena first, walk the horse counter clockwise, and stop near the gate. I was the first to do this. The rest followed behind me with their horses. She walked over to us and said, "Well, you almost did what I asked you to do." Um. Okaaayyy... that's nice. Then we practiced in the arena walking around a couple times. Then she got her horse and led us out telling us all over and over - only need 10 ft in between the horses. She kept telling us to catch up, catch up - hurry the horses up. There were a couple horses in the middle of the line that did not want to keep up. Talley kept yelling back at these riders to hurry their horses up and she kept trying to tell them how to do it - but she seemed very frustrated that she had to keep telling them these things. (It's like - Talley - these people are really not experienced with horses - they clearly do not own them. You have to expect people will not feel in control of their animal! It is part of doing trail rides with the public! Patience and understanding would be nice). She made the comment that I looked serious, and she asked if I was worried. I wasn't worried, I was just not really happy with her attitude and hoped she would not say something to me that would set me off. Matter of fact, we all were quiet. I don't think anyone truly felt comfortable with her as our leader and instructor. That's just a guess on my part. The trail was beautiful. Flowers blooming. The view spectacular. Yes, the Satellite dishes are an eye sore. The trail did have some steep parts, which was interesting. I couldn't decide if I preferred to go up a steep hill or down lol Initially it was cool, but the sun came out and things really started to warm up. I recommend the earlier morning ride! Talley had to keep stopping to let the others catch up. You could tell she was not happy about this, but she did stop yelling at least. I guess she just gave up trying to right these inexperienced riders! She did make a comment about how she used to do more arena practice before the trail ride, but that "people didn't practice anyway so might as well just practice out on the trail." I just did not care for her demeanor. I tried to converse with her later on the ride, but that didn't really seem like substantial conversation. Overall, I was glad to see the area and to ride, but would prefer a more friendly environment. read more

Took some lessons and at first found them enjoyable and entertaining. Progressively, the lessons became really random and disorganized. Was really disappointed as I also found management from the Salom center and the people who run the ranch were not on the same page. During one of our lessons, the "owner" of the entire operation, verbally abused our instructor in front of students... Professionalism is lacking in this place. Also, I was driving 1 hour to the site (one way) and the instructors failed to inform me that one of the lessons had been cancelled. read more

Worst experience ever. I saw this deal on living social for a 90 minute ride with a picnic time included. There was NO picnic time. The horse was TIRED and NOT cooperating and I DO NOT UNDERSTAND why they didn't just choose from the other horses they had on property. NO view, as promised. The trails leaders were nice but Tallie, the actual point of contact for everything else, was rude. It was horrible reception up there so it was difficult to try and call beforehand when we got lost just trying to arrive. The way they treated customers were as though they were doing you a favor. I HATED this experience. NEVER GOING BACK. EVER. read more

I had an unfortunate experience....All seemed great till we started the ride! We were all lined up single file....couldn't chat to each other. Hmm...well, I thought, that's alright, though it would have been nice! So then the owner started 'commenting' on my 'riding technique'...or lack of. Well, I'm def. not a regular rider, but do it for fun! So this ended up not being fun for me! I kept hearing her comments throughout the ride and was dismayed that she never let up! I even commented to her about it...still, she persisted in 'riding' me! Sooooooo....from my perspective, try another ranch! read more

Got the horseback riding deal through Living Social and went on Friday with my friend. I enjoyed the ride but I felt like the whole thing was kind of unorganized. First off, It was kind of confusing when we finally arrived at the ranch because there was no sign telling us where exactly to park or where to meet. So we kind of just parked anywhere and wandered around. No one was there to greet us either. We finally found where Talley (the owner) was and we had to move our car (which was kind of annoying). We were kind of early so her daughter took us to other parts of the ranch to pet and see other animals (miniature horses, goats, donkeys). That was cool because I love petting animals! When the other group finally arrived we eventually headed over to the corral where Talley taught us "how to connect with horses". So she taught us the different water-hole rituals with the three horses in the corral. Then we each took turns interacting with the horses. To be honest, I felt like it was kind of a drag and I was so glad we had a small group because I would not want to sit there and watch everyone take a turn interacting with the horses. After the "connecting with the horses" we headed over to our picnic. By the way, Talley asked us to stack the chairs and carry it out of the corral, which bothered me because I didn't pay to do manual labor. Picnic consisted of turkey and cheese croissant sandwich, tuna and chicken salad, vegetables, chips, brownies. Everything was mainly homemade. Again, afterwards, Talley asked us to cleanup and put the food back ourselves (disliked). Then we were finally ready to go on our ride. It was very unorganized as they began saddling the horses, because they would saddle the horse and then realize it didn't fit well..and unsaddle and saddle again. That took FOREVER. On top of that, Talley asked us to, again, do manual labor and fill the different buckets with horse food. FINALLY, we were off on our ride. The view of the Malibu hills was breathtaking (aside from the three HUGE AT&T satellites in the middle of the hills). One thing i would've enjoyed more would be to have a nice quiet ride and soak in all the beauty. BUT, Talley kept rambling on throughout the ride so I didn't like that. AND, the living social coupon was for a 90 minute ride, but it lasted only a little over an hour. Afterwards, we had to help unsaddle the horses and carry them to the shed. LAME. Overall, I enjoyed my horse and my ride. But, the ranch needs to be more organized and provide better service. read more

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Went horseback riding this past weekend at Connemara Ranch to take advantage of this beautiful weather and spend some time outdoors. My friend and I are beginner riders and have been on horses before but by no means are we experienced riders. We arrived at the stable, filled out some paperwork, picked out our helmets and got some lessons on how to position your hands on the reigns from Talley. We then were assigned horses and walked over to the arena for more instruction on how to stop. Our group of six (two guides and four riders) rode a trail up the Malibu Canyons that was pretty well maintained. Great panoramic views, beautiful butterflies all around and lush vegetation. We stopped once to take photos with the mountains in the background. This ride will take you through the mountains but not to the beach. We did see a sliver of the beach from the top of the trail. It was a clear day and you could see Santa Cruz Island yonder. Overall, the 90 minute excursion was relaxing, beautiful and the guides were terrific. It is suggested to tip the guides between $10 -$20 afterwards. However, I must warn future riders about Talley. Other reviews have mentioned her negative attitude and harsh words. I did not read anything prior to this ride on Yelp. However, I was the recipient of her wrath when I was learning how to stop and start in the arena prior to our ride. She yelled at me regarding my hand position on reigns and said "You know, when you don't listen to me, it's just so frustrating. OK?" Her delivery was mean and uncalled for to a paying customer and a beginning rider. I'm sorry I don't have the natural ability to ride a horse like you but don't make me feel less than when I'm trying to learn! She deserves no stars for her attitude. read more

I was originally booked with Connemara Ranch. Didn't have a great response time and communication- so I got a refund. Plus, after reading negative reviews they were true about Connemara. I recommend Malibu riders as I had an ultimate experience and it's much more reasonable $$. Being on a horse for 60mins was enough time. Go check out Malibu riders instead! read more

I've been horseback riding a few times on guided tours like this one and I never really loved it all that much. But my bf has been talking about horseback riding so I figured I'd buy the Travelzoo deal for Connemara Ranch and let him experience the disappointment for himself. We arrived just before noon for our appointment. Another group decided not to show up until a half hour later. In the meantime, we were told to ride our horses in a small arena in circles until the other group was saddled and ready to go. It was so boring I almost fell asleep on my horse, Tango. When the three of us, who were on time, tried to stop making circles, Talley yelled at us and told us to keep moving. I could tell that she seemed a bit frustrated but her frustration came across as kind of rude. Finally, the other party was ready to go and we headed for the trail. Within 5 minutes, one of the latecomers became scared and Talley had to take her back. Luckily for us, Talley didn't come back for the ride so there was no more yelling for the rest of the trip. I found the instruction to be kind of minimal. Like Heather L. mentioned, they tell you to look where you want to go as if the horses are psychic and can see where your head is pointed. They also tell you to hold the reigns in two hands but they hold the reigns in one hand. The horses were incredibly slow. We kept having to wait for Oreo to catch up. One of the other horses, Angel, kept getting sidetracked. By the time we were half way done with the trail, I wanted to get off the horse. The fun was pretty much gone. Maybe I'm being too picky but I wasn't all that impressed. read more

We absolutely loved our ride. My wife and I had scheduled a ride earlier but due to our dog getting loose we were unable to make it. We informed Talley a couple hours before the ride we were unable to make it due to our dog becoming lost. She was very nice and empathetic to our situation. She graciously allowed us to reschedule even though our situation was not her fault. We went on our ride on 5/13 mother's day and we couldn't have had a better ride. My wife was a little apprehensive due to not being on a horse in almost 15 years but Talley told her just what she needed to hear. We rode up a trail through the woods and through the mountains. There were a couple curious rabbits and quail playing around as we made our way up the mountain. We finally came up to a point where we were able to see the ocean. We then made our way back down the mountain and loving the scenery the whole way. Talley was happy to chat with us up and down the mountain for a truly personal experience. My wife and I had a wonderful time and felt great the rest of our day. Talley was accommodating, personable, knowledgeable and above all professional. Our horses Sky and Sal were very forgiving for our lack of experience and gave us a wonderful ride. Talley gave us an amazing crash course before our ride and at no point in time was she condescending or rude. I have looked through the reviews and I find it interesting that my experience was so much different than a few others. Anyone thinking about coming here to ride should understand that it is serious and if you are not going to respect the animals or the guide you may not have a fabulous time. If you are someone who is pleasant, responsible, and can take simple direction I don't think you will have any issues. We loved it. Best of luck to Talley, her team, and the Connemara Ranch. read more

Best. B-DAY. Present. Period. As a treat for my birthday, boyfriend decided to take me horseback riding, to be enraptured in the beauty of mother nature, tango (you'll soon know who she is), and bask under the plenitude all of earth's glory, and to overcome the fear of horses. It was an amazing experience as, from childhood, I had always held a fear towards horses when almost falling off one at the age of 6-7. Yet, this was the perfect remedy to my horseback riding fears. After driving for 1&1/2 hours, taking the PCH from L.A. to Malibu, we finally arrived. When stepping into the Connemara Ranch on a beautiful sunny day, on top of a hill overlooking the malibu terrain, Allison (one of the trainers) greeted us with a big smile and welcomed us to the ranch. With the warm breeze sauntering across the mountain tops, I felt a spine-tingling excitement while waiting to embark on the trail. After greeting Talley and Allison, six horses were subsequently to be brought onto the scene: Max, Sal, Tango, Oreo, and Philly(?). The one assigned to me was a beautiful, white snow-like coated mare by the name of Tango. She was extremely well-behaved, docile, and in-tune with her rider. My boyfriend, on the other hand, was paired up with the handsome stallion, Sal, with mahogany brown coat and starlit eyes, yup, that one's a real treat. While we waited for the others to arrive, boyfriend and I got started on some training session. At first, I was very apprehensive, as Tango whisked me away to drink at the water container without my consent. But as things settled, I became more in tune and confident with riding Tango, and aware of how amazing horseback riding truly is. This became evident as we went on the almost 2 hour trail, and were imbued in the smell of wildflowers, sage, and the beautiful seaside skies of Malibu. Allison and Talley, while on the trail, spotted a feather from the red hawk (eagle?) and gifted it to me for birthday, it was very sweet. After the trail, I almost didn't want to leave as we sat around and conversed about current events and other stories. Yet, it was almost 5 p.m. (p.s. we arrived at 1) and it was time to bid our adieus. While it was pretty expensive for us, even after Talley gave us a birthday discount, I had a blast and would definitely save my pennies to go again. read more

I would love to write a review about my experience there. Unfortunately I couldn't even get that far. I unfortunately purchased a deal they offered through Amazon Local. Trying to use the voucher made me realize they put the "Con" in Connemara. The voucher that expires August 1st is not useable since they stop booking on 6/18 for summer camp until after summer. To their credit and the only reason they have two stars instead of one is they offered to extend the date on the voucher. Unfortunately I planned to use it before then. Amazon was nice enough to refund the purchase and lesson learned, avoid CONnemara Ranch. read more