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!

Great horse facility in beautiful setting. Pleasant staff and great atmosphere. Came for a…read moretraining clinic as an observer. Highly recommend.

While I've spent plenty of time petting horses and have done my fair share of trail rides, this was…read moremy first formal lesson. From the start, I was struck by how exceptionally clean and well cared for the horses were--this family-run business clearly treats them as part of the family. Because of that level of care, I'd especially recommend this barn to anyone with allergies or health sensitivities who might otherwise hesitate to be around horses. Before riding, I learned some fascinating insights about horse psychology and the equestrian world. Then came my first lesson on Rose. Johnny described riding as a kind of dance--and for the first time, I began to understand what it means to move with a horse as your partner. I had a wonderful time and highly recommend Johnny and Johnny 6 Stables at the OC Fairgrounds. Whether you're looking to develop your riding skills and ride like a pro or simply spend meaningful time in a low-key atmosphere connecting with a horse, it's well worth a visit. Such a great experience!

I had an amazing experience at Johnny 6 Stables. The horses were beautiful and well taken care of…read more My instructor was extremely caring and made sure I was never put out of my comfort zone. I will definitely be going back! The experience has rekindled a childhood love for horses

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.

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!

We tried to schedule a horseback ride with this operation and it was frustrating…read more It took repeated phone calls before anyone answered (there is no email address and calls were not returned). The person we spoke with (Olivia) said she was incredibly busy and could not talk then. After a second call that she answered, she texted us a form that asked for names, weights, heights, contact info, etc. We texted all this as requested. We assumed (naively) this was a confirmation since she had given us a time and date for the ride. Wrong! It meant nothing. We got no response to that text or another text requesting a written confirmation. We showed up on the day of the ride, earlier than the time scheduled for us. However, there was no record of anything! They might get great reviews by people who have actually gotten to ride; however, buyer beware. If you do not have a definite confirmation (and we have no idea what that might consist of), you have an excellent chance of not having a ride. In our opinion, this is not a customer-friendly and professional operation.

We absolutely loved our ride with Kate and Olivia today! They were so flexible with us being late…read morefrom the freeway being shut down and were so patient with everyone at different riding levels. Highly recommend!!!

For my daughters bday, they did a wonderful job of last minute accommodation! No doubt about the…read morefantastic service when it comes to making a great impression there BUT the instructor didn't seem to pleased to be very sociable. I mentioned it was my daughters bday many times. Not much conversation to my daughter to make her feel very welcome. For example, "hows your bday going so far? Or, Glad we were able to squeeze you in today to make a dream come true, or thanks for choosing is hope to see you back have a nice rest of your bday" Nope. Still gave her a nice tip though, even if her vibe was not happy to have us there ‍

I love this place! The people I met there all went out of their way to be friendly and kind, the…read moregiant arena has great footing that is groomed every day, the spaces for the horses are big and comfortable. There is a lovely covered arena, a big round pen, mini trails, tons of turnouts, exceptional quality hay even my draft cross kept weight on. There is a picnic area and even a kids playground. This barn is both kid and dog friendly which is incredibly rare these days. They have jumps and barrels and sometimes in barn events. They are constantly improving and keeping things in tip top shape. There are comfy lounges and every thing is always tidy and neat. The owner Karla is a truly good human who is dedicated, professional and at the same time down to earth and kind. If you are looking for a place for your horse and there is an opening snatch it up quickly because this place is heavenly.

Lone Oak is a great boarding stable. The facility is very clean and quiet. They have several…read morearenas. You will most likely have the arena to yourself. The arenas have great footing. They take pride in the facility and security. The only downside is fall is in the winter time only the covered arena is open sometimes. They do seal the outside arenas. So once the outside arenas dry out they open them back up.

I've been taking private lessons with Shari for about three years now, and I couldn't recommend her…read moremore highly. I was initially referred to her because of the facilities, and the care for her horses. I also appreciate that Shari owns the barn, so I never have to guess where my lesson will take place. A lot of trainers in the area seem to move barns frequently, but with Shari everything is consistent and reliable. Plus, as Morgan Hill can get hot, I really appreciate having access to the indoor arena. There is also a dressage ring and an outdoor ring, so there's plenty of space and flexibility depending on what you're working on. I got back into riding about five years ago as an adult after growing up with my own horse, although now I ride mostly to stay connected to horses and continue learning in a safe, supportive environment. Shari does a great job meeting riders where they are, whether you're returning to the sport or advancing your skills. Shari also hosts local competitions at the barn, which creates opportunities for riders who want to push themselves further. Overall, it's a great place to ride, learn, and be part of a welcoming horse community.

Both my husband and I started taking lessons in the fall, and couldn't be happier!…read more Rhonda (the owner & instuctor) is amazing! She breaks down each movement clearly, so whether you are just starting or working on more advanced maneuvers, she passes on her considerable knowledge in a way you'll understand! She teaches adult and kids alike, both English & western disciplines, and even preps students for local shows! I also like that she tailors lessons to each individual .... My husband and I ride during the same time, and she has me focussing on collection & bending, while he is working on his posting trot & his seat at the lope. It's nice that she doesn't overload us during our lesson, too. She'll give us something to work on, explain it & answer questions, and then let us do our thing. (I have had other instructors in the past who barely let me accustomed to a new concept before briskly moving onto the next. I found it hard to build muscle memory or fully grasp what they were teaching.) I felt so at home here, that when I bought my first horse in October, I decided to board him at Big Oak. My little arab is currently in training with Rhonda, and he is shaping up to be a wonderful mount for me! She has taken an introverted, easily spooked, green-ish gelding & given him confidence through training to simply blossom! Now, even with all those evil shiny tarps or scary tumbleweeds, he doesn't bat an eye and keeps focussed on what we're doing! He even moves off my leg now, collects nicely, and keeps a nice head position despite all those scary distractions ;)

If you're looking for lessons, training, or horse boarding get out here. It's a lovely area, Rhonda…read moreHeiner is the trainer and instructor and this woman is great. I've been taking lessons here for about three years now and when I finally get my own beastie I'll make the 20 min drive out there. It's a beautiful area, very woody and clean looking. The people up here are great fun and very friendly and they have a nice range of lesson horses for people from "I've never seen a horse in person" to "I ride championship" So if you're thinking about a lesson or anything take the trip out here, but be sure to call ahead and get the gate code. The property owners aren't happy when they get calls to the house from Rhonda's people.

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!