DO NOT BOARD YOUR HORSE AT MOSS BEACH RANCH!
The manager, Kim, has an anger problem and unpredictable mood swings. She and a couple of her followers at the ranch use the rough and tough cowgirl excuse, but she's just a Trumpian bully of epic proportions. Many people have quietly and consistently left the ranch because of her. An easy escape is to board at Ember Ridge next door, or several other functional local ranches within a one to three mile radius from Moss Beach Ranch. If you board your horse at Moss Beach, and no matter how respectful, conscientious, self-sufficient, under the radar, helpful neighbor and responsible horse owner you are, expect to be chastised, yelled at, laughed at, or hung up on for asking basic questions, or for even saying good morning. No matter how careful and conscientious you are expect to "break rules" you never knew existed. If Kim decides she doesn't like you from the very first second she meets you, expect your life at the ranch to be made miserable and your horse's safety and well being to suffer. If there is an urgency or emergency Kim and the staff are slow to non-existent to respond, and if you deal with it yourself you are berated. Large branches and whole trees from the dangerous eucalyptus groves come down in every storm, damaging stables, fences, and other infrastructure. When the electricity goes out at the ranch, which is often, the water system and pumps go out, and the horse's troughs run dangerously low. Management and maintenance at the ranch has no backup plan, and after long periods of time they finally start to run backup or borrowed generators to get the pumps going. But be ready to haul in your own water, and don't ask any questions. On a regular basis the water that fills the troughs is orange-brown and stinks. When you first start boarding your horse at MBR there is a mandated two to three weeks quarantine period for your horse to be isolated in a tiny pen with no exercise. My horse was forced to stay in a 10x10 stall up to his fetlocks in standing water for two weeks! Everyone kept asking me why I was not allowed to put him in the sanctioned turnout pen for quarantine horses to get some exercise and a break from the mud, since boarders before and after us were allowed to. Kim just kept telling me "no." I wanted to start off on the right foot and be agreeable as a new boarder, so my horse suffered, and got hoof damage! I will always regret that I didn't speak up, that I didn't call San Mateo Co Animal Control to investigate them, and that I stayed at Moss Beach Ranch for such a long time. The owner of the business, Rich, is gone for half the year overseas. All boarders must pay him through unsecure online direct payment services, like Zelle, which our bank won't even deal with. The boarders that stay at the ranch long term have formed a toxic culture of gossip, suspicion, and aggression toward others. Dianne, who is in charge of the Google group boarder communications, is a prime example, and will not stop nosing in to people's lives, and then back stabbing if you politely decline to engage with her immaturity. Lots of bully and control issues at this ranch. Looks pretty on the outside, but an overall toxic culture. Also, ranch workers and other low income folks rent space in dilapidated, substandard trailers on the ranch, no doubt income for the owner.
Pros:
The ranch is in a pretty valley right near the coast, and has direct access to GGNRA trails, which is why we boarded there. But the trails are chocked with weeds, Eucalyptus, Scotch Broom, and Pampas grass - and packed with off leash dogs and mountain bikers. read more