I've enjoyed my time at this facility. My mare is very happy, I enjoy the community, and I especially appreciate the flexibility this barn has to offer. I am allowed to bring in and store my own food (orchard grass from Higby's) with the standard stall rate and have arranged for fan service for a fee (Matt graciously installed the fan in my mare's stall) so my mare gets TLC when it is hot. The stalls (x-small wood chips covered + matted paddock) are kept very clean, with someone coming to remove manure at least twice a day. It is a busy barn with some boarded horses and a many lesson horses, so it is easy to arrange for someone to help blanket and provide grain to my mare, daily. The owners live at the barn so there is someone keeping an eye on horses 24/7. I have learned so much from my trainer CeCe who has a background in eventing. I feel safe during our sessions, and she takes the fitness level and soundness of my horse into consideration. Pine Trails offers large number of lessons weekdays after school and weekend mornings, so it can become a very busy during these times, but my mare enjoys the higher level of activity at this barn and would be bored otherwise! I generally ride during the late evenings and there are usually at least one or two people out and about for company. During the hot days of summer, there is the option of riding your own horse at the coolest hours of the day. As mentioned before I truly appreciate the flexibility Michelle, the owner, offers. Arena lights are on until 10PM. The footing in the four arenas is sand, crushed walnut shells, or a combination of both, watered once a day and dragged a few times a week. Ivan, a local farrier, is wonderful and comes to the barn every week, so arranging appointments is easy. The barn-cats, dog, geese, ducks, and many other animals are a fun bonus to the experience. read more

My daughter had an amazing time on her first riding lesson here. Meghan was great with her, patient and very informative. She showed her everything from the beginning like brushing, feeding and treating a horse before the actual riding. She honestly exceeded our expectations. We will surely be coming back whenever we're back in Davis. read more

Pine Trails Ranch - Riding lessons - Horseback Riding Near Me - Davis, California

My 4 year old has been taking lessons at pine trails for about 4 months now. His instructor is phenomenal and the horses and facility are well cared for. My son is being challenged while also feeling safe and having fun. read more

I was injured here after being put on a horse that was clearly unsafe and I wasn't given any warning about it. No one told me the horse was reactive, or had obvious issues. I was just expected to get on and deal with it. That's reckless and completely unacceptable. When I got hurt, the owner Michelle didn't even ask if I was okay. Seemed very desperate to hold onto her insurance money. Zero empathy here. The whole facility is a mess. Horses have swollen, cut legs, eyes, and so many serious wounds. Most of them are severely underweight or overweight and yet they're still being used for lessons. The stalls, tack, and grounds are filthy, and the fences and gates are broken or barely held together with wire. It's unsafe for riders and horses alike. There's also zero organization or communication. Horses are shuffled around without any system, schedules don't matter, and it feels like no one is really in charge. The kids riding here are always just standing around looking uncomfortable, no staff seems to care about people here. If you care about safety and basic decency, avoid this place. I left hurt and ignored by people who only care about their own liability, not the wellbeing of their clients or animals. I do not recommend anyone going here to ride, board, work, or take summer camps. Not a positive experience like it claims to be. Just a joke. read more

Cece is so wonderful and patient! My daughter absolutely loves doing her lessons. So happy we found this place! read more

Pine Trails Ranch - Miss Cece giving a lesson - Horseback Riding Near Me - Davis, California

My two daughters took semi private lessons. The facility is ok and staff are friendly however they have a major problem keeping times and managing appointments. You would have to call many times and go back and forth with emails. Expect that when you finally book a lesson, that you would bring your child in on time with no instructor ready. It happened to us in two out of the five lessons we purchased. We had to wait for half an hour for one time .. and an hour for the other! For the two times, I spoke with Michelle.. I said: there should be an efficient way to manage appointments other than this. Michelle replied with no apologies at all: This is it, no other way ! read more

I had a bad experience. Tried to get back into riding after a break. I said I didn't want a spooky horse. Well on my 5th lesson he spooked and I fell off and broke a rib. No one even called to ask if I was ok even though I told them what happened. Don't recommend. read more

Awful summer camp experience. Enrolled in a beginner class and our child and his classmates were forced to clean a gelding's sheath by an UNSUPERVISED 12 yr old boy. Called to complain and the manager was unhelpful and unsympathetic. Absolutely ridiculous. The fact that the response to this review is pure argument and denial is even more concerning. Hopefully any parents reading these reviews will be able to see through such a blatant attempt to cover their hide and avoid liability. read more

As a rider with mostly western experience I was having a very tough time finding a barn that wasn't entirely english within a relatively close driving distance to Sacramento. So far, I have not been at all disappointed with PTR. To be fair, it is still a mostly English barn (I think I may be one of 2 lone western riders...) But as long as the horses are happy and healthy, I don't really mind! Michelle and her staff have been friendly, knowledgable and patient with me. I love the drama free atmosphere and the sincere friendliness of everyone who rides at PTR. Everyone always asks me if I had a nice ride, which I really like. They also offer an extremely affordable leasing program which I am taking advantage of and highly recommend. Since most of the lesson horses here are rescues, it benefits them as well to have a consistent one on one relationship with a human 3x a week. For a mere $420/mo I get to ride 3x a week and enjoy 5 private lessons with one of the many qualified instructors. This gives me the extra time necessary to practice what I've learned in my lessons at my own pace, as well as have all of the pleasures of owning a horse with far less of the responsibility. This is definitely a family friendly place. I've always been of the opinion that horsemanship is great for building confidence and responsibility in little ones, and the kids who hang around PTR definitely support that hypothesis. The children are extremely safety conscious which I feel is a testament to the instructors here. And of course, they love to talk to anyone who will listen about horses! It puts a smile on my face to see so many happy young faces every day :) read more

I love PTR! My horse has been happy and healthy here for a full year, something I can't say about other barns I have tried. It's a relief to be somewhere in which I can trust the expertise and horsemanship of the staff. I frequently recommend this facility to people in the local horse community. :) read more

I have been at PTR for a few time, for that I just started to lease a sweet private-owned horse that boards here. So far I had one lesson with Michelle the owner on lower-level training dressage, and I watched my husband's very first horse back riding here with Karissa. Both are really great lesson experience. Michelle has the very trained eyes for dressage and other disciplines, I believe. She is also very reachable at her Pine Trail Ranch facebook page, which is really a plus in scheduling a lesson or ask questions. For the beginner lesson, I like the way Karissa arranges the context of the lesson, during which she filled a lesson with different practices like two-point through poles and various distances of trotting, according to the riding skill level of the students. She is also very knowledgeable to various questions from the curious beginners. People at the Ranch are super friendly, and the cats are sooooooo sweet! Horses that stay at the pasture have really large space to run around and seem happy. I would recommend this place to take horse back riding lessons. read more

My daughter has taken lessons here since she was 2, all the horses are gentle and the instructors are amazing! Everyone is friendly and helpful. read more

Pine Trails Ranch - Horseback Riding Near Me - Davis, California

Toured PT Ranch in search of boarding due to the many positive reviews.. The owner Michelle struggle to pull a shoe from one of her horses during my tour. When, either due to lack of farrier knowledge or lack of proper shoeing facilities, she became frustrated with the horse and proceeded to kick her mare in the stomach right in front of me. If she'd treat her "rescues" like this during a tour, I'm afraid to wonder how she treats them when eyes aren't watching. I will be boarding elsewhere. read more

Took a lesson with my daughter while on vacation in the area. We both loved it! Fantastic facility with nice horses and experienced staff. Wish we lived closer so we could take more lessons. read more

I worked as a volunteer here for 6 months and all I can say is that it was a very rewarding experience, Michelle is very patient and kind, I can tell she has a great passion for horses and she is very attentive to each one of their needs this is a great place to get some rewarding experience and learn about life on a ranch. read more

I have taken a couple of lessons form Erin at pine trails ranch and I could not have had a better experience. The horses are all amazing and Erin is such a knowledgable and patient instructor. I cannot wait until my next lesson!! read more

My daughter went to one of their summer camps and loved it! She learned not only about riding but everything else involving caring for horses. She can't wait to go back! read more

Pine Trails Ranch is a family-friendly, welcoming facility that emphasizes fun learning and good horsemanship. I have learned so much during my time here, and I have immense appreciation for the flexibility and educational nature of the staff and owners. This business is great for both one time lessons and long term riding, and experienced equestrians may also enjoy the quality boarding/leasing experience. The rescue horses used for lessons love the wide pastures and all of the attention from staff and lessons. Overall, a fantastic place to ride and learn! read more

First visit here. Te staff and the instructors are friendly and know their stuff when it comes to horse back riding lessons. I took my daughter here and it's her 3rd lesson. She knows the basic knowledge when it comes to caring for a horse. The value of horse back riding is okay. I mean they have to make a living and consider the expenses for maintaining the horses. I'm considering in taking adult lessons here. When I find the time, I'll sign up. read more

My daughter began lessons last spring at Pine Trails. Her progress has been great. Great teachers and a laid-back atmosphere.

Great place to ride and take lessons. Caring, knowledgeable and friendly staff. Michelle is always willing to assist in giving guidance both for training and care of the horse. i give it 5 stars. read more

Pine trails is where all horses and children are loved and respected. Summer camp provides a safe introduction to horses to gain theoretical knowledge and practical experiences. Horse handling, washing, tacking, feeding, and riding. The children learn to respect the horse and the skills they will need to develop to create a meaningful relationship with a horse. How to build trust and to become aware of and attentive to its body language. My child started as a summer camper and was drawn-in by the family-like atmosphere and the shared passion for horses leading to riding lessons and eventually to leasing a horse. Transforming from an anxious novice into a confident enthusiastic rider he now spends his spare time at the ranch learning from and interacting with other riders and owners. The riding instructors are professional and teach horsemanship in addition to actual riding. The owner Michelle and staff are experienced, available and friendly, and it's very obvious they simply love the horses. A quick look at the horses living there reveals a lot about the boarding stable- the horses are happy and healthy, the stalls and barn are kept dry and clean, and arenas and pasture are well-maintained. I would highly recommend it for summer camps, riding lessons and boarding. read more

My 7 year old granddaughter took lessons at Pine Trails every spring and fall starting when she was four years old and loved it. Shasta, the horse she rode, was a safe and intuitive horse that would scoot herself under a leaning child to keep her in the saddle. It wasn't long before my granddaughter was posting, then trotting, then trotting with her hands on her hips! She especially loved getting to take the halter to the Shasta's pen and bring her back to be groomed and saddled. I loved the way she was included in the brushing, hoof cleaning and saddling before and after the lesson. Each lesson concluded with a horse-walk around the ranch learning about all the horses we passed. The owner Michelle also offered fun activities included practice horse shows, real horse shows and parties with fun and games. She made sure even the youngest and most inexperienced students had fun and won prizes. I highly recommend this ranch for horseback riding lessons for children! read more

If you're looking for a safe place to learn to ride or have your kids learn to ride--PTR is the place! Because I've moved away and then back again, I've tried out a lot of barns for riding lessons. Very few have a good selection of safe, well-trained lesson horses. PTR owner, Michelle, trains all her horses and they all really like people. My son and I both learned to ride at PTR. Michelle has been so generous with sharing her knowledge and providing guidance and oversight for all the horses on her ranch. Summer camps are affordable and the kids learn so MUCH! After attending horse camp for the first time, my son was HOOKED. I'll never forget how happy he was when I picked him up from the last day of horse camp. He loved it and said "Trotting is like FLYING!" The amazement and wonder and pleasure in his voice--I'll never forget! What a great experience for him! So much better than spending time playing video games or movies and TV. After that first summer camp, we continued on with him taking lessons on a weekly basis, then progressed to half-leasing a horse 3 days per week and finally buying a horse. Watching my son grow in confidence and love for horses created so many great memories. After watching him take lessons for a couple of years, I decided, instead of sitting around watching him, I'd give it a go! I started out with weekly lessons and then went on to leasing and then owning my own horse. At age 40, going from unfit couch-potato to a fit rider was super fun for me! And if you are looking for a well-trained horse to purchase, you can trust Michelle. She has a lot of integrity. Plus, she's just a super-nice, lovely person. I've watched Michelle and her husband, Matt, work so hard to improve their facility over the years and grow their business. Supporting small business owners with this level of hard work, dedication, and generosity is a WIN-WIN for everyone! read more

I've been riding at Pine Trails for over 11 years now and I can't come up with a single bad thing to say. Pine Trails offers a fun, safe, and affordable way to enjoy horses, but in reality it is much more. Pine Trails has a community aspect that I absolutely love. More often than not my "2 hour rides" turn into hours and hours of not just riding, but learning and socializing. Everyone at Pine Trails is friendly, and selflessly cares for all the animals on the ranch- not just their own. And the trainers are always willing to offer help and guidance outside of scheduled lesson times. I can't imagine a better place to ride. read more

I was all excited to attend with a group of 16. boy were we disappointed, staff unoorganized, we werent greeted at all, i think the site of us coming threw these people off, i called to share my concerns with Michelle the instructor and she rebuttled every word. Several people were thrown off horses including off BK and FORd very tempermental, equipment was not on correct for one, rushed training, lapspe of assisantance, please do not go to this place with a group, very bother by the phone call to them after my lesson but they receieved their money from us. no thanks to this place ill take my business elsewhere.. read more

As a middle-aged very new rider I have really appreciated Pine Trails. The environment is relaxed and friendly and there are a variety of very experienced trainers and well trained horses to guide you through the basics. The horses are very well cared for. Highly recommended. read more

In March 2013, I was checking into horse camps for my 8 yo daughter and I found Pine Trails Ranch. I emailed the ranch and got a response within a day. The staff and owner, Michelle are so courteous and accomodating! I was checking about Spring camp, but found out they did not have one scheduled for this year. So I asked about Summer camp. I did let them know I would be very interested in a Spring camp if they had one this year. Next thing I know, within a couple days, I get an email back saying that Michelle, the owner will go ahead and try to set up a Spring camp for my daughter and friends. We only had a couple weeks to get enough kids for class. They usually need about 4 kids for a class. All this while, Michelle is doing this from out of town, on vacation. Her staff would communicate all this stuff with her and then get back to me. I had communitcation with at least 2-3 different instructors keeping me updated. They were all on top of it and wanted to make sure I had my questions and concerns answered. Their follow up was great! This is what I call excellent customer service! They all went way beyond my expectations. Well, in the end, my daughter and her friends had the best experience ever! My daughter learned so much about horses and riding. Each instructor brought different experiences to teach the kids. We are going back for Summer camp! Thank you so much Pine Trails Ranch! Nancy L. read more

Pine Trails is one of the best and most affordable horse barns I've been to. I always take their summer camps which are fun and exciting. They have a variety of horses that are all well trained, well behaved, and adorable!! They are also really organized with their lesson program, and each lesson horse has their own "locker" where their grooming equipment, halters, bridles, and everything else is kept, and it's sized for them so you don't have to mess with all the sizing! I have never had a bad experience there! I highly recommend it for all ages and all levels! read more

I was super excited to find pine Trails for my daughter and her four friends to attend summer camp at. I started calling in February and kept on calling along with my friends to figure out what level our girls fit in because they are on the border of two skill levels. After leaving multiple messages and e-mails and not receiving one reply I am thoroughly disappointed. It is a shame that they can't take five minutes to return a call or email and now have lost four clients and I'm sure plenty of others. read more

Great riding for all ages and abilities! I am a very beginning adult western rider in my 50's and have been taking lessons at PTR for a little over a year. The experience has exceeded my expectations. My instructor Megan is VERY patient and skilled and the owner Michelle is extraordinarily attentive. PTR is terrific with children and all of the horses are well cared for in this safe, friendly environment. If you are looking for a positive riding experience for yourself or your children, I highly recommend PTR. read more

I brought my horse to Pine Trails Ranch and Michelle about 5 years ago when others had given up on her. The problem was I loved my horse. Over the phone, Michelle told me the problem was likely a sore back. After a couple of months of back exercises at home, I dropped off my lovely mare at Pine Trails for a month for training. After the month was up, to my amazement Michelle hopped on her bareback and rode her through her training exercises. Royal followed Michelle around like a puppy dog. I will forever be grateful to Michelle for giving my horse back to me. The two us (Royal and I) take lessons together most of the time. I liken it to the blind leading the blind, but Michelle is patient with us, and it has been a most rewarding relationship. We go to local shows and I have accumulated a wall full of ribbons! I wouldn't have thought I would have gone this far. Thanks to Michelle. read more