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    Retama Park

    3.1 (53 reviews)

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    The next event

    Absolutely incredible! We went to the camel and ostrich races .. and have just purchased tickets for another event!! I had the best customer service employee Darla help set up our next event!! What an incredible individual and service!! Darla you are amazing and we thank you for making the event effortless .. You ma'am are wonderful and we can't thank you enough for your help; and providing such easy and kind service!! thank you so incredibly much!! Shay H

    Camel races
    Holly S.

    Originally, I came to see the camels and ostriches race. But what fun to bet on these noble steeds! I bet on "Paint me a Sinner" because it rhymed with winner (don't laugh at my logic) and won! I like the fact you have the choice of betting on first place or best of show (making 1st -3rd place). This gives you better odds if you're a Nervous Nelly like me. Unfortunately, the lines get long for food, and many options run out fast. So best to arrive early. We waited for almost an hour, and when we got to the cashier our only option was hot dogs. I enjoyed meeting the racers and petting the horses after the races. Overall, this place is pretty fun when it's not terribly hot. Be prepared for dirt in your face when it's windy, and always bet on the name that rhymes with winner.

    Joseph D.

    So I got to say before I start saying anything, I have literally never been to any sort of horse track/dog track or anything like that before in my life so I have nothing to compare it to LOL I have to say though, for only $7 entry fee, this was an absolute blast! There were three levels to choose from the lowest being right where the horses are, what you're allowed to go up view the horses beforehand and also stand right at the rails where the track is. The second level has multiple machines to enter your bet if you're into gambling as well as an indoor and outdoor mezzanine to sit and watch the races from. I didn't actually go to the third floor so I'm not really sure what that's like. I can absolutely agree with everyone that said it smells like an old bus station or it looks like an old bus station LOL they are in the middle of renovating but the second floor definitely smelled like old stale cigarettes and felt kind of weird and dreary. However once you got outside it was an absolutely beautiful experience to view all of Selma/cibolo as well as the beautiful race track. I personally feel like you can't miss out on a night here especially at only $7 to get in. Definitely a fun way to start a Friday or Saturday night especially if you have family. The bets on horses started just one dollar and of course go up to crazy amounts. We just did $5 bets on each race So total we spent about $37 but some of us actually made some money back winning the races. I feel like it is a great thing to do so Just sit back relax and enjoy the horse races.

    Shot of the grand stand.
    Brent L.

    QUICK TIP for Selma residents - free parking and free admission if you present your driver's license. Very nice facilities but after my experience at one of the very first 50 cent Fridays years ago, I deliberately skip those (even though they're on Saturdays now). At the first 50 cent Friday parking, hot dogs, admission, and beer were all 50 cents. However, the lines were long and the only beer that was 50 cents was Miller Lite on draft - you had no choice and it was served in pretty small cups. The lines were TERRIBLE. I think things have changed since then but I don't want to take the chance and would rather go on another night. Even on regular nights, the food and beer are reasonably priced - more like the prices found in a local neighborhood bar (remember, they want you to spend your money on the horses!). This is a really cool live event to take the family to and the price is much more affordable than a Spurs game or an NFL game. Provided you don't spend too much at the betting window of course. LOL. :) The place does a decent amount of business but on regular nights is not packed to the gills like other live events - you can even bring your kids right up to the rail so they can see the horses up close - very cool! The only complaint I have is that they do not do a good job advertising their live racing seasons - you usually can't even find that info on their website - I hope someone from Retama is reading this! :)

    Christmas lights at Retama Park
    Joshua L.

    Comments are most welcome and appreciated I normally only review restaurants but there is food served at this establishment and I was there so I figured I would give my opinion on Retama Park San Antonio. so right off the bat I would like to say that I don't have a lot to compare it to as I've only ever visited the one RaceTrac however my review is not really pertaining to the horses, the races or the gambling, my review is more aimed towards the food that was served, the cleanliness and the staff. with that said the food we have eaten at retama is decent...I guess the better options are when they have food trucks on premises for your food needs when visiting retama however we did have a nice soft pretzel. as far as cleanliness goes I'm not sure if they understand the word, I realize that the amount of people that come through make it impossible or nearly impossible to keep things clean and sanitary but the restrooms smell like urine 24/7 And clogged toilets usually go unattended. the staff is fairly friendly I mean you don't really come in contact with anyone unless you're ordering food or gambling but the few interactions that I have had with employees have been Pleasant. keep in mind when reading this that Retama Park is a very large theme park size facility that I imagine can be hard to maintain and manage with the amount of people that come through on the weekends. Why 3 stars and not 4: I miss 50 Cent Fridays... Just kidding I mean I do miss 50 Cent Fridays but the reason I'm giving them 3 stars is mainly cleanliness issues with the facility. If my review was helpful in any way and/or you enjoy reading my content please help encourage my continued use of yelp by leaving comments as they are most appreciated and welcome *Poor *Decent *Good *great *Best *JLFoodie Certified Food. Decent Service. Good Cleanliness. poor Value. good I realize I'm a food snob, I eat out regularly some weeks 3 to 4 times which in my opinion makes me a bit of an expert on food, service, quality etc. I say it how I see it and I usually will give restaurants at least three chances before I give up on them and in some cases after some time has past I revisit the restaurants to see if anything is changed and my reviews reflect that change.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Retama Park

    Review Highlights - Retama Park

    Keep in mind Retama (like other facilities trying to survive in this country) changes their live racing seasons often.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Stricker Trail  Rides - Fun day.

    Stricker Trail Rides

    4.8(15 reviews)
    32.7 mi

    Its been nearly 6 months since I last got a chance to stop on by sticker trails due to my tight…read moreschedule and to this very day I still think back to what an incredible experience it was. The horses were very tame, gentle, and accommodating to the riders comfortability and experience. Both gentlemen directing the trail ride added to the experience with their down to earth and personable approach throughout, establishing a welcoming environment for each and every person attending. I cant say enough about this hidden gem, its something everyone should experience themselves to get the full aura of

    This was a great trail ride. One hour is perfect if you haven't been on a horse in a while. We…read morehad a wonderful time however, the only reason why I don't give it 5 stars is only for my own vain reasons. 1) It would have been nice to be able to get a photo of my wife and I together. Or at least to stop somewhere and get a photo either with us on horse back or holding the horse. 2) Also there are some beautiful areas as you climb the top of the hill. Lots of things to look at, deer trails and the view is beautiful. This would have been nice to have the small group (like we did at the fallen tree) gather at the top to get a few photos. 3) And speaking of vistas one side of the hill over looked an area with homes, some very beautiful homes, however I think, I don't know this for sure, but if we could have gone to the other side of the mountain if just a bit, I'm sure there would have been a beautiful untouched vista. Now I did enjoy the story by the tree but a few (just two maybe) more stops like that to tell about the work being done, the wild life, something and (with his accent and ability to tell a story) it would have been nice to have him gather the group (if more than two) and tell them a story of something historic or just a even a fable regarding that area. Now I can go on forever, but I would have thought a small outpost where riders could unmount and get a drink, feel like they were on a real trail ride. Would have been really cool. But that's not his fault, that's just wishful thinking on my part.

    Photos
    Stricker Trail  Rides - Seattle comes to Texas for Striker Trails

    Seattle comes to Texas for Striker Trails

    Stricker Trail  Rides - Two separate photos would have been nice to have one of us both

    Two separate photos would have been nice to have one of us both

    Stricker Trail  Rides - Some of the horses before the ride

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    Some of the horses before the ride

    Sterling Hunter / Jumpers

    Sterling Hunter / Jumpers

    5.0(2 reviews)
    48.2 mi

    I love Sterling Hunter/Jumpers. Erin is by far the best…read moreinstructor I have had since I started riding again in March of this year. The location is serene, green, always cooler than in town, there's always a breeze. It is a small barn but their focus is lesson students and lesson horses. The horses were great too, the 2 I trained on were sensitive to leg and hand aids. I love that this is truly a lesson barn and that they take great care of their horses and pride in them. The horses were so sweet! I had to stop going due to the heat, schedule conflicts and some body image issues. I plan on going back, Erin is the best teacher, she is really good at what she does, she trains the equestrian teams at Texas State and UT I believe too. Very prestigious. But she is down to earth, approachable, flexible and friendly. I valued that too as there is a lot of snobbery, unprofessionalism and mistreatment of clients and horses in this town too. I loved how Erin cared for her horses and as I client I felt valued too. She taught me so much in the 2 short months I rode at SHJ. I can't wait to go back. This truly is the best barn in Austin and I mean, I rode at 2 other barns and it was no bueno. This place is awesome. A great value, you truly get what you pay for and more. I felt more confident as a rider after riding here, less anxious and more serene. When I go back to riding this will be the barn I will call. If I ever buy a horse this is where I will keep it and if I decide to lease a horse I will lease it from Erin and John her husband. They are real professionals, yet laid back and friendly.

    I took lessons here while in college and loved it. Erin is a wonderful trainer and the lesson…read morehorses are the best. This barn is safe and full of friendly people. If I were a parent I would have no problem leaving my child here for lessons or camp. Lesson prices were fair and Erin is a devoted trainer. She gives you her full attention when you are in the arena and makes the most out of lesson time. I look forward to resuming my lessons once my schedule allows me.

    Photos
    Sterling Hunter / Jumpers - Corgi instructor!

    Corgi instructor!

    Sterling Hunter / Jumpers
    Sterling Hunter / Jumpers - Schooling in the field

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    Schooling in the field

    Bel Canto Farms

    Bel Canto Farms

    3.2(17 reviews)
    41.0 mi

    In all fairness to bel canto farms everybody should learn how to groom a horse excuse me spoiled…read morechildren don't understand horses and what's involved

    I came to Suzanne at Bel Canto as a beginner (I'd only had about 25 western style lessons but was…read moreseeking something more challenging like hunter/jumper). I'd taken lessons at half a dozen stables around Austin with mixed results...VERY MIXED results... the POINT is that after I found Bel Canto, I stopped looking elsewhere. THE FACILITY: There is a large, breezy barn with tack rooms, an office and a restroom. There's an outdoor horse bathing area, loads of shady outdoor horse pens, 3 large and well-maintained riding arenas with jumps etc, a circular lunge pen and acres of pasture where the horses get to run loose. There's even a short but beautiful trail around the front half of the property for a cool-down ride after your lessons. A good portion of my enjoyment of lessons there is just spending time on the farm away from town. I don't know where some of these other reviewers are used to riding... Buckingham Palace perhaps? But where I come from we DO fetch our own horses, groom them, saddle them, ride them, and then hose them down and put them up ourselves. It takes perhaps half an hour and it doesn't count as lesson time - it isn't like you're PAYING to do it (unlike another stable in town if you read my review on THEM). Also, it's a good bonding and learning experience. THE HORSES: Suzanne has a lot of different types and temperaments at her farm, and no matter what your own temperament and skill level, she's got a horse that is just what you need. When you demonstrate a level of skill that warrants moving on to a more sensitive or challenging horse, she will "graduate" you to another horse. I enjoy getting to know them all. THE INSTRUCTORS: I mostly take lessons from Suzanne. I've met a few of the other instructors, but can't speak to their skill aside from saying that if they are there for long, they must be good at what they do. Suzanne would oust anyone who couldn't do a good job. She wants the lessons to be fun AND informative, and she errs on the side of prudence, which is very important to me. I have always found her to be VERY safe, VERY knowledgeable, and VERY easy to be around. I would just like to mention, having read some of the negative reviews, that you take a risk every time you get on a horse - ANY horse, ANYWHERE. There is always, naturally, some danger in horseback riding. At Bel Canto, all of the possible safety precautions are taken. Only the steadiest, most easy-going veteran horses are used for beginners. But just a warning to idiots: a horse is a huge animal, not a theme park ride (I'm talking to you, herniated disc lady). Bel Canto is a great place to learn if you have half a brain. * To reviewer "Patrick": Don't blame the horse if you're weak in the legs. Girly man.

    Photos
    Bel Canto Farms
    Bel Canto Farms
    Bel Canto Farms

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    Golden Vista Equestrian Center - Summer Campers enjoying a relaxing trail.

    Golden Vista Equestrian Center

    1.8(6 reviews)
    52.1 mi

    PROPERTY JUST SOLD AND NEW OWNER immediately started cleaning up and renovating the facility,…read morechanged the stables name to ScissortailHill Equestrian, hired an experienced horse trainer and barn manager and brought in additional horses. Check it out. Grand opening is June 1, 2014 but info and prices on summer horse camps, riding lessons and boarding can already be found at their new website: www.ScissortailHillEquestrian.com. I'm no horse person, but I've known the new owner for close to 30 years, back when we worked together in Austin and before she fell in love with riding. I was in Austin for a law school reunion last weekend and just happened to be in town when she was finalizing the purchase, getting the keys, painting jumps, etc. I crashed their first "work day" and got a grand tour of the trails with the bluebonnets blooming everywhere. It is acreage and a stables worth rescuing, and it has now found its rescuers. I was so impressed with the spirit and dedication and sense of community of the group (horse and human!). Remember any old Yelp reviews from before 4/14/2014 apply to the old owner - everything is run differently now. I'm sure once it's up and running there will be lots of glowing reviews of the new ScissortailHill Equestrian.

    Where should I start... ?…read more Ok the staff is friendly... That concludes the positive portion of my review. Untrained and temperamental thoroughbreds for beginners? Not a good idea... Especially considering that they all look severely underweight. My horse looked more suited for death than lessons - his skeleton was clearly visible. There are lots of retired race horses here. Run down facility, stable floor with a moon-like surface (great for breaking one's ankle). Even if you trust your horse's balance and your own, watch where you walk and wait 'til you're told to shovel urine-soaked feces out of the cratered mud stable floor... Even the owner can't find anything in the tack room. There's a 40,000-volt electric fence they will expect you to unhook (a live wire connected by a little plastic handle) with one hand while holding the lead rope of their ill-mannered horses with the other. They said it was imperative that once we got inside the fence with the horse, that we turn it back around before removing its lead rope so as not to get kicked in the face when the horse gallops away. My girlfriend's horse bolted at top speed the second it entered and she nearly fell into the fence while trying to let it go with the lead rope still on. They did, however, offer us a little twig to help keep the live wire loop in place when re-hooking the live wire door - very thoughtful. The owner is likely to try to up-sell you to a "double lesson" at twice the price so that she can teach you how to groom her horses for her for 100 minutes, leaving you with all of about 10 minutes on the horse, and then demand that you shovel the horse manure that had accumulated during the interminable grooming session. She is also likely to be so distracted with other students (even though they have their OWN instructor) that she will let you make really dangerous mistakes... For instance, after being lectured on how she would be reviewing our grooming techniques, I was inclined to remove a big mud clot from my horses ear, (never a problem with other horses I've worked with before). The horse reared up, breaking his lead rope and knocked me into the wall with more force than an NFL linebacker. The owner's response - "oh, sorry - that is the wrong kind of lead rope, and should never have been there for you to use." Of course, she was standing about 2 feet away from me the whole time to "observe" me. Once we finally made it into the arena and actually got onto our horses, she instructed us not to put our feet in the stirrups or hold the reins. Instead, she told us how we could control the horses using nothing but "energy". We went in circles on lunge lines for about ten minutes trying to get the horses to obey our "energy" and that was the end of our "lesson". The owner did SEEM to have a lot of horse knowledge, but her teaching technique seems insane to me, and her facility is run down and depressing. The horses are untrained and look very unhealthy. The staff is over-solicitous - the text messages trying to get us to come back started almost immediately afterword (I've never had that from other stables). My advice would be to try a stable where SAFETY is a top priority.

    Photos
    Golden Vista Equestrian Center - Campers readying for a trail ride!

    Campers readying for a trail ride!

    Golden Vista Equestrian Center - Campers have theory and riding instruction in a beautiful, cool 100X200  covered arena.

    Campers have theory and riding instruction in a beautiful, cool 100X200 covered arena.

    Golden Vista Equestrian Center - Kid friendly horses!!

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    Kid friendly horses!!

    Retama Park - horseracing - Updated May 2026

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