I took some time to type this review as I would never want to negatively impact a company but…read morethought I owed it to the community to share our experience. We recently had a very disappointing and concerning experience with this horseback riding company. Unfortunately, the horses provided for our group did not appear to be properly trained or well-managed. Several of the horses were extremely difficult to control, and their behavior raised serious safety concerns from the start. During the ride, two horses became particularly unruly and ended up bucking, throwing two members of our group off onto the ground. This was a frightening and potentially dangerous situation that could have resulted in serious injury. While we understand that working with animals always carries some risk, this level of behavior suggests a lack of adequate training, supervision, or proper matching of horses to riders. After this negative experience the Owner refused to reimburse us. She offered us a credit to come back and take another ride with them. After this experience, the ladies are terrified to get on another horse. I would strongly encourage the company to review their safety protocols, horse training practices, and staff preparedness to ensure a safer experience for future guests. I leave you all with the horses are beautiful and you can tell they are well taken care but you should be a very experienced rider if you book with this company.

PLEASE READ THIS!!!! I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY. FOR…read moreYOUR SAFTEY TRY ANOTHER HORSE COMPANY WITH BETTER TRAINED HORSES AND A MORE CARING OWNERS. This what I sent to the owner after my other friend send a massage. We were offered some type of credit. There's no way in hell I would ever return here! To top it off... the owner said she replied with an email after several attempts to get her to respond. Nothing! To give you an idea of our experience, I'm being very transparent and showing you what I sent to the owner and her not responding with any type of concern. Good afternoon, My name is Jonnie Thomas, and I was one of the eight riders on the Saturday, April 18th 2:30 PM trail ride with Gabby. I am writing to formally request a full refund for all eight participants due to the unsafe conditions and negligence we experienced during this ride. While we understand that waivers were signed, those waivers do not absolve your business from responsibility when horses are knowingly placed into service in unsafe conditions. Several horses appeared overworked (some reportedly on their third ride of the day), hungry, and agitated--conditions that directly contributed to dangerous and unpredictable behavior. I was assigned the horse Maverick and was explicitly warned about his aggressive tendencies. Despite having prior riding experience, it became immediately clear that this horse was not suitable for a group trail ride. During the ride: * Maverick attempted to buck me off early on. * He later bit Gabby, causing her to bleed. * On the return, he became unresponsive, agitated, and ultimately bucked me off causing myself injury. * He then ran off, spooking the other horses and causing a chain reaction that resulted in two additional riders falling. As a direct result of this incident: * Two riders required medical attention at urgent care. Sprained wrist and CT scan. * Multiple riders experienced significant emotional distress. * The ride became chaotic and unsafe for all participants. It is also concerning that, despite this being described as an "investigation," no one from your organization has contacted the riders involved to obtain firsthand statements. A proper and credible investigation must include the accounts of those directly affected. Given the severity of this incident, we expect: 1 A full refund for all eight riders 2 A prompt and direct response addressing this matter We request a response within 5 business days. If this matter is not resolved promptly, we will be forced to pursue additional steps, including formal complaints and public reviews detailing our experience. We would strongly prefer to resolve this matter professionally and without escalation. Please respond at your earliest convenience. Nothing! The owner is very unprofessional! Be warned! Please go somewhere else. *** I honestly can't believe the responses from this owner and Gabby!!!! Gabby was in the front so did not see the craziness that happened in the back. I have 8 girls saw Gabby get bit, so for her to deny she was bit is wild to me. 2 of our girls went to the hospital and yes, in fact had injuries. I wish I could upload our hospital paperwork. For the record, everyone wore a helmet. We were hesitant because of the nastiness and conditions of the helmet. Maverick should've never been taking out. Plain and simple! At this point I'm fighting for the principle of the outcome. I don't even care about the refund anymore. It's clear that the owner isn't going to give it and just continues to lie to protect her company, including her wrangler Gabby. Very disappointed! But this review is to warn the public! So many other options. I typically leave only POSITIVE reviews but I can't with this company.

We had the most magical experience at Poway Horse Party. I came two days in a row, and I truly…read morecannot say enough good things. Jen is the absolute sweetest. You can feel how much she genuinely cares about every child and parent who comes through. She made everything feel so thoughtful, intentional, and special for the kids. Every little detail felt considered, and it created such a warm, welcoming environment. All of the animals are clearly so loved and well cared for, which made the experience even more meaningful. You can tell this isn't just something she runs, it's something she pours her heart into. The next day, she hosted my group of friends and it was just as incredible. We all had the best time and made the sweetest memories with our babies. It was one of those experiences you wish you could bottle up and relive. We will absolutely be coming back again and again. Truly love, love, love this place.

Stay away! I just called to inquire about Veterans Day camp for my child. The website asks you to…read morecall for neurodivergent kids, we have a very relatively minor speech delay I was concerned would prevent my child from communicating her own needs throughout the day. The owners were both on the call. I asked if I could possibly join to have her safely enjoy the time and was told no because they can't explain to the other kids why my child has her parent there and they don't. I asked if she is really comparing a special needs child to a fully abled one and they didn't seem to understand the opportunity to share how to be inclusive and supportive of kids who need a little extra help. So disappointing as a horse person to see this response from our community. Off to Helen Woodward!

Claire is the Best!! Every child that learns with Claire is very. Very lucky. She has the most…read moreamazing way with children and her horses are wonderful. Her love and bond with her horses is evident. Claire is absolutely the best person to introduce and nurture our children in learning about horses and building a lifelong connection with horses. Each child learns at their own pace.

I love Clare! Her love for these horses and passion to teach kiddos about them is above and beyond…read more My about to be 7 year old goes to Clare's for 3 or so hours once a week to not just ride but CARE for these amazing animals. She brushes them, feeds them and loves them, teaching her about work ethic and connection. Highly recommend the experience with Clare! We have so much love and admiration for this wonderful lady.

My 8 year old daughter has been taking horseback riding lessons here for a couple months. It has…read morebeen her saving grace during the pandemic. As I dropped her off this morning, she uttered the words: "I love this place.". That, in my mind, says it all.

Our daughter really enjoys the laid back atmosphere of this ranch. She took several months of…read moreprivate lessons leading up to summer camp last year, so that she could be proficient in riding. She had 3 different instructors, and they were all great! She enjoyed riding the ponies and larger horses, including learning about how to take care of them. The other barn animals (ducks, dogs, chickens, pigs,etc) are pluses as well. Our daughter begged to go back to camp again this Spring Break and looks forward to summer camp again this year.

I have been at Rancho El Camino in Del Mar for over 23 years and have watched the management and…read morecommunication decline quite a bit, so I'm looking for a new barn. Came out to this barn today and I was really impressed with the health of the horses, the property, people, the trails the location, everything was really inviting. Looking forward to learning more. Going to check out a few more.

The trails are amazing! Super easy access. Good footing in the arenas and the stalls are very…read morelarge. Friendly, drama free atmosphere. Large tack sheds are reasonably priced, and the hay is good quality. My horse and I are very happy here!

This is a bit of an overdue review, but I had such an amazing time horseback riding! I hadn't…read moreridden since I was about 5 years old, so I was definitely a little nervous going into it. I'm not sure it's exactly like riding a bike--but Karen made me feel completely at ease from the start. Kiwi, my horse, was incredibly patient and gentle with me. I swear she knew I needed a little extra TLC! It made the whole experience so enjoyable and stress-free. I even got to do a tiny bit of trotting, which was such a fun bonus. Overall, it was such a great experience, and I would absolutely recommend this place to anyone looking to try horseback riding or get back into it!

We've been here a few different occasions already, and each time has been a special experience! My…read moredaughter first visited when she was 3 years old, and now she is 6, and still loves it. Susie is always very kind and welcoming, and patient with our daughter. She even let us visit the chicken coop, let my daughter pick a few eggs and feed the chickens just for fun. The animals on the farm are all so sweet and calm too. We're very thankful for this business, great memories made here!

Awesome polo instruction from a very experienced horse woman. Also all the people involved are…read moreextremely friendly and nice which is not always true at some barns! My kids are having so much fun and increasing their horsemanship skills at the same time.

From the owner: We are a by appointment only general horsemanship and polo lessons. Horse rental for polo practice…read moreand tournaments also available. Barrel Racing and Gymkhana events are used for training purposes. Children and Adults welcome.

Had a great trail ride on 2/11/2025. Kaity was very helpful, knowledgeable and had a great…read morepersonality. It's been about 15 years since I've been on a horse and she made it very comfortable and easy for me. I ended up being the only rider at that time frame so I got a personal experience and was a great and enjoyable ride. I rode Maverick and he was very well behaved. Had a great time and will definitely get back sometime for a ride. Thanks again!!

My bf surprised me on my first horseback riding adventure. This was such an incredible experience!…read moreI was very nervous at first and Ernesto did a fantastic job at explaining everything and making me feel extremely comfortable. This was a beautiful route and so relaxing. The scenery was gorgeous and we got lucky and were the only two on the ride. Hats off again to Ernesto, he made the whole experience so much fun! He made us laugh, and taught us all about the horses. I rode Cadillac who made me feel like a pro by doing most of the work haha. I would love to do this again and would recommend to this to newbies and beginners, and also more experienced riders. 10/10!

Taking riding lessons with Kirsten and she is awesome. Professional, patient, makes it fun and…read moreeducational. Loving every minute of it!

I looked at several facilities for a summer camp for my daughter. This place seemed to have…read moreeverything we were looking for at a reasonable rate so we signed her up. She absolutely LOVED the camp. It was really easy-going, professional, and fun. By the end of the week my daughter's riding skills had really exceeded my expectations. My daughter knew the names of the horses, said good morning and good bye to them daily, and just really really really enjoyed herself. We may look into lessons in the future, depending on her schedule. She truly loves the environment, the horses and the staff.

My daughter and I spent our Sunday afternoon with Poway Valley Vaulters and thoroughly enjoyed…read moreourselves. My 4 year old loved every minute of her new experience and I had a grin from ear to ear! I love the core emphasis of vaulting, becoming one with the horse. I would refer this group to anyone wanting horse lessons, it provides you with fundamentals and you'll basically be much more aware of yourself and the horse where otherwise you might not have both.

Originally, I was going to have my daughters try out Sara's vaulting program, but she convinced me…read morethat I should also try it. We all loved how safe, comfortable and fun Sara made the class. She has a very positive energy that really helps with the confidence needed to perform some of the basic vaulting maneuvers. She also identified our own physical level and encouraged us to meet our individual abilities. I would highly recommend Sara and her vaulting program.