I recently spent 6 months in the area and took lessons with Maaike - she was absolutely incredible!…read moreFrom the very first lesson, I felt welcomed and supported. Maaike is not only super friendly but also incredibly knowledgeable, with a deep passion for horses and helping riders of all levels improve at the pace and style of learning that is right for them. As someone who had taken lessons as a child but not ridden in 20+ years, I was matched with her lesson horses, which were the sweetest, most patient horses you could imagine. The bar is now very high for the future horses in my life! Her style of teaching, way she explains things, and how she structures the lessons is awesome. I gained so much more confidence in the saddle and reaffirmed my love of riding. I looked forward to being challenged every lesson and having those breakthrough moments of conquering something new. Safety is obviously top priority with riding, and I always felt completely at ease in Maaike's care. She has an incredible ability to read each horse's temperament and energy, and if she ever sensed that one might be having an off morning, she'd quickly adjust to make sure you were set up for a great ride. Watching her work with more experienced riders on their own horses, it's clear that her expertise is respected by everyone at the barn, and her clients and their families adore her. The barn itself is beautiful and well-kept, and the community of riders there is warm and welcoming. It's a place where people genuinely love their horses and the time they spend with them. Since moving away, I honestly miss my rides with Maaike so much, and I'm looking forward to visiting again in the future. I honestly can't recommend her enough!

We cannot say enough wonderful things about Maaike. My daughter has been training with her for a…read morefew years and has grown immensely in both confidence and horsemanship. She now rides Western, English, and is even jumping courses. Maaike is consistently positive and encouraging, with a deep understanding of new riders. She ensures that each rider progresses at their own pace, making the entire experience enjoyable and supportive.

I've been meaning to write this review for a long time but life has a way of getting away from you…read more I took two blocks of lessons with All Seasons Horse Riding and their team is phenomenal. I had and rode horses as a kid but it had been a good 20 years since my last ride and I'd lost all the skills and confidence I once had. All Seasons helped me build that confidence right back up. The instructors are extremely knowledgeable, patient and approachable. Every lesson there seriously felt like therapy. Just being around the horses, the kind folks and learning without a ton of pressure was always so nice. They make it a point to end each session on a high note - it's good for the horses and for you as a rider. During extra hot or rainy days, sometimes the riding lessons would be canceled but more often than not, the lesson would just be horsemanship and/or groundwork. I know some people only want the riding parts of the lessons but having instructors that can teach you the horsemanship and groundwork techniques is invaluable. You build so much more skill and appreciation for the horses that way. It allows you to actually foster relationships with the horses too. I enjoyed that aspect so much that sometimes I'd request those lessons even if the weather was good to ride. I had to take a break due to my own budget constraints but i will be back! The lessons are absolutely fairly priced and worth every dollar.

All Seasons Horse Riding is an incredible place to practice and learn horse riding skills! The…read moreteachers are unbelievably kind and friendly and they'll help your kid learn and grow from their experiences! The owner Julie is incredibly responsive. All seasons takes riders of all ages -- my child takes classes regularly, but I took just one class, and it was amazing. It's a great vibe: about learning, building skills, & challenging riders without being uber competitive. There is an emphasis on fun and building self-confidence that I see pay off for my kiddo in life, beyond horse classes.

My 2 daughters have been with Horizons East for over 3 years. They had gone from riding academy to…read morecompetitive training riders, and each of them has grown beautifully as a rider as well as a person. Here is why.. First, the coaches are skillful and caring. Not only their priority is always safety, but also encouraging riders to properly care for the horses. They pay attention to each individual rider's skill and help them progress. This sport is physically and mentally challenging. My girls have had their struggles, but the coaches have been patient, guiding them through, and gone above and beyond to help them succeed. My girls have grown their confidence and learned their ways to cope and push through their challenges. I truly appreciate and respect them. Thanks to Sam, Barbara, Dacota, Nikki, Shannon, Tiffany, Heather, Rena, and Terri! Second, HZE has different levels of horses that fit the riders' skill, from a beginner to advanced rider who want to lease or own a horse. The horses are in good care and Sam is very knowledgeable and attentive when it comes to horses' well being. They also have IEA team, and are very experience at horse shows. Last, but not least, HZE has a very friendly and relaxed environment. My girls enjoy spending time with their friends at the barn and help out with what they can. Advanced riders are always willing to help, so are their parents. They have flexible schedule, no weekly fixed schedule required, and very accommodating to reasonable changes.

I had some plans for my daughter's 11th birthday that got cancelled last minute so I was looking…read morefor the next best thing that my daughter would enjoy, riding a horse. It was Saturday and I needed the plans for Sunday. I was really praying for someone to make her birthday memorable. I called over 20 places with no luck. I received a callback from Horizons and she gave me hope. She really wanted to do something to make it happen and she did! We were able to visit the Ranch, learn so much from an Amazing team. Tiffany is very knowledgeable and friendly. She was able to help us feel comfortable around the horses as this was our first time. Her ability to involve us in caring for the horses so we feel more confident allowed my kids to enjoy their joy ride on them. This was very memorable for all of us, especially my daughter who loves horses. Thank you to the Horizon team! You guys do such great work !

I had the opportunity to take my daughter and her friends to Pereira Ranch for a bday lesson with…read moretrainers Sara and Rachel. They were AWESOME!!! So friendly, talkative, provided so much information regarding the behaviors of horses and overall provided a GREAT experience! The facility was well maintained and the horses were all well behaved. I would highly recommend this ranch

One of the better boarding ranches I've been to. Friendly, helpful staff that goes out of their…read moreway to be helpful. Trails into the Mt Diablo foothills are scenic and take you to great views of the surrounding area. The arenas and round pens are well maintained and free of hazards. Storage for Tack and stuff is available. A large animal vet lives nearby and is available plus a clinic for shots and deworming is scheduled about every six months.

Words cannot describe how amazing Julie is as a riding instructor. Her teaching style is tailored…read moreto each rider; there's no set deadline or timing. That's what I loved most about her program-- she truly personalizes her lessons to fit your progress. One of her best skills is that she is acutely in tune with your form, comfort level, and confidence. She is so good at understanding how the human body interacts with the horse so when you're learning the fundamentals, you're learning it from an almost anatomical perspective. I originally started out at a different equestrian center but the instructor there made me feel anxious and unsure every time. I carried a lot of that over to Julie's lessons where I had to unlearn a lot of bad habits. In my almost year of riding under her guidance, I've learned proper techniques and gained back my confidence. Julie has the innate ability to make you feel safe and secure when riding. I love that she teaches to build confidence so you can master the technical skills. If you are ever thinking about horseback riding but scared to try it, get a lesson with Julie. An instructor like her is one of a kind.

I've been a client of Julie's for over 7 years and would recommend it to anyone! Julie teaches her…read moreriders in a safe and effective way while customizing each lesson to you and your horse. She is more then willing to help with special needs and lives on the property, so your horses are never out of her care. I have a crazy schedule and she is always able to fit my lessons in - even if they're at 8pm. Not to mention Creek Hill is a drama free, fun barn - something that is hard to find in the equestrian world!! A true hidden gem!

Sent a message, left a voicemail, and haven't heard from…read morethem after days. Disappointing to see discrimination against customers in California. UPDATE: As you can see below, the owner reached out 6 months after my review, claiming that they didn't receive my message. I still have their 2450 number recorded on my phone. What a disappointing series of decisions in customer relations.

My son has great time at the summer camp. They teach the kid how to prep and ride the horse…read moreproperly. It also give them some education about horse. Annika was great with kid. There are some art and craft. (paint the horseshoe and drawing of horse) The location was nice with cover arena. It is nice at the summer. It is good introductory for young kid to get into horseback riding.

My 4 1/2 yr old horse obsessed daughter has been taking lessons here for the past 2 months and is…read moreabsolutely in her element!! She has trained with both Lucy and Jen who are great with her. They not only teach riding technique, but expect the riders to help with grooming and tacking the horse. My daughter is thriving here and practices "posting" at home. They're also very good about safety- the helmet I bought my daughter didn't fit right and they took the time to adjust and fit it, and finally ended up letting her borrow one they had until I can get to the store and get a proper fitting helmet. As a momma who knows nothing about horses, I am more than appreciative. I bring along my 1 yr old to the lessons, and everyone at the ranch is very kind and welcoming.

I've been riding at Highland since September 2012. Highland has amazing instructors (Jen, Lucy and…read moreSarah) who can teach using a number of styles, techniques and disciplines within the English style of riding. I started out riding their sweetest school horse (Star) and now riding an Advanced level Selle Francais Warmblood (Leya, who was on track to go to the eventing Olympics, and is owned by the barn owner, Sarah), competing consecutively is meter classes at A-rated shows this past summer. I even now own a German Riding Pony that I've been training, and he has the best cute and quirky little personality. Highland has a great atmosphere and some of my closest friends have been made there. Everyone I've ever met at Highland has been kind and friendly, and (something very helpful when you first start out riding or at a new barn) always ready to help. There is always someone around, whether it be an instructor or another student, who is willing to help with whatever you need help with. The instructors also listen to your goals and try to put you on horses and doing exercises that will bring you closer to your goals. Highland's horses are also amazing, usually a little older but who have had competition experience in the past, so they know what they're doing. All of these horses have great, friendly personalities that make riding even more fun, anywhere from sweet and shy to funny and friendly. Highland also has some goats on property, and when the babies are born (usually every spring or every other spring) they are just so cute to watch grow up, and to play with. I would not be the rider I am today without Highland.

BHE is awesome!!! The staff is great, an indoor arena case it's raining, best barn in Castro…read morevalley!!!!

I recently moved my horse to BHE from a barn in SoCal and I have been so very happy I did! Kate and…read morethe trainers hear TRULY CARE and I can tell how much time they've spent with my horse. My horse has had a chronic problem with white line disease in his hoof and BHE has not only brought in an excellent farrier (shout out to James McCracken!!) but the team has treated his hoof TWICE A DAY! and he's finally on his way to recovery. Like most owners, I just don't have the time to be at the barn every day and I rely upon the team to take care of my horse. I am so grateful to have found a barn that makes a point of giving each horse what it needs (and without upcharging me for every added thing) rather than just tossing some hay in their stalls and leaving the owner to figure out the rest. BHE has an extensive staff of experienced people who work beautifully together and go out of their way to provide the kind of personalized care I would do on my own if I could. I will also ratify what others have said about the atmosphere at BHE. I am relatively new to the horse world but I have definitely experienced the snooty, catty, gossipy behavior that gives it such a bad rap and BHE IS NOT that. Any time I have spent there has been such a pleasure. If you're looking for a barn that will be the "happy place" for both you and your horse, I think you'll enjoy being part of the BHE family.

We came across this location after seeing a flyer at the local Clayton 4th of July Parade. My…read moredaughters have always loved pony rides at fairs, and now that she's gotten too big for ponies, we decided to look into horseback riding lessons. Leigha has been wonderful in helping us get everything set up, and Madison has been amazing with my daughter, patiently showing her the ropes and making every lesson enjoyable. We've had the privilege of attending 10 classes so far, and every single one has been filled with both fun and valuable knowledge. It's been such a positive experience watching my daughter grow in confidence and skills each week. We're so grateful to have found this place!

Our girls love riding at On the Bit! Leigha and Kendall have been amazing instructors. They are…read moreboth knowledgeable, professional, and truly great with the girls. Every lesson is very well organized, safe, and structured, while still being fun and engaging. The girls always look forward to their time with them. We highly recommend!

I went to this place and got the package of four lessons which is 350 dollars, but I had told…read moreMarguerite that I had barely started to even trot at the other place I went to, she ask is I was a beginner and I told her I was over the phone fast forward, when I got there everything was fine but she told me to go to the barn a talk to this lady who was going to give me a helmet and take walk the horse out my mom was with me so she had to sign and release form, but the lady wasn't that nice she wasn't rude but she wasn't very welcoming, the horse had hesitated when walking out of the barn, and the lady told me to look forward and walk but the horse still didn't move eventually he did. We got to the gate of the arena and the horse stopped again, and the lady who had helped me get a helmet in the barn yelled at the horse to move( this is where I started to feel nervous because I felt that I couldn't trust the horse.) Marguerite told me that she could tell I was nervous and that it was ok because she puts little kids on this horse.(I was riding in shoes because my boots that I had gotten didn't come into the mail yet, and I told her that but she said that it was ok) so we kept riding but I was confused because it wasn't Marguerite teaching me it was someone else that and I thought she would because that's what she told me over the phone, which is fine I was just confused...the lady who was walking with me around the arena was nice. The lesson ended and we left. Later that day I told my mom that I didn't want to go back because I felt to uncomfortable there and it didn't feel like a stable system...and the other horse place I went to you would learn to brush and tack up the horse, overall just learn horseman ship but here you don't unless to get there early (she didn't tell me till the second lesson) but we asked for a refund and she refused to give a a refund( she never mentioned that she didn't give refunds) she told me and my mom to take after lesson with the boots so we did but i felt pressured to take this lesson.but she said she would charge 120 for the next lesson and give 110 back is we didn't like it. The next lesson came around and I wasn't in the best mood I felt pressured to take this lesson and I just wasn't in the best mood, I got on the horse ( the same one from the first lesson) and he felt jittery to me and I felt uncomfortable I had a weird gut feeling, so I stopped the horse and told her and my mom that I was uncomfortable and she ask why I couldn't answer at the time because I don't know what to say but she just told me to kept going, I felt confused by her instructions because she never told me if I was doing it right, but we kept walking and I felt more and more uncomfortable the horse was stubborn and was focused on follow Marguerite more...we walking around for a bit more and we stopped and she was telling to to look where to want to go then walk so I did. I don't know what happed after that because it happened so fast but the horse had got spooked by a truck driving on the road a threw me off, I landed on my hip ( I was ok but I'm bruised really bad and can't really lay down or sit without it hurting) I got up and talk out of the arena and I was shaking I don't know what happened after that as my body was in shock from what happened. She proceeded to tell my mom that I'm not ready and it was like talking to a 8 year old ( I'm 17) and that riding probably wasn't for me and that I would have still been on the horse if I kept my back straight, and that I wasn't listening and was hesitant to listening to her( I was confused and she never told me if I was doing something right or wrong.) Please be careful when choosing this place ask a lot of questions, because she tends to leave stuff out.

Overall the experience was okay, I would not recommend using this place if you're looking for…read morequality riding lessons. From the very beginning it seemed like an unfit establishment for our family, but wanted to be optimistic. The trainer provided very poor communication on how to find her place and was late on day one. She immediately jumped into defensive communication any time I asked for clarification. She seems very well established and knowledgeable, unfortunately that doesn't translate into her training with first time riders. Trainings are rushed, but ironically she just sits in a chair disengaged from the trainees. I was shocked as a parent and as someone who has no experience with horses when I was asked to prep the horse for riding. Seems extremely unsafe. Once I communicated that we no longer needed the services she became combative and refused to reimburse for the advanced payment for lessons.