When I imagine what a barn should be, Three Horse Farm is exactly what comes to mind. The head…read moretrainer, Lizzy Green, is kind, supportive, talented, and truly cares about her clients. No matter where you are in your riding journey, beginner to advanced, she will bring out the best in you with positive and empathetic coaching. My riding has improved to levels far beyond what I ever thought I could reach. My fellow riders and I cheer each other on and celebrate successes, and support each other through the tough days. We truly have the best barn family ; there's nowhere else I'd rather be!

A friend and I stumbled upon Three Horse Farms after purchasing a Livingsocial.com deal for a 1…read morehour riding lesson-- what luck! Julia (a co-owner of the business) gave us a very informative and fun lesson. She is VERY knowledgeable about horses and as such I always felt safe while we were grooming or riding. I'm so glad we were able to experience riding-- even only for a short while-- with THF. I would love to come back as soon as possible! Thanks Julia!!

FHS and trainer Stephanie Walker are the best. She has created an exceptional environment where the…read morehorses' comfort and happiness are always the priority. She helps all levels of riders realize their full potential in a very unintimidating way. I would highly recommend this barn for boarding, leasing, training, and lessons.

Stephanie Walker at Free Heart Stables is a true horseman. She understands the equine holistically…read moreand teaches her clients from where the horse is at physically and mentally, and always for the good of the horse. My daughter entered into the horse world via typical horseback lesson experience. She received excellent instruction in rider form at a top riding school but she became bored with just jumping on a horse for the purpose of getting through the transitions and jumps while looking good. She craved a deeper bond with her equine partners. So, being a brand new horse person myself, and only to support my daughter from afar, I found Stephanie in a Google search. I figured some horseback lessons that simulated actual horse ownership would cure the bug. I also decided that since this experience would be more than just tacking up the horse and riding, I decided to take lessons too so I could supervise my daughter from the ground. When my daughter first started riding, I wouldn't even pet the horses, and I was the least likely candidate to be a horse owner, that's how resistant I was to this whole horse fever she caught. I thought for sure these true "horsemanship" lessons would end this nonsense. Well, Stephanie didn't cure the horse bug. She made it worse, it was contagious, and I caught it. She stirred a new passion in my daughter and I that opened up a whole new world where horses are now more than a hobby, we have a new lifestyle. Fast forward to today, we are the humble owners of a beautiful, dramatic, and sensitive thoroughbred gelding and Stephanie is our trainer. Forget thinking that this is your typical trainer situation where the expert does the hard work of training your horse and you come out only to ride and experience the fruit of that labor. Stephanie is teaching US how to train our horse. Her lessons involve us in every part of the equine from the how the horse thinks to how the horse moves - on good days and bad days. Some of our best lessons, even when we first started, have been in (and continue to be in) imperfect conditions where we were making mistakes and Stephanie patiently taught us what was going on with the horse mentally, how we created the situation, and how to correct it. She will not do it for you, and she will make you take it slow to do things right. You can do things fast, or you can do them right. Thankfully, she has the patience and calm demeanor of a saint with kids and nervous, newbie, somewhat resistant, older adults. Stephanie just has something special to offer people that is vitally lacking in our fast paced, over tech'd, and over-achieving culture. The character qualities that are being instilled in my daughter (and myself) through this journey is not something the fanciest training barn or most expensive private school could ever teach. It is hard work that teaches you how to slow down, be present, and be teachable. Though the word has lost its meaning, Stephanie is a true natural horseman and she will teach you how to understand and communicate with the horse from the moment you make contact. If you want a truly fulfilling equine partnership that is unlike anything offered at training and lesson barns, contact Stephanie. Your horse will thank you.

Well kept covered arena. Happy , cared for horses…read more Bathrooms (not outhouses ) Easy to access off freeway.

Lone Oak is a great boarding stable. The facility is very clean and quiet. They have several…read morearenas. You will most likely have the arena to yourself. The arenas have great footing. They take pride in the facility and security. The only downside is fall is in the winter time only the covered arena is open sometimes. They do seal the outside arenas. So once the outside arenas dry out they open them back up.

My kids and I love Bellamar! They have riding options that fit us all. I am the competitive type…read morethat needs goals and i am currently working towards my first eventing competition. My 13 year old daughter is enjoying her lessons as well as competing is schooling shows for Hunter/Jumper ,and my almost 8 1/2 year old son enjoys his occasional lessons and spending time at the barn "connecting" with the horses. Liz is an exceptional horse trainer as well as a motivating and effective teacher in the dressage and eventing arena. Edie and Bellamar training assistant Catie, have a solid background in Hunter/Jumper both as competitors and teachers. I love the positive educational enviroment that emphasizes teamwork and responsibilityfor all the young riders. I have greatly enjoyed the friendships I've made with other like-minded animal lovers as well.

I found Bellamar through a groupon deal. Now I wish I found them sooner. It had been ten long…read moreyears since I was last in a saddle, but before that I was an experienced hunter / jumper who rode nearly every day before heading off the college. I have ridden only with Liz, and she is great along with Rey, an accomplished horse in his own right. Bellamar is very low key and friendly. There is none of the snobbishness that can be too often prevalent in the horse world and show barns. Liz is very knowledgeable and is capable of getting you to get the most out of the horse you ride. If you are looking to get back in the saddle, or get started for the first time, please give them a call. Excellent new barn with loads of potential!

I got to know Bright Ranch and the Bright family. They are all caring. I have known them from when…read moreI was 8 years to when I was 19. I did weekly lessons and learned a lot about the horse and riding. I learned how to ride all kinds of horses from green (not fully trained) horses to the competition horses. It was one of the reasons why I became so into horseback riding. I loved Dennis's deep knowledge on horses and how he worked and partnered with the amazing horses he has in the stable. I also learned to work with cows and learned to do advanced techniques over the years. Dennis teaches you that patience helps you a lot around horses. He teaches you to be safe on the ground and in the saddle. Yes, it takes years to learn to horseback ride. It is the same for all sports and even learning instruments. You gotta understand that things take time. I describe horseback riding is like a tree. You learn the basics or the standard skill. Each basic technique you learn branches off to more advanced skills. Also, repetitions are key! Anyway, I recommend Dennis Bright as a caring and acknowledgeable horseback riding mentor. He has the safest horses to ride compared to the other stables I visited. The biggest thing he makes sure is that you the student is safe. Not many horseback riding teachers do this! - Kathryn K.

My 8 year old daughter did a week long summer camp here and I cannot recommend it highly enough!…read moreShe got a horse riding lesson every day, got to brush the horses and help take care of the other animals on the farm, learned about the garden and helped harvest the vegetables... basically every 8 year old's dream! The camp counselors were all so friendly and the owners were so helpful and seemed to genuinely care about the kids learning and having a good summer camp experience. We will definitely be back next summer! I wish we lived close enough to do riding lessons here on a regular basis!

I have had Katie Hoefs Martin as my and my daughter's trainer for nearly 6 years. She is a gifted…read morerider and trainer, with extensive experience in bringing riders and horses along, from totally green to PSG. She has guided us in choosing appropriate horses, and appropriate goals for our training. The atmosphere in Katie's program is very professional, yet very relaxed. Unlike other trainers I evaluated before choosing Katie, she considers riding client's horses part of the job, and her calm, even manner of dealing with training issues is appreciated by client and horse alike. I had worked with several other trainers prior to Katie, so this stood out to me as particularly valuable in a training program. After a thorough interview process, Katie moved her program to Gilroy Gaits, and we have been really happy there and so have our horses. Katie has two veterinarians in her program, and they trust her with the care and training of their horses. She has provided excellent care for all of my horses (3) through a variety of ailments. At Gilroy Gaits, we have an on-site vet clinic, so horses who require care are very closely monitored and the vet works very closely with Katie. She brought my young horse back after OCD surgery, and I went on to enjoy a full show season. Over 5-6 years, with three horses, we've had several occasions to require support from Katie in caring for them, and nothing has ever occurred to suggest that she is anything but competent at following a vet's instructions, including knowing when to involve the vet at any point in a health issue. I find these review forums useful, but occasional they are abused to settle personal vendettas. As the horse involved in a previous review is MY horse, I feel compelled to set the record straight: The accusation in another review that Katie was prosecuted for drugging a horse is completely inaccurate. I was disciplined for not filing the correct paperwork, not for drugging a horse. As my trainer, Katie was subject to fines as well. If you have any doubts about that, read the link. And then interpret the rest of the remarks in the other review with that intentional misrepresentation in mind.

As an adult rider, I am deeply committed to Dressage. It is my passion and I have had some great…read moretrainers, clinicians and horses. In fact my gelding Sebastian is currently being ridden by a member of the US Para Equestrian Team with many championships under her belt. I take the sport of dressage seriously, although I am happily an amature rider. That said, I was thrilled to be introduced to Katie Hoefs Martin at Gilroy Gaits. Her teaching style is kind and supportive, but as challenging as I want it to be. Her vocabulary to help me get what I want to get out of any movements is broad, giving me plenty of ideas of how to achieve what I want to achieve. Most important to me is her approach to the horses which is with love and respect, born from years of experience which can't be learned without hours in the saddle. Katie's style is the same as my longest and most favorite trainer, and I expect to be with her for some time.

PVHC has a wonderful and welcoming staff. My daughter is part of their Saturday morning saddle club…read moreand loves it!! Would highly recommend Pleasant Valley Horse Club!!

My daughter was and is crazy about horses!!!! We found Pleasant Valley Horse Club online and signed…read moreup for lessons. We could not be happier!!! The lesson groups are kept small so each student gets maximum instruction. She loved lesson so much she begged to do summer camp which turned out to be not just 1 week but into repeat sessions because she was having so much!! trail rides, arena games, lunch in the haystacks, horse education, crafts, quad rides ,swimming, the list goes on. Everyday she has come home smiling ,and chatting about the fun things she did. thank you Pleasant Valley Horse Club!!!

Both my husband and I started taking lessons in the fall, and couldn't be happier!…read more Rhonda (the owner & instuctor) is amazing! She breaks down each movement clearly, so whether you are just starting or working on more advanced maneuvers, she passes on her considerable knowledge in a way you'll understand! She teaches adult and kids alike, both English & western disciplines, and even preps students for local shows! I also like that she tailors lessons to each individual .... My husband and I ride during the same time, and she has me focussing on collection & bending, while he is working on his posting trot & his seat at the lope. It's nice that she doesn't overload us during our lesson, too. She'll give us something to work on, explain it & answer questions, and then let us do our thing. (I have had other instructors in the past who barely let me accustomed to a new concept before briskly moving onto the next. I found it hard to build muscle memory or fully grasp what they were teaching.) I felt so at home here, that when I bought my first horse in October, I decided to board him at Big Oak. My little arab is currently in training with Rhonda, and he is shaping up to be a wonderful mount for me! She has taken an introverted, easily spooked, green-ish gelding & given him confidence through training to simply blossom! Now, even with all those evil shiny tarps or scary tumbleweeds, he doesn't bat an eye and keeps focussed on what we're doing! He even moves off my leg now, collects nicely, and keeps a nice head position despite all those scary distractions ;)

If you're looking for lessons, training, or horse boarding get out here. It's a lovely area, Rhonda…read moreHeiner is the trainer and instructor and this woman is great. I've been taking lessons here for about three years now and when I finally get my own beastie I'll make the 20 min drive out there. It's a beautiful area, very woody and clean looking. The people up here are great fun and very friendly and they have a nice range of lesson horses for people from "I've never seen a horse in person" to "I ride championship" So if you're thinking about a lesson or anything take the trip out here, but be sure to call ahead and get the gate code. The property owners aren't happy when they get calls to the house from Rhonda's people.