This place is a gem. Bobby has been there ages and always makes certain that our needs are met. I boarded way back in 2013 and always loved it. Then I came back , he's still there and just doing a great job. People complain more than acknowledge so I have to say it's beautiful and people kind of just do their thing. I like that you can come at any time to see your horse. There's been a lot of turn around with managers but Bobby is a great ground keeper and the arenas too notch. It's not cheap but then again you get what you pay for. read more

What a little gem on Camp Pendleton. We absolutely love this place. Ms. Tullí is great with our son. We look forward to coming every week! read more

Pros: The stables are adequate- stalls are roomy and tack rooms hold everything you require for your tack. Easy access to trails. YET, there are cons. I've witnessed a few of the long time boarders (a couple of females) which believe they are the "barn police." Creating tension, drama, and an overall bad vibe. Bully other boarders, drink, smoke weed on site and verbally abuse targeted boarders. Really ruins the experience for some. read more

This place has become my home away from home!! The amenities are wonderful. For being such a large facility, it very rarely feels crowded. The stable has 3 large riding arenas, and the top and bottom arenas can also be used as a large turnout as well. There are 2 round pens with a 3rd being repaired and re-opening soon along with the hot walker. Plus there are miles and miles of trails to access. What I love the most is that you have access to your horse 24/7, sometimes I go to the barn late at night to just hang out with my horse. All the arenas are lighted and other lighting is strategically place for adequate lighting everywhere else. The stable is located on the Marine Base, with the entrance to the facility gated, with access code, so I always feel safe no matter what time of the night or day I am there. The stalls are large 24 x 24 and half of the stall is covered to provide shelter from the sun and rain. But...the big plus is your own 8 x 8 tackroom. It's such a luxury!! The barn also gives you the freedom to self-feed and muck your stall for a lower price, so whether you want full service or you want to do it all yourself, you have that choice. I take lessons and Jaydee is my instructor and she is amazing, her knowledge is endless and I have learned so much from her. Actually, all the instructors are top notch!! Basically I have found that compared to most barns this one is about as drama-free as you are going to get...I have met some wonderful friends here and I am grateful for this barn!! Thanks Stepp Stables for doing such a great job!! read more

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9/2017: our kiddos loved their lessons. The trainers are hot & miss. The prices are extremely reasonable. The horses are very well taken care of from what we've seen. I rode, jumped and trained growing up--I recommend this place so far. I lowered the rating 1 star bc we got a bit of a tude' for being there "on time" instead of early, which was irritating. However, the kids are stoked and eager to go back, so it's not a deterrent. read more

The property is beautiful and there is quite a bit of land. They offer private lessons, boarding, and private party services. Military gets a discounted rate. It's open to the public as well. I find the price to be fair since I have only experienced horseback riding to be extremely expensive. You must book an appointment if you wish to attend a private lesson. The weekends are typically the busiest, so I suggest booking a couple weeks in advance. The horses are loved and well taken care of by the staff. read more

Stepp Stables - this little guy does 5 year old lessons - Horseback Riding Near Me - Oceanside, California

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It could have been so nice...EXCEPT Marabeth and Nicole are not the best people to deal with. They do creative book keeping ... add on fees to your lease and then just take it out of your banking account.(yes It has to be on auto payment). THEN they harass you so much and gossip about you that you end up having a terrible experience there and want to leave. Lessons for children are not safe here either. The trainers have too many kids in the class to keep them safe. A friend of mine had her child in the class and they didn't even check her saddle and it slipped to the horses bellybelly and the kid fell off...it's all on video. If there were different people in the office and different trainers it would be fine... read more

This place NEVER answers the phone! They make it impossible to make reservations. I have been wanting to check this place out but unfortunately the customer service isn't great. read more

Just disappointing... This place has so much potential, and at one point was amazing, but over the years has been poorly managed by staff who do not have the best interest of the stables in mind. There are so many other facilities in the surrounding area that will give you more bang for your buck. read more

Stepp Stables is fantastic! I've taken lessons from Phoenix and she's great; she gives you all the information & correction you need while installing calm confidence (what could be better around horses?) We love to visit with our 3 year old son. You can buy treats & go visit the horses. This makes his entire week. I plan to start him on lessons soon! read more

I love this facility. I keep my horse horse here now and took lessons for 3 years before I bought her. the staff is so experienced and provide help and encouragement. the manager is Marybeth who just recently came to staff. she is not very experienced but the assistant manager is Nicole. she makes up for it. she is very skilled and level headed. the mccs horses here a so friendly and experienced. the boarding stalls are very well kept and roomy. my horse loves the miles and miles of trails. if you are looking for lessons or to board I cannot say two bad things about this place! read more

Stepp Stables - huge turnout arenas - Horseback Riding Near Me - Oceanside, California

This place deserves a recent review and I am happy to offer one up! My hubby and I brought our 7 and 4 year old daughters here for a horseback riding lesson and feeding visit Sunday and loved it. We called Saturday for an appointment not expecting 2 open slots anytime soon but we were surprised to be scheduled for the next day. They were very accommodating and the stables weren't hard to find at all. We entered the back gate to Camp Pendleton and they are located literally about a mile down the road on the right. Prices were super affordable and the employees and volunteers are great. What I liked about this place was how quiet it was and well kept the horse seemed to be. From some of these old reviews you would expect to go there and see horse poop all over the place but it was actually not that way at all. Of course there was the occasional "load"but that's to be expected and my family actually went home with dusty but poop free boots and sneakers. My older daughter's lesson was an hour long and her instructors name Ms. Tionne I believe I wish I remembered exactly because she was awesome. She didn't mind me "shadowing "as long as I wasn't in the way and I suggest this as a parent instead of being right next to your kid it's distracting. She was thorough and informative but kid friendly at the same time. I like that my daughter was taught how to prepare the horse for riding and how to check for general care. Then rode to an obstacle course and even got a feel for trotting. My 4 year old rode for 15 mins (which was fitting) with a different instructor and Dad next to her. She rode to the obstacle course and returned to the stables. Horses had great temperaments and none of us got nipped while feeding them apples and carrots. DO wear old shoes or boots, bring your hat, carrots and or apples for horses, sunglasses, favorite water bottle, and wear sunscreen there's not much shade. This place is a gem and we will be returning. Thanks employees and volunteers at Stepp Stables you should be proud read more

Stepp Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Oceanside, California

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This facility is amazing!the staff Is great! I have been doing lessons for a whole now with Nicole Roberts she is amazing! There is nothing bad I can think of about this stable. I lease a horse named comet! Some people think the board is expensive but it really isn't compared to most stables around here! There is three big arenas 3 round pens and a inside round pen! The trails are gorgeous! The trainers are very saficticated! The manger dose not have much expierence but the assistant manager is really good at what she does! I recommend this stables for kids even adults! The stable horses are so good! I can't name one that is bad! The barn takes very good care for them! This stables is awesome I go every single day!!! read more

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Over the past 6 years, I've been at various time a lesson patron, a volunteer, an employee, and am a current boarder at the facilty, so I've seen a lot from many perspectives. The good: the current employees and most of the boarders are great! And with 100 boarding stalls, 20-ish government-owned lesson and trail horses, three large arenas, three round pens, miles of trails, and 24- hour access to your horse, there is unbeatable potential here! Good community, and okay (though not unbeatable) prices if you are military. As a boarder At Stepp, they allow you to clean your own stall and feed your horse, yourself, in order to save on board, which is unusual in the area and saves my family about $200 monthly. If you need full care (i.e. Daily feeding, supplements, and cleaning) however, you aren't really going to save any money here when compared to other places in the area. The bad part: this is a Marine Corps Community Services- run facility. MCCS is really "WalMart" in many ways. It claims to exist to serve the Marine Corps, but at the end of the day, the Marines it is most concerned about are the completely uninvolved, retired ones working for MCCS in management running the corporation from behind a desk. More significantly, there is a core group of retired officers boarding here that might as well run the place, because when the active duty folks inevitably PCS, the retirees will remain, and a reliable source of cash trumps the right call every time! The facility caters to them, often at the expense of other patrons. For example, my active-duty husband once arrived at the facility on the way home from work at the MEF to find our two daughters cowering, afraid and tearful, in our tack room. At the ages of eleven and twelve, they'd just been physically confronted and verbally assaulted by a couple of particularly nasty women who board here and had issues with me while I was formerly employed at the facility. (Ironically, I was warned about these women on my first day on the job. They've apparently made a habit of "running off" people they don't like.) Anyway, the kids were cowering, in tears, in the tack room: It's a really nice, 6 foot square, private tack room and perfect for cowering, if one needs a place to do so, but I think that's a poor use for such a lovely space, and I digress! One of the women had taken video footage of my two children as they were riding and then, as they were leaving the arena, the two verbally assaulted my daughters, asking why they were at the facility alone, and accused their young adult, male companion (who happened to be the owner of the horse we were leasing at the time) of being a pedophile and a pervert! Within hours, my husband and I threatened to file a restraining order against one of the women in particular, and yet she continues (to this day) to earn a comfortable living cleaning stalls and providing various other services at the facility (under the table, of course, as she is not contracted by MCCS and this goes completely against marine corps orders and base regulations of all sorts) because a couple of retired officers who pay for her services spoke up for her when MCCS management inquired into her actions and made moves to have her and her horse removed from the property. If you are a young active duty family and think this is a family-friendly facility, you may be in for a rude awakening unless you are prepared to be hyper vigilant and rock the boat! However, if you can keep in mind that some things (ie people) aren't going to change and keep an eye on those things (and people), this is a good place to be! read more

I do not have a horse at Stepp Stables, nor have I taken advantage of their lessons or trail rides (yet). I do, however, volunteer every weekend with my husband. It is the highlight of our week. The staff is extremely friendly and always thankful for all we do, even on days that we get lazy and leave earlier than usual. They always have something that can be done, whether it is simply scooping up some poop (always needed) or grooming one of their sweet horses (Jerry gets 5 stars just for being himself). Overall, it is just a great place to volunteer, whether you are young or old or somewhere in between, on your own, or with a big group. Most of the base stables have disappeared, and I hope this one sticks around for a long time to come. Make a visit. It is worth it! read more

These stables are so wonderful. Great amenities and your own large rack room. The trails are gorgeous and the facility is well kept. I hate to think of leaving because now I hold high standards from this barn. read more

I'm one of the volunteers at stepp stables and I'm very impressed. Their horses are very well mannered and most of them are great with kids! Candy is my absolute favorite! I love helping the little ones groom and tack up the horse when doing a teeny or tiny tot! It's so awesome seeing them learn and having that drive for horses grow! Their instructors are amazing and I'm definitely learning a whole bunch! Especially with Rozlyn. They definitely set you up for success. Also Taylor is the first person you see when you walk in to sign in or sign up for lessons, trail rides, etc. she always has a smile on her face and a really sweet accent. Everyone is super nice there and makes you feel at home! It's an amazing quality to have especially at a ranch. Overall I've had a great 2 years with stepp stables and I can't wait for more to come! I get to think of moving but if I ever do then stepp stables has set the bar and my standards very high! read more

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its just SOOO expensive!!! Especially for us military families who don't get paid much in the first place in less your a sergeant or above. It would be nice if they lowered the price down a little id go riding there but $55 for a one hour trail ride i don't think soo... read more

Convenient for those that live on or near base but kinda pricey for full care. Better if you're able to care for your horse daily without the restraints of a normal working schedule. read more

This is a wonderful place to go riding in Oceanside! They have miles and miles of trails, the guides are friendly but do not talk your ear off the entire ride, the horses are solid and well behaved and they actually let you ride at any pace you feel comfortable at, i.e., you get to do more than just a boring walk. They also offer classes! They are located on base, but just recently became open to the public. read more

Stepp Stables is unbeatable in the area! Boasting incredible trails, where you can see white tipped mountains to a nice ocean glimpse. There are two large areas to ride, called Juliette (the stable side) and Lima. At Lima, the Golf Course side, Mulligan's Grill welcomes equestrians to eat a delicious, well priced meal there. The stables are impeccable with huge 24X24 pens, with 5 railings and half covered, like aware motel with two sided shelters. It is truly a luxury to board your horse here. It comes with a very spacious tack shed. Free trailer parking, too! There is a lot pasture for horse boarding, as well, a pasture to turn your horse out, and turns outs in two of the huge arenas. Guests are welcome to board over in the quarantine pens and there are also lay over box stalls available. There are 3 huge, and I mean HUGE, lighted, well groomed arenas and 3 great round pens, and, so lovely for rain or shine, even one covered round pen. An obstacle course is also fun, and of course, the trails are extensive and beautiful. You will definitely see some wild life! Parking is easy! Either park in the nice lot as you drive in through the gate, or near you pen in isle by berm. There are many wash racks and other accommodations, which includes restrooms with a shower. Management is at it's best! The stables are run smoothly to accommodate military and civilian boarders and also those seeking lessons from tots to jumping and Western and Dressage and English disciplines. Trail rides are scheduled and go out with experienced trail guides. The wonderful workers who maintain the impeccable stable grounds are unsurpassed and keep the stables looking top notch and are very competent. They really do go above and beyond to ensure the arenas are groomed and all is taken care of. It truly is a gem to board here and you won't ever want to leave. In fact, the ones who do locally ALWAYS come back. Speaking from personal experience! Just can't compete with the facility, horses, friends, management, and the vast trail system. There is a waiting list, so put your name on it! Best boarding facility with one goal: happy horse, happy human! Not many rules, but safety and well being of the horses at the core. The stable manager is always working hard and is genuinely kind and greets you with a smile. All is handled very fairly and in a timely matter. Not privately owned, which takes the BS right outta there, all is chill at Stepp for a boarding facility. Dog friendly and very welcome on a leash. You can see your horse anytime and even camp out if you wish! I can go on and on about how fantastic this stable is! Two thumbs up and having boarded 13 years at Stepp and then almost 2 years at a cute, little nearby ranch, which was also great, but a tiny loop to ride, that after a year the park really starts to shrink quite a bit, especially in comparison to the vast area Camp Pendleton offers, and well, a little petty hen pecking with majority of boarders at the little ranch there being middle aged women. Yup. Need I say more? Two words: chicken coop. And, don't you agree that you spend too much money to enjoy your time to just have fun with your horse and horse peeps? No time for the back pecking? Head on over to Stepp Stables!! There is a wonderful mixed array of families and all age groups at Stepp, friendly folk, so it makes for a very fun atmosphere. Can't beat or compete with Stepp Stables! Take a tour, grab a brochure, and hope to have you join the fun at the happiest place on earth, never mind Disneyland; it's Stepp Stables! Hands down, Stepp Stables is home for my beloved palomino paint mare, Gracie. She loves her awesome, roomy digs & friendly horse neighbors. We feel it is a major luxury and a privilege to board at beautiful Stepp Stables. Love it! You will, too! Not to mention Sargeant Reckles, the hero war horse mare has a plaque and is laid to rest at the stables. We truly are blessed to have Stepp Stables and be a part of its history. read more