Great location. Friendly staff and boarders. Love the attention Tyler gives to all the horses and…read moretheir owners. Very easy to communicate with. Honest and upfront every step of the way. He even goes above and beyond to help advocate for the safety of those who ride out to the Open Space trails by communicating with both Open Space and Santa Clara County representatives about the relationship between vehicle vs. equestrian transportation along the street leading into the trailhead. Tyler often works from sun up to sun down. Often working to improve the quality and comfort of the facility. You will find it difficult to come across someone who is harder working or more honest than Tyler! To top it off, it's rare to see him without a smile on his face. Heck, it's rare to see any of the horse owners out at CCR without a smile on their faces! One of the few facilities whose boarders welcome new arrivals with invites to join trail rides, dinner outings, and other extracurricular activities! There's plenty other things to say but there's even more to be experienced in person!

Tyler is never at the ranch. He spends his time on vacation or in Utah. He is not a horse person,…read moreand while he's a charming county boy to the ladies don't let that fool you. He will try to tell you he works his ass off while loading up his 4 wheeler in preperation to leave the ranch for another weekend in a row with no one to keep an eye on the horses, and no way to reach him WHEN something goes wrong. The trainer there is barely an intermediate rider, so if you have a difficult horse, or are serious about riding go elsewhere. The arena also has terrible footing. Drama is the same as any other barn. The trail is nice, but has only one loop trail so it gets old very quickly.

Working with the owner of Ligara Farms has been a treat…read more Susan has a delightful personality, and knows how to get Things done. Her thoughtful approach with her customers comes first and her stables are beautiful and clean. Carolyn Bredsteen

Don't make an appointment, they will cancel you last minute without reasons but they require you…read morecancel your appointment 24 hours ahead. No customer service available, no response with emails. Not a good business attitude.

While I've spent plenty of time petting horses and have done my fair share of trail rides, this was…read moremy first formal lesson. From the start, I was struck by how exceptionally clean and well cared for the horses were--this family-run business clearly treats them as part of the family. Because of that level of care, I'd especially recommend this barn to anyone with allergies or health sensitivities who might otherwise hesitate to be around horses. Before riding, I learned some fascinating insights about horse psychology and the equestrian world. Then came my first lesson on Rose. Johnny described riding as a kind of dance--and for the first time, I began to understand what it means to move with a horse as your partner. I had a wonderful time and highly recommend Johnny and Johnny 6 Stables at the OC Fairgrounds. Whether you're looking to develop your riding skills and ride like a pro or simply spend meaningful time in a low-key atmosphere connecting with a horse, it's well worth a visit. Such a great experience!

I had an amazing experience at Johnny 6 Stables. The horses were beautiful and well taken care of…read more My instructor was extremely caring and made sure I was never put out of my comfort zone. I will definitely be going back! The experience has rekindled a childhood love for horses

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!

Charlie was such a down to earth tour guide. He was calm, relaxed and made our entire experience…read morethe best. I found this place thru Chat GPT when looking for horse back riding on the beach. This place is a hidden gem. $175 to ride for 1 hour and 15 minutes was totally worth it. Ocean front. Will def book again!

DANGEROUS! STAY AWAY. They put my wife on a horse with behavioral issues. The horse was very…read moreerratic and my wife (luckily) insisted on asking for a helmet. After an erratic ride, they had her dismount on the CONCRETE of the parking lot. The owner did not have control of the horse and my wife fell onto the concrete after the horse took off during dismount. My wife has ridden horses for 30 years so it wasn't inexperience that caused the accident. She spent 5 hours in the ER and was told by the Hospital she was "very lucky". However we are waiting for a MRI to determine why her shoulder still hurts almost a month later. When I called this organization the day after the accident I told them the LEAST they could do was refund the rides ($350 - my wife and son) and pay our $550.00 deductible from ER. After being told they would take care of it, they aren't answering my calls or returning my messages. Shameful. Stay away or risk what happened to my wife happening to one of your loved ones.

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.

Mike and crew were great guides. Horses healthy and well taken care of. Beach ride is a trail…read moreride, nose to tail, but was still enjoyable.

Ten years ago exactly, I met Steve and his horses while on my travels (from England). It was a…read morelife-changer. I'll never forget his kindness, respect and map drawing in the sand while I rode Bailey - forwards and backwards; a far cry from the suburban nose-to-tails in Richmond Park, Surrey. Such fond memories and much missed, all of it. Highly recommended.

Steve was friendly & talkative, his horses are cared for & they were well trained. We asked to do…read morea beach trail but instead we met at Manzanita County Park. It was a hard trail with no shade & lots of ups & downs & steep hills. It was hot & instead of a 2hr tour it lasted almost 3hrs. There wasn't enough padding under the saddle so our butts were hurting, especially the last hour. We've been on 10+ horseback riding tours. This was the first time we didn't have to sign waivers or wear helmets & Steve was encouraging first time riders to stand on top of the horse. The horses liked to gallop & trot, I had to keep slowly down my horse. If you're on a schedule & prefer a more structured tour & don't want to trot or gallop, this is NOT the tour for you. He doesn't take pictures unless you ask him to & he said he'd send us pictures but never did. So make sure you stay & have him send the pictures before you leave.

Steve is top notch in all ways imaginable. I can't tell you how many trail/beach rides I've been on…read more(too many to count) and In all honestly, NONE of them compare to what Steve offers. Real talk, he goes above and beyond to make sure you're really enjoying your time with these amazing horses and creating unforgettable memories which are honestly priceless. He has so many stories, jokes and wisdom to share. His passion for horses and ability to make people feel as ease is a true gift. Thank you, we'll for sure be back again! ;)

Best place to board your horses! Billy Martin and Linda Maki are absolutely the best at training…read moreand keeping this place looking amazing!! Always running into friendly people here!!!! I wouldn't trust my horses anywhere else!!! They care!

I would give this place 0 stars if I could…read more Boarded my horses here for years and always paid on time and when I arrived to pick them up to relocate bars Linda Maki refused to let me take them and gave me a bill for $2187.00 and said it was for miscellaneous charges. (No details were provided on the bill) Once the matter was resolved and I was allowed to see my horses again there was obvious abuse to my animals. She's is a monstrous woman and I will do everything I can to keep others from making the same mistake I did. DO NOT USE THIS BARN!!!!!

Shannon is an exceptional instructor. She has been teaching my daughter horseback riding for the…read morepast 10 years, and my daughter absolutely loves her kind, patient, and encouraging approach. Shannon has played a huge role in helping her grow and progress through the levels with confidence. My daughter truly loves the horses and the entire stable environment. It's also a wonderful place to spend time while waiting--calm, peaceful, and welcoming. We're so grateful for Shannon and the entire team.

We have been attending lessons at Painted Star Equestrian for 5 months now. We LOVE Shannen's…read morecurriculum for horseback riding. The kids always know what their next goals are and how to level up and what they need to do to get there. My youngest fell in love with horseback riding here. She is often overshadowed by her two older sisters' achievements and she has found her own "thing" here. She has learned a greater level of responsibility and independence. Her confidence has grown both on and off the arena and we couldn't be more proud of her and thankful for Painted Star!