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.

We've had such a wonderful experience with this barn! My son is taking horseback riding lessons…read morewith Johnny, and she is absolutely amazing. She's incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and clearly passionate about what she does. She has such a special gift for teaching children--making them feel confident, safe, and excited to learn. My son looks forward to every lesson, and we've seen so much growth in his skills and confidence. Highly recommend to any families looking for a positive and supportive environment for their kids!

We love riding horses, and this experience meant so much to us. My daughter has special needs, and…read moreJohnny and Amanda treated her with genuine respect, patience, and kindness from the very beginning. Johnny took the time to understand her riding ability and encouraged her in just the right way, pushing her enough to grow while making her feel safe and supported. Because of that, she not only excelled but continues to build confidence every time she rides. We're incredibly grateful for such a thoughtful and inclusive experience. We look forward to our next session. We Highly recommend Johnny 6 Stables!

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!

Had such a fun time celebrating our anniversary with Monterey Bay Equestrian Center! Charlie was…read moregreat in teaching us how to ride safely since we were both first-timers, and he was kind and super easy to talk to as he guided us through our 1h15min ride along the trail and on the beach. We booked for the 12pm ride and the weather was great -- the fog cleared up and the sun came out but stayed nice and cool. I rode Torino and my boyfriend rode Ben, and they were both great! This was such a great and relaxing experience for the both of us -- we'd definitely come back and recommend this place (and Charlie!) to anyone interested in a horseback riding experience! They also give you a voucher at the end for a free appetizer at Old Fisherman's Grotto on the wharf and The Fish Hopper at Cannery Row!

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!

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 is amazing! It was my husband's first time on a horse, and Steve made the entire experience…read moreso interactive, comfortable, and fun. We had such a great time that we're already planning to schedule another ride! The horses are absolutely beautiful, gentle, and so well-behaved. I truly couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate my birthday. It was such a memorable experience, and I highly recommend Steve to anyone looking for an unforgettable horseback ride!

We had an awesome time! Steve and his horses are fantastic, highly recommend! The trail and views…read morewere incredible and we got to lope a bit and ride varied terrain. The ride was tailored to us and our skill level. The horses were well-cared for and sweet. Steve is a great guide, helpful, and a lovely human. Totally going back when we're back in CA.

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!