Jodi has started 2 colts for me and my students have purchased several horses from or through her. She has a gentle way with the horses and is very honest about their capabilities and potentials. I highly recommend her. read more

Johdi has a gift! She has just met my horse and she got to the heart of the matter in days. I am an accomplished hunter/jumper trainer a bit stumped by my orphan bottle baby 17 hh OTTB. I highly recommend her! read more

I had my horse, Socks, stay overnight at Valley Horse Center during a haul from CA to OR. Jodi and her facility were great. She was very responsive to my texts and my questions. Her overnight rate is very reasonable. All the many horses looked great at her facility. My horse's stay was short but sweet - would definitely recommend Valley Horse Center :) read more

I do not know Jody personally yet I am familiar w this client and horse as I have worked w them a couple of years prior. I contacted Jody because Leila called me asking me to take her horse back on and expressed that she needed a place to board as well. Her gelding was one who was coldback and had some pretty inconsistent ans unpredictable behaviors. If he hadany chance of being restarted, training would be slow going (back to groundwork) with no guarantee he could overcome his obstacles. Leila opted to not invest into a traditional training program at which point, our pathes parted until the phone call. When I discovered Jody was the trainer who was currwntly working with the gelding, I called Jody in hopes that maybe she had feedback to offer me, and that maybe Leila's horse had progressed. Instead, I discovered that Jody had been given inadequate/inaccurate history on this horse similar to the misrepresentation Leila was giving me in an attempt to quickly relocate him. Leila also mentioned another reputable trainer her horse had been with who she also trashed without factoring in that trainers even without knowing each other personally, know each other's work--- human and animal, and recognize worthy professionals. Who Leila has chosen to slander or libel, tells us more about Leila than the professional. To make matters worse, it became apparent that Leila was not responding to a veterinarian, who had provided her w a service and was still waiting for payment. I was aware of this debt through multiple sources though I had NO CONTACT with the vet (word travels through the professional grapevine when a client attempts to wrong a reputable professional). I asked Leile if this missed payment could possibly be an error and let her know, that within the professional world Leila reputation as a client was being questioned. This outraged Leila who proceeded to threaten writing up a bad review on the veterinarian but was unable to find a website for the vet or a fb page. All I know is, 2 days later the vet received payment Lesson to take from this--- dont believe everything you read on the internet. All my interactions w Jody have been exceptional and based on our dialogue about different training issues and client issues, she is a trainer I respect as a colleague. I would definitely recommend Jody and believe she is the kind of trainer who takes her work home w her---- meaning she cares about doing right by horses and isnt about a false persona. read more

Janell C. I have known Jodi a number of years and can attest to her training methods and care of her horses. Without a doubt the well being of the horse is first and foremost with her. We bought a mare from her and she has helped us rescue three horses from a kill buyer. She has trained our horses, who have turned out to be incredible trail and endurance horses. Her training methods are subtle and effective. She does speak her mind and always lays it on the line. I highly recommend her for her years of varied horse and training experience. But most of all for her care of all her creatures and the willingness to rescue the unfortunates who have been written off by the world. That quality can never be underestimated and few people have it, Jodi does. read more

Jodi has a great operation, I have bought a horse from her and then sent several friends her way, we all had a great experience. She really cares about the animals and about whom she matches them up with. If she doesn't feel the horse is right for you, she won't sell it to you. She takes excellent care of her and her clients' horses. If I had issues with a horse, she would be the first ( and pretty much only) person I would ask for help, knowing she treats both animals and people with care and respect . read more

A real shit hole. Be sure to view the conditions of this place before sending your horse there. The stalls were small, no where for a horse to "rest" comfortably and the run that was exposed to rain was green with slimy sludge that no one ever cleaned. The farrier sucks and created horrible ridges on my horse which have since been corrected with a proficient farrier. My horse was not blanketed as requested. My horse was fed grain hay when I specifically asked for alfalfa/orchard only. No one at the Arabian shows respects Jodi. NO one talks to her, no one hangs out with her. There is a reason why. She prides herself on her "say it how it is attitude" which is all fine and dandy but if you are strong and opinionated be prepared to rub her wrong if you question anything. She knows everything and you are just another "stupid horse owner" that doesn't know what you're doing. I swear she is in cahoots with her local vet forcing people to spend tons of $$$ on finding out what's wrong with your horse. My horse has since been to Davis and 2 other vets and there is nothing wrong with her. I get regular chiro/acupuncture, teeth, feed, supps, etc and my horse is doing better than ever! Loud, obnoxious and rude. Take your horse to a nice facility where the trainer is respected by others. Take your horse to a place where you can enjoy the company of your trainer and fellow friends who enjoy showing. No one should ever feel like an idiot for asking a question or questioning WHY a practice is being done. Since Jodi is has decided to lie, this has been edited to add: 1. A Go Fund Me was set up by my family and friends to help with immediate expenses from a fire, not myself as she stated. I am so thankful for my friends and family that helped me after losing my home in the Camp Fire. 2. I bought a new car when my lease was up on my Infiniti Q50 sport. I went from one nice car to another. What does this have to do with anything? I really am confused as to why she is insinuating I bought a new car with these funds, quite laughable. 3. Cal Fire gave relief funds to ALL victims of the Camp Fire. 4. She is shocked that I was able to find a rental right away. I had insurance to help me with this, thankfully. What a nut to try to accuse me of stealing from my friends and family to buy a car! There was a discrepancy with a $150 vaccine vet bill "exam" charges and other items on my plate that led me to forget about this bill (which has since been paid). All of the other hundreds of $$$ from the chiro and ultra sounds were paid that same day so to insinuate I refuse to pay ALL vets, is another lie. I was asked to leave 2 weeks prior to a planned departure which was to be after a mid April show. Mad I had to leave? NO WAY! A little upset I didn't make it to the show? A smidge. But yes another lie that I was so upset over leaving lol. Again, the pens were covered in green slime from the rain, no bedding. Usually when you pay $650-$950 in training you get a nice stall with a run. This is my fault for not checking out the facility and trusting the word of someone else. My horse did not arrive with any behavioral issues nor was ever a bad citizen. He was calm and willing. He was green and in training for show and trail miles. His cross cantering was NOT corrected by vitamin E. It's a conformational fault and lack of conditioning. IF vit E, fixes cross cantering, is there a study on that? Again, this lady will attack anyone who gives a poor review and most are too scared to in fear of retaliation and yes, she will retaliate in whatever way she can. Not only have I received threats from her "friends and FB followers" but have also received emails from past clients stating that they had the same experience. I posted a review of MY experience and anyone with a brain knows that there are two sides to every story. I know I am not the only one with a poor experience. And to try to attack business, well, that just shows how immature she is. Jodi does no wrong and "that's the way it is!" read more

I have had the privilege to work with Jodi Tuft several times over the last 10 years. I continue to be amazed at her high levels of expertise with and commitment to horses. I have seen her take "off the track" head-bobbing lame animals that no one considered worth saving and watched her expertly restore them to a pain-free life. If they were not rideable and no one was willing to adopt them, Jodi kept them on her ranch and took amazing care of them. These were not just "tired" horses, these animals needed around the clock care with expensive medications and several vet visits before they had a comfortable life. I found Jodi after I rescued an off the track TB and I needed help working with him. That was the start of a great and professional working relationship with someone who truly cares for horses and who truly cares that the horse human relationship is awesome for the horse first and then the human. After all, the horse can't make the decision to continue the relationship, only the human can and someone needs to be the spokesperson for the horse! I have bought horses from Jodi and will in the future. I have taken lessons from her and will continue to. I know I can count on her for her honest and worthwhile advice. In the past, I have taken "lessons" from several people who are considered experts. One thing I always found lacking from those other people was honesty. I never received any corrective input and never moved beyond my current level. When I asked them for some feedback I heard "you are doing fine, better than most people I work with". When I met Jodi, she was able to point out areas in which I had developed bad habits. I could "get through" this way or I could learn and make it better. I have to admit, after years of being told I was "good" at riding, it was a bit of an ego blaster to hear that I had plenty of room for improvement! It really was up to me to listen to her and improve, or ignore her and stagnate. As for the person who had such unprofessional and obscene comments about Jodi, my guess is that Jodi was as honest as usual and that person couldn't handle it. Apparently the truth hurt! For the rest of us who truly love the horse world, we need more people like Jodi who are willing to commit their lives to the well being of such noble and magnificent animals. read more

Jodi Tuft did an amazing job with my gelding. She is excellent at starting young horses and if a horse has a problem she is good at figuring out what is going wrong with it. My horse was given a variety of experiences from the arenas to trails. He was kept happy and I swear he became attached to her so I know he was treated well. I would recommend Jodi as a trainer regardless of what breed of horse you have or style of riding. She gives them a solid foundation and builds their confidence, and then works with the rider to continue on their own. I absolutely trust in her to do the right thing for my horse and would certainly use her again, or rather exclusively for any training needs. She is a true horsewoman. I initially struggled with the idea of sending my horse away to a trainer but after meeting Jodi I knew I found the right person to send him to and I was right. She was fair and honest through out the entire training process and gladly worked with me to better understand my horse. So glad I found her! read more

Jodi is the epitome of a true horsewoman. She is knowledgeable, talented, kind and most importantly, has dedicated her life to helping and training horses. She started my lovely mare under saddle and I will always appreciate the patience and time she gave to her training. Jodi truly cares about the horse as well as their owner! If I am ever looking to buy or start another horse, I will most definitely check with Jodi first! read more

I had a unfortunate experience bringing my gelding to be trained here with Jodi Tuft. A little less than one month in, I discovered my horse's grain (which I had bought at the beginning of the month) was moldy. The can had been stored on the grass next to my horse's paddock. There was no shelter from the sun or weather (It was a very hot August). When I pulled the bag out, I discovered the bottom of the new can also had mold where is made contact with the ground. The scoop also had residue of moldy food. When I approached Jodi with moldy grain bag in hand, she immediately became defensive and did not make any attempts to come over or explain. Later I found my horse's grain feeder in the barn with moldy food residue (took photos of all this). The following morning Jodi texted asking if I wanted to purchase more grain for him from her. When I pointed out the grain bag had been full before going moldy, she admitted she had stopped feeding him the moldy food a day or two earlier when she discovered problem (due to watering a nearby tree over the weekend), but refused to feed him some of her grain stores (unless I purchased another bag). When I requested she please feed him some of hers as my bag had been partially full, she told me to get my horse and go. She never made any attempt to discuss or explain or even deny that the food had gone moldy. Her rudeness was pretty shocking given I had paid fair sum to have her train and care for my horse that month (with a plan to keep him on). In addition to the moldy food, I noted that each visit around mid morning, the ground in my horse's paddock was completely covered in manure, with no clean spot for him to lie down other than a a feeding mat. There were a lot of flies. My horse had biting flies on his back when I went to visit, and fly welts on his body. I had purchased fly spray, but it seemed to either not be used or be doing no good. There appeared to be only one stable hand to muck and no assistants other than vet/farrier, despite that Jodi had horses in every available space, including paddocks, multiple stalls, the riding arena, etc. It looked like a job requiring a lot of help. I would say she had well over 50 horses boarded there, a few in training. My horse became increasingly nervous while there. It didn't appear he was taken out of his small isolated pen with any frequency either for training or to stretch his legs. Early in his training, she did attempt to mount him. She did little to desensitize or prep him for mounting before jumping on, despite that she had been told he needs slow trust building exercises (or he will buck). Before mounting, it was clear he was nervous, head up. She jumped on anyway and he bucked her off. She mounted him again immediately. But while he did not buck her off a second tie, he was tense and on alert. He never seemed very relaxed but more nervous while at her stable. I believe her choice to mount "cold" caused more harm than good as this horse suffered from past training trauma (horse had been trail ridden successfully without bucking previously). This was all explained at length to Tuft. After the bucking incident, she insisted I buy expensive supplements for ulcers (Clay supplements, expensive vitamin E, and later costly ulcer meds from Costco). My horse had shown no symptoms of ulcers and had never been diagnosed with them. Nonetheless, I bought a few, and some of these expensive supplements were likely contaminated in the moldy bucket where they were stored along with the grain. After the initial mounting experience, Jodi never mounted my horse again, but she did do a bit of round pen/ground work with him. I could see she was competent trainer when she actually took the time, but I saw little improvement, only increased nervousness while he was there. To summarize, there is no doubt that Jodi is a pretty fearless rider compared to most trainers, but her training schedule is sporadic and inconsistent, and she (or her helpers) seem to have limited time and do not keep up with good feed and barn management practices. I would add she has some very poor social skills. read more

We have done lots of business with Jodi over many years and trust her to always make decisions in the best interest of the horse! Jodi pulls no punches--she is direct, gives her opinion without hesitation, and will say what she believes whether or not you want to hear it. For this reason we always know where she stands and never have to worry she is not giving us the full story or has alternative motivations. Beyond this, she knows horses well and cares very much about doing the right thing for her assessments of their particular personalities. You can use her for training or sales without hesitation! read more

I have known Jodi for over 10 years.. I could never trust anyone more.. She is extremely knowledgeable.. Has both the horse and the rider as a primary concern. My horses have had excellent care/training and it would be near impossible to find anyone better. read more

Jodi is a five star horse trainer and all around animal lover. I had the pleasure of working with her and seen her in action. I have learned so much from her and continue to learn from her. I highly recommend her to anyone who truly cares about their horse and wants only the best. read more

I have known Jodi for a couple years. I have tried a couple horses she has/had for sale. She is well aware of my wants/needs and I feel that she will definitely let me know if she has something that 'fits' with me. Her knowledge of horses flows into her actions and opinions of the horses she has. I feel secure in her being able to judge a horse appropriate for what I want to do and I am hoping that she does come across that 'perfect horse' for me in the near future. read more

Jodi is an amazing, intuitive horsewomen. My horse was with her for 3 months and I now have a new horse!!!. I thought I was going to have to let him go after 7 years and was heartbroken. She unraveled all his issues and assured me after his first week with her that I would have my horse back. She is honest, and patient with horse and rider. She has and excellent grasp of horse behavior which makes her so successful in her training. I am now enjoying my horse more than ever! I highly recommend Jodi, she knows her stuff! read more

I recommend Jodi highly if you are a serious horse buyer. She was honest and forthright and willingly answered all questions throughout the transaction. I absolutely adore my new horse, and I am thankful that Jodi was instrumental in helping make this wonderful match for me. The horse's best interests are paramount with Jodi, and I appreciate the fact that she makes that a priority in her business. People who say she is rude probably wouldn't haven't passed muster with Jodi. She is particular about who buys her horses and where they go, as she should be. read more

I have known Jodi Tuft for some time now and have bought 2 beautiful horses from her over the years. I have nothing but respect for her as a trainer and horseman. I feel especially proud that she matched me with my boys knowing that she takes these matches seriously. She is blunt and to the point at times but you know you are getting an honest answer. If you cant handle the truth or need to be coddled, look elsewhere. read more

As a "real" customer of Valley Horse Center I can state that, without a doubt, Jodi is fantastic. I really do believe that the negative review must be from a competitor, or someone trying to ruin the name of a good person, for nefarious reasons. It is sad that Yelp's "filter" is so incredibly stupid, and the customer service people are totally inept. read more