Lessons, instruction and schooling — find a yard to learn the ropes or bring a horse on.
Pereira Ranch is a family-owned horse boarding facility in the Bay Area. It offers stalls with paddocks and pasture options for boarding horses. Beginner horseback riding lessons are taught using the ranch's trained lesson horses. The facility has indoor and sand riding arenas, a round pen, and access to Mt. Diablo trails.
North Bay Equestrian Center is a horse training facility in Petaluma, California, known for its hunter jumper stable. It offers personalized lessons and training programs for beginners through competitive riders. The facility has arenas, paddocks, and stalls, and the team travels to horse shows. Dressage training and clinics are also offered on site through a dressage trainer.
Morning Star Farm is an equestrian facility in Novato, California, next to Novato Creek and the riding trails of O'Hair Park. It has been run as a family barn since 1981. The farm offers riding lessons in English and Western riding for ages 5 to adult, with a school horse and pony herd of more than 20. It also provides horse boarding and training, along with camps and birthday parties.
Kelly Maddox Training is a hunter/jumper equestrian facility in Pleasanton, California. It offers riding lessons for amateur and junior riders of all levels, along with training and competition programs. The barn also runs an IEA Team and the Tri-Valley Classic horse shows. The business is run by a family team that cares for its own horses.
Los Gatos Farms is a horse ranch in the mountains near Los Gatos, California. It offers horse boarding and riding lessons, along with arena riding and horsemanship programs. The ranch also runs summer camps and wellness programs, and rents its space for parties and workshops. Boarding enquiries are handled by the barn manager and head trainer.
Heather Hill Riding Center is a small, boutique riding program for novice and returning riders in the Bay Area. Riders join a structured training program with regular riding, horsemanship and barn time within a small group. The center teaches English and Western riding as well as carriage driving. It keeps Welsh ponies and Cobs and offers layups and senior horse care.
Webb Ranch is a family-owned property that has been run by the Webb family since 1922. It offers horse boarding with several stabling options, including barns, wooden paddocks, and pasture. The ranch maintains a range of riding arenas, including jump, covered, and dressage areas, and offers trail riding on its property. Horseback riding lessons and camps are also part of the programme, alongside seasonal farm activities.
Morning Star Vaulters is a vaulting club based at Morning Star Farm in Novato, California. Vaulting is gymnastics and dance performed on a moving horse, and the club trains members in strength, flexibility, endurance and team work. Weekly classes are held, and young children are introduced to horses through vaulting. The club also gives demonstrations at equestrian events and offers vaulting birthday parties for ages 10 and under.
Fernhaven Equestrian offers personalised riding lessons for beginner through advanced riders, both private and group. The lesson program focuses on correct fundamentals, confidence, and clear communication between horse and rider. The business also runs a training program for young, green, and challenging horses. Riders can develop foundations in dressage, hunter/jumper, and eventing, with an emphasis on safety and horsemanship.
Fox Hollow Equestrian Center offers horseback riding lessons in the hunter-jumper and dressage disciplines, including a riding academy for children and adults. It runs a training program where riders lease or buy their own horse to join its show team. The yard also provides horse boarding with stalls, turnout and daily care, and offers rehab care for injured horses in cooperation with veterinarians.
Victoria Dye Equestrian offers individual and group riding lessons at Westwind Community Barn. The business also runs educational riding camps during school breaks, with a focus on responsible care of horses. Horse boarding is available in private stalls, shared or individual paddocks, or pasture. Riders are assigned to their own horse for the week during camps.
Leap of Faith Equestrian is a riding academy serving the Greater East Bay. It offers lessons for riders of all experience levels, starting with an assessment lesson, and lessons are held Monday through Saturday. The program focuses on the hunter/jumper discipline and on horsemanship, including horse care and grooming. The business also offers training for horses and riders who want to compete at horse shows.
White Horse Dressage is a full service barn in the San Francisco Bay Area. It offers instruction and training for horse and rider, from basic ground handling and riding to higher level classical dressage and in-hand work. The program is open to riders of all levels of experience. The barn is based at Ciara West Equestrian facility in Woodside.
Woodside Junior Riders is a summer riding program that started in 1947 in Woodside. The program is ability based, with participants rated in the first week and placed in a riding level suited to their skill. Children learn grooming, saddling, feeding, tack cleaning and other elements of horsemanship. The program runs from mid-June to mid-August each summer and relies partly on volunteers and donations.
Over the Moon Riding School offers horseback riding lessons for both children and adults, starting from age 6. Lessons are offered year round and private and group sessions are available. Each lesson includes riding time along with horsemanship, covering grooming, tacking and groundwork. The school provides its own lesson horses, so riders do not need a horse or equipment.
Giant Steps is a therapeutic equestrian center that has used horses to support people with disabilities since 1998. It offers adaptive riding lessons, unmounted horsemanship activities that build confidence and life skills, and customized half- to full-day experiences for community partners. Its equine-assisted programs are delivered by PATH Intl. accredited instructors. The center serves people of many ages and challenges, including members of the military.
Leyden Horsemanship is a horsemanship school based at Ocean View Stables on the coastal bluffs of Daly City, near San Francisco. It offers guided beach and trail rides, arena pony rides, and horsemanship lessons starting from age 3. Lessons follow a Western, vaquero-tradition Level 1 curriculum that begins with groundwork before riding. The barn also offers horse boarding and horse training.
Raydiance Eventing is run by Toora O'Mahony in Sonoma County, California. It offers riding lessons and full training programs in dressage, show jumping and cross country riding. The business works particularly with young horses, including starting under saddle and retraining off-track thoroughbreds. The team also competes and schools cross country regularly at venues throughout California.
Paradigm Sporthorse Training is a full-service dressage training stable run by FEI rider, trainer and competitor Rebecca Cushman. It offers full and partial training packages, lessons and clinics for riders of all levels, along with horse sales and pre-purchase consultations. Training is tailored to each horse's character and each rider's individual needs. The stable also offers rehabilitation from sports injury for horses.
Underwood Farms offers Hunter/Jumper training and lessons for riders at Eagle Point Equestrian. The business also provides a young horse development program focused on building rideable athletes. Underwood Farms sells and leases show-ring horses. Its facility includes outdoor arenas, a covered riding ring, and stables.
Rubicon Farms is a hunter/jumper horse training and coaching barn in Petaluma, California. It offers training and coaching for riders from novice to advanced level, as well as training of green horses. The farm provides daily horse care and customized routines for each horse. Its facilities include a large outdoor arena, an indoor arena, a private barn with stalls and paddocks, and turn-out areas. The team also attends shows monthly.
Down Centerline Dressage offers riding lessons and training for riders of all ages and levels, based on classical dressage principles. The business trains horses, including dressage training for horse and rider, jumping, and foundational horse development. Horses are also available for lease at the facility for lessons and independent riding. The business also runs showing support and dressage clinics and workshops.
Old West Special Trails is a ranch in Eads, Tennessee, that uses horses to work with children and families. It offers private riding lessons, homeschool group lessons and summer camps. The ranch also provides full-service pasture boarding for horses, with feeding and hay provided daily. The programme focuses on building children's responsibility, confidence and self-esteem through horsemanship.
EQ Wellness offers horsemanship lessons and riding instruction at facilities in the South Bay area of California, as well as at private facilities in Woodside and Portola Valley. Group lessons are held in groups of 3-4 riders and focus on Western riding principles. The business also offers horse lease programs and training packages that include groundwork, arena work, trail riding and conditioning. Its founder is a PATH Certified Therapeutic riding instructor who also runs equine-facilitated wellness programs.
