Ocean View Stables — Local services in Daly City

I am thrilled to share my incredible experience with Caroline as my horseback riding instructor at Ocean View Stables. From start to finish, Caroline demonstrated a level of expertise, patience, and genuine passion that made my lesson an exceptional learning journey.

Caroline's knowledge of horsemanship is truly impressive. She took the time to understand my riding goals and tailored the lesson to focus on the areas where I wanted to improve. Her ability to break down complex techniques into manageable steps not only made the learning process smoother but also boosted my confidence.

What stood out the most was Caroline's dedication to teaching. She maintained a perfect balance between offering guidance and allowing me to explore and learn through hands-on experience. Her keen observation skills meant that she could identify my strengths and areas for improvement in real-time, providing on-the-spot feedback that was both constructive and motivating.

Throughout the lesson, safety remained a top priority for Caroline. She ensured that I was comfortable with the horse and equipment before we even began, and her constant vigilance during the lesson itself was truly reassuring. This attention to safety allowed me to focus solely on the joy of learning and bonding with the horse.

Caroline's passion for horses and teaching radiated throughout the lesson. Her genuine enthusiasm for sharing her knowledge made the experience not only educational but also incredibly enjoyable. I appreciated the way she explained the nuances of horse behavior and communication, which deepened my connection with the animal and enhanced my overall experience.

I must also commend Ocean View Stables for providing a well-maintained and welcoming environment. The horses were clearly well-cared for and responsive to the riders, reflecting the high standard of care that Caroline and her team uphold.

In conclusion, my horseback riding lesson with Caroline exceeded all expectations. If you're seeking an instructor who is not only skilled and knowledgeable but also patient, passionate, and attuned to your individual needs, I wholeheartedly recommend Caroline at Ocean View Stables. This was an experience that left me with a profound appreciation for horsemanship and a desire to continue learning. Thank you, Caroline, for an unforgettable day filled with learning, laughter, and the...

(Tl;dr - Got a strong, stubborn horse I couldn't control, and the experience was terrifying for me. But the other horses in the group seemed chill, and everyone else seemed to enjoy the experience.)

My partner had been wanting to ride horses for the longest time, so I him a 2-hour ride as a gift. The views were gorgeous, and it was fun to ride on a trail (vs just a flat beach). My partner loved the whole experience. The reason I'm docking two stars is because of my horse.

Riders are instructed to pull the reins if the horses were to start eating on the trail. Unfortunately, I was assigned a large male horse named Mocha. Being a tiny person, it was impossible for me to get him to stop eating because I couldn't pull the reins hard enough. And once Mocha realized that the human on him wasn't strong enough to control him, he basically stopped listening to commands.

I couldn't get him to stop or slow down on my own, and ended up needing someone to walk with me the entire time so they could intervene. There are stretches of the trail where it's too narrow or steep for someone to walk next to you, and Mocha would start going faster and not respond when I'd pull his reins. He would also occasionally do things like throwing his head back, shaking his body, and sometimes turn around and bare his teeth super close to my ankles.

What was supposed to be a fun experience became terrifying for me, as I was anxious about falling off the horse or getting bit the entire 1.5 hours. Since we signed waivers, there really was no recourse if something awry were to happen.

Thankfully (mostly due to the two girls who walked with me and controlled Mocha), nothing happened. But I don't know if I'd do this again. And I've been on plenty of horse rides.

For what it's worth - the other horses (Chili, Rose, and Raven) seemed super chill and well behaved, and everyone else seemed to have a...

Overall, it was a terrible experience.

Minimal training was given to riders, and the instructions we received were simply to pull left, right, and up. They didn't even inquire about the riders' level of competency, so as a first-time rider, we embarked on the ride without much preparation.

Initially, we had a guide holding the horse for about 2 to 3 minutes before joining the main group. However, once we joined the main group, I was left as the last horse without much instruction on how to handle the horse. I was always left far behind, and at times the horse would gallop to catch up with the pack, which was very scary for a first-time rider!

Unfortunately, the inevitable happened. As the horse galloped to catch up with the pack, I fell off, luckily escaping with minor cuts, bruises and a wound on my glut area.

What disappointed me the most was that our leader didn't even come towards me immediately. Instead, he shouted from about 30 meters away to see if I was okay. I had to wait for 10 minutes before help finally arrived.

I want to emphasize how appallingly incompetent their staff was in dealing with emergency incidents. The tour is NOT suitable for beginners if the level of introduction is limited to simple instructions like pulling left or right.

The course offered great views, but it was steep and, despite the beautiful scenery, the tour didn't provide opportunities for taking photographs during the ride.

Overall, I was very disappointed with the immediate reaction to the incident. It's not an experience we would...