Marissa Mendoza Performance Horses — Local services in Phoenix

I started riding with Marissa in March of 2023 with my 14 year old son, who has never ridden before. The reason we chose Marissa is because of her wonderful demeanor, her extensive horsemanship knowledge and the positive attitude that surrounds her barn. Marissa's philosophy is to ensure my son and I, and all her students, obtain a holistic education in horsemanship which includes barn etiquette, handling horses out of the saddle, grooming, tacking, understanding why a horse may act in certain ways and how to mitigate any potential situation that may arise. Marissa was wonderful with my son who is on the spectrum, and he got to the point where he was grooming, tacking and riding on his own and even cantering. Marissa instilled confidence in Aaron and myself as we continued to improve in our riding, and she had patience and understanding that further boosted our confidence. I always felt safe within the Barn and could go to Marissa with any quetsions or concerns I had, and received prompt response and guidance. The atmosphere in the Barn is like family and there is an intimacy between teacher and rider and horse. We are so thankful we...

I have been riding with Marissa for several years, and she is a first-rate instructor. You only have to see the dramatic progress every student of Marissa’s makes to know what care she brings to her teaching. I, personally, have experienced how tuned in she is to a rider’s particular challenges and strengths. She knows when to push and when to be patient in dealing with fear or setbacks, how to make a complex idea clear, how to break down a movement or a goal into doable parts, how to help rider and horse understand and work together better. It can be so hard to find a riding coach who leaves you feeling a real sense of progress even on those difficult days. Her investment in her students is such a gift! I’ve ridden with more than a dozen instructors over the years, and Marissa is as good as they come. I highly recommend...

My daughters have been with Marissa for over a year and we are beyond thankful to have found her! Her barn is both of my daughters’ favorite place to be, and Marissa is a big part of that. She takes the time to discover and understand the unique needs of her students, offering them patience and challenge at all the right times. Her interactions with them are kind and caring, yet firm and disciplined, and she instills in them valuable skills and lessons that are useful beyond an arena. Just the right balance of nurture and grit! As a parent, I am so grateful for her program. It is well-rounded and tailored to each student’s needs and abilities. We...