East Bay (CA) Boarding/Training Options

[polkadotedpony]

I looked through the archives and most of the Bay Area threads seemed pretty dated so I wanted to start a new one. I will be moving to the East Bay (Pleasanton/Walnut Creek Area) this summer and will be bringing a horse with me. I’m a dressage rider and am looking for a place with great training and care that has trainers open to working with a green, non-purpose bred horse. By green I mean just starting under saddle, basically a clean slate. Access to lesson horses or lease options at the barn would be a major plus so I could get in some more advanced lessons while my horse is learning to balance/steer and because my husband would also like to start taking lessons again (advanced beginner).

My budget is very flexible and I am interested in showing down the line. Ideally, I would like access to upper level training for myself, but need someone down to earth enough to help me with where my horse is now and who is ok with a non-fancy project.
Any additional general recommendations on the area are also super welcome. Farriers, cool activities, restaurants, etc… I’m originally from the city but have been living on the East Coast for about 10 years so I could use some help re-acclimating.

[prudence]

i don’t know who to recommend but here are links to Bay Area barns you can read about. Some links are old and don’t work anymore. Best of luck to you!
http://www.bayequest.com/Business/showBusi_47.htm

[SnicklefritzG]

I used to live in Pleasanton and worked at LLNL …I know the area well. Send me a PM and I can tell you more about barns, etc.

[MysticOakRanch]

If you are looking for a bigger barn - Greenville! It is big, with huge covered arena, plus outdoor rings. Several GOOD resident trainers. Lots of stall options - some of the stalls are at least double long, so the horse has a bit of room to move around. If I was in East Bay (with the budget), I’d go there - one of my favorite clinicians trains out of there too…

[polkadotedpony]

@MysticOakRanch

If you are looking for a bigger barn - Greenville! It is big, with huge covered arena, plus outdoor rings. Several GOOD resident trainers. Lots of stall options - some of the stalls are at least double long, so the horse has a bit of room to move around. If I was in East Bay (with the budget), I’d go there - one of my favorite clinicians trains out of there too…

Great to hear! The facilities look super nice and I’m working in Pleasanton so Livermore would be easy. I guess my worry about there and Yarra Yarra was that they would be major showing machines without time or interest in working with a green project.

[Belowthesalt]

Polkadot Pony - Hope your screen name means you have an Appy or a POA; It would be nice to have spotted company at shows. Usually, I’m the only one. (That is, assuming my guy ever comes 100% sound again, sigh.)

[MysticOakRanch]

@polkadotedpony

Great to hear! The facilities look super nice and I’m working in Pleasanton so Livermore would be easy. I guess my worry about there and Yarra Yarra was that they would be major showing machines without time or interest in working with a green project.

Of course, all the big names show - and they run several shows at each of those two facilities. But they have green horses in training too. I’d suggest contacting the trainers, ask if you can come watch them work with students and horses (explain you are moving into the area), and get an idea of the training styles, and talk to them about your goals and training level. Find the right fit, and enjoy being in an area with a lot of options (expensive though they may be).

[polkadotedpony]

@MysticOakRanch

Of course, all the big names show - and they run several shows at each of those two facilities. But they have green horses in training too. I’d suggest contacting the trainers, ask if you can come watch them work with students and horses (explain you are moving into the area), and get an idea of the training styles, and talk to them about your goals and training level. Find the right fit, and enjoy being in an area with a lot of options (expensive though they may be).

Thanks! That’s basically my plan plus maybe doing some lessons on school horses if they’re available. I’ve got about 6 weeks in the area to explore options before I’d be planning on moving pony.

[polkadotedpony]

@Belowthesalt

Polkadot Pony - Hope your screen name means you have an Appy or a POA; It would be nice to have spotted company at shows. Usually, I’m the only one. (That is, assuming my guy ever comes 100% sound again, sigh.)

Sorry to disappoint but it’s an old screen name. Now I stick to colors that hide poop stains well. We will be sporting a big white freezebrand though, so you’ll still have some non-traditional company.

[MysticOakRanch]

@polkadotedpony

Thanks! That’s basically my plan plus maybe doing some lessons on school horses if they’re available. I’ve got about 6 weeks in the area to explore options before I’d be planning on moving pony.

School horses are a bit of a rarity, sadly… Especially once you get beyond Training/First level… But with 6 weeks to explore, that gives you time to find the right place for you!

[Bethe_Mounce]

@MysticOakRanch

If you are looking for a bigger barn - Greenville! It is big, with huge covered arena, plus outdoor rings. Several GOOD resident trainers. Lots of stall options - some of the stalls are at least double long, so the horse has a bit of room to move around. If I was in East Bay (with the budget), I’d go there - one of my favorite clinicians trains out of there too…

I second Greenville Equestrian Center. I know one of the trainers there. Horses well cared for

[Bethe_Mounce]

@polkadotedpony

Great to hear! The facilities look super nice and I’m working in Pleasanton so Livermore would be easy. I guess my worry about there and Yarra Yarra was that they would be major showing machines without time or interest in working with a green project.

i think they would be just as good a fit as Greenville. Scribed there for a long time. Talk with the owners to see…they may be full…

[polkadotedpony]

@Bethe Mounce

i think they would be just as good a fit as Greenville. Scribed there for a long time. Talk with the owners to see…they may be full…

Would it make sense to contact them now? I’d be looking to move in 8/1 at the earliest but I wouldn’t be physically in CA to look at things until late June

[polkadotedpony]

@MysticOakRanch

School horses are a bit of a rarity, sadly… Especially once you get beyond Training/First level… But with 6 weeks to explore, that gives you time to find the right place for you!

Are there part leases available? I’m mostly thinking for my husband who would probably do one lesson a week and hack out with me another day a week.

[MysticOakRanch]

@polkadotedpony

Are there part leases available? I’m mostly thinking for my husband who would probably do one lesson a week and hack out with me another day a week.

Ask around, I don’t know the answer to that. Leases seem to most often be by word of mouth - friends, trainers, etc, so you may have to get “in” with people before you find such a lease. But it is worth letting people know what you are looking for. Join the East Bay Chapter of California Dressage Society - get to know the community!

[Belowthesalt]

Both Yarra Yarra and Greenville have shows. I think Yarra Yarra has amore shows than Greenville, but it’s also very nice.

[GramV]

Depending on where you live, commuting can be a huge issue. If you’re trying to get out to a barn with traffic, you could be spending a lot of time driving. Where will you live? Pleasanton and Walnut Creek are not close anymore, and depending on that is where you should look. There are plenty of places out near Walnut Creek, and Belowthesalt probably knows most of them, as well as Pleasanton/Castro Valley, and Livermore is more east. And “flexible” budget could be a lot depending on what you’re used to.

Not too many people have school horses. Jill Munro in Livermore is an option for boarding and someone who will work with lower levels. I think she has some horses you can take lessons on. (Belowthesalt rides with her.)

[honeylips]

You can contact Kelly Casey Mykrantz at KC Dressage - at Greenville. She has horses for lessons and has some partial leases too. I’m not sure where you would go to hack out though- other than around the barns and to the outdoor arenas. Spaces are much smaller out here.

[Belowthesalt]

Well, if you have a trailer, the Del Valle Park isn’t that far from Greenville (and it’s right across the street from Jill Munro’s place in Livermore). Again, if you have a trailer, it’s not too far to Las Trampas Park, and a bit further north on 680 to one of the the entrances to Mt. Diablo State Park (Stone Valley Road exit, Danville). There’s also a small park right next door to Yarra Yarra.

[polkadotedpony]

Thanks for all the input everyone. To answer some of the above clarification questions:

My daily job is going to be in Pleasanton but we will be moving to a new hospital in 2019 which is right by the Livermore Outlet mall. I’ll occasionally be going up to Walnut Creek and Antioch for night and weekend call but that would be infrequent enough that I wouldn’t have it influence my barn choice. I’d ultimately like to buy somewhere in the Castro Valley to Livermore corridor to have a bit more space and hence would like to rent in that area to get a feel for the area and the commute.
I’m currently in New York City where my local barn charges $1,800 a month for board and space is very limited, so I don’t think the change will be too much of a shock to my system. I’ve basically planned my whole career and training around being able to both financially afford and have the time to enjoy a horse the way I want.
We are planning on getting a truck and trailer but want to hold off the first year so we can get a feel for how much showing I’m actually wanting to pursue/have time for and how much interest and time my husband has to devote to horsey couples activities. We just don’t want to end up with too little or too much truck and trailer for our lifestyle.

Anyone have farrier/trimmer recommendations? Horse will probably be barefoot until his workload and training are substantially increased.