Can anyone recommend good facilities for boarding, training etc? Also wondering about the trail riding scene in the area. Goleta area would be most convenient. Thanks!
Santa Barbara
I believe the only real “event” trainer you are going to find in Santa Barbara is Don Sachey. He is quite good and has a nice facility. Not sure of his contact info now but you could google him and find him. I have not lived in California for several years now, so there may be someone else in that area but it is not a big eventing area. You will have to travel to compete!
Beautiful place to live though!!
bump… anyone else?
There is Wendy Wergeles in Los Alamos…that is about 50 miles north of Santa Barbara, she runs a place called Cottonwood ranch, and has a small x-c schooling facility there. They run an event derby there. She is really good. There is also Shepard ranch, which is in Santa inez. Bunnie Sexton is a great person and is a good trainer. I believe that Jennifer Wooton moved back to Buelton, and she is another good person to learn from. All these people are in a 20 mile radius of each other, and very good wine country. There are also some good event trainers in the LA area…you can go on the usea area VI web site www.areaiv.org they have a list of some of the trainers.
In california, you mostly have to drive to get anywhere, events, trainers etc. There are a lot of jumper and dressage trainers in the area that you could take lessons from and go to a event trainer a few times a month…You can go over to the h/j and dressage forum and ask about good facilities there…Good luck with your search!
Raintree Ranch
Raintree Ranch is in Goleta and would be most convenient.
I visited their old facility, which was really nice, but haven’t seen El Capitan Ranch yet. I wonder what happened to the old facility…didn’t realize they moved!
[QUOTE=TuxWink;4654515]
Raintree Ranch is in Goleta and would be most convenient.
I visited their old facility, which was really nice, but haven’t seen El Capitan Ranch yet. I wonder what happened to the old facility…didn’t realize they moved![/QUOTE]
Word in SB is that El Capitan was bought by a polo player and no longer offers boarding. I’m pretty sure all of the boarders had to leave last month.
[QUOTE=two sticks;4654613]
Word in SB is that El Capitan was bought by a polo player and no longer offers boarding. I’m pretty sure all of the boarders had to leave last month.[/QUOTE]
Word is right. Place where I board has picked up quite a few of the refugees, including the people who currently operate Raintree.
The place has changed. I went for a drive just after the new year with a friend, and we ended up going down the road to the old Raintree site. They took out the arena, and that beautiful barn, and the pipe corrals, and moved everything over to the other side. It doesn’t look the same anymore. No idea who runs it, or even if it’s a boarding barn at all.
[QUOTE=dreamswept;4654667]
Word is right. Place where I board has picked up quite a few of the refugees, including the people who currently operate Raintree.
The place has changed. I went for a drive just after the new year with a friend, and we ended up going down the road to the old Raintree site. They took out the arena, and that beautiful barn, and the pipe corrals, and moved everything over to the other side. It doesn’t look the same anymore. No idea who runs it, or even if it’s a boarding barn at all.[/QUOTE]
I just looked at your blog- we have met- I was briefly working for Alanna nov-dec-early jan. Sadly I got a grown up full time job and had to leave. Your horse is soooo cute! Is Glen Annie totally full now from the El Cap refugees?
Sorry to totally derail this thread! LoL
[QUOTE=two sticks;4654677]
I just looked at your blog- we have met- I was briefly working for Alanna nov-dec-early jan. Sadly I got a grown up full time job and had to leave. Your horse is soooo cute! Is Glen Annie totally full now from the El Cap refugees?
Sorry to totally derail this thread! LoL[/QUOTE]
I think I remember you. You commented about Mitch’s chaser clip, didn’t you? My grown up full time job pays for my pony.
And yes, yes, the pony is the cutest thing on the planet. Except maybe for the mini we have now. You must have seen Rowdy?
Yup. The regular space is chock full except for the new foaling barn that got put up. Alanna might have room down at her blue mare motel.
darn…
That stinks! (about the OLD Raintree AND El Capitan!)
In The Irons Farm - Eventing Training & Boarding Facility in Santa Barbara
Check out In The Irons Farm - a friendly eventing barn with an awesome trainer (yes, I’m biased…I board and ride here 
in the Santa Barbara / Goleta area (near UCSB). Check out In The Irons Farm Facebook page and website for more information.
Liza Horan is a rock star.
In the Irons and Liza Horan. Hands down. From an eventers born and raised in SB and now 2 hrs north. Great facility, fabulous team including their vet, and Liza is icing on the cake.
Many thanks to the posts about our fabulous operation in SB. I am new to these forums, but this was brought to my attention, so I thought it might be helpful for me to post. Kcoalson has given you a pretty good idea about our operation. Fairweather, has been, not only a friend, but a long term horse owner and supporter of mine, and I have also worked side by side with her at Canter MA for over a decade.
I am back on the west coast after being east for 17 years. I was incredibly fortunate when the owner of In The Irons sourced me for a trainer position. We also go back a decade.
We are so blessed to have an incredible facility with the kind of farm owner you dream of. The facility is top class. The care is meticulous, and I hope the training matches that. We have a world class vet and farrier, and for that we are super grateful. We are snuggled between the mountains and the Pacific, just 1.5 mi off of 101 in Goleta.
But what makes ITI so unique is an exceptional group of people.
Come check it out. You won’t be disappointed.
Liza
