H/J Barn Recommendations in Sacramento, CA Area

[EverElite]

Hey all!

My husband and I are moving to the Sacramento area in late summer and will be taking my green bean OTTB with us. I am looking for recommendations for H/J barns in the area and a trainer who is comfortable with some OTTB silliness, harps on solid fundamentals, and is willing to work with a hard-working ammy rider. Ideally looking for something between self-care and full service. Not looking for top notch A-circuit barn at this time, just a nice barn with friendly people who do well at the local shows.

The ability to turn-out is super important, dirt lot is fine.

We will likely end up either the West Sac, Natomas or Granite Bay area, although I’m pushing hard for Rancho Murieta ha! Both of us will likely be working in downtown Sac.

Thank you in advance! Any input is greatly appreciated. Also, if any of y’all are in Sac, lets be friends.

PS - what is the going rate for farriers shoeing front and hinds up there?

[KateKat]

There aren’t a ton of people I would recommend. I love my barn, but we are a show barn so it might not be the best fit. If you want to know more about it though, feel free to message me!

As for farrier…I pay $200 for a full set but my horse has oversized feet. I believe my farrier charges $175 for a full set of normal steel shoes.

Good luck with the move!

[RockstarPony]

If you end up in West Sac, Holly Fox is just outside of Davis. I rode with her for about five years and really enjoyed her coaching! She’s been focusing on eventing lately, but I believe she still goes to a handful of H/J shows every year? She has old school Jack Le Goff style eventer training, so you can definitely get pretty solid coaching from her at home. Super familiar with OTTBs and has a nice patient attitude when there’s shenanigans.

[RockstarPony]

Another one in Yolo is Sunfire - they’re also eventers and I don’t know the trainers super well, but they train a ton of OTTBs & I always saw them at the local SAHJA shows with a big group of students. Can’t speak to the quality of that program, but they seemed like a fun & tight knit group.

[JazCreekInc]

I would recommend you look in to Sami Milo’s program, she has a nice mix of A show clients and those that go to lower level shows, turnout, friend clients, and is game for green horses in her program. Her barn is called Cavallo Stables.

[KnockedOut]

I took my OTTB to Heather Whitney after putting about 60 days on her myself, mostly because it’s who I knew would be willing to get on my ill behaved terror. It’s a pretty low key program, lessons are great quality, you wouldn’t have to be in full training, she’ll go to practically any show you want to go to (A, B or local circuit). Facility is nothing fancy but its safe and the hay/farrier is good. Very economical.

Sunfire (Alana Curtis) does a bunch of track horses - she’s at her place (Sunfire) as well as Woodland Stallion Station now.

There are just so many barns in Sacramento. You’re lucky in that aspect - lots to choose from! Everything everyone else has recommended is great too. Here’s just a list of programs you could look into:

A/B Rated Show barns:
Cavallo - Sami Milo (Loomis/Roseville ish)
Hunterville - Patty Ball (Loomis)
Dreamland Farms - Andrea Barbee (Dixon)
Jem Stables - Emma Hainze (Dixon/Sacramento)
Cheval Farms - Jenifer Paris Owen (Sacramento)
Riverbend Equestrian - Aimee Hanson (Sacramento)
JH Sporthorses - Jan and Jill Humphrey (Sacramento)

Places where you likely wouldnt need to be in full training:
Southern Cross Stables - Peter McGregor (Davis)
Jenny Williams - Davis, CA
Marissa Neilson and Carolyn Shutlz also train out of the place where Jenifer Paris is if I remember correctly.
Heather Whitney - North of Natomas, southwest of Roseville
Dreamland Farms

For farrier, I was paying 210 for a standard set of steel shoes. Farrier prices really depend on the quality of who’s doing them

[EverElite]

Thank you all!! This is super helpful info. I’ll have a busy couple of days barn shopping in a few weeks.

[Puzzled]

I’m at Heather Whitney’s barn. I’ve been there for 3 years now with my TRAK gelding. He and I do a little bit of hunters, jumpers, and dressage. I work downtown Sac and live in Natomas. I’m about 20 minutes from the barn. The barn is low key. We have a mix of hunter/jumpers, eventers, and dressage riders. Focus is on good riding regardless of discipline. Being effective in the saddle. Heather will ride pretty much anything and is known for starting horses and working through problem areas. We have an indoor arena so we can ride year round. Have two outdoor rings. One for jumping and one for flat and dressage. Access to the fields for trail riding. Hot water wash rack, large turnouts, pasture board and stall boarding. Round pen. Heather likes clients riding their own horses so FT training is typically she rides 2x and you lesson 2x. One of the things I like about her program is that she is the only one that rides your horse. Not an assistant. Her. We go to a mix of local shows depending upon interests of the riders. Our horses are always in the ribbons. We are pretty lucky with Leone, Brookside, MEC, and other nice show facilities within a short drive of the barn. Her rates are really reasonable. If interested in learning more or visiting the barn, text or call her at 916 798-7660.

[horsegurl]

@KnockedOut

A/B Rated Show barns:
Cavallo - Sami Milo (Loomis/Roseville ish)
Hunterville - Patty Ball (Loomis)
Dreamland Farms - Andrea Barbee (Dixon)
Jem Stables - Emma Hainze (Dixon/Sacramento)
Cheval Farms - Jenifer Paris Owen (Sacramento)
Riverbend Equestrian - Aimee Hanson (Sacramento)
JH Sporthorses - Jan and Jill Humphrey (Sacramento)

Places where you likely wouldnt need to be in full training:
Southern Cross Stables - Peter McGregor (Davis)
Jenny Williams - Davis, CA
Marissa Neilson and Carolyn Shutlz also train out of the place where Jenifer Paris is if I remember correctly.
Heather Whitney - North of Natomas, southwest of Roseville
Dreamland Farms

For farrier, I was paying 210 for a standard set of steel shoes. Farrier prices really depend on the quality of who’s doing them

This is a very good list!
And…ask everyone about 1/2 training. They love to push that full training–it makes them money, but just about everyone will give you a 1/2 training type of discount thing if you ask for it.

I would not recommend Cavallo/Sami’s unless you like a lot of drama! And bad farrier work. And she shows multi weeks out of the month and is gone alot.
JH Sporthorses have some clients that don’t show, and don’t own Warmbloods, so that might work for you. Their staff at home is quite capable, but, it is a big show barn–so that might not work for you. Same with Kelly Van Vleck at Murieta. Don’t “push” for that. She is phenomenal, but not much patience for OTTBs. And it’s a big “A” show barn,

Carolyn Schultz is not at Jenifer Paris’, she’s at Clay Station Ranch, in Wilton off of Dillard Rd. She’s VERRRY good with TB’s, and does some showing if you want to. Very capable rider.
Sara Worley is in Wilton–different place than Carolyn. Also shows some, and will have patience for any horse.
Carolyn and Sara you can find on Facebook and message.
Jeri Lou Paul, also has patience for days, and will work with your OTTB. She’s at Los Lagos in Granite Bay. They show local, B and A circuit shows. Also you can find her on Facebook
BHT Brittany Haynie Training is in Shingle Springs. Also very good and patient, with a show program to fit your needs–goes to various level shows, but not every week and no pressure to show. LOTS of trails at her place!

So there are some more ideas for you.

[HLMom]

Also consider Audrie Kerr or Chris DeVere at Five Oak Farms in Orangevale. Excellent instruction, skilled trainers, used to working with TBs as well as warmbloods. They attend about 8 shows per year (mix of B shows and schooling shows) but there is no pressure to show more than you want to.

[EverElite]

@horsegurl

Same with Kelly Van Vleck at Murieta. Don’t “push” for that. She is phenomenal, but not much patience for OTTBs. And it’s a big “A” show barn,

Ha. This is exactly what I was trying to convey in my post. Thank you for your honesty. Is anyone other than KVV at the Murieta Equestrian Center?

[Theotherrider]

Hey EverElite–I sent you a PM, check your messages please. And to address your question above–I think KVV is the only operation out of MEC.

[eqmomfun]

We have been to MANY barns and are currently with Carol Wright and Crescendo Farm and couldn’t be any happier. The training is outstanding, there is now drama, and both Carol and Carly Swank are super encouraging. It’s just all around an amazing program. You can contact them through crescendofarm.com