Either relocating to LA or Laguna area in October. I’m looking to bring my two horses. I’m looking for suggestions on solid programs/ good barns in the Laguna general area. Thank you!
I don’t know any of the trainers, but San Juan Capistrano has several boarding stables. Sycamore Trails is the biggest, I think. Lots of horse shows in the area as well.
Ah, Laguna Beach… Spent lots of time there years ago. At one time, there were two nice stables with jumping arenas right on Laguna Canyon Road. I worked my way through college teaching lessons at one of them. Of course they are no longer there, and houses now cover the hillsides.
If you are considering a training barn in that area of Orange County, do your research and check for availability. Last I heard, most of the popular places have a waiting list, as barns and stables are becoming housing tracts. According to my farrier, even Coto de Caza lost a chunk of stalls at the equestrian center so they could build condos.
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For Jumpers I would go to Hayden Show Jumping in Laguna Hills located at Nellie Gail Equestrian Center. Nellie Gail Equestrian Center is a smaller boutique center with several trails around the property. https://www.facebook.com/haydenshowjumping. Sycamore Trails in San Juan Capistrano was sold and is going to be reduced in capacity. I believe no more competitions are to occur there.
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Yeah. Mikey Hayden or Blue Ridge (Sean Leckie and Sophie Simpson) are both near Laguna and probably your best options for a jumper program. You might be able to board at Sycamore or the adjacent Rancho Sierra Vista and pay for a la carte lessons from someone there for a more budget approach. Sycamore is downsizing, though I got a recent email that they revived the county shows that are held there.
Hayden - link in one of the posts above this one
Blue Ridge - https://blueridgefarmsca.com/
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Sycamore is in escrow but has not closed, and it is quite unclear what will happen with that property although schooling shows are still on the calendar and at least some trainers have been told they can stay.
To the OP @Cshell , what level jumper training are you interested in and do you want to compete, and if so at what level? Southern California has quite a large circuit of both premier A circuit shows with FEI classes down to GSDJA and OCSHA local county show circuits at facilities like the old Oaks facility (Mission Viejo Horse Park) in San Juan Capistrano, Huntington Beach, Del Mar (Fairgrounds and Showpark which should resume hosting shows this summer we hope), LA Equestrian Center in Griffith Park, Galway Downs in Temecula, etc. If you’re into showing I would go see any potential trainers at the shows and watch how they warmup their students and see if you/ your horse click with their style of show training. If you’re not into showing but want a good faculty with jumps and footing and a trainer or assistant that is home on show weeks to school the nonshowing clients, that’s a different cup of tea. If you want access to trails that’s important too.
Let us know and we can be a bit more specific. But I concur with the above posters that Hayden has a great program and Nellie Gail is beautiful.
