I will leave my horse on the east coast as I will only be out here for a few months each year. Would prefer instructor-owned schoolmaster, but can lease if need be. Probably will be based in Ventura.
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Thereâs a new trainer at North Middleranch (now called Hacienda del Valle). She took over the business of Tricia Hamilton, who unfortunately lost her battle with cancer recently. Her name is Kelsey Laity-DâAgostino. Sheâs fabulous. Nina is very busy at the moment with new clients, but if youâre still looking for a trainer, try Kelsey.
I would look for her on FB or Instagram. Sheâs also a philosophy professor at Rutgers (teaching remotely) so thatâs what you find if you Google her.
Hilda et al would likely be your best bet closest to Ventura.
Good Luck!
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Yes, check out Keenridge (Hildaâs place) in Moorpark. Itâs about 28 miles from Ventura to Moorpark but would be worth the drive. Just donât do it on a Fri afternoon or evening, as the 101 is usually a mess then. (You could go the 118 but it will take longer and you might get stuck behind farm vehicles).
P.S. Youâll love Ventura and the Ventura County beaches. Try Brophyâs in Ventura Harbor for good food with a nice harbor view. (Itâs the only place I feel safe in eating out with my Celiac Disease. Theyâre very meticulous about food allergies and things like CD). Be sure to make time for a trip to the islands for hiking or kayaking. Island Packers in Ventura Harbor offers choices. Channel Islands Harbor, 10 miles south of Ventura offers whale-watching and also trips to Anacapa Island.
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P.P.S. Not too far north of Ventura is the Central Coast wine country!
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Thanks for the reminder! 
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Thank you. I think the Moorpark/Somis barns make the most sense. Someone posted above that they thought Hilda G had school horses, however I cannot find any info online for lessons at Keenridge. There is an inactive FB page which lists a defunct website and a phone number. I will try calling when I am back out here for an extended period. Thanks all!
She has 2 Facebook pages. Did you try the athlete one? It seems to have recent posts. I suspect an assistant actually admins it.
thereâs also a Facebook page for Keenridge with a phone number
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Missed the athlete page. Thanks so much!
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There are a number of trainers in the Conejo Valley (TO, Santa Rosa Valley, Moorpark).
If youâre in the area, it might be worth a visit to the new Dover Store in Moorpark as itâs also a Dressage Extensions store. The people there seem to include some of the old DE employees and they might have ideas.
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Oh, didnât know that was there. Great idea. Thanks!
Good ideas! Although I wouldnât call Moorpark the Conejo Valley. If I donât have to go up Conejo Grade, it ainât the Conejo Valley.
ETA: Come to think of it, I donât think Iâd call Santa Rosa Valley the Conejo Valley either. But I have a VC perspective. 
ETA2: Hope you and Tom are well! 
A friend who lives in the SRV says he lives in the Conejo Valley, so I figured that Moorpark would be included, though it is on the other side of the ridge. And I wouldnât include the part of Camarillo that is along the 101 so Iâm kind of inconsistent.
Found references to CV including parts of Malibu and Agoura Hills, as well as Westlake Village (!) and Newbury Park. The original rancho went from Westlake Village to the Camarillo Grade and Simi Hills at Moorpark Rd to Hidden Valley, if you trust Wikipedia.
Iâm trying to recall the informal map of the CV in the TO Bandits.
None of which helps find dressage lessons.
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Thatâs interesting. I never looked up the old boundaries. I spent my formative riding years at Foxfield and considered that the Conejo Valley because we had to go up the Conejo Grade from the Oxnard Plain to get there. Since I didnât go up the grade from the beach to my barn in Moorpark, I always thought that was also part of the Oxnard Plain. Thanks for the official info!
Sidebar: I remember after getting my license at 16, I dreaded driving up the grade to get to Foxfield. It just always seemed so scary for a new driver, so I used to cut through Hidden Valley on the way home. (Remember Hidden Valley when it was all irrigated pastures and white fences? It was like driving through a bit of Kentucky. As a horse-crazy kid, I thought it looked like heaven).
Sorry for derailing the thread, OP.
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I turned my horse out in Hidden Valley for six weeks when I went to Europe after my freshman year of college and my mom didnât want to deal with her. I still remember driving into Hidden Valley and thinking it looked like Kentucky. Still lots of horses, but not as much water. And probably fewer horses than there used to be.
I learned to ride from a man who was in Agoura and then a couple of places in and around Thousand Oaks. The last one before we moved the horses closer to home was near Cal Lutheran and we rode all over the area, over the hill to the SRV, and through developments being built, merrily jumping over trenches and pipes. This would have been mid 1960âs. As a result I have a great fondness for the area.
And now Grady lives in the SRV.
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I love the SRV, too. When the traffic was bad on the 118 going out of Moorpark heading back to the beach, I would detour through the SRV. Great horsie area. Lucky Grady.
I feel lucky that I lived here the past 20 years, but would have loved growing up here as you and @Peggy have!
Rod Stewartâs video for Forever Young is in Hidden Valley, in case you want to look. I have photos of those same trees and fences.
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Thank you all! I am really looking forward to spending more time here.
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SRV is so pretty, but mostly private homes, right? I only know of Wolf Creek for boarding
