Making sense of first lease

[greysfordays]

While I agree traffic is brutal in LA (I live here too), I think your best bet would be Shadowbrook in Moore Park. I think Jenni Brown is outstanding and upholds really high ethical standards vis a vis her clients and horses.

Near middle ranch, you could look at Bayridge, they can probably find you a nice lease. But I think Shadowbrook is a better fit personally. I agree there’s no one I would send you to at Hansen Dam or the Paddock. And I also agree it’s an eventing wasteland here, the nearest trainers would be in Temecula at Galway. Believe me, I’ve looked.

[Rel6]

@centaursam, what about Cellar Door Farm? I will readily admit to only being familiar through the trainer’s excellent and funny social media presence on tiktok, but maybe others can chime in. It seems to cater to a lot of ammys at various levels and she frequently seems to have horses for in-barn lease.

Cellar Door Farm

[centaursam]

@greysfordays I’ll check out Shadowbrook, thank you for the recommendation. I like that side of the LA more than where I’m at now so maybe it’s time I venture in that direction for riding.

@Rel6 She’s in the same facility as I am but I don’t know much about her as a trainer or her riders. I’ve seen her riders get dumped quite a few times though.

[Peggy]

While I’ve never ridden with Jenni Brown I have met a number of her students over the years and watched her students and would recommend her based on that. I’ve seen her at both the local LAHSA type shows and the bigger Thermal-type shows. Her facility does have the advantage of being right off the 23 freeway just after it curves south from the 118 (or you can get off the 118 at Madera and take whatever street turns into Tierra Rejada to avoid the traffic that appears at the end of the 118. And there’s an excellent produce stand next door. It’s a pretty nice horse area with better weather than the San Fernando Valley.

Seconding that there really aren’t eventing trainers in the LA area. The only one I can think of operates out of barns in Whittier and Long Beach, but that would be a haul, and I don’t think she has lesson horses.

[PonyPenny]

Goldspirit Farm in Lakeview Terrace, CA does eventing and is close to you OP. Susan Friend LeTourneur is the trainer. Check them out. http://www.goldspiritfarm.com/index.html

[eventingFool]

If you are interested in Eventing, Gina Econimou in Pepperwood Farns is in the LA area

[Xctrygirl]

These are primarily eventers but Gina does Jumpers at a high level also.

What About Gina Economu or Susan Friend LeTourneur??? Both are friends of mine and Nowhere near as far as Temecula. Both very positive and friendly. I have boarded my horse at Susan’s when she first bought it and I commuted from right by NBC studios. (Burbank)

Gina’s Website:

https://pepperwoodridingcenter.com/

10124 La Tuna Canyon Rd. Sun Valley, CA, 91352

Showing it’s 12 mins from Hansen Dam

Susan’s Website:

http://www.goldspiritfarm.com/index.html

Showing it’s 11 minutes from Hansen Dam.

Honestly I am biased but I am telling you these are fun places to be with good people.

Em

[onlyTBmares]

I didn’t finish all the responses so maybe someone has addressed this, apologies if it has.

I am also a grown a$$ adult who is newer to showing, although I have been riding, owning, caring for and training for many decades. Anyway, I love horse showing. I also know I’m not heading towards the Olympics or any big time year end ammy award. I’m just trying to put in some decent rounds at the 1.0m and not embarrass myself. All that is to say, one of the very best parts of showing, is going with the ammy crew and winning/losing/succeeding/failing/suffering and celebrating together. We cheer each other on, we bring fancy snacks to eat in the tent, we bring wine to celebrate or drown sorrows. We spend the early predawn together feeding and handwalking. We borrow show coats and blue shampoo and fly spray. We sprint across show grounds with a forgotten martingale.

It might be worth it to find a group of like minded humans, they could be fellow adults or even juniors. But it really enhances the showing experience and justifies the insane expenses. Personally, it wouldn’t be worth it to show alone for me (as always, to each their own). But showing with my barn crew feels 100% worth the money

[Larksmom]

be careful about hanging around with juniors though. Sadly, it has come to that.

[onlyTBmares]

@Larksmom yeah unfortunately you’re right about that….just find some adults then!

[axl]

IIRC, @centaursam was looking for some lady friends, so he might find one at the right barn.

[Larksmom]

I should think most would be teeming with young ladies!

[centaursam]

Thank you all for the recommendations! I am considering all options right now and reaching out to different people to see what’s out there. I’m trying out a horse from a different trainer (not a jumper) and my jumping trainer wasn’t too happy.

@axl Finding the right lady friend seems to be just as challenging as finding the right barn

[Larksmom]

I would think most barns are LOADED with women! we out numberr the male riders 100 to 1 on here, and I should think most barns. Keep lookin!

[centaursam]

You are correct but where I’m at right now, for example, a large portion of women are significantly older than me or are teenagers. Most of those within my age bracket are taken so the ratio hasn’t helped so far. Perhaps more impetus to find another barn…

[endlessclimb]

@centaursam

my jumping trainer wasn’t too happy.

The one who can’t keep a horse sound for you to learn on?

Yeah, they can take their feelings and stuff them.

[Larksmom]

you probably know most of us, (me for example) am over 70. maybe not finding but for goodness sakes keep looking! go to a few shows. Men are very scarce until you get to upper levels.

[Scribbler]

It is true that a lot of women in their 20s who ride as juniors end up putting horses on hold for school or career. It’s been mentioned here on COTH both with women in their late 20s/ early 30s not finding peers at barns, or with women wondering how to afford to get back into horses post college, when their parents are no longer supporting them. Or even high school kids trying to map out how college and early career can accomodate horses too.

[luvmyhackney]

@centaursam

Most of those within my age bracket are taken so the ratio hasn’t helped so far. Perhaps more impetus to find another barn…

If you can’t meet your soul mate at the barn, try yoga. It will help your riding and fitness plus increase your chances.

[centaursam]

@Larksmom I haven’t given up but kind of lol. I guess I’ve had to significantly temper my expectations

@luvmyhackney I take a ballet class to help with my ballroom dancing and I’m the only male in the whole class but it’s the same issue I have at the barn surprisingly, most are either much older or much younger than I and nobody talks to anyone, nobody smiles and says hello. Every week it feels like a class full of strangers despite it being the same people. There’s one girl that talks to me occasionally but she rushes out the door at the end of every class so it’s hard to get any meaningful conversation going.

I did take a hot yoga class with a friend and I also found it challenging to talk to people. It’s dark so you don’t really know what the person looks like that you’re talking to, talking is also discouraged during the class, and as soon as the class is done, everyone beelines for the showers and locker rooms so it’s hard to connect with someone.