mar vista stables

I am horrified about my visit here. While yes, the views on the trail are amazing, the horses do not appear to be taken care of. First of all, there was no one outside when we arrived, no one to be seen except three saddled horses hitched to a pole and literal horse feces EVERYWHERE. Fresh and old and mostly the hitched horses were stepping in their own feces. I was not able to see the stables but I assume they were equally disgusting if not worse. The stables and "buildings" to this place are old rotted falling down wood and haphazard fences and other debris. In the SMALL common area for the horses, there were WAY too many in there and they were all filthy. I don't mean one just decided to roll in the mud for fun, I mean filthy haven't had a bath or groom in days. My friend's horse wanted nothing to do with the steep hill that starts the trail, because he was new and not comfortable going down those hills, and had to be lead on a leash by the guide who had headphones in the whole time. Anyway, when we got back, the horses from the people who went before us were hitched up again at the pole. They had not had their saddles taken off or even loosened and they definitly did not get a rub down or quick groom either, just hitched up for the next people to come. One of those horses was so wet with sweat it looked like he just got hosed off. But he wasn't because his saddle was still on and he was dripping. On the wooden thing that you use to dismount, there were empty Coors Light cans on the platform and one on the ground. I actually have emailed the Human Society about them and I am looking for more people to get help. The horses I saw had crusty eyes as well, they hung their heads low and looked horribly sad and depressed and unloved. I left that place practically in tears because it was that bad. I was skeptical when we first got there to even go but we went for it and when we got back we saw it for what it really was. I am truly upset.

Visited my daughter (an advanced rider) in California and decided to surprise her with horseback riding. One of the staff teased me for opting to wear a helmet even though I am also an advanced rider. It was a bit odd to actually make fun of a patron but I took the teasing lightly. While on the beach, my daughter's horse started bucking like a bronco and threw her off like a rag doll. Fortunately, she landed in sand. Unfortunately, the earlier teasing caused her to not choose a helmet. The guide was able to calm her horse and we made it back to the stables without further event but there was nothing said about the event at all. At least one horse was unpredictable. The female staff were not polite.

The ride has mixed review. While the tail and beach were scenic and the horses did not appear to have the best care. It may be that all the stables in that area are the same; however, we have ridden horses that appeared better cared for in the south. Given the opportunity to ride the beach again, I think we would pass.

Don't let reviews on other sites sway you. Yes, the stable is a bit run down - but this is not a country club - no stuck up fancy pants here. Great horses, nice guide, and beautiful ride down to the beach. You can't beat this for a romantic ride or family ride. We will go back when in town. John was a great guide and made sure we were safe and secure the entire ride.

We rode at this stable on October 10, 2013, perfect weather and sunny day. Steep trails down to the beach might intimidate some beginner riders but we thought it was fun. Riding on the beach and in the water was wonderful! I just wish the ocean ride had been longer than the trails down to the beach.We would ride here again, no question about it. Stable/ranch hands and guides were friendly and one of my best friends was a tabby cat who plunked himself in my lap while we waited for a group of beginners to get on their horses.There has been some negative reviews here and this is what I have to say about that. The horses were under shelter, had loosened saddles on but no bridles on. We saw the same thing when we drove by Seahorse Ranch, except they had their bridles on and we did not see any groups waiting to ride.Yes this place could use some cosmetic improvements, some of the tack was more than well used, but this is a hack stable. You are not renting Grand Prix dressage horses, these horses have been kicked, jabbed, had their mouths hauled on and the like by the many inexperienced riders that have gone here to ride.One tip I will give you is if you are an experienced rider, don't blab about that to the ranch help or wear, like I did, a sweatshirt with a sign indicating I am not a beginner because you will end up with the stubborn ones, the ones who want to go where they want to go and so on.I would have given this place five stars if they made their ranch look more appealing and not run down. They don't charge much for the wonderful ride and scenery you get and horses are not cheap to have (feed, vet shots, shoes, help to clean stalls and pens, replacing tack) so I don't think this owner is making a million dollars from his business.All in all, we had a lot of fun and would go here again!

We try to go horseback riding wherever we go on vacation. Mar Vista (ocean view) provides an exceptional riding experience. The horses seem well-fed; and, well-groomed. My daughter takes riding lessons back home; and, she said they looked and behaved great.Our guide took us along the coast, through well-worn paths, which provided the horses with sure footing, whether headed up-hill or down. We walked at leisurely pace, so everyone could get lots of great pictures; and, not to stress the animals. The views were absolutely stunning.Prior to leaving, we took a lap or two around the paddock, to ensure everyone had the hang of turning the horses, stopping them; and, getting them to go. Not everyone in our group was as experienced as my daughter, so the extra time was well-appreciated.We will continue to seek out horseback riding opportunities wherever we go. Mar Vista Stables was terrific.

We went to Mar Vista Stables today and had a fantastic time!!! I brought my 14 year old daughter and her friend to ride, for my daughter's Birthday. The staff was excellent, Junior was our favorite~ professional, helpful and kind. The horses were beautiful, healthy and gentle.We were treated kindly by all. I can't think of a better way to spend a Birthday. The scenery was amazing!!! I would recommend this stable to all my friends. I've been riding for over 34 years and look forward to my next visit to Mar Vista Stables :)Additional comment~ In regards to a few of the other reviews... I NEVER saw any sign of abuse. The horses were healthy and happy. The worker's were very kind to us. We rode with a group of 15 total riders. Everyone had smiles on their faces :)

When we arrived at the Stables on a recent Tuesday morning, we just stood there. No one greeted us for a few minutes. They just walked around us. A tall, young gentleman finally acknowledged the two of us. We smiled at him and said we would like to go for a ride. Looking very put off, he just pointed to clipboards with paperwork and said, "Sign those." He walked away and went into the office. Once our paperwork was signed, we just stood around again until a wrangler came out of the office. A few people were getting the horses ready and we told them that we never rode before, and how happy we were to be there... but they all just seem uninterested. They put us on horses, gave us basic instructions and off we went. I do have to say other than the staff, the ride was FANTASTIC! The scenery alone was to die for! We rode down narrow paths at a slow pace. The wrangler infront of us, I don't believe he spoke english or very little. The wrangler behind us was a very nice young girl. She talked the entire way and even offered to take alot pictures of us with my camera. She was really Great! (And thank god for her! She made up for the rest of the staff) Again, breathtaking views, riding a horse on the sand along the ocean, mountains in either direction, weather was perfect... it truly was priceless! And the horses were great, even though mine seemed a little old. I felt bad for him, but the wrangler assured me that all the horses were really taken care of and that they put the horses well-being before all else like weather, customers... etc. So that made me feel good. Once the ride was over, another wrangler (older woman) held my horse and told me I could get off. We were in sand, so when I got my right leg over and down to the sand, I kind of hopped a few times trying to get my balance and left foot out at the same time. The woman yelled at me and said "whoa, whoa, whoa...you know what your doing?!" Being it was my first time getting off a horse, and losing my balance in the sand... I think I did alright. She looked annoyed and was kind of rude towards me. But driving away... we talked about going back to do it all over again the next day, but unfortunately, we never made it back. If ever on the west coast again, I would definitely go back there just for the experience of the ride, horses and views... I would just know not to expect too much from most of the Staff.

We reserved a ride two days before the date (it's not possible to do it before then).We made our way from Palo Alto in order to be there at 8 am a Monday morning (~45 minutes in heavy traffic). When we arrived we were not greeted by anyone.The wranglers were hanging around in the stables; they took us to the house where our guide, a young woman in her early twenties, was apparently not fully awake yet. She was surprised to see us because it had been raining during the night and she thought we wouldn't come!We started filling in paperwork when a guy arrived from inside the house, telling us that the ride would not happen, because of the rain the previous night (they "needed to check the trails" and the girl "might catch a cold").When we asked why they didn't call, the guy said, in an aggressive tone "well, would you have wanted me to call you at 1 am when it started raining?" Yes, dude, that's why we have voicemail.Anyway, this is incomprehensible; I have taken rides in many parts of the world, under all kinds of weather. Besides, this was supposed to take place on the beach, which has water, rain or shine!Other than that the installations don't look good or well maintained and the horses don't look happy or too well fed. Avoid if possible.

We called ahead to ask if the pony rides were available and they said yes. We showed up and they didn't have the ponies out and were painting the corral and wouldn't be having pony rides today. The lady then rode off with a group of adults on the beach. My 3 year old daughter was devastated. Once she started crying, the guys painting the fence sighed, stopped painting and went and got a pony and hooked it up. She was SO happy and appreciative of the "cowboys." It was a $10/10 minute ride, I gave them a $20 for their efforts to make a little girl happy. It really meant a lot to us that they made it work out. (The minus one star is because they "front of the house folks" who seemed not to care they gave me bad info.

We arrived on a Saturday morning and were the last two riders on a full contingent, about 20 in total with 4 wranglers. The staff was helpful and friendly and kept a close eye on us. The scenery was very beautiful and the horses knew what they were doing. It cost $40/person for about 1 1/2 hour ride. I would highly recommend this experience.

The views are 5/5, but our tour guide could only smile and could not speak any English at all. Fr being beginners there was no preparation once we got on the horses, the staff is not very friendly and doesn't make you feel all that welcome. I went on a trail ride in TX that was a blast we were able to talk to our friends and my horse not its fault seeing as you literally borderline slide down the side of a mountain wanted to stay back from my aunts horse. I would not recommend this place to anyone, maybe if our tour guide would have been English speaking and told us what to expect or about the area it might be different, but all he said was at the end with a smile... Get off. Thankfully the previous trail riding place had explained how to do that. Not worth the money. Oh and as your getting ready to take off on your ride they say, tip your guide at the end, very rude. Horses don't look very well taken care for, many of the horses were laying down in an outdoor stable, very muddy and dirty, not sure if they were healthy. Poor experience. Amazing view, but you had to hold on for dear life until we got to he bottom.

I had called the previous day and arranged to go horseback riding the next morning. I was told that the stables opened at 8-30. I made my way from downtown San Francisco to the stables and arrived at 9-00. I was told on arrival that there was a group going out at 10 and would I mind waiting. I said that this was ok so I went for coffee at the nearest gas station to kill time. I arrived back at 9-40 and hung around. I waited about until 10-20 and there was no sign of any group. Nobody approached me to say if the group cancelled. I talked to one guy and said that I was there to go horseback riding and he just told me to hang around. I got fed up hanging about feeling ignored so I headed back to San Francisco. If this stables continues to ignore customers like this then they will not be around much longer!

Our experience at Mar Vista Stables was outstanding. Parking is free and right in front. No reservations are needed, they make up groups as people arrive. We paid ($40 a person), signed the waiver (4 pages - thank the lawyers), had an orientation, saddled up, and headed out within about 15-20 minutes. There is a restroom but it's pretty primitive.The one hour ride is divided into thirds, with about 20 minutes each spent riding to the beach, on the beach, and back. The scenery is amazing and our horses were well-behaved. My “horsecam” was a Canon point-and-shoot with the strap always secured around one wrist as it would be difficult, and sometimes impossible, to retrieve a dropped item. Be aware that any camera requiring both hands would be tough to use. One hint – bring a bandanna or scarf if you’re sensitive to dust because it gets thick now and again. Helmets are optional for adults. I wore one because I wear one on a bike so it makes sense that if there’s the slightest chance of being tossed off something the size of a horse, I’ll take the helmet every time. We had two “wranglers,” one leading the group and the other bringing up the rear. We had read (and been amused by) reviews on other sites complaining about horses that “don’t listen” and so on. Our experience has been that for the most part, trail ride horses know what to do. This was no exception. There’s usually no need to “drive” or guide your horse – this is their job and they have plenty of practice. So while riders are given instructions on how to handle the reins (horses don’t respond to verbal commands!) and you definitely want to pay attention, be gentle and don’t overdo it. Some of the descents are steep, but not frighteningly so. The trail occasionally runs within ten feet or so of steep dropoffs that may concern people with a fear of heights. With that said, I myself have that fear and it didn’t bother me at all. The vegetation also closes in pretty tight in a couple of spots.Bottom line: the ride was a blast. We’d do it again and highly recommend it.