Skyline Ranch Equestrian Center

Love the staff (we are partial to Ruth). Love the horses. Love the place. If you want your kid to learn to ride (English), care for animals, learn calmness and learn some discipline, this is the place to go.

My family and I have been part of the Skyline family for 17 years, and I am disappointed to see some of these reviews. Everyone is entitled to his/​her opinion, but since Unilocal reviews are supposed to help people evaluate businesses, reviewers should be as objective as possible. Instead, many reviews contain scathing, personal attacks or extreme views. Anyway, here are some facts I hope will help someone who is considering taking English riding lessons and/​or boarding a horse at Skyline.
Lessons:
The barn manager, Judi, as well as a few other instructors give private, semi-​private and group lessons at reasonably priced rates. While there are many barns with lesson programs, at Skyline, students also get the chance to learn how to groom and tack a horse. When I was a kid, Judi was always very generous in teaching us about barn management and horse care basics.
I have only had lessons with Judi but have heard great things about the other instructors from their students. If you are interested in taking lessons, I would recommend you stop by the barn and speak with someone about your goals, and hopefully you will find an instructor who will meet your needs. Also, as others have mentioned, there are dressage and jumping clinics available at Skyline on a regular basis.
Boarding/​Facility:
My dad had his horse here for 4 years. Judi has always been great with giving him advice on vet care among other things. The people who work at the barn treat horses well. The other Unilocal reviewers are so focused on attacking the manager, but the workers are the people who will change the bedding, feed the horse, and do the turnouts. I want to point out the staff members genuinely like horses and treat them kindly. (Judi does too.)
The barn features wash rack area for two horses, vet/​farrier bay, outside paddocks for daily turnouts, access to trails, small indoor ring, tack room, lockers, and trailer parking (this you will have to check to make sure currently available). By the way, you are surrounded by the beautiful east bay hills while only 5 minutes from Hwy 13.
Is it a drawback to not have an indoor arena for riding in the winter? Sure, but I sincerely believe it’s only a slight drawback… I don’t remember taking winters off. A day or two when it rains but that’s it.
The barn community is great. Everyone is so supportive of each other. People are from all walks of life — kids, families, single working professionals, competitive riders, leisure riders…
If you want to board your horse here, come for a visit! As others have mentioned, the facility is not fancy by any means. However, do you think your horse actually cares about that kind of stuff? He needs food, water, exercise and shelter.

I recently moved to San Francisco from the DC area and I am so happy I found Skyline Ranch. It is difficult finding that right mix of atmosphere, facilities, location, care of horses, and quality of instruction, but so far I have been very pleased with the stables.
I have only been taking lessons with Judi for two months now (since April 2013), but already I’ve learned a lot. Even from the first lesson, Judi was correcting my position and helping me become more effective. Even small things like the way I was posting made a big difference!
*Lessons*
I take lessons on Sunday mornings and/​or on Friday evenings, depending on whether Judi is out of town at a weekend show. Depending on the group of riders, lessons can be more or less challenging, or focus more on, e.g., equitation over horse training. Some lessons we do gridwork, jump courses, dressage, or no-​stirrups torture (I mean, strength building!). I would recommend trying out a few different lessons to find what you like (or just get some variety).
Group lessons can have up to 6 riders, sometimes with another 1 or 2 boarders riding in the mix, but somehow it doesn’t feel crowded. I always feel like Judi is keeping track of my riding and she quickly offers suggestions/​corrections when needed, so everyone gets individual attention.
Personally I love that Judi really pushes you to excel. She does not yell or criticize, but she does offer real truth and you get lots of encouragement when you do it right. Don’t expect to coast through doing it «your way» if what you’re doing isn’t correct or effective. Part of riding is always trying to do better than you did the day (or minute!) before.
*Clinics/​shows*
A few times a month a dressage instructor teaches a clinic on Sunday mornings, and boarders and students have the option of taking a private lesson with her. Also there are lots of shows (and sometimes cross-​country practice) that the students/​boarders go to on weekends.
*Trails*
My only complaint is that there are miles of trails nearby in Joaquin Miller Park but so far I haven’t been able to explore them. I think if you sponsor a horse, you can go out with the boarders on trails.
*School horses*
I like that you are expected to sweep up after yourself, clean your tack, and groom/​tack up yourself. The school horses are shiny, in good weight, and well-​muscled. Many of them are older schoolmasters that really know their stuff but are still challenging. For me, seeing a well-​kept OLDER horse that is still happy in his job is the best indicator of good care!
*Price/​location*
Group lessons are $ 40, which is very reasonable. Board is also reasonably priced, and there are options to sponsor (lease) horses if you want more riding time.
Located in Oakland right by a huge park, it’s close enough that I can drive there in 35 min from SF (although more like 45 min to an hour in rush-​hour).
*Overall*
For those expecting a pristine, brand-​new facility where you are the most important person that walked through the door (and your horse poops gold), this is not the place for you.
However, if you want a friendly, clean, well-​run place where you are always welcome if you’re willing to put in hard work, this is it!

Could not get someone on the phone or a call back after multiple attempts.

I have been at Skyline for 15 years! Judi is a great instructor for all levels of English riding! I love the relaxed, safe atmosphere. My parents felt very comfortable leaving me in Judi’s hands growing up, and she made me appreciate all the hard work that goes in to running a barn. I like that everyone is allowed to do their own thing, as long as your being safe and using good judgement Whether it be 3-​day Eventing, Dressage, Show Jumping, Western, or just Trail riding. You do not HAVE to be in any sort of training program to jump.
The barn stays open late, and you can ride in the arena until 9:30pm which is great for when I get off of work late. The horses get excellent care and The staff is quick to identify anything out of the ordinary with the horses and will do whatever they can to help. I have been very happy at skyline and will keep coming back!

I love Skyline ! I’ve been riding at skyline for almost two years now, and love the skyline community. It’s the most diverse and accommodating barn I’ve ever been to. Yes it’s no frills… It’s owned by the city of Oakland !
I started out taking lessons with Lisa who is absolutely wonderful. I hadn’t ridden in almost 10 years and she’s nearly gotten me back to my old skill level. She keeps lessons fresh and always tests me with various exercises. She’s very cautious and creates a safe feeling space to ride in (especially for someone who might be a little nervous). She will tell you like it is, and quickly correct any bad habits you have. Every single lesson I’ve had with her has been productive. When Lisa is in town take any opportunity you can to ride with her !
I’ve also had the pleasure to ride in an ongoing group lesson with the manager, Judi. Judi will whip you into shape and push you to your limits ! She can and does train all skill levels. Judi gives good feedback and keeps lessons interesting. Judi also helped my husband make a surprise marriage proposal at the barn, and that is something I will never forget ! She’s the boss, and takes her responsibilities very seriously. Horses are unpredictable and can obviously be dangerous. She will harshly and quickly point out something if it’s unsafe (as will Lisa). I expect this and we all deserve it for our own safety and the safety of the horses. The schooling portion of skyline is thriving and sometimes we feel a little short on lesson horses (especially since we all have our favorites). A couple new ponies just came to the barn so that may help. If you’re trying to ride more than once a week things get a little tricky and I’d certainly rather be sponsoring or leasing a horse at this point.
–The arena isn’t covered but drains well and is very rarely rained out. The arena was re-​sanded recently and the footing is the best it’s ever been. I’d love to find a way to get the city of Oakland to pay for a covering but we all know why that’s highly unlikely.
–I haven’t ever had a problem turning out a horse in the indoor area. I’ve never seen anyone leave their horse in there unattended. There’s a list you put your name on if there’s multiple people waiting to turnout, and I’ve never had more than 2 horses ahead of me.
Basically if you’re looking for something posh go to a privately owned barn. If you want somewhere to get dirty and really learn to ride then come to skyline.

I have known Judi, the proprietor of Skyline Ranch, for nearly 15 years and have the utmost respect for her and the way she manages the barn. She is a fantastic horsewoman and trainer, is very generous with her time and expertise, and does a wonderful job fostering the next-​generation of equestrians thanks to her tireless support of junior riders. And she does it all while creating a down-​to-​earth family feel for those that board or take lessons at Skyline.
I boarded my previous horse at Skyline for 6+ years, until taking time off from riding to focus on my career and family. During those years at Skyline, I often had to travel out of town for work, but never once worried — not even for a minute — about my horse, as I knew Judi and her staff were more than capable of taking care of his needs in my absence. This was proven late one night when my horse coliced while I was out of town. Judi and her staff personally hand-​walked him for hours, working with my vet to ensure my horse received immediate care. The end result was a happy one, and a testament to the kind of exemplary care Judi provides the horses under her watch.
Years later, I am riding again, and while I no longer live close enough to Skyline to board there, one of the main reasons I recently purchased a horse trailer is so that I can continue to train with Judi. Her keen eye and terrific instruction have already made a palpable difference in the quality of my rides on my new and very young horse.

I basically grew up at this place and I can say as both someone who has taken lessons here and then moved into being a boarder here the horrible things people are saying are so far from true. I fell in love with riding at camp and wanted to take lessons. My parents and I went on a long exhaustive search to find the perfect barn for me. We tried a lot of barns in the area that were real duds (instructors that wouldn’t show up, instructors that left the barn without telling anyone they quit, places where you had to go catch your own horse and that counted as part of your lesson time so if it took too long to bad, and a place where I was screamed at for an hour and pushed so hard I could barely walk by the end). When I came to Skyline I was so happy to have found a good place to ride.
Judi was a great instructor and really helped me grow as a rider. I took group and private lessons from her throughout my life up until I left for college. She was also always there to help out when I needed something. She would trailer my horse to shows, come check out a horse I was thinking of buying, and gave me my first instructing job. She was a great mentor and teacher.
What I also liked about the barn was the people. There were always barn kids around and the other boarders at the barn were very friendly. Judi would throw really fun barn parties a few times through out the year and it was fun to bond with the barn family.
Judi also brought in other instructors to run clinics whenever they were available. I appreciated this because the instructors she would bring in always brought something new and amazing to the table. I really was able to grow and flourish under her care.
In all the time I have spent at the barn I have never seen a horse being abused, and if any horse was being mistreated you could expect Judi to be the first one to step up and stop the mistreatment. I never felt ignored, I never felt unsafe, and I never felt under appreciated. The great part about Unilocal is that it allows people to talk about experiences they have had somewhere. The bad part about Unilocal is that some person can get a personal grudge against someone and make up lies without ever having to face consequences. The people who said bad things about this place have no truth to them and are probably just pissed about something silly.
Skyline Ranch was an amazing place to grow up and Judi was an amazing mentor. My family still boards there and still takes lessons. Judi is a good family friend, a good teacher, and a good manager. If you want a fun, family like place to ride this is the place for you.

I am so happy that my horse Maverick and I board at this barn! We love Judi the barn manager she is just fantastic! I moved in about 5 months ago and can’t imagine leaving. I researched a lot of the barns in the area but this one really met everything I could want out of a barn. The staff is wonderful and everyone is super friendly. The horses are all fed very good quality and amounts of hay. Having an OTTB who maintains a nice weight at this barn is a true testament to their care. The stalls are always bedded very generously and are clean and cozy. The barn is kept in very nice condition and has an indoor round pen which is great for rainy days to turn out and a good size out door arena. The arena drains suuuper quickly and Judi and the staff do a great job at keeping it very well maintained. There are tons of jumps and you are free to set them up whenever you like which is great for someone like me who is always training my horse new things. The horses are also turned out every day into little paddocks which are all individual and electric so no one fights or gets injured and they get to be outside and be a horse half of the day. The barn has a good amount of adults and kids, and you can take great lessons from a number of people up there. Across the street is also access to Tons of trails and another arena! My vet Dr. Raina Petrov also stables her horse there and it is comforting to know that she is around and I have an awesome farrier Ryan Felix who helps my TB with his typical bad TB feet: D All in all this is a great barn and i love coming here from the city to escape from it all.

First let me say I am not a rider my son is, so this review is from a parent’s view. There is a great instructor there Carol, however the owner whose name is Judy is one of the worst managers I have ever met! She is rude, whips horses who are ancient. In fact she had my teenage son moved to tears when she kicked a horse for trying to bite her! In less you are a boarder she is unbearable. when you read the other reviews noticed that folks who only receive lessons have the most negative things to say. So unless you an afford to buy your own horse stay away! I regret saying this because of the amazing teachers there, but be fore warned.

What the heck are the people writing negative reviews talking about? I’ve been at Skyline for 14 years and the care of the horses and the upkeep of the facility has always been 100%. As some have pointed out this facility is owned by the park system which limits what can be done to upgrade some of the limitations but that is matched by a very economical board rate. The so called indoor arena is never billed as that. It is simply a dry place to turn your horse out on a rainy day and is okay for low level lessons but no one in their right mind would look at it and think it was an indoor arena. Again, barns with large indoor facilities charge much more for board. The outdoor arena is large and the footing is fine. It does not flood in the winter and in fact unless it is raining hard is seldom closed due to weather. It is dragged at least once a day and watered several times a day. All the stalls have rubber mats, the horses are fed high quality hay three times a day, and in good weather get turned out daily at no extra cost. The arena is well lit and you can ride at night until 9:00.
There is a waiting list for the lesson program, the barn is full and it has one of the largest most active Pony Club programs in the state. Once a month one of the leading dressage instructors in the area comes to do a clinic and the barn goes to hunter/​jumper shows on a regular basis.
No horse at Skyline has ever been abused, neglected or mistreated by anyone on the staff at any level. To imply otherwise is just wrong. Every horse at Skyline gets the best care possible!
Do not confuse reviews from people with a bone to pick with the fact that Skyline provides first class care for your horse, great instructions, decent school horses and casual family friendly attitude.

This place is great. It takes a LOT of searching to find a good equestrian center when you don’t know a lot of people in the horse world wherever you live. Especially in the Bay area where things are more expensive than other places.
The board rates are better than anywhere I’ve found in the SF bay area (unless you want to go wayyyy far out to the middle of nowhere), the manager is awesome – super nice and very helpful, the place is kept up well, and they definitely take care of the horses really well for you. Sure it might not be the most sparkling clean barn around, but (a) i really can’t imagine a horse would care and (b) if you want a place like that, you can find it and you’ll pay a lot more for something that might be slightly better looking to you. But really, it’s your horse living there, not you. (I mention this because of some of the reviews I read on here.) Oh and not to mention that most of the things that barns usually nickel-​and-​dime you for (such as turnouts, blanketing, etc etc which when you add up monthly costs you a FORTUNE)…most is actually included. That’s rare.
I’ve had my horse at 3 different barns in the bay area now, had to move her twice due to an increased board rate with no notice at the other barns I was at which I couldn’t manage at the time, and I’ve probably looked at 20 different places across the East Bay to find the best one. I highly recommend you check this place out if you’re looking for a great place to keep your horse.

I have been riding here for about 7 years (it’s been a while). I started riding here because of the Pony Club, which is unlike other Pony Clubs because the barn manager lets her school horses be used for meetings (in other Pony Clubs, you have to own your own horse). This place is very close to my house – about 10 minutes away! But for this convenient location, I have to pay a price – size. Because of its location in Oakland, this barn is small – with only one small indoor arena and a decently sized outdoor arena. The dogs that live at the barn are friendly and lving and the cat that lives there is probably one of the friendliest cats I have ever met. As for the school horses, they each have their own personalities and challenges (laziness, racing to jumps, refusing jumps, etc.), thus teaching you how to actually ride and deal with these challenges.
The barn manager is a pretty nice person. Keep in mind that this barn is owned by the park district, so she does not actually own the barn, she just manages it. while I have found that she can be a bit pushy and yells (I’ve gotten used to it), she can also be very nice and awesome. She is great with kids. She takes time to take kids to horse shows and Pony Clubbers to Pony Club rallys. Once a year, she even dedicates a weekend to go up to Eventful Acres to do cross country training – something which is almost impossible to do at Skyline.
Another something I have enjoyed about this place? It’s tranquility. Every time I go up there, it is quiet and relaxed. Everyone there is friendly and nice.
Needless to say, I will miss this place.

NOT WORTH THE MONEY!
I really wanted to like this barn. Skyline Ranch is located in a really nice area of Oakland with access to some of my favorite trails. But the management and upkeep of this barn is horrendous. I boarded with them for only a few months, my experience was pretty awful, much along the lines of the other reviews here.
There are 2 arenas, one very small indoor arena that’s smack in the middle of the barn. It’s much too small to be able to ride inside and has laughable footing, really only useful for turn outs. People tie their horses up on the posts of the indoor arena though, and often times will walk away or stand there talking to someone. This can be very distracting if you’re trying to do something with your horse, makes it almost impossible to do anything in the indoor arena other than turn outs. Unfortunately, the manager of the barn usually turns out her own horses for hours during the day. She’ll even put a horse in the arena and leave the property all together! More than once I went up and wanted to TO before riding but was unable to do so because the manager had put a horse in the arena and disappeared for more than 2 hours. She is really inconsiderate of the boarders and expects everyone to work around her manic schedule.
The outdoor arena is decent. It’s a good size and nice to ride in when the weather is good. Unfortunately it floods during the winter, but the manager does have sprinklers for during the hot summer days. But I’ve ridden in the arena more than once, when the manager decided to turn on a sprinkler behind me with no warning. What a shock when a smack of cold water hits my helmet and/​or my horse while we’re riding around! Needless to say it often spooks the horses in the arena to have a huge fountain of water go off out of no where. The footing in the outdoor arena is awful. There’s a guy that drags it every so often but it doesn’t really help. I’ve taken a tumble or two and it feels like hitting cement, image what it’s like for your horse to be working on that surface every day. Jumps are left around haphazardly from school group lessons, kids and student trainers ride around with little to no control over their horses, and the manager rides around like a bat out of hell on horses fresh from the track.
All in all I’d say, if you’re desperate to board for a short amount of time then this place might work, but I wouldn’t plan on staying more than 3 months max. Do NOT put your horse in training with the manager. If you do, expect her to hand your horse off to an unqualified student instructor (if you’re lucky), she may just turn it out, or she’ll hop on for 20 minutes and basically just run it around in circles while whipping it completely unnecessarily. I’ve never seen anyone as crop-​happy as this woman is.
The woman that runs this barn has absolutely no people skills and has less than desirable bookkeeping skills. Keep your own records of all money that is exchanged because her idea of accounting is having you shoving checks under her door after she’s disappeared for the day (while leaving one of her horses loose in the indoor arena).

This is a great place to take riding lessons. The atmosphere around the barn is relaxed and friendly, and there is a huge variety of school horses suitable for all ranges of experience. Group lessons are held in the afternoons on several days of the week, or private lessons can be arranged to suit one’s schedule. The prices are very reasonable.