Isabella Farms

They do not offer trail rides any longer. What they do offer is one-​on-​one western training session for 90 minutes. You learn how to groom and saddle up your horse. On the field you learn how to sit and turn in different directions. My horse Dallas challenged me a little and went super slow but it taught me a lot about how I was holding my body and feet. Lindsey was a great teacher and very fun to be around. She gave us a whole bag of walnuts when we left because it is on a walnut orchard.
I would recommend this is you have ridden a horse before but want to know more about correct western form. I found it very educational. My husband and I took turns with a lesson and we were able to get a lot of good photos.

I’ve enjoyed a trail ride here twice! The staff lets you spend time with the horses first. You help groom your horse as they saddle them. They give you a quick refresher course on riding in an arena before your ride. The ride is fun and has beautiful sceneries! I highly reccomend this farm!

We have a party of 4, and we got a deal from Amazon. I have difficulties to book online at first because we have a big group and we want to ride together. So I called, and Lindsay help us to find a date that we can all ride together.
They are popular, and it takes some time for us to get to ride, but the wait is worth it. The staff there are all very professional and friendly. The view on the trail is great. It was a great experience.

Isabella Farms is amazing. I left wishing I lived closer, and that I had more disposable income so that I could go back next weekend and try an advanced ride.
The beginner trail ride was wonderful. Some previous reviewer suggested going when the grass is green, but I think the «dead» grass is just as beautiful, if not more so. Riding over the hills is like traversing the back of some giant, silver-​haired beast.
For anyone concerned about the welfare of the animals — the horses here are top priority. Healthy, happy and not over-​worked in the slightest. They are well-​trained without having the personality trained out of them, and the staff is great at matching horses with riders. If I were a horse, I would be fortunate to be at Isabella Farms under the care of Julian and his people.
Lindsay and Amanda, the guides, were fantastic instructors/​leaders and made sure everyone had a fun (and safe) ride. As a business, they have exceptional customer service. They honored my expired Groupon, and I was told that although they are very strict about the start time of the ride, if anyone has to be turned away for arriving too late, there is no penalty.

I rode a buckskin Kentucky Mountain Horse today, which was fun.
My guide Lindsay was very helpful. It was my first time riding on the road with vehicles crossing our side.
Will return for another ride in the summer when the footing is better.

I had a wonderful beginner ride at Isabella Farms this week. Clayton is a beautiful area and the first thing I noticed about the farm is how nicely it was kept. The barn was gorgeous and all the animals looked healthy and well taken care of. Wild turkeys, goats, dogs, and chickens were all there to greet us.
Lindsay, our guide really did a great job of giving us all the tips, tricks and pointers on steering and handling the horse, grooming, etc, before we set out. Once we got on the trail, she knew the routes like the back of her hand and really made sure we were all safe and enjoying ourselves. The ride was nice and long (yes, I was sore as always) but there were well-​timed breaks at beautiful vista spots where we could drink water, eat a snack and take pictures.
Zoltan, our other guide was very professional and did a lot of the heavy lifting, making sure all the saddles and gear were just right. He also took some great photos of our group for us at the vista spots. Very nice guy.
I’m looking forward to another ride at the more advanced level. This one was only a walking pace throughout, but it gave us plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful scenery and relax.
We met up with Julian, the owner of the farm before and after our ride and his love of the place is infectious. He really loves and cares for his animals, which is so nice to see and the whole staff was friendly and easy-​going.
I would definitely recommend this place for anyone who wants to have a great riding experience. There were people in our group that had never ridden before, and some who were getting back into it, but they took care of us all, and we had a great time!

Thanks to Lindsay for putting up with me and my best friend for 5 hours!
I got a LS voucher for horseback riding for my birthday and decided to give it a whirl. I think it’s cool that Julian rescues these horses and gives them this beautiful, safe environment to live.

I can’t believe this is the first review I’ve bothered to Unilocal about, but Isabella Farms deserves a little Good Feedback if anyone does.
I’ve been searching for a place to ride in the Bay Area, & oddly enough, they seem few & far between. Especially ones who treat their Horses with LOVE & RESPECT!
Isabella Farms is all that & more. The staff are super sweet & clearly concerned with making sure everything goes smoothly for you AND the Animals. Their stables are clean & welcoming, with time alotted for Grooming & Bonding with your Horse. Also, the Groupon I had purchased for the excursion had expired, but they were kind enough to still honor it & I’m glad they did, because we had the BESTEST time!!!
The surrounding views are BEAUTIFUL & the trails are very easy to navigate. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this place for bringing kids, as they seem to go to extraordinary lengths to promote safety the whole time. Our guide couldn’t have been nicer & there are many Adorable Barnyard Friends that we enjoyed chumming with as well.
It’s a pretty quick trip out there from San Francisco & I’m sure we’ll return soon for some more Equestrian Goodness…
Thanks Isabella Farms… you rule!!!

Very friendly, knowledgeable staff. Despite some mishaps getting to go on my first horseback ride (hey, don’t laugh, I only learned how to ski in my 20s), that included being rained out 3 times and me not bringing jeans, I ultimately lucked out and had a wonderful time learning about horse riding.
I really appreciated the time we get to groom and bond with the animals, and generally getting used to them before embarking. Everyone at Isabella Farms was very friendly and patient, and I never felt out of my depth.
I will definitely return, it was truly a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon in the fantastic California Hills that surround the farm, taking in the splendid vistas and getting away from technology for a few hours.

Thanks to Groupon we discovered Isabella Farms and what a treasure it is, hidden in the hills of the East Bay.
Given the crazy weather and the difficulty of coordinating the crazy schedules of three very busy people, I wasn’t able to schedule a time for our visit until after the coupon had expired. No problem, Julian said. They would still honor it. Nice!
We picked the perfect day. The weather was warm, but not terribly hot. A slight breeze was blowing and the sky was clear. It was my first time on a horse (although my friends had some experience) so I needed conditions to be in my favor.
The drive from SF to Clayton took approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Extra time is needed on the two lane, curvy road leading up to the farm as the road is shared with cyclists and horses (slow down for everything not on four wheels!).
The beginner trail riding experience lasts five hours. The first two hours are spent preparing for the trail ride. After being paired with a horse, the 6 of us on the ride were each tasked with grooming our horses and using the time to bond with them. We then led our horses into the ring to learn the basics of how to ride and given time to get comfortable with turns, stops, etc.
The next three hours are spent out on the trails in the hills. The views were fantastic and the trail had a mix of complete exposure and shade (look out for the low hanging branches and all that poison oak!). We stopped a couple of times to provide the horses with a break and to provide us with an opportunity to drink some water, take pictures and to rest our legs a bit. Three hours is longer than what most people experience on trail rides, but all of us really enjoyed ourselves.
The horses are all well trained and in very good shape. I was happy to have Maybelline, a very gentle and responsive horse. They assign horses to you and I think they did a great job with the pairings.
Safety is a priority here. This is not an operation that is focused on turnover. Julian and his team truly care about the horses and the riders. Helmets are required, water is provided, groups are kept small and a list of instructions (follow them!) are handed out to prepare for the experience. Our guide, Lindsay, emphasized our safety and comfort throughout the day, all with a great sense of humor. We were told how to sit in the saddle on ascents and descents, what to anticipate, and encouraged to speak up if needed about anything that was bothering us. One of my friends with a bit of riding experience mentioned that she had never been on a guided ride that was so concerned with safety and the proper training of each participant.
Everything about the experience was fantastic, from making the appointment (book in advance, esp. on weekends) to preparing for the visit to the experience on the ride. We had a really fun time and would return in a heartbeat. Julian and his team were friendly, informative, thorough and clearly love what they do.
Loved the goats, chickens, dog and other animals running around on the property… E-​I-​E-​I-​O!

My happy place. I’ve been four times or so. I’ll keep coming.
Mr. Perfect really is perfect; Laurel and the other gals are amazing people, Julian is a caring and interesting soul.
It pays to keep coming back, you have a better and more customized experience every time you do.

Got a Groupon for a trail ride. Scheduling was easy, and the people were friendly. I was a beginner (over 20 years since my last ride) but we got bonding time with the horses and proper training before we hit the trail. We were a small group of riders, so it felt very safe. The surroundings were beautiful! Loved the fresh cookies we got at the end, too.
It would have been pretty pricy without the Groupon, and the farm is far from my house, so I don’t think I would come again, but we had a great experience!

OMG I had so much fun! When you hurt for a few days after and you’re still happy, that’s gotta mean something.
I got a Unilocal Deal with my friend a couple of months ago, but didn’t have the time to go recently. Something happened with the booking process, I’m not sure what though, since my friend did the booking, but they said that we didn’t book for the two of us. But fortunately, they had enough horses for the two of us to go.
FYI: Keep your eyes peeled for the signs because we missed them and got lost for about 5 – 10 minutes.
The whole experience was pretty cool since we got to groom them before we went up on the trail.
I’d never been on a horse before so I was given Dakota and he was the sweetest horse ever! The guides were also super friendly, they made sure everything was okay and we were comfortable with what we were doing before moving on to the next step. I liked that they let us run around in the arena with the horses just to make sure we got some familiarity with controlling the reins before they let us out on the trails.
The trail was pretty cool, if you’re from the Lamorinda area, it’s nothing you haven’t seen until you reach the top and you get one of the most picturesque views of Mt. Diablo I’ve ever seen. Seeing as I just saw Mt. Diablo from 9,000ft in the air a couple of weeks ago, it was cool seeing it just from the side, but at a closer range.
The property was beautiful! And you could tell the horses and all the other animals were well taken care of. They also had roosters that were crowing and goats. The goats were so cute, they were definitely more like dogs. It was so cute how they would follow us and the horses around.
They definitely made sure we were well-​hydrated since it was super hot by providing us with water bottles during the trail ride and a popsicle afterwards.
It was so much fun and an overall wonderful experience. I will definitely be back!

I purchased a Unilocal Deal for my husband for Father’s Day. He not-​so-​secretly wants to be a ranch hand, and Isabella Farms’ combination of grooming and riding horses seemed like it would be a good fit for him.
He loved the experience, saying the property, horses and staff were all top notch. He thought it might be a little weird to go by himself (as I stayed at home with the baby), and most of the other riders were indeed couples — but no one made him feel like a tag-​along. He’s already talking about going again! His only complaint was that the ride was a little on the slow side, but both of us understand that a beginning trail ride needs to be a bit slow for the safety of the riders and the horses.

I can’t say enough about Julian, his guides, his horses, and the facilities. All are top notch. Having been on trail rides before with some places that just place you on top of a horse and send you in a given direction (and I’m pretty sure they then point an laugh for the next 20 minutes while you try to make the barn sour horse go anywhere but back to the barn), I very, very, very much appreciate the calm, well trained, and responsive nature in all the horses I met at Isabella farms.
The facilities are very nice with a laid-​back, welcoming feel that made us feel comfortable from the minute we arrived (an hour and a half early.) BTW you always want to arrive early. One lady on the day of our outing arrived about 20 minutes late and had to be turned away because we had already gone up to get the horses and began the whole process of grooming and saddling them. It’s all a very well-​orchestrated, methodical process for both the guides and the horses. It takes time.
I really enjoyed brushing the horse and watching the process of putting on the saddle and bridle. The time in the training ring was fine and especially useful for people with little or no experience with horses. The trail ride itself was peaceful and calm with very nice views.
Overall we had a very nice, relaxing and fun time with Julian and staff. Loved the goats. Even the suspicious pet dog warmed up to us quickly. We’ll definitely be returning. It’s nice to see someone who is running this kind of business that shows true caring and concern for the horses first and everything else second.

The reviews on Unilocal are spot on!
I had never gone horseback riding before, and I thought it would be a great outing with the girlfriend when I saw the deal on Groupon. Isabella Farms turned out to be a wonderful getaway from the urban landscape. Who knew that such natural beauty existed an hour away from San Francisco?
Initially, we were both nervous, but Julian, the guides Laurel and Jordan, and animals (goats, peacocks, chickens, cat, and dog) warmly welcomed us into their ranch when we arrived. After settling down and petting the farm animals, we were acquainted with our horses, Dakota and Courage. All the horses in Isabella Farms were absolutely beautiful, well-​trained, and disciplined. You could tell Julian and his staff took very good care of them. We were just surrounded by happy animals in this beautiful ranch. There were moments I wished I could have stayed and helped as a farmhand…
Our guides were passionate and great instructors, and they took very good care of us throughout the trip. The three hour trail was just right, and the views of Mt. Diablo were magnificent. Also, Julian’s homemade cookies were the perfect topper to an awesome afternoon. Thank you Isabella Farms for an unforgettable experience!

I gotta say, Julian definitely has his shit together at Isabella Farms. This is a top notch operation. Sure, booking the ride (we purchased via Groupon and Living Social) took a while due to that annoying season we call winter, but boy was this worth the wait!
I’m a wannabe cowgirl (guess what I was last Halloween?), and I’ve been on A LOT of horseback rides. Plus, I’ve taken lessons in Portola Valley. Compared to the ranch where I used to ride, these horses are extremely well cared for, and their dispositions are super even-​keel. Like Jessica said, don’t expect this to be a hurried, in-​and-​out, cookie-​cutter trail ride.
We bonded with our horses as we prepped them and saddled up, we spent time learning the basic maneuvers in the arena, and then eventually worked up to a sweet long ride with incredible scenic views (hurray for open space!). Throughout, Julian was super attentive and checked in frequently to make sure everyone was ok.
I also fell in love with his gabillion other critters: the adorable trio of pygmy goats (who behaved like dogs), a tubful of chicks, and an irresistible Argentinian mastiff with the sweetest puppy face. Julian sent us off with his signature chocolate chip cookies. Yes, I was skeptical (that’s just the way I roll), but I’m giving credit where it’s due. Tasty.
Yeah, the farm is a ways out from South Bay, but the experience is so unique, I’d return for a repeat visit, especially with friends visiting from out of town/​state.

We just finished a 5hrs package for 3 couples 2 days ago. It was so much fun for all of us. The owner Julian is so very kind. There were 4 staff total for our 6 people group. It was perfect. The horses are amazing. They all know what to do. We learned to control the horses unlike our past experiences. Time passed by faster than we realized. The whole 5 hours experience feel like 3 hours. It was really amazing. We will for sure return to Isabella Farm again. We also loved the horses we were assigned to. They are all very wonderful animals with personalities. The view up the in hills was very pretty.
We couldn’t stop talking about the horses after we were done. I will definitely recommend this to anyone who had or had not try try horse riding.

WOW! what a truly incredible experience. I have to admit I was a tad skeptical when my fiancé approached me about horseback riding because she got a great deal through Groupon, but in retrospect i am glad she dragged me along and next timing there will be no dragging involved.
The experience I had here was nothing short of magical. When I arrived I was greeted by a menagerie of friendly critters, including a few charming, heart-​warming, little goats and the friendliest little puppy I’ve ever met. The staff was warm and welcoming, and the scenery was nothing short of breath-​taking.
I was truly a city boy lost in the country lifestyle. Isabella Farms is a jewel of the east bay.

I found out about Isabella Farms through Groupon a while back. I have never been horseback riding before, so needless to say I was expecting quite an experience.
I immediately was floored by how well the ranch was kept. Upon getting out of the car I was greeted by a baby goat and a white mastiff puppy (which was awesome). The horses were MASSIVE and had a healthy disposition. The whole experience was phenomenal. I had no idea a place like this existed in my own backyard.
Overall, I had an excellent time. The owner of the ranch payed a great deal of attention to the entire experience and it definitely showed.