Manhattan Farms

For as much joy as riding/​horses often bring to one’s life finding the right-​fit in a stable, trainer and quality of horses can be exhausting and, to be frank, disheartening. Having spent countless hours scouring online ( Unilocal, google, rate my horse pro) and weekends visiting stables around the Bay Area I have found «the one» in Manhattan Farms, and their trainer, Sara.
To keep things short & sweet:
Pros:
— Great horses that actually help you learn! They’re not your plod along lesson horses, yet not young/​green where you are focused on the horse and not yourself. These horses are of enviable quality and still active in the show circuit. There is a level of comfort knowing that you are safe while riding such a powerful animal yet they’re still going to make you work for it!
— Thoughtful, knowledgeable trainer who really knows her stuff (and the horses). Sara is capable of working across multiple levels and helping you identify your goals and improve. Not only does she know people but she knows the horses inside & out so there is never any guessing. She doesn’t treat you like a number — it’s clear to see that she loves her job and is good at it. I can honestly say that she is the best trainer I’ve ever had!
— The facilities/​Community — a great community (everyone is friendly), lights in the indoor ring, large outdoor ring, classes are never crowded, equipment isn’t run down (think nice saddles that don’t leave you walking like a cowboy). Boundary Gate is an oasis away from the city!
–Price — affordable/​on point with other barns in the area and you get so much more. You are gaining time with the horses (you are tacking up of course), you are getting time around the barn to get to know people and, best of all, you are not having the pressure to spend a minimum amount of time/​money at the barn (think other places that require 2 – 3 lessons a week + leasing a horse). If I could afford it I would in a heart beat but it’s so refreshing to be in an environment that doesn’t isolate someone because they work during the week and can’t ride at noon on a Wednesday (oh the life — one can dream!)
Cons:
Because I’m starting to make this place seem too good to be true the one thing that I wish was it was closer … but this is mainly so I could ride more! Like any decent barn, you’re not going to find it in the city. It’s roughly an hour door to door which isn’t bad at all — and this is where I would want to spend my time anyway :) Easy to rent a zipcar/​getaround for those of us without cars or you can take the BART to Dublin & call an Über/​Lyft. Very accessible.
Hope that this review helps a fellow equestrian find their new sanctuary! Any questions feel free to drop me a message :)

I grew up riding. It has been a forever passion of mine that, after moving to SF, I quickly had to renounce. For the past 5 years I have been desperate to fill that gap but it just never seemed to work out for one reason or another…
As fate would have it, I ended up meeting one of my now dearest friends (on Unilocal!no less) who also felt the huge hole left in her heart by lack of horse time. We embarked on a quest to find a stable that would get us back to where we used to be as riders and then some. We spent countless hours scouring the internet, making lists via Google docs and driving all over the Bay Area visiting potential stables. We rode at a few here and there, but none ever stuck. We were getting discouraged, especially after one of the trainers we had hoped to work with ended up moving to SoCal. It was actually through her recommendation that we found Sara… and well… the rest is history.
Sara has been one of the best things to happen to me (and Kim). She is everything you could possibly want in a riding instructor, mentor and friend. Her horses are above and beyond what you would find in a typical schooling horse and she takes impeccable care of them.
Kim and myself have grown tremendously as riders under Sara’s care. She pushes us, is beyond patient, enthusiastic, honest and supportive. She herself is an expert horsewoman with years of riding and professional show experience under her belt.
Riding with Sara is my therapy. Every week I’m like a giddy child eagerly awaiting my horse time. I don’t know what I would do without her!