Seven Oaks Farm

"Our daughter has had a wonderful experience riding here, and I’ve been consistently impressed with the caliber and quality of the instructors. I appreciate their attention to rider safety and to teaching the whys as well as the hows. It is clear they prioritize understanding each riders’ needs and goals, then provide a challenging yet achievable path to develop a rider’s abilities for the long term."

"This review is about a review I posted 3 years ago and I just got a notification from Google that you deny everything you did and said! It's also not true that you said you tried to contact me and I didn't reply. I have never received any information from you on this matter. I went to your website and saw your photo and I recognized it was you! I also checked my contact list and found you, it's the same phone numbers posted on your website. I didn't see your website many years ago, but found the flyer. I still have the flyer for your barn. I called to make an appointment and I wrote your address on the flyer(see photo). I also still have the contract I signed with you the first time I went there. You wrote me a note on where to buy what riding clothing, boots, helmet and gloves, etc. Please see attached photos. You said I reviewed the wrong barn. I swear everything I say here is true. This is the training barn that gave me a bad experience. I am writing here to let people know what you have done and now your denial is proof of your dishonesty. Here's the review I posted three years ago, “I bought a riding package about 10 years ago. The experience was so bad that although so many years has gone by I still can’t forget about it. Pam was the first trainer I ever contacted and I had never ridden a horse before. She taught me a few lessons then passed me to her very young assistant. She was probably under 20. The assistant didn’t teach me anything but just watched me riding. I then called Pam and wanted to take lessons from her. She said, “My main job is NOT teaching but SELLING horses! My clients I teach all have their own horses!” I was shocked! I bought 10 lessons but only took 8 lessons then stopped going anymore. I didn’t give up but continue learning. Today I show and own 4 horses and I ride almost everyday! I would give a zero star if I could!”"

"I have been riding with Seven Oaks for 3.5 years and I couldn't be happier. I agree completely with Karen and Gwen's assessments. The horses seem happy, healthy and extremely well cared for. I have improved dramatically in the time I've been working with them. Pam is excellent at providing the exact right motivation and coaching to help me achieve my goals. She is sympathetic, kind, and tough in just the right amounts at just the right times. Sonia is also great at leading her group lessons in drills that improve my riding abilities. I've had very few lessons with Carrie but I've learned so much in the few I had that it almost seemed magical. I've never felt pressured to buy a horse (in fact I've been explicitly told that I'd need to ride more for it to make any sense and I ride three times a week). I appreciate that this barn is not at all pretentious and the shows they put on are all about riding skill and not at all about how expensive any of your equipment is. Finally, the online schedule, extreme scheduling flexibility, and the ability to communicate over text to rearrange schedules are all invaluable to me in getting my riding time in as a busy person. Sometimes I think about leaving the rat race of the bay area but then I can't imagine where I would find another training barn that was so perfect and I reconsider - I know it sounds dramatic but it's the truth."

"I have been taking lessons at Seven Oaks Farm for a little over a year now. I rode a bit as a child and then took a 15+ year hiatus. I was nervous to start riding again, but everyone here is so welcoming and supportive that the nerves quickly faded away. Pam, Sonia and Carrie are absolutely fantastic instructors. They each have an unparalleled eye for detail, knack for explaining things, professional mannerisms and a good sense of humor. The school horses are all happy, healthy and safe. Be prepared to work hard during lessons and you'll never get bored!"

"I came to Seven Oaks in Menlo Park/Portola Valley when my own horse was re-habbing an injury- because they had the rare unicorn of well-trained dressage school horses. I also visit and take advantage of their schoolmasters in San Juan Bautista when I can. I stayed on and brought my horse because I enjoyed riding there, the horses are well-cared for, and my riding skills and my horse's both improved consistently. Add to that, they are professional, respectful, well-educated, accommodating, and have modern modes of scheduling. Get this, there is an online schedule which updates at least daily, and Pam answers emails and texts. Honestly I don't know how she keeps up with all the schedule changes requested by her generally hard-working, professional, Type A clientele. They all (trainers Pam, Carrie, and Sonia) want the best for you and your horses and push as appropriate for you and your riding skill level and ambitions. Not that it should really matter, but for credibility purposes, I am a veterinarian and want to mention that school horses get (expensive!) hock injections regularly, supplements/meds given humanely and appropriately, rarely go out more than twice daily, receive treats and verbal rewards, are checked on regularly, and are retired to good homes when needed. I have included photos of my own horse (the chestnut X 3) in training there and an advanced school horse (located at the San Juan Bautista location) too."