Cevalo Riding Academy

Meh

I am soooo disappointed in this place!
After reviewing different places for my 10 yr old daughter’s horseback riding lessons (including TGIF Farms, Garrods, Chapparal…) I decided to go w/​Cevalo even though they are far off in the hills. We came to visit on a Thurs and met Diane, the trainer. She had a cask on her arm from some injury (non-​horseback related, she said). That was fine with us. We enrolled for her beginners class that very evening.
We came back at 4:30PM. She sends my daughter off with one of her students to have her watch how to tack and saddle the horses. I love the thought of that, so that my daughter can learn the responsibility of caring for them as well as riding them. When we came back on the training ground, I see my daughter was led around by first, some other girl’s mom, and then later… one of the student’s dad as Diane just shouts out instructions. Who is supposed to help train my daughter around here??? I guess that was fine but it just so happens the horse my daughter trains on, Wyatt, does not like to be rushed by other horses. Some time during the training, as Diane trains the other more advanced students to jump… one girl and her horse ran straight at my daughter. That scared Wyatt and knocked my daughter right onto the ground. That freaked me out!!! I knew my lil girl was pretty shaken but she played it off well cause she knew if she showed hurt, I would’ve probably stopped her lessons.
Anyways, we came again the following Thur. Diane was already out in the training field. I walked out there to see what we needed to do. She told me to have my daughter watch how to tack the horses again. So we did. It wasn’t really any formal instructions. We felt kind of neglected in a way. Afterwards, we went back to the fields. It was already 15mins in. Some other girl from previous lesson was still riding Wyatt. I told my daughter to go stand by Diane until given instructions on what to do. I watched my daughter being totally neglected by Diane until she walks back to the fence. I wasn’t too happy so got out of my car and walked up to the fence myself. Then Diane saw me and called out to my daughter to mount on the horse… The previous girl on the horse was being led by her own mother. So when my daughter got on, she looked totally confused as to who will lead her. Diane was going to have her on the horse by herself!!! So of course I volunteered to do it. It’s my own child for god’s sake. I can’t have her fall again like last week.
And like I predicted, another girl drove her horse straight at Wyatt again! This time when he buckled, I pulled down on his lead rope to keep him from knocking off my daughter. Fortunately my daughter didn’t fall (she was really scared though) but the other girl fell hard off her horse. I felt bad for her. But I’ve had enough. This was only our 2^nd lesson and I’m not even impressed. So unless you don’t mind your child falling off horses and learning by themselves, go ahead. But with the $ I’m paying, I expected better quality of training. Money is not the issue when talking about my child’s safety. I’ve paid 1 month of training and am still skipping the last 2 training. We’ve enrolled at Garrods… let’s see how they do.

Excellent school. Diana helps her students with riding lessons and also wrapped within each lesson seems to be lessons in life too. She works the students hard, but is also compassionate and encouraging. The students learn a good work ethic, as they must participate in the cleaning of stalls, feeding and care of the horses. The stables is a little way out, near Uvas Canyon, but it’s a beautiful spot to sit and watch the riders, and nature all around you. Not much there by way of comforts, barn, Porta-​Potty, and a few old plastic chairs, but for the students riding, who cares.

Cevalo is a fantastic organization where people of every background can go and learn about horses and hone in their riding skills. The academy is non-​profit and they have a fantstic instructor, Diana Disney. She offers group and/​or private lessons. I would highly recommend riding lessons to anyone who has a child that is struggling with esteem issues or confidence. All of the students at every level are warm and friendly, it’s an extremely safe and nuturing environment. Not to mention, it’s hands on. Mucking stalls and tacking your own horse teaches everyone responsibility and hard work. They even do birthday parties and summer camps! Definitely worth checking out.