Graceland Equestrian Center

I just moved my two mares into the large pasture at Graceland after a near life threatening injury sustained to one of my horses caused by negligence at the previous boarding facility.
I’ve owned horses for nearly 20 years, and Graceland is one of the best barns I’ve ever boarded at. The facility is well kept for the most part and it has beautiful views from the trails. The footing in both arenas is nice to ride in. The barn is kept very neat and clean.
The people are friendly, especially given that the reputation for people at show barns is not exactly great. I have only been there since August and have made quite a few good friends.
The guys that run the facility (clean the stalls, drag arenas, feed, etc.) are awesome at what they do and are also super nice and friendly.
Peggy, the owner, is one of the sweetest women I’ve ever met! She was really warm and kind when I came to look at the facility and it’s a huge reason I decided to move my horses to Graceland. I cannot speak highly enough of Peggy.
I really cannot recommend Graceland enough. Some of the reviews posted are just flat out untrue. If you come and take a tour of the facility you will be impressed!

I have been boarding my mare in the largest of the pastures GL has to Offer for 2 years now. And it is the happiest I have been.
I am NOT affiliated with a training program, only a young person struggling to balance work, college and riding at the same time. In fact I am probably the most reclusive rider at the barn and thats honestly how I like it. I want to be left alone. The barn is my sanctuary.
At GL I have not had trainers or barn owners invade my bubble despite GL being active within the show world of equestrian sports, however, at times in the past my toes have been stepped on but since then any turbulence has been ironed out.
The horse world inherently contains many_​Entitled personalities_​a sensitive breed of individual than will never be escaped in this hobbyOne’ must learn to roll with it as they those types generally weed themselves out naturally and what your left with is a facility of good people.
Among the women I have come to know in the pasture, they all look out for one another. You cannot expect the BO to have a constant surveillance of the entire acreage of the barn but what i do know is that anytime i have alerted the BO about a problem she is quick to resolve it. And as a result i have a healthy mare who is fed and watered.
Barns are what you make of it – serious equestrians and decent human beings only please
Godspeed, Sara G.
PS. Visitors and current boarders, the road is not a highway, horses have great a sympathetic nervous system reaction to large objects moving fast in their direction. :)

I have been riding here for 4 years and have never been anything but happy here. I am a college student with not a lot of money, but I have still always been treated with respect and made to feel welcome. I have ridden lesson horses, but now I lease a horse at the barn, and she has always been well taken care of and happy. The hay is of excellent quality, and the stalls are always clean and fluffy with new bedding. The arenas are groomed daily, and the trails are magnificent. There are galloping trails to help keep your horse fit and picturesque views at the top of the hills. The owners are always working and doing things to improve the place, and if you have a problem with something they are happy to work with you and try to fix it. They really care about the welfare of the horses and are happy to give you advice if your horse is injured or you are having problems. For the most part everyone at the barn is super friendly and nice to everyone else. The barn feels like a big family, and there are always lots of activities going on as well. This barn is my home away from home, and I would spend all day every day there if I could.

This facility should be #1 for the potential it has.
However here are the main points of disaster are as follows:
1. Their «breeding» program is horrific. The weaned foals are starving, un touched, and look ill standing in knee deep mud in a crowded tiny paddock.
2. The footing in the round pen is literally a hazard. It is full of rocks, poop, hay, and has not been maintained in what looks like years. Completely unsafe for working horses.
3. The Graceland owned horses/​ponies need to be rescued from these people. I watched countless lessons where the «trainers» would continue to use lame and sick animals for lesson after lesson. They rarely use any leg protection for jumping and usually jump for 40 min straight– no wonder the poor things are lame!
4. The teenage students with Graceland «trainers» are spoiled and uneducated in horsemanship and safety. They are praised for crazy and erratic riding styles with no concern for the horses or other people in the ring-​they can be down right dangerous to ride with.
5. The «trainers» that are hired are children themselves. I have literally had to walk away or make my child leave the ring while these so called trainers are teaching and even riding on their own because its so so embarrassing to watch them beat and over jump the horses. Their «training» techniques are almost reportable.
6. The owners Chuck and Peggy are so incredibly rude. They only have a smile and an interest in those wallets who grace their «trainers». If you are not their new prized possession then you are basically rubbish to them and may be subjected to horrible treatment. I have witnessed shouting fights, foul language, and horse neglect if they don’t like you.
I have been a horse woman for almost 20 years now– I have been in small quaint barns as well as 5 star facilities. I have run my own 40+ facility and I know that horse safety and respect for the client are the things that will keep your business running well. This horse world is too small to piss off any one but I am hoping that my review will save horses and riders the grief that is currently Graceland.

I have ridden at Graceland with Pyramid Sport Horses since last spring. I cannot even start to tell you how much this barn, and these people have changed my life. I have made meaningful relationships with everyone I have met here, even people that aren’t in our training program. Everyone is incredibly nice. Peggy and Chuck (owners) are very sweet, honest l, good horse people. They both consistently go out of their way to make me feel welcomed, and make sure my horse is cared for properly. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the water or the hay in this barn, and it’s really sad that someone would try to diminish this barns reputation for their own gain. My horse absolutely loves it here, as do I. She has never been sick once. The trails are impeccably taken care of and the views are to die for. There are plenty of galloping hills where you can exercise your horse so they can stay in great shape all show season long. 2 enormous lighted arenas, one covered for the rainy days. The maintenance Graceland takes to make this barn the top facility in the area does not go unnoticed. My horse is in an indoor/​outdoor paddock stall. Here stall always has brand new shavings, and is continuously being cleaned at all times. I know this because my horse rolls and stays clean!
I have 2 kids that feel incredibly welcome here. Graceland has the greatest lesson ponies that they are able to ride. It’s all my daughter ever talks about. Everyday she wants to bring treats to Snickerdoodle. We are so blessed to be able to raise our children in this environment.
If you have any doubts, come check out the facility for yourself, you will be blown away. If you have any questions, Kim Laursen, a hunter/​jumper trainer would love to answer them for you. Her program is incredible. Pyramid Sport Horses. Her wealth of horse knowledge and her hands on teaching has been so helpful to me. She has changed my life, along with this amazing barn.
Thank you for reading

Gracelands reputation as a poor service facility is well known throughout the
horse community which is evident by the lack of reputable trainers and clients
willing to move to this facility while other barns are full.
Everyone with any experience in the local horse community are mocking the poor
conditions at Graceland.
What was once an extremely sought after equestrian facility has been run into
the ground with unhappy boarders leaving every day.
Empty barns, delapidated facility.
The horses basic needs not being met.
The owners will lie and cheat their boarders in order to support their own
poorly run hobby.
No reputable trainer remains. Everyone has left leaving their barns empty other
than a few friends trying to help save the sinking ship.
Inadequate footing, lack of basic maintenance, complete ineptness of management,
horses not fed, moldy hay, very little bedding, horses standing in urine, no
dust control in arenas, water issues, contaminated horse drinking water making
the horses ill, unexplained illnesses frequently spread through the barn, barbed
wire exposed, sharp pipes cutting horses, broken fences, malnourished horses,
the list goes on and on…
This facility and their breeding program is the laughing stock of the Bay Area.
Stay away… Or at minimum go around to the other facilities and speak with them
about Graceland’s reputation.

The barn is nice and obviously has higher end clients. That being said do not take your child here for riding lessons. The boarders are snotty and rude and openly talk about the kids being in their way. This is not the type of place where a child is welcome unless they have their own horse and bring in $$$. The regular old kid taking lessons is not treated well. Plus the scheduling is all messed up.

This review is regarding my experience as one of Diane Yeager’s clients. The facility is top notch. Great footing, nice round arenas, great atmosphere. Diane is an amazing trainer. So helpful and great at improving you as a rider, but very calm and even keel. Great with the horses and riders.

Have three horses boarding and/​or in training. It has been my second home for about four years. The horses are well cared for and they take care of my needs as well. The best trainers in the area, top notch!

I boarded at Graceland for several years before moving out of state. The owner, Peggy, is the best, and really cares for the horses. The facilities are beautiful, and the trainers, James and Diane, are some of the best in the nation in their respective disciplines. I commuted out there from San Francisco, because I felt it was the best care and training my horses could get.
Regarding carolyn c’s post, I knew the horse she bought and rode him multiple times before he was sold. He was nothing but a perfect gentleman both in the ring and on the trails at all times, even when other horses were being rowdy, he was rock-​steady. Who knows what happened after he left, but he most certainly did not have a problem while in their care. I’d not hesitate to purchase a horse from Peggy or James.

We have had a wonderful experience with better quality riding lessons here and been surprised it is more cost conscious despite being more beautiful than the facilities in the oakland hills, and the others along Crow Canyon Rd. Kat and Jame run an excellent program, and people learn to ride well. Kind property owners with the right motivations — to make a fun and safe paradise for kids (and adults!) to learn — top it off! Its not that far and absolutely worth the drive.

I absolutely love this place. Gorgeous facility with trails on the property and their own cross country course! The barns are lovely with nice big stalls (big enough for a Friesian to lay flat out in). Incredible well kept with lots of wash racks and cross ties. There are two very large rings, one of which is covered. The people are simply fantastic. The owners are constantly making improvements and obviously love and care for horses immensely. There are wonderful trainers there including James Alliston (international level eventer), Hilary Johnson (A level hunters and jumpers) and Kat Drake (also eventer and Pony Club instructor). It is a great atmosphere for horse and rider alike! I lease a horse here, but if I had one would def. board it here. The prices are great for such a high quality barn. Also lots of showing services now! Check out the website, it speaks for itself!