Hideaway Ranch

HideAway Ranch was my first «horsey» home. As an adult new to horses I consider Alice (owner) and Susan (on-​site trainer/​instructor) my Fairy-​Horse Mothers. They were always willing to help out a new horse owner who was clueless! I never felt like I was a bother asking my zillions of questions. It meant a lot to me that Alice was always willing to stop what she was doing to take a look at Guinness make sure everything was ok.
There are ALL levels of horse-​ownership at HideAway. Its a great mixture of people! Everyone is friendly and there is NO barn drama. People will stop and chat, love on your horsesy, and carry-​on with what they are doing.
It is a small facility but never feels crowded. There is plenty of space even on Saturdays to TO, take a lesson, work independently with your horse in the arena, or hit the trails. There is good space for storing feed and tact.
The barn organizes vaccine clinics, farrier visits, and dentistry, or you can set up your own appointments. When I was boarding there, there was a choice of which forage you wanted fed to your horses. Stalls and Paddocks are CLEARLY marked with what hay for which horse and the stall cleaners do a fantastic job.
Alice takes the best care of the horses! I always had peace of mind that Guinness was being looked in on. Everyone keeps an eye on the horses but it’s never being nosey, just making sure the horses are happy and healthy!

As a long-​time, VERY happy boarder at Hideaway Ranch, I felt compelled to write a response to the recent negative reviews that were posted. The people posting were not and never have been boarders at Hideaway. To comment first on the barn not allowing water to be wasted in drought-​stricken CA shows how little care this person has for the well-​being of the horses who live there. I THANK the owners and the other boarders for restricting their water use, as it may mean the difference between our horses having water to DRINK should the well start to run dry! For someone to think it’s more important for someone to WASH a horse than that the horse has drinking water is tragic.
Hideaway is full to the brim with happy, healthy horses and very happy boarders who are lucky to call this place their «home». Alice and Lee took on a very dilapidated old facility and are working every day to turn it into a haven for all the horses and people. Work on the facility never stops and the place just gets better and better. The stalls/​paddocks are comfortable and clean, the pasture is heaven for the horses lucky enough to live out there, and to complain that the horses are eating on cement, shows that this person knows nothing about what sand in the gut can do to the horses who ingest it twice a day eating in the dirt. The so-​called «weed-​filled» hay for the pasture is actually very high quality and NOT GMO, which sadly is what most all the other feeds are these days. The health of the pasture horses has improved quite a lot since they have been getting this hay. So much so, that several of the stall boarders have asked to switch to it. Alice takes such excellent care of all the horses on the property that none of us ever has a worry that something will happen in our absence.
If you want to know about Hideaway Ranch, ask one of the slew of very happy boarders, not someone who clearly doesn’t have a horse there! :)

As a local farrier, I always enjoy my trips to Hideaway Ranch. I have found everyone there to be friendly, making a very family feeling establishment. Alice, the owner, and Susan, one of the trainers, looks after each and every horse like it was their own. As often times owners cannot visit their horses each and every day, I find this a comforting feature of this barn. The stalls and paddocks are roomy, and often the ranch hand cleans the stalls multiple times a day (though, as mentioned below, and as with MANY barns, 6 days per week). As you walk down the barn aisle, the horses look and act healthy and happy. Who could ask for more?

I’ve boarded my horse, Puffa, at Hideaway Ranch for over five years – we’ve never been happier and Puffa has never been healthier. Owners, Alice and Lee, take an active interest in the welfare of every horse on the property, whether that be keeping tabs on special dietary needs or maintaining the vast acreage of the pasture or taking care of the barn itself. We would never think of being anywhere else.

As someone who has owned and boarded horses in the Bay Area for over 25 years, I have to say that Hideaway Ranch is a wonderful place, both for the people who board their horses there and the horses that live there. Thanks to Alice and Lee, the facility is kept extremely clean, and Alice in particular pays careful attention to every horse on the property, so that you needn’t worry that any problem might be missed when you are away. The boarders themselves are a friendly and welcoming group, contributing to the constructive and happy atmosphere, and for people who love to ride the trails, there are some on the property, as well as extremely easy access to 55 miles of trails in the EBMUD watershed and Las Trampas. It is truly a haven for horse lovers!
It is obvious that the few negative comments on this site are from people who have never boarded a horse here under the current ownership. In addition, to complain about not bathing horses, except by bucket and sponge (which is allowed), shows a frightening disregard for the current situation in our state. I can only add that a true evaluation of how good a boarding facility is, is made by those who use it regularly and choose to keep a horse that they love there. Those of us for whom that is the case truly appreciate and praise Hideaway Ranch.
Nancy M.

I’ve boarded my quarterhorse at Hideaway for several years now and we are so very happy there. The place we were at previously was a huge contrast to where we are now; the horses here are all healthy, get good feed (choice of grass, alfalfa or oat hay) and water, cleaned stalls (or pasture) and are on a regular schedule for vaccinations, worming, etc.
The community at HA is down-​to-​earth, friendly and not pretentious at all. Alice, the manager keeps a close eye on all the horses, knows how to take care of problems before they become disasters, and is just overall wonderful. Susan is a trainer there who follows Natural Horsemanship principles and is the most patient and knowledgeable person for some of us who are at all levels of learning (and relearning).
Finally, the location is perfect. If you like to ride in arenas, there is a round pen, large outdoor and a large covered arena to use. If you love trails like I do, the property backs up onto East Bay Regional park and EBMUD watershed properties to ride on. You can ride for just a little while and feel completely removed from the city, though you’re really only 15 – 20 minutes away from a BART station. The drive to Hideaway is through a long, winding canyon, which serves as my chance to unwind from the hectic pace of life and look forward to some quality time with my horse. Knowing he is well-​cared for and that we always have options for what to do together is a hugely reassuring comfort.

Micromanaging manager, too much smoking, very cramped setting, and trails are no good either. Not a welcoming barn, no good vibes there.

Hideaway Ranch is a wonderful, peaceful place for you and your horse. The trails are truly magnificent! Views for miles. The owners are helpful, friendly and very experienced in equine care and training. The facilities are very clean and the owners are onsite so it’s really safe.

I continue to be thoroughly impressed with Hideaway Ranch. Alice the barn owner is attentive, flexible and professional (rare qualities in some barn owners, I hear). She cares deeply for the horses and I absolutely trust her with my horse’s life. Alice always treats me with respect and even when busy, is friendly (and again, professional). I have made some «rookie mistakes» and she never holds that against me. I love the cleanliness of the place, the kind fellow owners, and the ease with which I could find places to practice ground work and ride (there is almost always an arena open). Prices are quite reasonable, particularly in this area. I cannot imagine boarding my horse anywhere else. I hope nothing ever happens to my horse, but if any problems arise at Hideaway they would be spotted quickly. This is invaluable to know and could save my senior horse’s life. Thank you Alice, and all Hideaway Ranch folks like Susan, Mair, Dion and our guest stars Lauren and Añu.

Overall and Owner:
If I could give this place more than 5 stars I would. I am a first time horse owner that hasn’t ridden since I was a teen and work full time in San Francisco — I needed a place that would be patient with my naivety. The owner, Alice, has been beyond amazing and so helpful with me.
Facilities:
The stalls are cleaned I believe 6 days a week, there are stalls with attached paddocks, you can pay to have your horse fed and turned out everyday (she even puts the blanket on my horse when it is cold), and there is a trainer on site that gives horsemanship and riding lessons. There is an indoor arena as well as two outside ones plus trails around the Barn. This is a boarding only facility so there are no rentals or strangers that come to the barn. Everyone I have met has been nice and welcoming. I would recommending this place to anyone looking for a forever home for their horse.