Horsemanship Academy

My son have taking lessons for a year now he loves it.
Great place to learn how to ride, good teachers.

Absolutely beautiful grounds. Wonderful people. I cant imagine going anywhere else! Vey easy to get to and close to where we live. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

I am so happy that I found Horsemanship Academy as my riding home! As an adult rider who went from riding full time and competing relatively consistently to taking a long riding hiatus, I was really worried about finding a riding school that would be a perfect fit for my riding goals. I was looking for a place that I could take my time getting back into shape, but also have room to grow back into the avid rider I was in the past. Horsemanship Academy has been the perfect place! Kajsa has been more than flexible (even scrounging up some flood lights for the arena since I have to ride later in the evening due to work schedules!) and supportive of my goals. The instructors — especially Ariel — have been fantastic at meeting me right where I am at and giving me the perfect coaching as I work toward my goals. The horses have also been wonderful coaches — making me work and learn every lesson. I love it!

What a great experience for our entire group! Would definitely recommend to a friend.

Fun place to be and learn about horses! My daughter loves to be there; loves to learn from the knowledgeable intructors; and loves to ride the horses!

My daughter has taken lessons here for over a year and it has been a fantastic experience. She has learned riding techniques, jumping and dressage plus tacking and taking care of the horses. They are authentic horse loving teachers who are flexible and supportive of the students goals — competing or just learning to ride and have fun. Highly recommended!

Great experience can’t wait to go again! Emily was amazing!!! Thanks again!

Such a great place ! They really focus on their students and emphasis learning while having fun. If you are looking for a starter barn you’ve found the place! Great.

The Horsemanship Academy has been a wonderful experience for our whole family. Our 12-​year-​old daughter has received generous time and attention. She has grown as a rider and an individual. Kajsa treats her as a person, not a child, and allows her to learn and ride at her own pace. This makes our daughter feel special and empowered to grow. Through Kajsa’s generosity, our daughter has been able to get involved in the workings of the barn as well as special activities. She has made friends and discovered a whole new world. She is always excited to ride, as much as she is excited to work in the stable or the tack rooms. This experience has enriched her life well beyond the ring.
The facilities at Horsemanship Academy are excellent and easy for children to navigate. You can’t beat the wonderful environment of Rancho Santa Fe, with trees, sky, water, and plenty of fresh air. It’s hard to think of a better environment for a child.
And, of course, the horses. We have all made friends with the numerous gentle, happy animals at this barn, all of whom have taken a special place in our hearts. They are well-​cared-​for, happy animals that are a treat to know and work with.
Overall, Horsemanship Academy is truly a five-​star experience. Thank you, Kajsa!

My 12 yr old daughter has been taking lessons with Dawn at The Horsemanship Academy for two years and has progressed at an incredible pace. Dawn’s loving no-​nonsense manner is PERFECT for Lily. She pushes Lily to challenge herself and really believes in her ability (so encouraging). She has become someone we can see in our lives for years to come.
All of the instructor know their stuff and are willing to adjust each lesson to the students ability. Safety is always first when the students are around the horses. The horses themselves are all lovely, with different riding levels for different rider abilities.
Our whole family enjoys hanging at the stable. Kasja, the school owner, fosters a friendly and down to earth atmosphere, but not at the expense of solid instruction.
We recommend this school to anyone looking for instruction for their kids (or themselves).

My daughter started riding here when she was 8 and she always had great experiences with the ponies and with the teachers. In addition to becoming a strong rider, she has learned the necessities of horse care, including mucking stalls, washing off horses, and hoof picking.
The instructors have always been safe, caring, and warm. We formed a special bond with Dawn, who takes my gal under her wing and knows just when to give her a little extra encouragement or get her laughing again when she gets discouraged. Dawn is a gem and has always given us excellent professional instruction with a warm heart.

Dawn Montfort is a wonderful teacher. Very thorough, direct but kind and fun to be around. Always learning something new!
Very safe and fun environment, horses in great shape and well taken care of.

Though it may be a challenge to tailor riding lessons to small children as well as adult learners like myself, horsemanship academy makes it look easy. I’ve been riding with them for a year and have only great things to say.
They recently moved to a beautiful new location on Via de la Valle– same great ponies and instructors though. The instructors are so friendly and competent. Kajsa, the owner, is wonderful and my instructor Laura is a great combination of patient, entertaining and knowledgeable.

My daughter has been riding at Horsemanship Academy for two months and I could not be happier. After having a disapointing experience at another facility I was very sceptical about trying a new place. I grew up horse riding in the UK and I knew what I wanted for my daughter. I was very happy to learn horsemanship academy teaches their students on school ponies sized appropriately for kids and has the same style of teaching that I am familiar with. Most importantly my daughter absolutely loves it there and would go every day if she could!

My daughters have been training with Kajsa at Horsemanship Academy for the past 3 months and I could not be happier. The ponies are perfect for my girls (they are beginners) and the equestrian facility is the perfect setting.
I was a bit nervous letting my 6 year old learn how to ride, but after watching the head trainer Kajsa (pronounced KAY-​SA), all of my fears went right out the window. The staff is professional, caring, and extremely knowledgeable. Kajsa has a way with the children as well as the horses. I would highly recommend the Horsemanship Academy for all ages and for all levels of experience.

The team at Horsemanship Academy run smoothly together. They work with kids and adults alike and can address the needs of experienced riders as well as those of us who are total newbies (and even almost too scared!!) to get on a horse. I have now been riding for 8 months, having started up to join my daughter in her passion, and now I’m addicted! The teachers are wonderful and easy going, yet always make sure you are safe. They teach beyond the lesson too allowing you to get to understand the care of horses, how to address personalities of the horses as well as how to find your connection with the horse world. They are flexible and know their horses! It’s very comforting knowing that the teachers there have been riding for years as well as knowing that they are in other major organizations in the horse world. You should see all the blue ribbon awards Kajsa (the owner) has! It certainly says something… great!
Try them out … trust me, you’ll be thoroughly enjoying it. What a BEAUTIFUL new ranch they are located in! No dust on your car or feet when you get off. Ahhh…

I have ridden with Kajsa at both the old location and the new one, and it has been a wonderful experience. Her love and passion for horses is undeniable, and the emphasis on safety first, always, enables me to enjoy my rides. She does a wonderful job matching horses and riders together. As far as location goes, the old one was good but the new one is outstanding. It’s like nothing else I’ve seen in Southern California: lots of trees and shade, green with lots of flowers, and the horses are all very well taken care of. I would recommend her and the other trainers at Horsemanship Academy to anyone looking to ride happy horses and ponies in a friendly, beautiful, supportive and safe environment.

This is the perfect place to ride horses. The trainers are nice and knowledgeable, and the horses are well trained, well cared for, and kind (especially Phoenix). The trails are beautiful. Horsemanship Academy recently moved to Olivenhain, and while this is further for me (I live in Point Loma), it is well worth the drive because it is such an uplifting atmosphere and very inspiring.

My daughter has been riding here for the past six months and absolutely loves it. It can be difficult to find a school where students receive quality instruction and also get to have a great time both on and off the horses, but Horsemanship Academy does a remarkable job. The instructors are wonderful with the kids, the selection of ponies is ideal for lessons, and the overall atmosphere is warm and welcoming. My daughter can’t wait to ride each week and we both really enjoy spending time at the barn.

I had a heck of time trying to get my boyfriend’s daughter into a riding school that she actually enjoyed and that I approved of. We have tried nearly every riding school in the area but none of them were a good fit. She is a shy little thing with a huge heart for horses but she always felt too insecure to really be herself at the places we tried.
I was looking for a school that had super friendly instructors, a ranch where she could meet friends and have fun, and just an overall welcoming atmosphere since I knew we would be going there all the time together.
Finally, on our 3^rd school we trialed I knew we had found the one! At Horsemanship Academy she made a few new friends right away and was so eager to tell me all the new things she learned. The first night after her session she found their Business Facebook Page and went through the photos naming some of the horses she fell in love with. She brags about her instructor being the coolest person alive and wakes up with eagerness to get back to the horses and learn more. It has already become her second home.
I also enjoy Horsemanship Academy and have a good time mingling with the other parents. The staff is so knowledgeable and they have the horses trained so well that I might get on a horse too after watching how much fun everyone has!
There seems to just be an overall great feeling at this place, so if you are looking for an enjoyable, dedicated school, then this is the perfect one to join!