Cavallo Riding Center

I took my 12 year old niece and my friends 10 year old daughter to have a one time lesson here since my niece was visiting from South America. The girls had a wonderful time and learned a lot in just over an hour. Nicole was wonderful with the girls — patient, calm, steady, and helpful. I wish my niece could stay and experience more lessons.

Nicole is an amazing trainer. She has done very well with tons of horses. My horses have been taught by her and are amazing. She also trained me how to ride. And I’m amazed. She is so smart with horses for her age! Call for her to train your horses. :)

I came to know about Cavallo Riding Center while looking for a horse that would be suited for a beginner. I found Charlie on
and he was boarded/​owned by Dave at Cavallo. So in late October I went and talked to Dave about Charlie. I was told by him and Nicole that he was a 12 yr old Peruvian Paso, he ties, trailers, good for ferrier, does good on trails and is trained. He was not good for the ferrier the fist 2 times I had his feet done. He is not a Peruvian Paso, he is a Mustang. 2 weeks after purchasing Charlie I went and tried to put his bridle on and he would not lower his head. I had to have someone help me. After getting it one he was ok, did ok on the trails at first, though I did notice that he needed to be constantly corrected. Fast forward to Jan 2015, I went on a trail ride with a group and he was horrible. I had a guy there that was helping me with training Charlie, though he had to leave since he couldn’t be around kids since he is on Megan’s Law (you would think Dave would’ve done a background check since he has kids at the stables) I had Nicole who’s 19 work with Charlie on ground manners, she would only work him in a round pen. The first week she was working with him I witnessed her hitting Charlie on the nose with a riding crop so hard the tip broke off. I moved Charlie to All Star Training in Manteca to a reputable trainer who has evaluated him and he is not for a beginner rider. I recently found out while having his teeth done that he is not 12 when I bought him he was 6, just turned 7 this year! I called and told Dave and he said his Vet told him he was 12, I asked for records of the visit from his Vet and he said he didn’t have them. I am keeping Charlie and spending money to have him trained by a reputable trainer. Had I known Charlie wasn’t for a beginner I wouldn’t have bought him! Dave is a dishonest person! He does not take care of the horses at his stables whether they are his or not, he feeds moldy hay, both arenas are hard and dusty, I have witnessed his so called trainer abusing horses, not just mine! If you want a nice and honest place to board your horse this is NOT the place. If your thinking of putting your child on one of his «lesson horses» I wouldn’t put my 13yr old on ANY of his horses and feel comfortable doing it! The other negative reviews about Cavallo are an accurate description! If I could give zero stars I would!!!

My daughter started taking riding lessons at Cavallo in late 2013 with their «Saddle Club» and our experience has been so good that we decided to become horse owners. We have been there ever since. We board my daughter’s horse there and have had nothing but great experiences. Dave is beyond friendly and makes it a point to do what is best for the kids that participate in the events at the ranch. The fees are reasonable and the flexibility that boarders have with their horses can’t be matched. We are extremely happy at Cavallo and would recommend it to anyone who wants to board a horse.

I have only been here for a little over 3 months but I LOVE this place! I have not gotten to know any of the other board members as I don’t have a set schedule for seeing my horse. We had to move our horse from Livermore because we bought a home out this way. I called around to get pricing from all places in Tracy, Manteca and Lathrop. I had my mind set between this one and one other place. Price was a factor to us being we just bought a house which made us have to be on a budget, but what made up our mind was when I went down there to meet the owner, and him showing me around! This place has so much room, different arenas and work pins, a small area with different animals the kids can pet and play with, and a kitchen! What more can you ask for? The owner was super nice when we met and has been EVERY time I have contact with him. My horse is definitely being fed as she has a BELLY on her. Now for the comments below about «Ranch drama» this is going to be EVERYWHERE you go, I have seen it since my first horse 15 years ago, you just need to learn to mind your own play with your horse. I cannot say if the owner or anyone there has been rue to anyone or not, but just remember there are 2 sides to every story. I would highly recommend this place!

I’ve been boarding here for 2 years the service is great! The owner is always around to help. An amazing place to take lessons for all ages. PLUS its very family friendly, everyone there is super nice and welcoming. Lastly lots of fun trails and people too trail ride with!

Not only do they not have a clue about how to care for horses, this ranch is full of drama and problems. After 2 good trainers left, a boarder who is a beginner rider and doesn’t have horse knowledge named Nicole has taken over saddle clue and is «training» horses. but is actually ruining them. She works lame horses who are clearly in pain and have swollen legs. This place was good for awhile but in the last couple months it has fallen to pieces and is a complete nightmare for your horse.

Owner is a nice guy. Friendly Place. Been doing business with them for years now. Great Place to keep horses, or take the kids for trail rides. You will enjoy this place!

I agree with everything the person above is saying and then some! I gave the owner notice that I was selling my horses and a month later he brought me a lady that was taking lessons so I told her she could lease my horse so that I could make sure they were a match, So we are in the middle of a month so I told her on the first of next month she could pay the horses board and we went and talked to the owner. He did not have her sign a contract as the horse still belonged to me. 30 days later she ask me to move the horse to another boarding facility down the road as they weren’t being very nice to her, I told her no problem. I show up to move my horse and there stood the ranch owner saying one of us owes him a months board that he didn’t get a 30 day notice from the lease. so I informed him he had gotten it from me and more then 30 days before and my horses board was paid so I was taking my horse, he then proceeds to try and take the lease’s tack which she had already taken from the ranch, so he (the ranch owner) then calls the leasee and threatens her. tells her he owns half my horse and that he will sell her at auction! I show up at the ranch the next day to pick up my other horse with the new owner and feeling bad about what had happened the night before I brought him a check for a half months board (what he thought he was owed by the lease) when I get there the ranch owner had removed my horse from the pasture put it in the barn with a fly mask on him (like he was trying to hide him) like I wouldn’t know my own horse and there was a lock on its stall! Lets just say this little German went nuts I sent the ranch owner a text and told him he had one minute to get to that pen or I was calling the cops and that my husband went to get bolt cutters!!! the ranch owner came up saying he was so sorry that his girlfriend Jackie did it! because her and the leasee were text fighting back and forth last night, my response was not calm in the least I ask what the Bleep was he thinking? I told him I have nothing to do with what went on between them and that he better unlock my horse or I will tear his bleep barn down! he unlocked my horse and we took him and left. trust me though that wasn’t all I had to say to him… I didn’t have to give him anything but I did because that’s the kind of person I am and now you see the kind of person he is so stay away from this ranch. This guy try’s to intimidate but he ran into the wrong woman this time… Run don’t walk away from Cavallo Riding Center!!!