Portola Pastures Inc - Palo Alto, California

Beatrix K.

Love this barn, very nice people, beautiful surroundings, love that everyone gets a spacious tack shed, and lots of space.

Finn

Went riding there and there was tons of horses and kind instructors!

Josh M.

Great place to ride horses and enjoy the wildlife.

Barbara S.

This is a great and beautiful place. For horses and riders. My daughter takes lessons and goes to camp for the past 5 years. Pam and Laura are great teachers.

Phil L.

From Yelp:
On Monday September 17, 2012, at approximately 5:30pm, I took a trail ride on the horse I was leasing at Portola Pastures. As we trotted along the trail we came upon a family, including a man, a woman, and two children, all of whom were off to the side of the trail while one of the children was being disciplined by the man. The child was screaming and the man was very loudly scolding the child. As a responsible rider, I was paying attention to the trail and noticed the situation ahead from roughly ten yards out. I raised my voice to say "excuse me" and proceeded to trot past the family. I did not want to walk the horse past them as I feared that this would spook my horse. Once we were at least fifteen feet past the family, I asked for a canter, as we normally canter over this part of the trail. The man of the family proceeded to scream obscenities at me and threatened my safety as well as my horse's. He proffered the phrases "stupid f*g b*ch," "you f*g wh*re," and "I will find you, wherever you are" in his verbal assault. As I was scared for my safety as well as that of my horse, I proceeded as quickly as possible away from the man and back to the stables. When I returned to the stables I immediately gave a full recount of the incident.

On September 20, I was informed that the Management of Portola Pastures would no longer welcome me. I find that this was an extremely one-sided decision which was made without any consideration of my side of the story, despite my honesty and openness regarding the incident from its onset. I also believe that the decision made by the Management of Portola Pastures is a strong indication of its complacency in the face of harassment. As a 27-year-old female who was verbally harassed and threatened by a middle-aged man while riding alone on a wildlife preserve, I believed that I alone was the victim in this incident. I also have reason to believe that, in dealing with this man, the Management of Portola Pastures has further enabled my assailant to fulfill his threat to "find [me], wherever [I am]." Already the victim of harassment, I feel I am now under further persecution by the Management of Portola Pastures who have chosen the word of one disreputable figure over his victim without so much as a thought to her well-being.

In general, I believe that the actions taken by the Management of Portola Pastures:
(1) display utter disregard for the safety of female clients of Portola Pastures;
(2) condone harassment by this man and by similar perpetrators in the future; and
(3) breed a litigious environment by buckling to the crazed demands of a disreputable figure who shows neither knowledge nor regard for the well-established rules of the Arastradero Preserve (equestrians have the right of way without exception)

Though I would appreciate being welcomed back to Portola Pastures, it is solely for the close bond that I have formed with the horses and their owner in the short time that I have known them, and it is not for the business practices that the Management of Portola Pastures currently employs. Though I do not agree with some of the decisions made by the Management of Portola Pastures, I also do not expect a change in the outcome of this incident on the part of the Management of Portola Pastures, much less an apology for how I was treated.

I must end this review by stating that the trail rides I have taken in the past with the horse that I leased were some of the most memorable of my life. My horse was kind, spirited, and just all around excellent. The person from whom I leased the horses was kind and understanding as well. This review should ONLY reflect upon the management of Portola Pastures, not any of it's tenants/clients/trainers. There are far more accommodating, trustworthy, and thoughtfully managed stables in the area.

susan S.

to google user with above bad review: you said in last sentence that "animals suffer because people don't say anything". SO SAY SOMETHING. have other boarders join in. strength in numbers. video record this nasty "trainer" and take with you to owners of property. show your videos to horses' owners. do not keep silent, even if it's just your voice alone.

Ronald D.

We have been boarding a horse there for about 4 years now. Love it. Highly recommend it if you can get a spot.

Willie T.

My girlfreind boards her horse there and is happy with the place.
I'm not a horse person but I can see it's a very nice place to board your horse.