Good Pony

I’ve taken a few lessons from Davee now, and she is really fantastic. Davee is passionate about her horses, very caring (to them and to me), and very receptive to her customers. She listens to what I am interested in and caters each of my lessons to how I’m feeling that day and what I want to learn. She does have a full lesson plan, but she allows a ton of freedom within that plan to slow or accelerate her teaching pace, based on how things are going on any particular day. If she sees I’m picking up something quickly, she will throw something slightly more advanced in to see how I respond. On the other hand, if I want to take it easy and review, she’s completely open to that, as well. The time is mine. She also has a very intuitive teaching style — if she senses I need techniques broken down technically, she will do so. On the other hand, if she senses I’m understanding particular concepts on a more abstract level, then she will talk to me on that level. She clearly loves her horses and expects the student to respect them. She teaches how to properly brush them and clean their hooves (before and after every ride) and how to tack them. She really looks after them. She also expects beginners to always, always wear a helmet. The stables do have a few helmets you may borrow for the first few lessons. If you do decide to buy a helmet for yourself, Davee will gladly give her opinion on what’s out there, if you ask. There’s also a discount you can receive at one of the shops in the area. There’s plenty of parking on the neighborhood streets at the stables, but be on the lookout for horses and riders on the road throughout the area. I highly recommend Davee.

Super impressed with Davee, she is an incredible horse-​person. Very knowledge, and is great with horses. Highly recommended.

After unexpectedly being gifted with a horse that was well-​trained, but barn sour and beyond my abilities as a novice rider, I started talking to Davee, who was a trainer at the barn where I stable my horse. Realizing how financially unsound it was to pay to board a horse I couldn’t ride, my horse and I started taking weekly lessons with Davee. Some days I would ride, other days Davee would take Rusty for his lesson on the trail. In just a few short months, we’ve both come far. Davee is incredibly patient with both human and horse, and a good listener. While she’s a skilled trainer regardless of the student’s experience, it’s her empathy and non-​judgmental attitude that made all the difference in improving my confidence and technique. Her greatest ability is pushing you just enough outside of your comfort zone to improve your riding, while never making you do anything she knows you can’t do (yet!). Starting from the ground up, she’s taken an essentially good, but very spoiled horse, and made him a safe, sweet, and reliable mount. I can’t recommend her enough.

Total equestrian! My top choice for equestrian training!

I enjoyed going on a group ride in June 2013 so much that I started taking lessons from Davee once a week ever since. She’s a brilliant instructor and knows how to push you in the right direction to keep learning. Davee is also an amazing animal caregiver and always seems to be in touch with what the horses needs are. I can not say enough great things about her and I highly recommend her.

First Davee is a really great person. She is super friendly and takes the time to get to know all her riders. She is a true professional and I would recommend anyone to her. If you have zero experience and are afraid of horses she will ease you into things and happily go the extra step to make sure you are comfortable. Her rates are very reasonable and her schedule flexible.

I cannot say enough about Davee. I started taking lessons two times a month in 2012, having only previously ridden on nose-​to-​tail trail rides – the type catering to tourists in national parks. Two lessons a month soon doubled to once a week. Today, I am the proud owner of a lovely horse named Monty (a different Monty than the one mentioned in an earlier comment – apparently it’s a popular equine name!), and I could not be happier.
Davee, who is as humble as it gets, has said many times that she owes her success to the great people that happen to find Good Pony. This is only partially true. It omits the fact that she is a sage when it comes to horses. It also does not give any credit to her excellent teaching skills: she is able to explain riding concepts in an approachable way and she tailors each lesson to suit the particular student’s interests. To her point though, it is a fact that Davee has an amazing collection of students, many of whom I have come to consider friends, and a great team.
While I’ve learned a lot since beginning lessons, I could not have gotten a horse of my own if it weren’t for Davee. Monty is a gem but Davee keeps him that way. He’s on her full-​time care, which in a nutshell means that she manages all the things that make him healthy and happy. This includes the obvious, such as making sure his workouts, whether with me, her, or another rider, are effective and positive, fine-​tuning his diet, and taking care of the unfortunate scrapes and bruises. She also takes care of the behind-​the-​scenes work and is always available to answer all of the important (and the occasionally stupid) questions. I trust her judgment completely and highly, HIGHLY recommend her as an instructor and trainer.

I found Davee through Unilocal and can only confirm all the excellent reviews.
I’ve had a few rather bad experiences and discouraging riding lessons with rude and strict instructors when I was younger and gave up. It just wasn’t fun to learn.
I never stopped loving horses though (how could I?) and really wanted to start riding again. I’m so happy I decided to go with Davee! She cares about her horses so much and knows and treats them like her own children.
As an instructor she’s just amazing. Very patient, encouraging, always answers all your questions, explains techniques very well and is just a really nice person in general. I’m so looking forward to every lesson.
She knows her horses well and will match you with the right one for your skill level.
It seems everyone– beginner or advanced rider– is enjoying their lesson with her.
I could go on but I recommend just to schedule a lesson with her and see for yourself. You won’t regret it.

I used to be an avid rider as a child but that was 20 years ago and I had never done large group rides.
I was very nervous/​scared about being in a large group ride but Davee was there to help everyone, especially silly me, feel safe and comfortable.
I’m pretty sure she is fluent in horse. It’s pretty amazing to watch this woman around these magnificent animals and her comfort/​familiarity with them.
Highly recommend, especially for anyone new to horses and/​or a little nervous.

Davee and Jane at GoodPony are superby patient and expert. I started lessons in December 2012 and look forward every week to my time with them and their wonderful animals.

Davee is fantastic. I’m not a skilled or even knowledgeable rider, but she’s patient and helpful at any level. I’ve noticed her with her more advanced students and they seem to enjoy their time as well. I look forward to more rides with Davee in the future and would recommend her to anyone.

I’ve been taking lessons from Davee for a few months now and I feel I get more than my money’s worth every time! Every lesson I build upon the techniques I already know, with a new technique (s), and every week I can feel I’m a better rider. And just in case I had any doubts of improvement, Davee recorded one of my lessons so I could view the progress later. I work in an industry where, if asked to ride a horse, I need to know what I’m doing. The lessons with Davee give me that certainty and confidence.
Apart from the amazing/​varied lessons, Davee also has a variety of horses you can ride on. She’s always careful to pick and choose the horses I ride on, and has incrementally put me on «spicier» horses haha. Yet every time, she makes sure I feel confident and that I’m prepared; and I always feel safe.
There’s no one else I would rather train with, and I’ve even started to bond with the horses. I’ve never felt this way anywhere else I’ve taken riding lessons.
I don’t hold back when recommending Davee because i’m thrilled to have found someone through Unilocal that exceeded my expectations, and I’m sure others will be too.

I had the great privilege of training with Davee a few years ago. My only previous riding experience was as a rather timid child which meant that, sadly, I never developed the skill or confidence to become a truly competent rider.
Deciding to take up such a dangerous and intense sport — and equestrianism is most definitely a sport — as an adult brings with it its own challenges, not least of which is near-​crippling self-​doubt punctuated by moments of exhilarating terror. Of the nearly half dozen riding instructors I’ve had in my life, Davee Hallinan has by far been the most patient, intuitive, reassuring, supportive, encouraging, and near-​prescient of them all.
Aside from Davee’s extraordinary horse-​knowledge and competence as both a rider and instructor, she is a remarkably warm and kind soul who puts students at ease almost immediately and whose love of and commitment to horses is entirely infectious. Despite taking an extended hiatus in recent years, my return to riding was one of the best decisions I ever took, and I very much look forward to resuming my training again soon. When I do, it will be with Davee.
If you’re a seasoned rider looking to further refine your technique, or if you are completely new to the wonderful world of horses, I cannot recommend more highly Davee Hallinan. You will not be in safer, more caring, more knowledgeable hands.

3 stars means A-​OK. Not good, not bad. She’s really nice, so I feel kinda bad leaving 3 stars, but…
Davee has perhaps the best rates in the area and a nice variety of school horses.
After reading all the good reviews, especially by the dressage rider, I came for a few lessons. Davee is NOT a dressage instructor (nor does she pretend to be) but I also never felt like I learned anything new from her. Granted, I had not ridden for 4 years so was rusty, but I actually felt like I was schooling her horses while she watched. I got one of her horses yielding and on the bit, without instruction from Davee, and she said «that’s amazing that never happens.» Another of her school horses completely ignored all my aids and went toward the center of the ring. Most horses will drift inwards, especially if I am distracted, but I’ve never had a horse so blatantly ignore my aids when not in a full gallop freak out.
That being said, the people taking lessons before me seemed really happy. I would definitely recommend her for beginners and she seems great with kids. I’m still at training level for dressage, so I’m definitely not really good or really advanced, but if you’ve taken instruction for a few years I would recommend trying someone else.

a lot of fun

My daughter began ridding with Davee over 4 years ago, at 9 years old. I chose Davee after watching her with other students and seeing how she both pushes students to reach their potential but does so in a loving and nurturing way. At 9 my daughter was a very tiny thing and other instructors would only look at how small she looked and now how she performed with the horse. Davee was quick to point out the strength that my daughter had on the horse and how quickly she learned. At one point many people would stop by and ask how long my daughter had been riding and when I mentioned 4 – 6 months they were very impressed with her form.
Davee later related to us that when she was little she had the same issue with people thinking she was fragile. Once you meet her you will know how wrong they were. She is one tough lady. But Davee has a way of seeing the whole person inside and out and helped my daughter grow in her ridding vs holding her back because she looked small.
My daughter is very quiet when she fist meets people so during her first couple of lessons my daughter did not say much. Davee actually asked me if she really wanted to ride or was I the one that wanted her to ride. (Once again showing her concern is not just a paycheck but that the rider wants to ride and learn) Once I convinced her that she has been in love with horses almost from birth Davee continued. The breaking point was that they went on a trail ride, just the two of them and they just talked about dogs, cheetahs and what ever else that came to mind. After that my daughter could not stop talking about her lessons Davee and could not wait to go back.
Davee cares about the student & the horse both inside and out. She wants you to love riding as much as she loves teaching and being with the horses. She makes the experience fun. I can not recommend her enough. Davee is an amazing person and teacher.

I’ve been horseback riding for 12 years, and most of those years were spent with Davee as my instructor. When I first started riding as a little six-​year-​old, I was easily getting bored with my instructors, not having fun, and not progressing no matter how hard I worked. After 3 years of being in the same class and watching everyone progress to higher levels while I was left behind, I thought I was a terrible rider and should be content with only having the experience of horseback riding, not the talent for it.
When I began riding with Davee, her way of explaining made lessons humorous and time flew by. Before I knew it, Davee had put me in the highest level class that was available for my age, and I was still progressing. She has taught me almost everything I know about horses, and I’m going to continue to ride with her until I go off to college and am unable to. She is fantastic, and will never push you past your comfort zone. She will bring you to the edge of it, which, after a while, stretches your comfort zone so she can teach you more and more. She is absolutely fantastic, and only cares about the safety of the horse and the rider involved, and of training both to the highest level they can get to, not about how much you’re paying for your lessons. I love riding with her, and she is the only trainer I’ve had that has stuck around for more than 2 years and I still want to ride with all the time. I never have a day where I don’t feel like going to my lesson, and I never have a day where I feel like i didn’t learn anything from her. She is absolutely the best trainer I’ve ever had.

I met Davee in May of 2010 during a group riding lesson. I have been showjumping for nearly 18 years, but I had been taking a break and with no horse of my own, I was looking to simply stay in shape and have some fun. During my first lesson with Davee, she showed me that not only does she know what she’s doing in her teaching, she has a lot of fun doing it, too. After an hour with her, I felt like I had known her for years and that my seat and leg had just improved by leaps and bounds. She has a way of communicating to her riders that is so simple and so incredibly easy to understand. I had at least a few «aha» moments of thinking, «oh, THAT’S how you do it?» And that is after 18 years of riding! Davee is a blast to be around as a person and as a trainer. Fun, dedicated, talented, and a kick in the butt.
Go take a lesson from her! Just watch out because you’ll be so hooked that you’ll find yourself going back for more!

On a whim, I bought a school horse that was 7 years older than the sellers led me to believe. Although it was still the best decision I ever made, caring for an older horse requires a level of consistency that my job makes really difficult. Enter Davee. For years, I Davee took care of my wonderful beast, Monty, at least two times a week, exercising him, grooming him and providing all around care. Monty loves her, and whinnies when he sees her as if to say «Thank God someone who knows what they are doing just showed up.» When she groomed him, she made him sparkly and pretty — something he never lets me do. Best of all, however, was how Davee would show up, no questions asked, during emergencies. I have rushed out to the barn from work to find Davee in flip flops and pajamas, holding Monty, and telling me that she just rushed over because she heard he had just suffered an injury. Davee will lay down her life for her horses and their people, although make no mistake: the horses come first.
I have always told Davee that there is an untapped market in the Burbank/​Glendale area for someone like her to start taking care of all the backyard horses in those neighborhoods. She is the perfect answer to the horse owner who isn’t part of a structured barn, who is looking for someone to take care of their horses while on vacation, or even just when they want to stay at work late. Davee is the perfect mix of talent and humility — she can school your horse, but won’t mind cleaning a stall either.
Davee’s only problem is that she does not promote herself strongly enough! Girlfriend needs to let her ego take over for a bit and start canvassing the neighborhood with her bad self. Until then, I hope these Unilocal reviews will do. ..

I had been riding horses since the age of 8. At the age of 37 I had a very serious riding accident. I knew I wanted to ride again and after a year and a half of physical therapy I was ready to get on the back of a horse again.
Davee was my first riding instructor after my accident. I met with her and told her about my accident and my fears of getting back up on a horse again. She had a calming energy and made me feel comfortable. I knew she wasn’t the type of trainer who would push me past my limits and she completely understood I needed patience in building up my self confidence. She put me on the calmest horse in the stable. I was so happy after that first ride.
I continued to take lessons with Davee. She never made me do anything I wasn’t comfortable doing. Even if I came to the lesson wanting to just walk, she would always find a way of teaching me something within my limitations and helped me push through the fear.
Davee also looks out for her students. After sometime she even found a me a private horse in the stable that was the perfect match for me. I leased him for quite some time and rode him in our lessons. Davee genuinely cares about her students and also for the well being of the horses she works with. She is a gem and a one of a kind trainer. I would highly recommend riding with her no matter what level you are, beginner to advanced.