Riding Coach

Having read all the horse books as a child and yet never having taken a lesson, I finally signed up for riding classes in my 50s. Gudrun at the Riding Coach is an exceptionally patient and kind teacher, she really loves her horses and teaching and I highly recommend this place for any beginner. The horses are so well cared for and they choose a horse that is right for you. I rode the sweet and unflappable Dagwood, who was perfect for me to gain confidence and feel comfortable actually on the back of one these magnificent animals and not just as an armchair rider! I also really enjoyed learning to groom and saddle him. Only going to class once a week, it took me a long time to remember how to put the bridle on and cinch up the saddle, etc, and yet Gudrun and Dagwood were always patient and kind with me.
Jackie and Grace are the other students in my class, they’ve been with the Riding Coach for years and they are also a great asset, very friendly, helpful and encouraging.
I’ve stopped riding for a couple of months after 5 months of lessons because of some time constraints but never a Monday morning goes by that I don’t think of my two and four footed friends there and I’m sure I will be back.

We had a large group of young Brownie Girl Scouts and they wanted to work toward their «Horsemanship Badge» with their hard-​earned cookie money this year. So after some Googling, I came across The Riding Coach. After reading about Carol and Gudrun and their philosophy on horses and riding, it was a no-​brainer that this was the stable for us!
We scheduled a two hour lesson where the girls learned about horse anatomy, grooming, mounting, dismounting and general horse care. The girls got to spend about 15 minutes each in the arena on a horse learning basic riding skills. A few of our girls were super nervous, but Carol, Gudrun and their amazing team of assistants put the girls at ease right away with a «no pressure, lots of fun» sort of attitude. It was a fantastic first experience for the girls and they came away feeling excited and proud of themselves.
The next day the girls and some of us moms took a 45 min. trail ride. We had a group of 17 riders and Carol and Gudrun once again brought in several wonderful expert assistants to ride with us. It was a wonderful journey and we cannot thank Carol, Gudrun and their assistants (Jackie, Marilyn, Grace and Eric) enough for sharing their positive attitude, no-​nonsense approach to safety, and real love and respect for horses and riding with our troop.
If you are a troop looking to earn your Horsemanship Badge, or just want to take a trail ride, I would highly recommend The Riding Coach!

I would have given more stars but let me explain. This lady I assume who is apart of management bitched out this employee for about five minutes in front of us and other customers. Very unprofessional. Yes there was a language barrier and it was a issue about money but the way it was handled was very tacky. Other than that me and the wife had a great time. It was my first time horse back riding and of course I got a crazy horse but our guide was always right there to correct the situation. The trail is 3 ½ miles and It’s very scenic and fun to travel. I really enjoyed the experience and would do it again. Next time I may choose another place in the area just to see if management has their Shit together.

Carol is a sweetheart! She is super patient and understanding and just has a sixth sense for horses. I would highly recommend you hop on that saddle with no one other then Carol by your side. Thanks for everything and I will be bringing my girlfriend with me as promised! Just got squeeze in some time.

I have been riding there for a couple of months and love it! Brought friends from all levels and they loved it as well :-) would recommend to anyone

I LOVE this place! I originally found Carol and Gudrun by just doing a Google search and wasn’t really sure what to expect on my first day. Gudrun sat me down and gave me a quick run down of their teaching style… she is awesome! What I love mostly is that they really teach you how to use common sense around horses and that it’s actually pretty simple. My biggest issue was not looking up when riding and focusing too much on the horse, Carol noticed it right away and was great about correcting me. I went for two sets of classes (10wks total) and have just recently stopped. It’s only been the first week that I haven’t been back and I’m already missing it so much. I definitely plan on going back soon. By the way, Dagwood is the sweetest boy and all the horses have the funniest personalities. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention Grace and Jackie. They’ve been taking classes their for over 10yrs and are really hands on with all the students. Watching those two ride is great motivation and makes me want to keep going!

I started taking lessons here 12 years ago and have no plans to stop. Gudrun and Carol are great teachers and their horses are well trained and very well cared for. They teach mostly Western riding and all levels. They teach you how to groom and tack your horse as well as how to ride safely. Classes are geared to your level of experience and are always fun and interesting. If you’ve ever wanted to learn to ride, this is the place. 5+ stars!

I just finished a 5-​lesson set with The Riding Coach and had a great time. I was pretty scared at my first lesson, and by the last one I was comfortable jogging (and finally got in a brief canter). Gundrun is an amazing teacher, and shares a lot of useful information about horses (their habits, personalities, etc.). I plan to take more classes with them!

The Riding Coach is absolutely the place to go if you want to learn all there is to know about riding, and have the complete horse care experience. Carol and Gudrun are wonderful teachers, and will take you from being a beginner with no experience at all to an experienced rider who can confidently care for a horse in all situations. When I first started taking lessons from them I was a complete beginner. About two years later I was ready to buy my own horse, thanks to all they taught me. Now here I am, 20 years later, still calling them for help and advice in regards to my horse, because they have such superior knowledge and abilities. Whether you’re considering just a few lessons or a long term horse commitment, The Riding Coach will help you every step of the way!

I take lessons here regularly and just love it. Gudrun and Carol are wonderful teachers– they’re patient and will never make you do something you’re uncomfortable with, but they still push you to get better. They know their horses so well, and really do consider them members of the family.
I take their group lessons and I adore everyone else that I ride with– everyone is incredibly supportive and encouraging, and Gudrun and Carol always manage to give you plenty of individual attention.
Whether you’re new to horseback riding or you’ve got some experience, Gudrun and Carol will have plenty to teach you. I highly recommend checking this place out! And as a bonus they have boots and helmets to borrow, so you don’t have to make that investment if you don’t want to.

Gudrun is an extraordinary instructor; observant, patient and kind with her instructions and corrections to your riding form. She always catches you doing something right.
Gudrun ensures that you are put on the right horse for your abilities. I like that there is a broad age span of students. I started 2 years ago, and I’m 60 now! Just want to keep learning and improving. You’re never to old to learn something new. Love the interaction and connection obtained with grooming/​cleaning the horses.

My 11 yr old daughter takes lessons there and really loves it.
She is able to borrow a helmet and boots so I didn’t have to buy to start. She helps care for the horse as well as learning riding skills.
They are so friendly here and it. It is obvious Goodrun and Carol are there for the love of the horses.
The animals are very well taken care of and loved.
This is a warm and friendly place. My daughter always begs to go early.
I highly recommend.

The Riding Coach is an exceptional place — Gudrun and Carol really know their stuff and make students feel comfortable and at ease. I had never been on a horse before and had some initial nervousness about horseback riding — but, I really wanted to try it. During my lesson I became acquainted with the horse and Gudrun ensured that I had the «right» horse to ride. My husband also enjoyed himself tremendously –he had been riding previously. We both learned a great deal about how to groom/​clean a horse, saddle up, ride and dismount.
Both Carol ad Gudrun are very knowledgeable about all aspects of horses and are great teachers. They instill alot of confidence!
I would highly highly recommend the Riding Coach to anyone who wants to learn horseback riding. They have all levels of riders — but for me (a beginner), it was really excellent.

Nice horseback riding lessons. You get feedback on what you’re doing right & on what needs to be improved. They also have schedule trail rides.

This is an excellent place to learn to ride and to learn about horses in general. Gudrun and Carol are great teachers with tons of experience and they make the lessons really fun and interesting. Their monthly trail rides through Griffith Park are also really fun. Great teachers, nice horses, and a friendly, laid-​back atmosphere-​this place is a real gem right in the middle of the city.

A good place for lessons, for beginners, intermediate or advanced. The instructors are very safety conscious, but not to the extent that you won’t have fun. They know their horses, and treat them well. Riding is mostly western; a mixture of basic riding, patterns and trail riding in and around Griffith Park.

Gudrun and Carol are great! If you want to learn about horse care and riding this is a great place! They have boots and helmets if you don’t have your own and everyone is really friendly!