Grizzly Peak Stables

I was SERIOUSLY obsessed with horses as a child. Every birthday I consistently wished for the same thing, to one day own my own horse.
When I finally reached an appropriate age to learn how to ride a horse, I literally begged my parents until they finally agreed to let me take lessons.
Since I lived in the Berkeley Hills, having the Grizzly Peak Stables be a convenient short drive away was perfect.
While the stables were rather run down, the surrounding hills of the park were lovely, and most importantly, there were horses! I was in heaven.
I don’t think I have ever been more excited in my life than on the day of my first lesson and being introduced to my horse, Dusty. It was love at first sight. He was strong and incredibly gentle, with a shimmering chocolate coat, and the cutest white freckles decorating his flank. I literally started tearing up I was so happy. Bags full of freshly sliced apples and appreciative nuzzles became our tradition.
My riding instructors were so friendly and were quite amused with my more than obvious love of horses and over-​eagerness to learn everything I could.
I had no care in the world that the entire structure looked like it could collapse at any moment, the interior was strewn with cobwebs, and the various stables housed some of the most frightening insects.
My late afternoon riding lessons were my pride and joy. I would come home a complete mess, streaks of dirt on my face, straw tangled in my hair, skinned elbows and knees, and thoroughly exhausted but just being able to finally feel like I had my own horse was one of the most rewarding and freeing experiences I have had thus far.
I would definitely say that my overall memory of Grizzly Peak Stables is very positive and one I certainly will not forget.
My only not so nice memory of the stables (aside from the poor construction and upkeep) was the day my horse decided to engage in his feistier side.
As I was saddling him up, (I suppose he thought it would be funny) he bloated his belly as I was fastening the leather harnesses around his stomach. Unaware that the saddle was much too loose, I jumped on and proceeded to lead him in a fast trot around the arena. Well, I ended up falling off in the most ridiculous way. With one foot still caught in the stirrups, I was dragged about in the very unpleasant dirty sand. Luckily, I was not hurt, just slightly peeved. I forgave him 10 minutes later.
Perhaps it’s in your best interest to seek out horseback riding lessons elsewhere, but if you happen to be in the general vicinity and are a lover of horses, Grizzly Peak Stables will certainly be able to introduce you to some very lovable ones.
Thank you for all the warm memories Grizzly Peak Stables!

Poorly Poorly run stable. Horses are not being fed regularly, sometimes up to 48 hours with no food. My horse has gotten out on several occasions to go to nearby barns for food. This was never communicated to me by the owner, the neighbors came out to tell me. One review mentions «an accident waiting to happen»? No accident here it’s called «neglect». Moved our horse who is currently under vet supervision. He’s happy to be out of there and eat!!! Thank you to all the nearby neighbors and community for telling me what’s going on.

I really wanted to like this place. It is 4.5mi from my house and having my horse here made it possible for me to see her more than once a day. The horses are fed well here, but the bedding is sparse, the arena is never dragged and there are no trainers on site. The facility itself is extremely dilapidated and even dangerous, and your horse is likely to be lonely since there are only a few occupied stalls. Finally, the driveway into the facility is extremely uneven and likely to do damage to your car. I don’t think the present ownership has the resources to restore or maintain the facility properly; this is an unfortunate state of affairs because under better management this place could be very desirable.

My first impression of this stable is very poor. It looks like a ghost town that is very run down. Weeds are growing every where, the stables look like they are falling apart, the workers are sitting out front playing cards and I only saw a few horses. Talked to the owner and she seemed somewhat distracted when giving me details about the boarding.
It looks very depressing and find it hard not to judge the business by physical appearances. I wouldnt trust that more care would go into the animals if not much is put into the stalls.
The location is perfect for people in the Oakland/​Berkeley area and has the potential to make a lot of money, however the lack of upkeep could be contributing to what looks like a lack of business.

Time to load up on free shit! I can’t speak for the riding or the stables but they have the best wall of shit! Horse manure to be precise. Learn about the amazing science of ecology and decomposition. Pack up a lawn bag of free shit for your organic tomato and rose garden. Trust me your plants and veggies will thank you.