Our little piece of heaven in Orange county
Sunset Ridge Riding Acadamy
Where horses are happy and people are too
lessons. learning. leases. And so much more.
Offering a relaxed horse experience with individualized lessons plans, fun and understanding teachers and personable horses.
Nestled in the hills of Laguna is a little getaway from all of your cares and worries. We work with brand new beginners and more advanced riders looking to take their riding to the next level. From little kids wanting to learn about horses, to competitive teenagers and young adults wanting to show, to older adults desiring to return to the passion of their youth - or give riding a try for the first time, we can put together an individualized plan to help you achieve your desires. Or just contact us to set up a time to meet us and the horses!
Some of the services we offer include:
-Riding Lessons
-Horse leasing
-Horse camps
-Birthday parties
-Pony Rides/Horse experience
-Photo shoots with the horses/Unicorn shoots
-Boy Scout/Girl Scout Merit Badges
-Parent/Child Classes
-Field trips/educational programs for preschools, homeschooling groups, etc.
-Training
-lessons/training with your own horse
-Gift Certificates for holidays and birthdays
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Meet your facilitator
Vanessa is a mom to 4 kids, 3 horses, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 birds and everyone she meets. Her passion for horses and riding began as a very young child and her parents hoped it would be a "phase" she would eventually outgrow. No such luck. She spent her childhood summers helping out on the family cattle ranch and every penny of babysitting money on riding lessons the rest of the year.
She competed in English Equitation, Dressage and Jumping throughout her youth. When she got into her dream school (BYU), she began in the riding program and soon was teaching beginning equitation, riding with the equestrian team and eventually was helping manage the stables there. Needless to say, every spare moment was spent at the barn. Feeding, mucking, vaccinating, foaling, training… and of course riding! She graduated with a four year degree in Animal Science with an emphasis in equine reproduction.
She worked as a vet tech for a few years until the kids arrived - and then got her horse fix teaching riding lessons on the side until her dream of horse ownership came true when Nick the rescue horse came into her life 7 years ago! She now supports her family with a thriving photography business as well as living her horse inspired adventures!
"The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit and fire.” - Shannon Ralls Lemon
Meet our horses
In your pocket, follow you around like a puppy dog kind of horse. He’s so athletic, he could excel equally at endurance, dressage, jumping, equitation, liberty- but he thinks he’s a racehorse! If you push his nose, he’ll pop his tongue out at you (if he likes you). Equal parts gentle and spirited, he loves learning new things, running like the wind, any kind of treat and rolling right after his bath. It’s almost not fair that with all of those awesome qualities, he’s gorgeous to boot!
Nicholas
Nugget spent the first part of his life travelling the world as the star of the Cavalia Odysseo show. He loved his job there (doing liberty, dressage and trick riding), but was ready to retire after 10 years. Now he puts all that great training to good use as a sturdy steed teaching young girls and "more mature" friends to ride and love horses. He's good at everything too - trail, jumping, dressage and of course being loved on!
Nugget
Shangri-la is another Cavalia trained horse who is an expert at Liberty. He's in training under saddle with Terri and Vanessa and will be another great saddle horse and friend. He's got the most playful personality and has the spirit of an angel. He's new to the barn and we can' wait to see all of his potential and a riding partner and part of the herd!