Horsemanship & Riding Lessons
At Silver Oak Stables, we offer top-notch riding lessons in Sonoma County tailored to beginning and novice riders. Our experienced trainers provide personalized instruction in a supportive environment, ensuring that each lesson is both enjoyable and educational. Discover the joy of riding with us and improve your skills while forming a special bond with our horses.
We believe that the foundation of a successful riding school is built on horsemanship, groundwork, and a comprehensive education on horse health and wellbeing. Our philosophy centers around the holistic care and keeping of horses, ensuring that both horses and humans thrive in a safe, respectful, and nurturing environment.
Who We Are
Located in Forestville, CA, Silver Oak Stables is a safe and inclusive barn focused on fostering strong connections between riders and horses. We believe in creating a supportive environment that welcomes people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Our team is neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ friendly, and we’re committed to meeting each rider where they are in their journey.
Our Mission and Focus
Our mission is to build confident, knowledgeable riders who can care for and connect with horses safely and compassionately. Whether you’re brand new to riding or looking to brush up on your skills, we emphasize foundational safety, effective horsemanship, and a love for lifelong learning.
Our lessons are different from other barns—Silver Oak is not a typical sport lesson barn. We don’t go to horse shows, but we do have fabulous student Showcases and Level Up events! It is part of our mission to be inclusive and accessible to all people, so we welcome ALL students (everyone, including visitors, must be able to follow basic safety precautions).
Lesson Format
At Silver Oak Stables, we offer a monthly tuition based program. Tuition based lessons are meant to be very similar to other activities you or your rider participate in, such as: sports, music lessons, gym membership, etc. This secures a day and time for a lesson per week, or multiple lessons per week depending on instructor availability.
Our lessons integrate both English riding skills and hands-on horse care. We offer private (1 student) and group (2-4 students) lessons. All students start in private lessons. As the student progresses, the instructor will look for an appropriate group for them to join.
Each lesson follows our HorseSense Learning Levels curriculum, a step-by-step guide to mastering riding and horsemanship skills with structured goals and rewards.
Our program runs for 48 weeks per year, with one week off per quarter to allow our lesson horses some well deserved rest. Breaks are scheduled in correspondence with national holidays and the local school holiday schedules. During break weeks, students may have access to additional unmounted lessons.
Learning Levels Curriculum
We use the HorseSense Learning Levels curriculum, which provides a structured progression plan for each student.
It gives students clear, achievable milestones.
It gives instructors, students and parents a way to measure achievement outside of the show ring.
Students who aren't able to ride can still have unmounted learning goals and rewards.
It encourages students to devote time to fundamentals, flatwork, and their unmounted education, all of which are an important part of our philosophy on horsemanship.
Students in group lessons easily form bonds with other students and encourage each other to learn.
It helps both students and parents understand requirements for advancement.
English Horsemanship Learning Levels
Horsemanship Levels are both mounted (riding) and unmounted knowledge.
English HorseSense Learning Levels
HorseSense Levels cover unmounted knowledge - which is essential for EVERY equestrian
