Learn to ride horses with our experienced instructors.

Discover the joy of horseback riding through our comprehensive lessons.

Lesson Information

At Pine Trails Ranch, we offer comprehensive riding lessons designed to help you master the fundamentals of jumping, dressage, Western horsemanship, and trail riding. Our weekly lessons provide a steady path for riders of all ages and skill levels—whether you’re aiming to reach advanced riding goals or simply want to improve your skills and enjoy riding for pleasure. Before your first lesson, please contact us to discuss any special considerations or concerns. Riders can be from ages 3 or 4 yrs to 80 yrs and up to 220# weight limit. We are a short distance from Davis, Dixon, Vacaville, Winters, West Sac., and Woodland California and provide boots and helmets for students to borrow although we cannot guarantee we have extra large or small sizes.

We offer both semi-private lessons (3–4 students) and private lessons, ensuring personalized attention tailored to your needs. Additionally, our classroom sessions cover essential topics such as safe falling techniques, riding terminology, and the biomechanics of a correct seat—building a strong foundation on and off the horse.

With our full range of lessons, boarding options, clinics, and camps, Pine Trails Ranch is proud to be one of California’s premier destinations for horse riding education and equestrian experiences in Davis, Dixon, Vacaville, Winters, Woodland, and West Sac..

Basic Precepts

Well-Trained Lesson Horses: We provide lesson horses with extensive training, suitable for riders of all levels.
Encouraging Curiosity: Asking questions and fostering inquisitiveness are highly encouraged to deepen learning.
Goal-Oriented Confidence: We focus on helping each rider set and reach their personal goals while building confidence.
Physical Fitness: Our lessons emphasize developing balance, core strength, and flexibility to improve riding and overall fitness.
Personalized Instruction: Lessons are tailored to each rider’s ability and comfort level, guided by experienced instructors dedicated to your progress.

Schedule Information

All lessons must be scheduled, canceled, or rescheduled at least 36 hours in advance to avoid cancellation fees. In the event of bad weather, we may postpone riding or classroom lessons to ensure your safety and the well-being of our horses.

Our classroom lessons are designed to improve your horsemanship skills and safety. Topics include safe falling techniques, correct and safe mounting, leg wrapping for shows and injuries, first aid, understanding bits and alternatives, proper saddle fitting, and much more. Since many accidents occur during mounting, our specialized classroom apparatus helps teach techniques to minimize risks and keep you safe.

Your safety is our top priority.

Call 530-756-2042 to get started.

Your Horse or Ours?

At Pine Trails Ranch, lessons can be taken on your own horse or one of our well-trained lesson horses. All lessons are taught by Michelle Haseltine or an authorized instructor dedicated to providing quality instruction.

Please remember, all lessons must be scheduled, canceled, or rescheduled at least 36 hours in advance to avoid charges. If proper notice is not given, the lesson fee will still apply.

Please note: We do not rent horses. While you are welcome to ride our quality lesson horses during lessons, they are only available to riders actively training within our program and do not go out with riders outside our system. We have horses who can carry riders up to 220 lbs in size.

Lesson Timing:

Semi-private lessons typically take about 2 hours total, including brushing, saddling, riding, unsaddling, and putting the horses away.
Private lessons usually take about 1.5 hours from start to finish.

Little Rider Lessons

We’re excited to offer a new one-hour private lesson specially designed for very young children just starting their equestrian journey. These lessons include grooming, tacking up, and riding — all tailored to suit the shorter attention spans of little riders.

This program is perfect for children ages 3 to 6, providing a fun, safe, and engaging introduction to horses and riding.

Costs

For Students Using Pine Trails Ranch Lesson Horses:

Lesson Type

Duration

Price per Lesson

Group Lesson
(3-4 students)

2 hours

$65 Cash/Check, $69 Credit Card

Private Lesson
(Single Student)

1.5 hours

$87 Cash/Check, $90 Credit Card

Little Riders Lesson
(Ages 3-5)

1 hour

$65 Cash/Check, $69 Credit Card

Students will tack up and care for their lesson horse with instructor assistance before and after the lesson.

For Clients Who Own or Lease Their Own Horse:

Lesson Type	Duration	Price per Lesson
Group Lesson	1 hour	$46 Cash/Check, $49 Credit Card
Private Lesson	1 hour	$66 Cash/Check, $69 Credit Card

Students are expected to tack up and care for their horse independently before and after lessons.

Lesson Cards – Save Money!

Purchase lesson cards to receive discounted rates for five lessons.

Lesson Type	Using Pine Trails Horse	Using Own/Leased Horse
Semi-Private Lesson	$300 Cash/Check, $310 Credit Card	$212 Cash/Check, $220 Credit Card
Private Lesson	$393 Cash/Check, $405 Credit Card	$300 Cash/Check, $310 Credit Card

Rider Release Form

Student Name

The undersigned, in consideration of permitting myself or my minor child to ride horses at The Pine Trails Ranch (now or at any time in the future) whether in the arenas; round pen; riding trails; or elsewhere, does acknowledge and agree to the following: The use, handling and riding of a horse involves a risk of physical injury of any individual undertaking such activities, and that any horse irrespective of its training and/or usual past behavior and characteristics, may act or react unpredictably at times base upon instinct or fright, which is also an inherent risk assumed by a horseback rider. The undersigned expressly assumes such risks, and does hereby fully and forever release and discharge The Pine Trails Ranch, its officers and employees (and their successors), and assigns from any claim which the undersigned may assert as result of physical injury or loss of property incurred in said activities, now or anytime in the future, accept to the extent such injury or loss is solely and exclusively by the intentional acts of The Pine Trails Ranch or its employees. The undersigned further agrees to hold The Pine Trails Ranch harmless for physical injury to others, or for property damage, which results from use by me or my minor child of any horse in violation of any rules at any time in effect at The Pine Trails Ranch.

I have read and understand this agreement and the same shall be binding upon my successors and assigns.

RIDER INFORMATION
RIDING ABILITY:

NOVICE

GOOD

EXCELLENT

ALLERGIES OR SPECIAL CONCERNS:

RIDERS CONTACT NUMBER(S)

RIDERS EMAIL

EMERGENCY CONTACTS

NAME

PHONЕ

RELATIONSHIP TO RIDER

SIGNATURE OF RIDER OR PARENT

DATE

NAME OF MINOR CHILD (if applicable)

DOB

We are hoping to start putting pictures of our riders on our webpage and we would like your permission to do so. Please check the appropriate box below and sign.

Yes No

Signature

Pine Trails Ranch Riding Release Agreement 2026b

Thank you for choosing Pine Trails Ranch for your riding education! It is our goal to provide you the best quality education at the most affordable price we can provide. In order to accomplish this we need to ask for your assistance.

1. All lessons must be scheduled and or canceled over 36 hours ahead of time. If you are scheduled for a regular group lesson—that space is held for you. If you do not cancel with at least 24 hours, we will not have time to reschedule and make the space available to others. Our instructors are all trained professionals and deserve the advance warning of what they need to plan, as well to have a good lesson plan for you. Any lessons not canceled with a phone call, received email, or a message on Facebook (be sure you get a response 24 hours ahead) will be charged in full. Any client who misses more than 2 lessons without notice will be removed from our schedule permanently.

2. All riders must wear helmets in lessons. Your safety is important to us. We also want to be able to teach you new skills and that can make a fall more likely. All riders must understand this and take precautions. We also have safe falling classes that will be held when we have weather not conducive to riding. Riders also may wear a safety vest if they would like to invest in one.

3. If the weather is not safe for riding, we will take the opportunity to hold an un-mounted lesson. All riders should know the basic parts of the horse to be a functional and competent rider. We will tell students to be sure the saddle does not rest on your horse’s wither and if you don’t know what that is, you won’t be able to follow the directions. If you are told to place your knuckles on the crest of the horse’s neck to 2 point and you don’t know what the crest is, you are at risk for falling. Our job is to be sure students are safe and well educated. You’ll also learn important Husbandry skills for your horse. If your horse is acting unwell, the vet will ask what his temp is and you need to know how to take it! Un-mounted lessons will be reduced in price for those who do not own or lease since we are not using a lesson horse.

Thank you for your understanding and patience. We ask that you sign and date it this agreement, and lets go ride!

Signature

Date

Learn to Ride

Experience the joy of horseback riding.

Join us for horseback riding lessons and discover the thrill of connecting with one of our horses.