English Rose Farm

My daughter is really enjoying her lessons at English Rose. To watch her progress just in the last four weeks has been an awesome experience, not only in riding but in her overall mental health. Donna is awesome and I'm glad I was able to connect with her and get my daughter into her rotation.

If you want to learn to ride horses then Donna's your lady! She makes you feel so comfortable and SAFE. I started riding at another place and the horses were unpredictable and not very schooled. I didn't feel very safe. The instructors there were quite young although very experienced they were not very thorough and didn't take the time with me that as an adult learning to ride I felt I needed. The horses at English Rose are very sweet and very well behaved. I finally feel that I'm learning how to ride!! The price is great and Donna teaches EVERYTHING you need to know about horses...If you are an experienced rider Donna can make you a better one. She is a veteran In the arena and extremely skilled in the art of dressage. She can teach you? GO!

We've had the pleasure of boarding several horses at English Rose Farm over the years. Donna is super attentive to each horse's needs, and provides an exceptional level of personal care to each horse. She's very intuitive and you can feel confident that tiny changes in your horses comfort or behavior will be noticed. Horses enjoy full day turnouts, which encourages healthy legs and minds. Additionally, horses are fed hay 3 times a day, which is a hard to find quality in a boarding facility! Donna also excels in the care of retired & senior horses, or those that need special care. English Rose's main lesson horse, Nick is a schooling horse extraordinaire and THE SAFEST (and cutest!) children's lesson horse. Lesson programs at other facilities are often on less than obedient horses that are not good matches for children. Donna is an especially good instructor for children and adults with fear or anxiety issues. Her emphasis is ALWAYS on safety and a positive experience for the rider. Her students have had successful dressage show scores & placings, but more importantly have positive and encouraging experiences! English Rose is conveniently located to several dressage schooling shows as well as rated CDS & USDF rated shows and the Murieta Equestrian Show Facility. Whether your looking for you child's first riding instructor, an adult looking to resume your riding, or looking for exceptional boarding care for your horse, English Rose Farm is your place!

Facility: Not sure why it is called English Rose Farm. It should be renamed English Junk Yard. There are over ten non-operable vehicles scattered around the property. Parking is a challenge because of all the unmovable vehicles. When you walk into the barn, it isn't any better. Chicken poop is everywhere. Horse tack is lying around on the floor, on the bench, and all over the crosstie area. There are dirty dishes on the table. Food wrappers are on the floor and in the arena. No restroom. However, there is a portable toilet that you must pay to use each month. Each time my children rode a horse, she had to search for the tack because it was rarely in the same place.Instruction and Supervision: The first few lessons were decent. The instructor showed my child how to groom and tack the horse. After the third lesson, the instructor expected my child to retrieve the horse from the pasture, groom, tack, and warm up unsupervised. As the parent, I was expected to help my child get the horse ready.... Not my idea of quality supervision or a safe environment. While my child was grooming the pony, the pony pawed at the floor. The owner/instructor picked up a grooming brush and threw it at the pony. The sudden noise scarred all of us. Then, the owner/instructor picked up a whip and walked toward the pony when it continued to paw. That was enough for me. This was not a positive environment for my child or the pony. When we spoke about the situation, the owner made excuses for her behavior and then got defensive with me. We left and never came back.I would NOT recommend this facility or instructor. There are much better horse-riding/lesson facilities in the area that supervise the children when handling a horse.

Donna has helped both me and my son progress in our horsemanship skills. I appreciate how flexible she is and how she teaches to the individual. There is no such thing as a bad day at English Rose Farm, just another chance to bond with your horse and build your self confidence. She and her horses can turn a frown upside down. We always leave feeling better than when we got there, with our hearts full and our minds at ease. Donna spoils her horses and her riders. Once you start riding with her, you become part of the English Rose family.

Donna Holmes is so amazing! She is so patient. My son is 6 and is very new to horses. She has safety as a very high priority. He has made so much progress with her instruction. I love that animal husbandry is part of the riding lessons. it gives him a much deeper appreciation for the work and care involved in horses. She has a really good progression of skills, and really bases each lesson on where the child is that day ( some days you can push a little harder and some days it is good to review). I would highly recommend English Rose farms. She loves her horses and takes great care of them. She also really loves her students and works to provide them the best riding experience.