About Us
We are now teaching at Briones Horse Center, a
full service boarding and training facility located
at the entrance to beautiful Briones Regional
Park. Only minutes from Lamorinda, Walnut
Creek, Pleasant Hill, Concord, Martinez, Pinole,
El Sobrante and Richmond, we are also
convenient to San Francisco, the East Bay and
North Bay (Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano).
In addition to a family friendly atmosphere,
Briones Horse Center boasts the following
amenities:
•Covered and lighted riding arena
•Tack rooms and tie rails
•Indoor wash racks
•Round pen
•Turnout paddocks
•Access to miles of trails
Rancho Saguaro
Now at Briones
Horse Center
2525 Reliez Vly Rd.
Martinez, CA 94553
925-372-5867
info@saguaroequine.com
About Us
You won’t hear Dad on the sidelines yelling “Get the
Ball! Run!” But there’s a competitive sport going on
just the same. You might hear a trainer quietly
coaching, reminding her student to check his lead, or
to keep her shoulders back, or to use more left rein.
What you’re watching is horseback riding. It’s a sport
where boys and girls are on equal footing, so to
speak. And when done correctly, it is great physical
exercise.
Now you’re probably saying, “I’ve gone horseback
riding, and it’s not that difficult.” Well, these kids
aren’t just going for a ride, they’re getting exercise,
developing strength in their legs, arms and torsos, as
well as coordination. And make no mistake, this is a
team sport. You have to be in sync with your partner
(the horse, of course) if you want to succeed.
In fact, many children who don’t do well in
traditional team sports (football, soccer, etc.) have
excelled at riding. Perhaps that’s because they can
progress at their own pace, without pressure or
humiliation. Many home schooling families use riding
as their P.E. requirement. Others have opted out of
public school P.E. in favor of riding, and some states
even have high school equestrian teams. Colleges,
too, have intercollegiate riding teams, and recently
riding has become a NCAA sport at a few universities.
It is the only sport where men and women regularly
compete against each other.
What about different riding styles? “We use English
tack for several reasons,” explains Laura McEvoy of
Rancho Saguaro in Martinez. “The saddles are lighter
and less bulky, easier for small children to carry, so
kids quickly learn the responsibility of tacking their
own lesson horses. And the English discipline is more
versatile, giving them many options for growth. At
the beginning stages, the basics of controlling the
horse are very much the same, so a student can
easily switch to a different discipline, such as
western pleasure, if he or she so chooses.” She
should know. As a lifelong rider, and having spent
thirty years as a professional trainer, Laura has been
involved in just about every facet of the horse
world. “I’ve focused on jumping because I find it
both physically and mentally challenging. And it’s a
lot of fun!” she adds.