Poway Valley Stock Farm

Decide for yourself, do not let over exaggerations on positives, or negatives sway your opinion! Pros: ~Reasonable boarding rates ~Great footing in arenas, and turn out paddocks ~PVRA across the street & nearby trails ~Courteous fellow boarders Cons: ~Very crowded - it always seems like you're being watched. ~Rules are very flexible for those close to the manager (unfair!) ~ While I do not agree that the horses are being underfed like other reviews claim I have seen the feeding guy chuck the bermuda/hay at each of the horses' face during both feeding times. Seriously how hard is it to nicely put it on the rubber matting , or in their feeders?!!! Just because you hate your job doesn't mean you need to take it out on the horses!!!!!!!!! You weigh the odds between the pros, and cons for yourself. I personally find it manageable to stay here, and don't plan on leaving because I like all it has to offer. Nowhere is perfect. And the cons are avoidable by coming when most others don't, avoid the manager, and glare at the feeding guy while WITH YOUR HORSE as he comes around to feed. He gets the idea. more

I boarded there and the boarders are nice for sure, but the manager is terrible. It's a great location, but the facility is poorly maintained. She thinks she knows everything and yet lets the facility go to the waste side. If she spent as much time taking care of the facility (terrible drainage when it rains, gates broken, etc) as she does lecturing people on how to ride/train their horses, she'd be actually be amazing. When it comes down to it, boarding facilities are all about people and this is NOT the place to go. They are unprofessional and lazy. more

I have been a boarder at the PVSF for over 6 years now, I live very close to it. I think it is a great place and cant understand why there are bad reviews. After i owned my horse for around a year and a half, he came down with a very bad sickness causeing him to lose over half his weight. I had many people coming up to me and telling me they were gunna call animal services or that he was gunna die. This was very hard for me, but the manager and a handful of people helped me through it. The manager is very nice and helpful, i have never seen her bad side even when I was a wild child when I first started boarding. So don't pay attention to those other bad reviews. The stock farm is cheap,a great place, and I am sad to be taking my horse away from there to join me up at college. more

I was a little confused when I read such negative reviews of the stock farm and the manager there. I am at Poway Valley Farm where the manager has been helpful, friendly, and very knowledgeable about horses. We are happy there, our horse has been safe, happy and well fed there. We have always received good advice from the manager and have always received prompt service. If you are a reasonable person I hope that you will see that the "over-the-top" negative reviews are just not true. more

After hearing about the negative comments about this facility's barn manager, I decided to get online and see for myself. Sorry but these reviews have been completed by two disgruntled people who have not yet moved their horses after months of saying they were. Why if things are so bad you are still here? If you have any concerns that are valid, go to the owner. He will handle the issue if indeed there is a real problem. My experience is that the current manager is just doing her job. Getting along with demanding horse people can be tough. I have seen people treat her disrespectfully when they are in the wrong. She is hardworking and gets along well with those who follow the rules. She lets you know if there is an issue with your horse. Sorry, but if you are so unhappy boarding here, please go somewhere else. more

After reading the previous posts i felt the need to write one as well.... I am by no means surprised by all the post. The manager is very hot and cold so you never no which your going to get so its best just to avoid at all cost. The arenas really only get dragged before she wants to use them. My horse doesn't even want to eat there hay it is so poor. I think it is very sad and poor on the owners part that it has come to this where it is so poor the many people are actually spending the time to write about the poor qualities. I think everyone wishes that they cared just a little bit to make it that much nicer just based of location. Trails PVRA close to schools... i just hope that these will make some kind of difference. but doubt it :( more

I used to really like this place. They have great access to local trails, the show grounds could not be any closer and it was very inexpensive. The owner of the facility runs another boarding establishment just a few minutes away and has excellent customer service if anything needs to be done. Recently things have changed. They have raised board due to the water and hay prices but have drastically cut back on feed. This change is reflected in several of the horse's causing many owners to supplement with additional hay. With the rising costs of board and the additional feed it is more worth it to move to their other facility which has barn stalls and a more private upscale atmosphere. Additional stalls are being put up in what we hope are temporary locations allowing for a higher occupancy. With this change they really should consider adding more riding and turnout space as it is getting quite crowded. I'm sure by reading the other reviews you can deduce that the barn manager should also be replaced. It is everyone's hope that they realize how much her daily attitude towards her job affects the paying customers and hire someone who seems to enjoy the position more. This facility is definitely great for someone on a budget, but remember that you always get what you pay for. more

Pros: Most stalls are under $300 per month Nearby trails PVRA access Jumps and barrels Lighted round pen and arena Individual tack rooms Very understanding barn owner Many stall options, 24x24, 24x48, and mare motel Cons: Dust is a major problem with very inconsistent watering They don't feed enough Unfriendly manager crowded facility 15 min timer on lights unsafe stalls poorly organized and managed In conclusion, the facility lacks basic maintenance and the manager definitely needs to be replaced but it is very conveniently located and affordable. I would recommend for someone who is a weekend trail rider or who just rides for fun, this is definitely not fit to be a competitive show barn. more

Customer service 101 should be a required course for all employees! Sadly the Poway Valley Stock Farm has employed a husband/wife or boyfriend/girlfriend combo that has very little if any understanding of Customer Service!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As a customer I expect to be treated accordingly. At first I assumed that it was just me receiving the cold shoulder; however it became quickly evident after speaking to many others that they also felt the same way. With the PVRA just across the street many of us are forced to deal with the daily abuse! Unfortunately the horses have dropped weight forcing boarders to spend ridiculous amounts of money on extra hay and grain to stay healthy. I am a business person and understand the cost of hay has gone up forcing the owner to raise board. However what baffles me is how this entitles management to cut feed back???? Help me understand how that works out? What am I paying for? Lastly, the health hazard of dust that can cause fibrosis! Research shows that simply watering the facility cuts the risk down almost completely. With as many rules that are not consistently enforced the most important ones are overseen at random. Conclusion, myself and 8 others have chosen to remove our horses and pay higher rates at a facility that offers customer service and a consistent set of rules! more

The place could be hands down best facility in poway, if they took more interest in upkeep and serving there customers. Great location, great trails, great people!!! The manager is not the best i have seen worst and would hate to do her job but still she choose it sooo.... she is not a great people person and times can be hard to communicate with and will give you the cold shoulder, it is very hard to keep wait with just there feed, they feed light so adding in extra feed is a must!! Male owner is wonderful if you need something bypass the manager and go to him and you'll get the job done. i have seen manager drive away many people so its hard .... more

If you were to go to McDonald's and order a big mac, receive an empty wrapper ask for the manager and have them say something like "How is that supposed to be my problem" you would be right at home at PVSF. Everything they say is true. If you set your horse free in the middle of a third world country with a water shortage they might get comparable care. The owner of the place and workers are great but as soon as you see the headlights of the dictator manager's cart coming to yell at you the place loses its charm. more

The two stars are for the owner of the facility's helpfulness and attempt at making things better for the boarders and the guys who clean the stalls and feed who are out there all day working hard. They are right across from PVRA which if you are a member makes it easy to ride in their nice facility. The arenas at stock farm are constantly overused by trainers and boarders alike and with the amount of horses there they really need more room. There is only one real arena with lights and it doubles as a turnout so no chance to work your horse after 7. The feed program is less than satisfactory and most people supplement with extra hay and grain. The manager is probably the worst I have ever seen and I have owned horses and been to several facilities in the past 11+ years. She has no customer service, is blatantly rude and does basically whatever she wants with no regard to anyone else. When asked to do her job such as turnouts, blanketing, etc she will do it when she feels like it and rarely returns phone calls, emails, or texts. Everyone that has been there over a week catches on pretty fast and is ready to leave. All in all it could be a nice friendly place if they would just give up on the manager and hire someone who enjoys being around horses and talking to people. more

Eh, it's okay. Location is great, facilities are decent, though the arena lights are on a 15 minute timer, which is a huge pain. Everything you've heard about the manager is true. Very unfriendly, and non-responsive. The owner is very sweet but she isn't on site. The horses are well taken care of though, and it's right across from PVRA. Just keep in mind that you're on your own if you have any issues because the manager doesn't give a flip. 2.5 stars. more

Facilities have all the potential to be nice. Unfortunately poor upkeep is prevalent. I've been in horses for over 25 years and I find the upkeep and availability of staff minimal at best. Manager doesn't respond to multiple methods of communication. Stalls are not kept up. The stablehand is the only thing saving this place. Additionally, to the manager not being available when she should be, she uses all facilities for HER horses in "prime" time. Personally no longer board here because having to ask the other very nice boarders for assistance in basic upkeep felt like I was imposing on time with their horses. Location to PVRA is excellent but it did not make up for the vile manager who was so unfriendly and played favorites. There are other boarding facilities. You may even pay a little more but get better service. I think manager has forgotten the concept of service industry and she is in one. Drive on. more

Good sized stalls. Owners leave everything up to the manager, who is nasty and rude. Nice to be close to use PVRA, and the trails are nice. If you have thin skin, don't go here, manager is just scary and not a nice person. There are a lot of other nice folks out there, so that is nice. more

Boarded here for over a year. Love the place. Ride the trails daily. Can go all over. Nice being close to shows too. My horse was sick, tho, and couldn't eat the hay, I had to buy my own feed, and they would not deduct that cost at all from my board. I boarded 4 horses at the time. I found that unreasonable. Pros: Great trails, close to PVRA Cons: no discounts for not using hay more

hello, I need help to find my daughter a good and good price lesson but i do not know what the price is for this place so can you help me? thanks hol07 xx more

This place does seem to be a bargain for the price... how big are the stall there? Are there any trail with in riding distance? I have been looking for a mellow place to board, with trail near by under $300 a month... thanks! Pros: good price Cons: old? more

I have been at the Stock Farm for several years now ... and have seen many people come and go. So I was not suprised to read the posting dated June 8, 2009. Is $25 late fee steep ... about 10% of the lowest rate of board there ... maybe so. But when I weigh out all the facts, I dont worry about the late fee because I pay my board on time. There have been 2 times when I couldn't pay on time, and with a phone call to explain, I was told not to worry about paying it. To the best of my calculations, there are a total of 5 arenas and turn-out pens. I can't remember waiting to work my horse. To give 1 star based on "steep late fees" even though it is "clean" seems rather unfair. Stop by and make your own opinion. I find it to be neat, clean, safe, convenient .. and good bargain... Pros: Great facility for the price Cons: could use some updating more

$25 for late fees per horse. Do you think that is fair? I don't. Facilities are clean, but only two turn out areas for all the boarders and one backs a home that has a pool and the horses get spooked by them and riders have been thrown. Pros: Close to Poway Valley Riders Association Cons: $25 for late fees per horse more