Cossentine Equestrian

I founded Cossentine Equestrian in 2000 and have been coaching hunter, jumper, equitation and dressage riders ever since. We’re based at Rancho Viejo in Portola Valley, a 600-acre ranch just off Interstate 280, with a lighted jumping arena, a covered arena for winter riding, a dressage arena and miles of hillside trails. My degree in microbiology shapes how I look after every horse’s health, nutrition, conditioning and rehab. I love starting young horses and bringing them all the way to the Grand Prix ring: many of our horses joined us as five-year-olds, and some have been with us for over twenty years. I run the program with Hayley, our assistant trainer, Carlos, our head groom, and Sopas, our barn manager, who lives on the ranch. Our riders range from adults who have never sat on a horse to juniors moving up to 1.20m. Book a first lesson at cossentineequestrian.com or text me at (831) 234-3325.

Certifications: Professional Equestrian, teaching riders and training horses since 2000.

Education: B.Sc. Microbiology, UC Davis

Geographic Area Serviced: San Francisco Bay Area, from San Francisco to San Jose: Portola Valley, Woodside, Menlo Park, Atherton, Palo Alto, Stanford, Los Altos, Redwood City, Mountain View and the rest of the Peninsula and South Bay. Horse shows across California and the West Coast.

Area of Expertise: Riding lessons in hunters, jumpers, equitation and dressage, on our school horses or your own, for adult amateurs, adult beginners, kids and competitive juniors. New riders start with a 2-hour first lesson that covers grooming and tacking before riding. Half and full leases on our show horses. Full and half training programs for your horse. Boarding in stalls or stalls with a paddock, with no lesson or training requirement. Horse show coaching at about 20 shows a year, from in-barn and schooling shows to A-rated and FEI competition across California and the West Coast. Young horse development, show horse rehab (physical and temperamental), and help buying your next horse, including trying and importing horses from Europe with the breeders we work with: we imported five in the past year.

Types of Horses: Hunters, jumpers, equitation and dressage horses. Mostly warmbloods (KWPN, Belgian Warmblood, Holsteiner, Zangersheide, Selle Français) and Thoroughbreds, plus Quarter Horses and pony crosses. From young horses starting out at about five to show horses with records up to 1.55m and FEI, calm school horses for beginners, and horses coming back from injury.