Gillian Larson Wilderness Horsemanship - Arroyo Grande, California

Carina D

I recently attended Gillian Larson's wilderness horsemanship workshop at Montaña de Oro State Park, and it was incredible from start to finish. The park’s stunning and peaceful setting provided the perfect backdrop for learning about equestrian backpacking, and camping there really added to the experience.

The workshop itself was so well-structured — a great blend of presentations and hands-on learning that kept everything engaging and accessible. I especially appreciated the option to lease one of Gillian’s horses for the guided trail rides, which added an extra layer of adventure.

This workshop made the outdoors feel welcoming to horse people who might not know where to start with backcountry riding. Huge thanks to Gillian (and her sweet mom!) for an amazing experience!

jenny heishman

This was such a wonderful learning experience and I was blown away both by Gillian's immense knowledge and her generosity - she shares every detail of how she has successfully accomplished her incredible back country packing record. We learned how to plan and choose routes, gear choices, how to pack, and how to work together with your equine friend/teammate. She was very kind to the horses (and the learning humans 😉 too! Gillian's mom, Jody, is an incredible person and also so generous. I highly recommend the workshop if you are, like me, wanting to stretch your trail riding into overnights in the back country.

Shelby D

Gillian is truly an expert at back country riding and horse/mule packing. I went to a weekend workshop with her and the value of her knowledge, her organization, and her ability to meet you where you are at is invaluable. There is no price that can be placed on her passion, care for safety, and knowledge. If you want to get into the back country with your 4 legged friends, this is the ONLY WOMAN who can help you get there! She is truly a breath of fresh air and I can't wait to take my first trip with her!

Mercedes M.

Recently attended Gillian's equine backpacking clinic at Montana de Oro - such a fun and informative workshop! Gillian goes over every detail about how to plan and execute short and long backpacking trips under varying conditions and terrain. The campsite and location were great - lots of trails, ocean views, good food, and great conversation around the campfire at night 🙂 Highly recommend, great value!

Angela Maddock

This workshop really provided the most amazing tool kit for success that I could have asked for. I'm so grateful Gillian went out and learned/experienced everything she did and organized an event where we could actually benefit from that knowledge. Looking forward to putting all of this together for my first trial trips along the southern PCT, and I could tell my horse was getting excited too as he sensed that adventure was brewing! Also the connections I got to make over the weekend were magical <3 Much thanks Gillian!

Sam Daniels

I attended this workshop with my girlfriend Emma. She loves nature and horses and wanted to learn more about long distance trail rides. Together we flew in from Kansas to attend this weekend in California. Jodi Gillian's mom is amazing. She picked us up from the airport and did so much for the group as a whole. Gillian was very knowledgeable and professional. She lives her teachings, which is something I have great respect for. Emma and I both feel much more prepared and ready to ride in natural rural environments. Our whole time there felt like a dream! We learned about gear, mapping, and really got a feel for what a long distance horse ride is all about. Emma and I are ready to embody these beautiful teachings. I had an amazing time at this workshop. I made great connections with the people I met there. I look forward to many adventures to come! Thank you!

Justine Hook

Gillian Larson’s Wilderness Riding Workshop is a must-attend event! I participated in the workshop this past March at Montaña de Oro with my horse, Tucker. I’ve always wanted to combine my two passions of horses and backpacking/camping, and the workshop gave me the confidence to actually start working towards this goal. Gillian shared so much valuable information and knowledge of her backcountry adventures. We also had the opportunity to go on two beautiful trail rides. I highly, HIGHLY recommend this workshop for all equine enthusiasts!

Laventina325

I visited Gillian's wildernes hosemanship workshop coming over from Germany and it was so much worth the travel. The organization was perfect and as announced. We spent three beautiful days with other lovely people interested in what Gillian and her horses and mule could teach us, which was a lot. It was a combination of theory and practice and on the camp fire we just enjoyed listen to her and each other's stories. As an icing on the cake we went riding in the beautiful coast region of California. I highly recommend to take Gillian's offers for teaching and supporting backcountry rides as she has a ton of experience and will make the life for you and your horse(s) easier right from the beginning.