Zachary Leyden Launches Full Horsemanship Program Built on Communication Over Force

Daly City, United States – July 11, 2026 / Ocean View Stables LLC /

At most riding facilities, the approach to training follows a familiar pattern: escalating pressure until a horse complies. Ocean View Stables, based in Daly City, is opening its doors with a different philosophy in mind.

The stable is launching three interconnected offerings simultaneously. Leyden Horsemanship, a new lesson and clinic program led by Soft Is Strong author Zachary Leyden, is now accepting riders of all experience levels. Boarding has opened to outside horses for the first time. And a selection of lease horses is available for students who want to develop their skills before committing to ownership. The combination positions Ocean View Stables as a full-service destination for equestrians along the coast, from complete beginners to experienced owners.

All three offerings are grounded in a shared approach that challenges some widely accepted training habits. Leyden Horsemanship focuses on communication over force: reading the horse’s responses, asking with clarity, applying pressure with purpose, and consistently rewarding the smallest try. The method is designed to produce a calmer horse and a more confident rider, both on the ground and in the saddle.

“People think a difficult horse needs a firmer hand. Almost always, it needs a clearer one,” said Zachary Leyden, founder of Leyden Horsemanship and author of Soft Is Strong. “When you get clear and consistent, the horse lets its guard down, and the rider does too. That’s the whole game. It’s a calm that has structure to it, and it works just as well for a nervous eight-year-old on a first lesson as it does for a lifelong owner whose horse picked up a habit they can’t fix.”

The lesson and clinic program covers private sessions, small-group instruction, and weekend clinics focused on the practical challenges horse owners regularly face, including groundwork and desensitizing, trail and spook confidence, and developing a horse that responds willingly. The program is open to youth and adults, and no prior experience is required.

For horse owners, the newly available boarding brings professional daily care and stable facilities to the broader community, independent of any lesson enrollment. For students not yet ready to own, the lease horses address a longstanding barrier in the sport: meaningful horsemanship training requires consistent access to a horse. That access is now available through the stable’s lease program.

Enrollment, boarding inquiries, and lease details are available now. To book a lesson, arrange a facility tour, or ask about stall availability, contact Ocean View Stables at (415) 969-1223 or tony@oceanviewstables.com.

About Leyden Horsemanship

Leyden Horsemanship offers natural-horsemanship lessons and clinics built on clear communication, thoughtful pressure and release, and the belief that softness, not force, produces the most reliable results. The program is led by Zachary Leyden, author of Soft Is Strong, a book that lays out his approach to desensitizing, trail confidence, spook handling, and building trust from the ground up.

About Ocean View Stables

Ocean View Stables is a full-service boarding and training facility in Daly City, serving the San Francisco Peninsula equestrian community. The stable offers horse boarding for outside owners, lessons and clinics through its Leyden Horsemanship program, and lease horses for enrolled students, welcoming riders and horse owners of every experience level.

Media Contact

Zachary Leyden

Founder, Ocean View Stables / Leyden Horsemanship

(650) 555-0142

zachary@oceanviewstables.com · www.oceanviewstables.com