About
Willowbrook Riding Club offers a year round lesson program through its riding school, with lessons available for both regular students and a show team. The program includes local horse shows, boarding, a tack store, a sale barn, and lessons for visitors of the Coachella Valley. The facility also hosts events such as weddings, birthday parties, photo shoots, barn camping, and shopping trips.
• Ages: 6–18 years old
Willowbrook Riding Club is family owned and run by LoriLea and Don Franklin, with LoriLea serving as owner and manager and Don as owner and event coordinator. Staff who help with lessons, cleaning, maintenance, and horse shows are very carefully selected and are considered to be family. LoriLea and Don bought what is now Willowbrook as a plot of raw desert in 1992. LoriLea is described as a born horse woman who grew up with horses and horse competition, and Don came to horses after a career as a military/industrial psychologist. The barn environment is described as always fun, inclusive, and drama-free for its range of clientele, and students, trainers, and parents often see each other outside the barn for activities such as barn camping and shopping trips.
One testimonial from Ashley T states that she grew up on the ranch and describes learning life lessons there, and she recommends bringing kids to Willowbrook for a lesson. Another testimonial from Caleb I notes that the program offers instructors in Hunter/Jumper and Western for beginners to advanced riders, with private or group lessons, and mentions that students learn to ride, tack up horses, and handle before and after care, as well as the availability of boarding and a well stocked tack store. A testimonial from Stephanie R describes Willowbrook as the highlight of a Palm Springs vacation and notes that LoriLea and her family invited her daughter to participate in a show with the riding team and invited the family to a barbecue at the stables.
Last updated March 27, 2026.
• Ages: 6–18 years old
Willowbrook Riding Club is family owned and run by LoriLea and Don Franklin, with LoriLea serving as owner and manager and Don as owner and event coordinator. Staff who help with lessons, cleaning, maintenance, and horse shows are very carefully selected and are considered to be family. LoriLea and Don bought what is now Willowbrook as a plot of raw desert in 1992. LoriLea is described as a born horse woman who grew up with horses and horse competition, and Don came to horses after a career as a military/industrial psychologist. The barn environment is described as always fun, inclusive, and drama-free for its range of clientele, and students, trainers, and parents often see each other outside the barn for activities such as barn camping and shopping trips.
One testimonial from Ashley T states that she grew up on the ranch and describes learning life lessons there, and she recommends bringing kids to Willowbrook for a lesson. Another testimonial from Caleb I notes that the program offers instructors in Hunter/Jumper and Western for beginners to advanced riders, with private or group lessons, and mentions that students learn to ride, tack up horses, and handle before and after care, as well as the availability of boarding and a well stocked tack store. A testimonial from Stephanie R describes Willowbrook as the highlight of a Palm Springs vacation and notes that LoriLea and her family invited her daughter to participate in a show with the riding team and invited the family to a barbecue at the stables.
Last updated March 27, 2026.
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