The Palos Verdes Peninsula is one of the last places in Los Angeles County where horses are part of ordinary residential life rather than a destination you drive to. Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates were laid out with bridle trails between the properties, and those trails still connect to clubs, an arena, a show that has run for more than six decades, and thousands of acres of preserve.
Where is the equestrian community in the South Bay?
South Bay equestrian life is concentrated on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, principally in Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates, with trail connections into Rancho Palos Verdes and the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve. Rolling Hills Estates alone maintains more than 20 miles of bridle trails, and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Horsemen’s Association publishes a trail guide covering the full Peninsula network.
| Facility or organization | City | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Portuguese Bend Riding Club | Rancho Palos Verdes | Private club on about 10 acres inside a gated community. Training and lesson programs at multiple levels |
| Empty Saddle Club | Rolling Hills Estates | Private club on about 13 acres, Western riding traditions, boarding and lessons |
| Palos Verdes Stables | Rancho Palos Verdes | Boarding and riding lessons open to the public |
| Ernie Howlett Park | Rolling Hills Estates | 25851 Hawthorne Boulevard. Public park with equestrian facilities and the annual horse show grounds |
| Palos Verdes Peninsula Horsemen’s Association | Peninsula wide | The trail advocacy and rider organization. Publishes the full Peninsula trail guide |
| Rolling Hills Estates bridle trails | Rolling Hills Estates | More than 20 miles of city maintained trails |
What is the Portuguese Bend National Horse Show?
The Portuguese Bend National Horse Show is the Peninsula’s signature equestrian event, held each September at Ernie Howlett Park in Rolling Hills Estates across three full days, Friday through Sunday, with a broad program of classes and events. The 2026 edition was the 68th annual, which puts its origins in the late 1950s, back when the Peninsula was still largely ranch land.
It is free to watch for most of the weekend and it is the single best way for anyone considering the Peninsula to see the equestrian community as it actually operates rather than as a marketing idea.
What are the equestrian clubs on the Peninsula?
Portuguese Bend Riding Club in Rancho Palos Verdes sits on roughly 10 acres inside a gated community, built around a tiled Mediterranean courtyard with mature trees and landscaped grounds. It runs training and lesson programs across multiple levels, so it works for a rider progressing as well as one already competing.
Empty Saddle Club occupies about 13 acres in Rolling Hills Estates and is dedicated to Western riding traditions, with boarding and a lesson program. It is also where the Palos Verdes Peninsula Horsemen’s Association holds its monthly meetings, on the third Thursday of each month, which makes it the effective meeting point for Peninsula riders regardless of where they board.
Both are private. For riders who want access without a club, Palos Verdes Stables offers public boarding and lessons.
How many miles of horse trails are there?
Rolling Hills Estates maintains more than 20 miles of bridle trails inside the city itself. That is the figure the City publishes, and it is worth using instead of the larger numbers that circulate, because those larger numbers usually count the full Peninsula network across several jurisdictions rather than any one city’s maintained trails.
The wider network connects through Rolling Hills, Rancho Palos Verdes and into the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve, where many trails carry equestrian as well as hiking use. For a single map of the whole thing, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Horsemen’s Association publishes the full Peninsula trail guide, and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy holds the detailed preserve maps. Rolling Hills Estates City Hall handles trail and code questions at 310-377-1577.
Can you keep a horse at your house on the Peninsula?
On qualifying properties, yes, and that is the part that separates Peninsula equestrian life from boarding somewhere else. Rolling Hills and portions of Rolling Hills Estates permit horse keeping on residential lots, subject to each city’s lot size, setback, corral and access requirements. Rancho Palos Verdes permits it in defined areas under its own standards.
Those requirements are specific and they vary lot by lot, so a listing describing a property as horse property is a starting point rather than a confirmation. Before writing an offer on that basis, confirm the current standards for the exact address with the city planning department, and check whether the lot has direct trail access or whether reaching the trail network means riding on a street. We are glad to run that check for any property on the Peninsula.
Where else can you ride in the South Bay?
Off the Peninsula, equestrian use in the South Bay is limited. Several Palos Verdes Nature Preserve reserves carry designated equestrian trails alongside hiking and cycling routes, with Portuguese Bend Reserve and San Ramon Reserve among the larger connected areas. Reserve hours run from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset, and trail conditions on the Peninsula change with ground movement and weather, so check the City of Rancho Palos Verdes trail alerts before hauling out.
Club programs, trail mileage and horse keeping standards change. Details were verified against city and organization sources in September 2026. Zoning and animal keeping requirements for a specific property must be confirmed with the relevant city planning department. This page is general information, not a zoning determination.