Train

Kc Branscomb Kelley founded Branscomb Farm in an effort to give back to a sport she has enjoyed for 60+ years. She offers young USA-bred jumping horses with the goal of competing favorably against the very finest quality European imports.  As an amateur "A" hunter and jumper competitor on both coasts for more than four decades with some of the top professional trainers in the US, Kc experienced many of the typical highs and lows of buying both youngsters and competition horses from various dealers and farms around the world. She set out to take the best of what she had learned and strive to improve upon it seeking expert professional advice from some of the world's leading horsemen, trainers, and breeders along the way.

One of Kelley's early advisors and most valued mentors is world-renowned FEI Course Designer, Judge, author and legendary rider/trainer Linda Allen.  Declared by the Chronicle, USA's Horseman of the Year in 1989, Linda went on to win Course Designer of the Year (4 times), PCHA Professional Horseman of the Year, Course Designer of the Year (3 times), and Special Achievement and Medal of Honor Awards (including the coveted Pegasus Award in 2008) too many to enumerate.   

Linda brings her vast experience from Olympic, World Cup, and Nations Cup level showjumping competitions where she served as Course Designer, Judge, or Technical Delegate at almost every major event since the mid 1990's. 

 Linda's inborn passion for evaluating and educating young jumpers and her deep knowledge of the sport at all levels of participation, have been invaluable in guiding the continuing development of the Branscomb Farm program. 

When her busy schedule permits,  Linda supervises the selection and training of the Farm's young jumper competition horses and mentors Daniel Zilla and the Farm's senior staff at the Farm's home in Half Moon Bay, California.

Branscomb Farm is deeply indebted to Linda Allen for her unwavering generosity of spirit and wisdom.

In Daniel Zilla, Branscomb Farm's manager and head trainer, Kc and Linda have found a professional partner with the vision, experience, horsemanship, and personal integrity to make the Branscomb Farm vision a reality.   Together, the Branscomb Farm professional staff works daily to cultivate and preserve the best European jumping bloodlines while developing a uniquely North American sport-horse that makes breeder, buyer, rider, and country proud to carry our name.

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Comprising 74 acres, the farm offers the perfect environment for the development of young warmblood horses and the training of both horses and riders. Approximately 50 acres of irrigated pasture, seeded with appropriate forage and grasses, a 7.5 acre foot pond drawn from adjacent Frenchmans Creek, and proximity to the coastal trail system provide plenty of room for exercise and social development. Large indoor and outdoor arenas, specially designed breeding and foaling barns, and electrified horse-safe wire mesh fencing of appropriate height insure that mares and their offspring have the safest of housing and plenty of good grass and room to develop their full athletic potential. Trails link to the Pacific Ocean less than one mile away. 

Youngsters benefit from regular handling and progressive, age-appropriate training from birth to when they are started under saddle at three years. Boarding, breeding, foaling, and foundation dressage and jump training of youngsters is available to farm clients.  Under the supervision of Trainer/Manager Daniel Zilla, Instructor/Rider Ivy Creahan, and and extensive professional staff we offer excellent care and education for young horses and developing riders.

Under the supervision of Principal Rider/Instructor Ivy Creahan, Assistant Trainer/Rider Ella Leichty and Independent Trainer/Rider Daniel Zilla (Team Calipso LLC) along with our extensive professional Farm employee staff of 9, Branscomb Farm offers excellent care and education for young horses and developing riders.

Through carefully tailored instruction by some of the top teaching professionals on the West Coast, talents of both horse and rider are cultivated together for a lifetime of mutual enjoyment and competitive success. Our speciality is starting and training young horses including breeding quality colts and youngsters destined for competition and amateur or junior riders interested in learning the art of training a young horse to be a strong, successful, and happy competitor.  Our programs include:

• Ground training and initial under saddle training/ starting of youngsters with foundation for both dressage and jumping (horses must be at least 3 years of age to be ridden) by Branscomb Farm staff Jesus Perez who has a decade of professional experience starting and developing horses for multiple disciplines. 
• Training/coaching riders (novice to advanced) in horsemanship and age appropriate training programs for their own horses.
• The Farm offers a 6 month intensive residential internship program for young riders and professionals to learn young horse breeding and training working along side the Farm's professional staff and veterinarian culminating in certification and references upon graduation. 
• Preparing foals, young mares and stallions for keurings, inspections, stallion licensing and mare performance tests.

Please select the menu item "STAFF" at left to learn more about Ivy Creahan, Ella Leichty, Jesus Perez and the Branscomb Farm professional staff.

In association withthe UC Davis VMTH Department of Equine Reproduction and Farm veterinarian Dr. Philip Bellamy, DVM, Branscomb Farm offers the following during breeding season only:

• Fresh cooled semen collection and shipping for Farm resident stallions
• Insemenation, breeding exams, and other reproductive care for breeding mares 
• Foaling out and care for pregnant mares
• Appropriate socialization and field board care for foals, weanlings, and youngsters up to 4 years of age
• Ground training, starting, and under-saddle development of Farm-raised youngsters
• Special package pricing on young horse training ages 3-5 years of age

 Ivy Creahan:  Branscomb Farm Trainer, Principal Rider,  and Instructor

Ivy Creahan joined Branscomb Farm in 2018 as an experienced professional rider and instructor.  Showing exceptional sensitivity and talent for encouraging young horses and amateur riders to enjoy and benefit from her training, she was promoted to Assistant Trainer in 2019 and made Farm Manager in Jauary 2022. Ivy competes the Branscomb Farm horses successfully in both Hunters and Jumpers, often crossing rings with the same horse.  She enjoys teaching amateurs and juniors to develop a close relationship with their horse and to engage as a team in meeting their equestrian goals. Ivy offers both full training (inclusive of lessons and rides) for mature horses as well as a young horse program for 3-5 year olds transitioning gently from field life to "kindergarten" and "grade school" levels of under saddle training with age appropriate education for both developing bodies and minds.   Ivy offers, “I feel fortunate that I am able to combine my passion for horses and teaching students in such a beautiful and professional environment.” 

Ella Leichty: Branscomb Farm Assistant Trainer, Rider, and Instructor

Ella Leichty joined Branscomb Farm in January of 2023 to support our amateur riders with excellent riding and teaching skills allowing greater flexibility for clients that prefer to have options that may not include attending shows with the more experienced trainers.  She hails from Virginia where she had extensive experience riding and teaching at hunter/jumper barns in that state.  A recent graduate of Sweet Briar College, she was one of the leading riders in their competitive Intercollegiate Equestrian Team where she demonstrated not only outstanding horsemanship and riding skills but the value of a collaborative team experience. 

Daniel Zilla, Team Calipso:  Independent Trainer, Rider, and Instructor operating out of Branscomb Farm Facility

Daniel Zilla, after 13 years as the Manager,  principal rider, and trainer at Branscomb has opened his own training business offered to select clients located at Branscomb Farm and potentially other facilities.  He is an experienced professional in developing horses and riders of all ages for show jumping careers.  He should be contacted directly with respect to training options and pricing.