Horse Property for Sale in Ojai, CA

Ojai horse property at a glance

• A flag, then a parcel check: Every Ojai ranch for sale here is tagged Horse Allowed in the MLS, an agent’s entry rather than a permit. The MLS city also takes in County land such as unincorporated Meiners Oaks, so confirm by parcel which rules apply.
• Which City zones permit horses: As of 2026, the City’s zoning tables permit noncommercial animal keeping, horses included, in the Agricultural (A) zone and in R-O-4, R-O-2, R-O-1, R-O-1/2, R-O and R-1. Open Space (OS) requires a Conditional Use Permit; R-2, R-3 and R-S do not allow it.
• Barns well away from neighbors: In the City’s A zone, where new parcels start at 10 acres, corrals, barns and pens must sit at least 400 feet from any home on an adjoining property and at least 100 feet from the home on the same lot.
• County land counts animal units: Under County zoning, a horse, donkey or burro standing above 58 inches counts as 1.00 animal unit, and one of 36 to 58 inches counts 0.50. AE, RA and RO lots list a 20,000-square-foot minimum and three units through 29,999 square feet; RO, RE and RA lots from 10,000 up to 20,000 square feet may keep up to two equine units with a waiver.

Boarding, stallions and manure

Boarding stables, riding schools and other commercial horse uses count as an equestrian facility in the City code, and the R-O zones allow one only with a Conditional Use Permit. Inside the City, keeping a stallion takes the County veterinarian’s approval and a corral six feet high, built to the code’s minimum of four-by-four posts set in cement with two-by-six rails. On County parcels, Ordinance 4450 bars storing manure anywhere natural forces could wash it toward storm drains or local waterways, and foals stay out of the unit count until age one.

Ojai horse property questions, answered

Is there a public riding route through the valley?

Yes. The County’s 9-mile Ojai Valley Trail parallels Highway 33 from Foster Park to Fox Street in the City of Ojai, with one paved side and one reserved for riders and anyone who prefers an unpaved surface. The Ojai Valley Area Plan calls for keeping it maintained and extending it where possible.

Who confirms the zoning on a specific parcel?

On County parcels, the County’s online zoning lookup returns the zone for an Assessor Parcel Number; inside city limits, the City’s Community Development Department can confirm the zone and any animal limits. Weigh these against all Ojai homes for sale or Meiners Oaks listings, and let an Ojai real estate agent pull the zoning before an offer.