Have some serious fun!

by Nicole Chastain Price with Kip Mistral

I  am often asked how a rider new to working equitation can get started, and I have several suggestions for people just beginning to explore the sport to see if it might be right for their horses and themselves.

As a first step, I would suggest that riders interested in learning more about and getting started in working equitation should consult one of the websites of our two governing bodies in the United States, which are WE United and The Confederation for Working Equitation. There you can read about the history of the sport, its definition and the requirements. We offer multiple levels in working equitation: Children, Introductory, Novice A, Novice B, Intermediate A, Intermediate B, Advanced and Masters. We also have multiple phases: Dressage, Ease of Handling (How well you do the Obstacles), Speed (Obstacles at Speed) and a Team Cattle Phase. The Introductory level does not include a Speed Phase. At this stage in the U.S., the cattle phase is not usually offered, and if it is it is an optional phase.

Accomplished dressage trainer brings her program to Arroyo Del Mar.

When Mette Rosencrantz got the call from Steffen Peters about the opportunity to relocate her business from Los Angeles back to San Diego’s beautiful Arroyo Del Mar, she
didn’t hesitate to make the change. She has been working at Equinox Equestrian Center owned by Karen Izzi-Bristing but she needed more room for her expanding business.

She came to work at Helena Polanitza’s Seabreeze in San Diego in the early 80s and getting to move back to San Diego will be like coming home. Arroyo Del Mar is the home base for Steffen and Shannon Peters training business and they also are the management team for the elite 22-acre dressage training facility that is home to several dressage trainers.

Cavalia Odysseo star shares liberty work strategies with everyday horse owners.

by Linda Holst

There is a distinct romance that is displayed by Cavalia’s Odysseo star Sylvia Zerbini and her “equine guys” (16 striking Arabian stallions and geldings), during their Grand Liberte performances throughout North America, Europe and Australia. Each horse performs their part of the synchronized dance in proper sequence at liberty, coordinating their movements with the other horses under Sylvia’s ballet like direction. Everyone who sees her is mesmerized as she moves with the posture of a dancer and years of finely tuned skills that have been mastered to create this beautiful equine orchestra.

Carmel Creek Ranch welcomes Sarah Dowling & Stepping Out Stables

With her “build it and they will come” attitude, hunter/jumper trainer Sarah Dowling leapt at the chance to expand her growing business to San Diego County’s Carmel Creek Ranch. Sarah’s business, Stepping Out Stables, has a booming riding school at Poway Equestrian Center and now looks forward to building an additional hunter/jumper team at the Carmel Creek Ranch location. Sarah had previously worked as an assistant trainer at Foxlair West, previously located just a short drive down 56 at Seabreeze Farms, where she grew her 2015 riding school from just one student to 36 in less than a year with a number of them competing in local shows and the GSDHJA Championship Show.

Haley Morrissey brings a new dimension to established San Diego program.

photos: Erpelding Photography

Founded by Mike & Katy Boswell in 1999, Hidden Fox Farm is a family-oriented hunter-jumper barn tucked down in the oak trees of the Crest community in East County, San Diego. Katy has been a fixture of the San Diego horse community for decades, gaining her proverbial spurs working at Blackland Farm with Sally Black, founding the ECHO horse show series, and developing competent horse people who’ve gone on to success at every level of riding.  As a new year gets fully underway, Katy and the team at Hidden Fox Farm are excited to introduce a new Assistant Trainer, Haley Morrissey, a well-rounded equestrian professional with experience in many facets of the horse world.

Showing the love in every lesson and every ride.

"Um, she agrees with me about politics?” Carrie White-Parrish jokes, earning a laugh from the rest of the crew, as if this is a common line. As if they’re all part of the same gang, and already knew it would be her answer. Then she sobers. “Oh, you mean why do I love her as a trainer?”

Revived Bay Area stable sets spirits soaring.

by Kim F. Miller

Aman Sandhu enjoyed horses and riding as a boarding school student in his native India. He left them behind when his family immigrated to the United States during his teens. In May of last year, a long-held dream of returning horses to his life came full circle in the purchase of 30 acres in the East Bay Area. Simultaneously, Aman revived a boarding and training facility that had been dormant for 15 years and at risk of development in the residential sprawl that’s overtaken much of Contra Costa County’s Tassajara Valley.

Amber Smigel relocates to Trails End Ranch in Orange County.

With reining trainer Dallas Wedel moving his business to San Diego County, the opening at Trails End Ranch was perfect for dressage trainer Amber Smigel to move her growing training business. She was already familiar with Trails End Ranch, as her retired dressage horse PopGunn happily lived out his retirement years at Jo Ann Kass’ beautiful Orange County equestrian facility.

Adjustability lessons are a take-away of SAHJA session with top horseman.

by Karine Brooks

Every year the Sacramento Area Hunter Jumper Association offers an educational clinic to its members. This year, the clinic took place at the beautiful Starr Vaughn Equestrian in Elk Grove and was free to 36 lucky SAHJA members, with the help of fundraising and an educational grant from the USA Equestrian Trust.

A horse and rider oasis in North San Diego County.

Robin and Dionicio Martinez bought their beautiful horse facility as their own private ranch in North San Diego County in 2011. Robin was competing successfully as an amateur and Dionicio, with no previous horse experience before meeting and marrying Robin, was finding out just what the life of a fulltime horseman was all about. Having left her corporate job a few years previously, Robin was looking to refocus her life in a way that allowed her to put her passions first.  With Dionicio at her side, she felt that this was the opportunity to really go all in with horses.