August 12, 2004

Horses and ponies may one day be a part of Almaden’s past

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

Although horses and ponies are still a part of life in Almaden Valley and the Bay Area, they used to be far more prevalent, and if care isn’t taken, they may one day be a part of the past.

Sandra Winkler misses a bygone era when the valley was horse country and horses roamed over ranches’ rolling hills and open ranges. “There were so many horse ranches when I was growing up, it was unbelievable,” she recalls. “There’s almost nothing now.”

Her pony, Cameon, who turned 30 years old in May, was born in the middle of the night in Mountain View, at Chiquita Stables. “I was thrilled!” said Winkler. “Usually newborns are skittish, but he didn’t even have a chance to run—I ran in his pen so fast and threw my arms around him.” The two quickly developed a strong bond and became inseparable. “I used to sit down on the warm earth with my legs out in front of me,” relates Winkler, “and he would lie down on my lap, resting in the sun, while I scratched his ears.” Like his mother, Cameon was born black, but throughout his life, his coat has lightened to shades of speckled gray, and continues to lighten to this day. “It’s beautiful and a non-stop process. He may end up being pure white,” muses Winkler.

Sadly, Cameon’s birthplace, like numerous boarding facilities in the area, has since been replaced with Shoreline Park, which offers no trails or amenities for horses. “The Bay Area was very different then, and far more horse-friendly,” notes Winkler. “Los Altos Hills also once sported numerous horse boarding facilities and trails. Much of the land is now luxury homes.”

Today, Cameon lives on Harry Road in Almaden with his pal Noel, a chestnut-colored miniature horse who was born on Christmas Day, which Winkler received from a girlfriend as a gift.

“I’m glad we still have horses in Almaden,” notes Winkler. “In Mountain View, there used to be horses all over, and a pony in every backyard, but they just plowed it over and got rid of the neighborhood.” Winkler believes that the turning point came in 1978 when the economy was booming and land became expensive. She remembers feeling heartbroken when Cali Brothers, a feed store on Stevens Creek Boulevard, folded, and was surprised to not see horses when she recently visited Hidden Villa. “The Duvenics used to own Hidden Villa and there were always horses riding through their property,” shares Winkler. “They even had horse shows there. It’s so strange not to see them there now.”

Since she was a teenager, Winkler has raised horses. She was 13 when she acquired Luke, her first horse, from Cook’s Quarterhorse Ranch. “The whole area used to be horse ranches, trails and open fields,” she recalls. Next, Winkler had Shilo, a tall and powerful racing Appaloosa. At age 17, Winkler participated in barrel racing and jumping with Cameon’s mother, Barbie. “She was really quick on her feet and incredibly strong for her size,” remarks Winkler. “Horse shows then were everywhere, including Half Moon Bay, Sunnyvale, and Los Altos Hills.

Barbie was given to me because I was the only one who could handle her or ride her. I used to pet her all the time because I thought she was so cute. She happened to be pregnant and that’s how I got Cameon.” Winkler was 16 when Cameon was born. “He would make these cute little noises like a cat purring and he’d fall asleep on my lap,” she relates. “I’ve had him all these years and he’s been so sweet.”

“I worked like a dog babysitting, housecleaning, and in fast-food restaurants to pay for boarding and feeding my horses,” she asserts. “I worked hard, but it was worth it. There was a whole camaraderie of being at a boarding stable—it was a way of life and a social outlet. It’s an extremely positive experience for a teenage girl to have horses, and a really empowering experience to ride them,” states Winkler. “It isn’t for the better that having horses isn’t as affordable anymore and there aren’t as many places to board them. I think it’s a shame. It’s such a good outlet for teenagers. It’s very powerful combining a love of animals with nature.”

Winkler recalls an inspiring moment when a horse made a child’s life complete at a Sunnyvale ranch. “The owner had a lot of ponies, and one day, she held a gymkhana (a display of equestrian contests),” relates Winkler. “There was this one pony that two brothers would ride in a barrel race. One of the boys won the event against 30 other boys, and ran like the wind. The same pony took his brother, who was quadriplegic, with a specially-made saddle and that pony trotted gently around the course with that boy on his back. The boy was smiling the whole time and the pony did the whole course. That pony was worth his weight in gold. There is nothing else that could have substituted for that.”

Winkler has lived with her miniature horse and pony in Almaden for five years. She can often be seen along the Bay Area Ridge Trail with Noel pulling her in an Amish cart and Cameon trotting behind. “There are always people who see us out their windows and run to grab a camera, and children want to pet them,” she says.

“Everywhere I go, people say, ‘How cute!’ I get a lot of positive comments about them. People are always at the gate looking at them and jump out of their cars to take pictures and videos. They’ve had a lot of children riding them over the years.”

Horses as stress relievers
Katherine Dean, a lesson instructor at Calero Ranch, finds horseback riding a great stress reliever. “There is nothing like going on a wonderful trail ride and just being out there alone in nature with your horse,” she contends. “It’s very relaxing and therapeutic. Riding is an amazing experience and it’s so important to maintain the trails. With kids, having a horse to take care of and work for makes them more responsible. It’s a good outlet for them to have an interest in something constructive and to see them grow up with the horses. I’ve seen many kids become very attached to their horses, take care of them, and love them.”

Kitty Monahan, president of the New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association, who has four horses of her own, agrees. For her, horses mean ‘total enjoyment.’ “I just go jump on and go for a ride in the park,” she says. “It’s just invigorating. If you have any problems at all, go get your horse and go for a ride. Sometimes I just like going out to the hitching post and watching the four of them play out there. They are wonderful, wonderful animals.”
Monahan has been a horsewoman since age 14, when she used to ride across the orchards of Los Gatos. “Unfortunately, that’s all pavement now,” she sighs. “There used to be a lot of places to ride in San Jose as well, and they used to have a wonderful rodeo on the East side.”

Monahan also remembers the sprawling horse ranches owned by Gene and Dick Miller in Almaden Valley in the 1970s off of Almaden Expressway along Rajovich and Almaden Road. “People used to be able to ride right into Quicksilver Park,” she recalls. “But people built around them to be out in the country, complained about the smell and the flies, and squeezed them out.”

Luckily for riders, Quicksilver Park, which was originally purchased as an equestrian center for horses, according to Monahan, still offers wonderful trails and the Deep Gulch Trail has recently reopened for hikers and riders. When asked if these trails will stand the test of time, Monahan declares that, “As far as I’m alive they will.”
Personal Ponies

Annie Boulet-Norvelle, California state director for Personal Ponies Limited (PPL), a nonprofit organization that trains U.K. Shetland ponies as companions for handicapped children, raises horses and ponies at Wannabe Ranch, located in the heart of New Almaden.

“We can’t do enough to preserve the equine lifestyle and all the amazing benefits it brings to all of us, especially the children,” she contends. “It’s such a good family-oriented activity to be in.”

As part of a 100 percent volunteer group, responsible for the costs incurred by the ponies they maintain, it is also a labor of love. Boulet-Norvelle, who has dedicated the past five years to this goal, purchased property in Almaden Valley especially for this purpose. She had originally created a cartoon character and kids’ toys to benefit children’s projects when she came across PPL and knew she had to do it.

“I had a horse when I was a kid, and I think he saved me even though I was rescuing him,” she affirms. “He represented unconditional love for me and was so important to me that I spent time taking care of him instead of getting into trouble.” As she knows personally the benefits of horses for children, PPL is a project close to her heart. “I see the children come out here and whether they’re special needs children or not, all of the kids just have this instant bond with these ponies and the ponies just love them back so much that they feel it,” she observes. “They know it, and are so motivated they want to come back and do more. The children are the caretakers for the ponies and they feel responsible and appreciated. They feel loved. It’s wonderful to see.”

“I sure hope we can keep horses in the valley,” remarks Boulet-Norvelle. “The housing developments keep moving closer, and every time we worry that we’re going to lose our land and not be able to raise the horses any more for the kids. Property is more expensive and harder to come by now, and we’re more limited on access to parks and the land itself where we used to take the ponies.” She points out that today the costs involved in raising horses in California have increased dramatically. For example, even bales of hay are three times more expensive locally than in the Midwest or on the East Coast.

There are currently six ponies and five horses at Wannabe ranch. Tilly, a playful tri-colored pinto who loves children, is their newest arrival, recently born under the flags honoring Pat Tillman, his namesake. Boulet-Norvelle welcomes people to come and visit the ranch with their children. “Once they experience it firsthand, they’ll understand why it’s so important to maintain horses in Almaden Valley,” she asserts. “I want to see this continue even beyond myself, and hope that the kids we’re sponsoring right now may one day be able to take it over and continue upon what we’re already building.”

It is also Sandra Winkler’s hope that Almaden Valley will always welcome horses and ponies. “There is a need for horses and ponies in Almaden,” she contends. “It adds to the serenity of the whole area. Almaden should always make sure that horses are welcome there. When Noel and Cameon are in their corrals, people line up at the fence to see them. They always want to pet them. They say, ‘Oh, what a pretty horse!’ It’s just like seeing a deer. They’re beautiful and graceful animals. It adds to the value of Almaden to have the horses there.”

Personal Ponies Limited is located at 20891 Almaden Road. Regularly scheduled visiting time@WannabeRanch is Friday afternoons/evenings from 4 to 6 p.m., or otherwise by appointment. Please call (408) 268-1184. Their national Web site is personalponies.org, and their local Web site is wannabes.com.

Santa Clara County Horsemen’s Association to hold events Aug. 20—22

The Santa Clara Horsemen’s Association is planning a busy weekend Aug. 20 through Aug. 22. The group will hold their general meeting Friday night, their annual Playday on Saturday and Trail Trials on Sunday. For more information visit their Web site at www.horsemens.org.

General Meeting
The general meeting will be held Aug. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the group’s clubhouse located at 20350 McKean Road.Tickets are $9 for adults and $4.50 for kids and include a Hawaiian dinner. To RSVP, call Jodi Holloway at (408) 718-6647 or email her at jodisway@sbcglobal.net

Annual Playday
Grounds open at 8 a.m. and events start 9 a.m. for the SCCHA Annual Playday on Saturday, Aug. 21.
There will be seven running events: California Barrels, Big T, Keyhole, Single Stake, Speed Ball, Texas Barrels and Pole Bending. Ribbons to sixth place and eight buckles will be awarded!
Tickets are $4.50 for members for each event or $30 for all events. Tickets for non-members are $5 each per event or $35 for all. The snack shack will be open and everyone, including spectators, is welcome. For more information, call Yvonne Lee, (408) 927-0985.

Trail Trials
The Trail Trials on Aug. 22 is a CSHA sanctioned ride. The starting location is Santa Clara County Horsemen’s grounds and you will ride to Santa Teresa County Park and back. Prizes and ribbons will be awarded for first through third and ribbons through sixth place (except schooling division). Juniors (under 18) must be accompanied by an adult. The ride is approximately seven to nine miles long through private property and the park and will feature plenty of onsite trailer parking. Individuals are welcome to join SCCHA on Saturday, Aug. 21 for the annual Playday and may also camp overnight at the SCCHA grounds.

Trail Trials check-in time starts at 8:30 a.m., riders to choose start time. Water for your horse will be at several locations along the trail and at the staging area. To reach the SCCHA grounds, take Highway 85 to Almaden Expressway and go south until it completely dead ends at Harry Road, turn right, go one block to McKean Road (stop sign), turn left and the SCCHA clubhouse and grounds will be approximately one mile on the left side at 20350 McKean Road.

For more information, call Norma Tucker (408) 268-0318 or e-mail: Mtcritters@aol.com.