Barn Raises Level of Service to Disabled.
New Facility Gallops Forward Despite Tough Times.

Ride On will hold a grand opening of their new permanent therapeutic riding facility in Chatsworth on Saturday March 20th. The event is FREE, the public is welcome and encouraged to attend anytime from 9am – 2pm to enjoy a free pancake breakfast and to tour the new facility which is located on Topanga Canyon Blvd. There will also be therapeutic riding demonstrations throughout the day by Ride On's talented students and horses.

Ride On is currently enrolling new students and staff members will be on hand during the day to discuss our services and how to get started. Six years ago, Ride On began to focus on securing a permanent base of service. “Horse-keeping ranches were going away and the loss of our current, leased, home would be crippling.” McQueeney continued, “it took a huge effort from our volunteers and the community to get to this point.” The new facility adjoins the now city-owned Stoney Point Stables just south of the famed rock climbing hills off Topanga Canyon Blvd. “We purchased this ranch just before the economy collapsed and we had to use virtually all our reserves to close escrow. Obviously, getting to this point was very, very tough but our success is testament to a great mission and a great organization” said McQueeney. Ride On has now given over 50,000 lessons and physical therapy treatments in its history. Ride On gave its very first lesson in a small weed covered arena only a few feet away from their new home. Each week Ride On serves over 170 disabled riders. Lloyd Anderson is one example. Lloyd rode in that very first lesson, after suffering a head injury from a bicycle accident in 1986 and has ridden every week for the past 15 years. “It used to take 5 people to get him on a horse and keep him there” said Nancy Anderson, his mother. “He didn't have any trunk control, riding gave him strength which enabled him to crawl, sit and eventually walk” she added. According to Nancy “Ride On is a melting pot for people with disabilities – Lloyd doesn't feel like a head injury patient when he rides at Ride On as they focus on his abilities not his disability”. Ride On teaches therapeutic horseback riding to children and adults with physical and mental disabilities at two locations in Chatsworth and Newbury Park. Therapeutic riding combines instruction in traditional horsemanship skills with concepts of physical therapy which improve the strength, balance and self esteem of individuals with disabilities. Ride On's new home is located at 10860 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Chatsworth. For more information please contact Sara Jones 818-700-2971 or visit our website www.rideon.org .

 I'd love to know any possible beach access for horses, for a good beach Gallop, around Ventura/Santa Barbara area. If anyone knows, please contact Ann by Email at anngirnar@yahoo.com. 11/20/09

 Dear Friends of Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue,

The Bureau of Land Management have plans to remove an additional 12,000 wild horses from our public lands over the next year.  They have already zeroed out many herds and even reduced famous "Cloud"s herd to an unviable number.  There aren't enough homes for more wild horses, there isn't even enough homes for the ones already in the corrals!  

Unwanted unadoptable horses end up at the slaughter houses time and time again.  Don't let this be the end for our wild horses!

Please visit the following link to reveiw our October appeal for action and support.

http://www.wildhorserescue.org/wildhorseholocaust.htm

Thank you for your care and support.  We depend on you.

Kind regards,

Jill Starr
President
Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue

10/13/09

  Friends say Bobby Wright is relying on faith to get him through his loss. The U.S. Forest Service employee lost his home and 20 rescued dogs Saturday during the Sheep Fire northwest of Lytle Creek. Six years ago, he lost his previous home in the Grand Prix Fire. That time, he was able to rescue the dogs before it was too late. Forest Service employees are taking donations to assist Wright in recovering from the fire. Contributions may be made to the Lytle Creek Ranger Station, 1209 Lytle Creek Road, Lytle Creek, CA 92438. For more information, call 909-382-2851. 10/5/09

  Volunteers, WE NEED YOUR HELP! We are in great need of 1-2 volunteers for Tue - Thur from 2:45-4:30. We need IMMEDIATE help through Oct. 29th. Please call Kristin Baldwin at 760-722-4839.  9/25/09

  There was a mini-article put into the most recent CDS newsletter by a local dressage trainer that really struck a chord with me. She is collecting used saddle pads (doesn't matter how tattered or torn) to send to Padre John Donald in Honduras to use on the local working animals. She spoke of the rough, handmade harnesses that cut into the animals hide and rub them raw. I recently saw this very thing in Nicaragua and it made me really sad. Donna Richardson is taking up a collection of used saddle pads at our upcoming dressage show (showpark) Sept 26-27. If anyone over at Windrose (or any other horsey people you know) have pads, I would gladly collect them and take them to the show myself for donation. Please spread the word! Thanks so much ~ Julianna, Email

Ali McCreery has also volunteered to assist in collection of used pads. Ali will either pick them up or people can drop them by her house at Windrose on Lone Jack Road. To contact Ali call 858-756-0869 or Email.   9/14/09

  Just wanted to put out there that I have slots going from California to Des Moines leaving on the 3rd/4th of october, I can pick up along the road no problem. Warmblood/Draft sized trailer. We will be going through Arizona, the northwestern edge of Texas, New Mexico, Northwest edge of Oklahoma, Kansas, Northwestern edge of Missouri and into Iowa. Contact Shannon by Email. 9/10/09

  Rose Bowl Riders is accepting equine evacuees from the Station Fire. We can also assist with local trailering. Please call 818-790-8341. 8/31/09

  Keep Idyllwild Safe from Fires and Keep Our Firefighters Safe!! Please go to my petition site "Save Idyllwild and Firefighters from Wildfire"

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/keep-idyllwild-fire-fighters-safe-from-wildfires

I had to keep my petition short so I focused on fire, but I need to let people know about the danger of the proposed cell tower site that is about a quarter of a mile from McCall Memorial Park. The Idyllwild area is a dry lightning area and if a tower is not embedded in its location (not the tallest thing in its environment) it will attract lightning into the area. Lightning is not predicatable and could land any place in the general area. This is a danger to riders and their horses. Also, when lightning hits the ground it can travel hundreds of feet and if a horse is around with metal horseshoes it will go directly to the horse and it is usually always fatal. Also, the McCall Park area has metal pipe fencing and all sorts of other types of metal fencing can be found in the area. When lightning hits or is attracted to these metal objects it will travel the length of them. If any animal is near or touching the fencing it usually is fatal. There are alternative embedded cell t ower sites in the area. Please help me stop this one. Keep our horses and riders safe at McCall Memorail Park. Please pass this information on to as many people as you can. I only have till September 29th to try and stop this cell tower from being built.

Thank you. Sincerely, Doris P. Telles

PETITION OPPOSING: Wireless Telecommunications Tower Construction at 28200 McCall Park Road, Mountain Center, California 92561. (Plot Plan #22340 - APN 557-070-017-2)
Target: Commissioners of the Riverside County Planning Department.
Sponsored by: Doris P. Telles

Dear Commissioners of the Riverside County Planning Department,

As residents and interested parties of the Idyllwild and surrounding mountain communities we are respectfully submitting this petition in strong opposition to the Verizon Wireless Telecommunication Tower application to build a cell tower at 28200 McCall Park Road in Mountain Center, California. The proposed cell tower site unnecessarily increases the risk of a catastrophic fire in Idyllwild and the surrounding mountain communities. The proposed cell tower site is below a slope that is directly under Idyllwild in an area that has already burned in the past. This area is a proven fire hazard risk to Idyllwild. It was part of the Bee Canyon Fire that caused the complete evacuation of Idyllwild and some of the surrounding mountain communities. The chaparral, slope, and wind conditions in this area are conducive to starting a fire that would threaten the entire Idyllwild area. The geography and fire road access in this area is conducive to creating another fire disaster that is similar to the Esperanza Fire that took the lives of five fire fighters. This is a risk that is unnecessary to take. 8/27/09

  Stable/Barn Management System Presentations are available at your farm or boarding facility from September 16 - 18 in the San Diego & Southern Los Angeles areas. We can show you first hand the newest software available for horse owners. These are free, no obligation demos to see if the software fits your facility. To schedule, call Terri Greer at 619-940-9944. 8/25/09

  If you believe, as we do, there are 500 people or more who would be interesed in formulating a private family fun club in Temecula horse country with a monthly membership of only $32.50, and you are one, Contact Nancy by Email or call 562-596-2019 or 951-767-0902. 6/9/09

Hobby Horse Clothing Warehouse Robbery

The Hobby Horse Clothing Co. warehouse in Chino, CA was robbed late on May 22/early May 23rd, 2009. Thieves made off with approximately $250,000 worth of chaps and show tops. More than 300 pairs of our popular PMS split leather chaps were stolen; they had been delivered from our customs broker less than 12 hours earlier. No attempt was made to enter our offices; no computers or electronic equipment in the warehouse was taken. The thieves appeared to only be after our chaps and more expensive garments. My employees and my company are jeopardized by this robbery; we lost inventory, including Limited Edition garments that cannot be replaced, that would provide the cash flow to continue our business operations. We will survive, but this is a serious setback. I am asking for the help of horse community members in advising me if they come across ANY strange offers on Hobby Horse apparel. We have not yet completed an inventory of stolen items but will shortly. We will post a notice on our website at www.hobbyhorseinc.com regarding items that were stolen. A reward will be offered for information in this case. Please contact me if you suspect someone is sellling our stolen inventory. We will immediately contact our local police for their follow-up. Most thieves are never caught, but Hobby Horse chaps and show apparel is such distinctive apparel to try to fence, we may have a chance of possibly recovering some of our inventory. I also ask for your patience and understanding as we work through this disruption; we appreciate your business more than ever in this tough time. We'll do our best to fulfill your orders; we know you count on us! Thank you, and please share this message with others in the horse community.  5/29/09

Suzi Drnec
Hobby Horse Clothing Co. President
13775 Stockton Avenue
Chino, CA 91710
800-569-5885