I can’t believe I am writing this…..but Akira is up for sale. I know we shouldn’t sell her. She is a true once in a lifetime unicorn. I wish we could keep her, but Kelsey is off to Arizona for college , and I have my hands full being a mom and taking care of my horse Dino. So with tears in my eyes, I will write everything I know about this fabulous little horse. Maybe one of you knows someone looking for a jumper/eventer that is also a confidence builder or maybe you know someone looking for a future FEI dressage pony. I would LOVE to see her go to someone I know. She is just too special.

Akira’s Info

• Registered Haflinger (Excellent bloodlines: Her great-grandfather is Aristocrat TOF. They made a Breyer Horse model of him). Registered name is Princes Noble
• 9 years old ( just turned 9 in April)
• 14.1 Hands
• Incredibly athletic. Has jumped up to 4′ (up to 3’9″ with junior rider).
• Perfect jumping form: This horse knows how to jump from any spot and get her knees up and out of the way.
• Confidently jumps a variety of obstacles including up and down banks and ditches. Schooled all the BN fences at Copper Meadows.
• Confirmed flying changes
• Super easy keeper
• Beautiful Mover
• Excellent Confirmation
• Sweet, Sweet, Sweet mare (very people oriented and just wants to hang out with you all day). Definitely not mare-ish. When she comes in season, she actually gets more cuddly.
• Excellent on trail (alone or in groups)
• Clips, ties, and trailers like a dream
• Loves water and will cross anything
• Trained and shown in Dressage, Jumpers, Hunter under Saddle, and Cross Country
• Can go barefoot all around and even Evented barefoot
• Akira is strong and big bodied enough for an adult to feel comfortable on her (I am 5’9″ and ride her). She is also sweet enough for young/green riders.
• Stunning and Incredibly photogenic, Akira has had an art exhibit around her images taken by a famous photographer
• In your pocket , incredibly loving mare that bonds with her owner and wants to take care of you.
• Gets along with other horses
• Very Brave Horse. If something does scare her, she usually just stands still
• Mane down to her legs. Tail to the ground. Simply stunning.
• Always at the gate and happy to see you.
• This is the perfect horse for someone to learn jumping or eventing on. She has a solid foundation and is ready to move up the levels now. You could also train her up the levels in dressage and take her to the National Dressage Pony Cup in Kentucky. I have no doubt she can make it to the FEI level. Super easy to sit her big trot too!

Akira’s accomplishments

• Copper Meadows Eventing Year End Champion 2018 with junior rider
• Multiple wins at Copper Meadows Eventing Elementary level with junior rider.
• Shown dressage up to First level. Scores up to low 70’s with junior rider. Always in the top ribbons.
• Has shown Hunter under Saddle with a very young, absolute beginner as well and was calm, sweet and always in the top ribbons.

Akira’s Special Talents

• Akira can say the word “banana”
• Excellent Swimmer
• Akira will squeak like a dolphin when she is really happy or proud of herself (never heard a horse vocalize like this in the 40 years I have worked with them!)
• Knows the Spanish Walk
• Can smile and give kisses on command

I am sure there is so much more to this little mare than I am mentioning. If she was a full sized horse, she would be worth $30K or more. So, if you are on the smaller side, this is your chance to get an amazing horse for a lot less money. I really can’t say enough good things about her. I originally purchased her because of her athleticism and personality. She did not disappoint. This horse will give you a confidence boost and be your best friend at the same time. She deserves a home that will cherish her and treat her like the super special little mare that she is. $14,250

Contact via Email: kimyin1@yahoo.com

UPDATE: Just couldn’t do it! I cancelled all showings. Going to keep this little girl….

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As the last horses get ready to leave this property for good, I can’t help but think about all the amazing times that were had here. Horses have been on this property for at least 70 years. I have little information about the early days, but there is evidence of horse activities as early as the 1950s. Check out Lucia’s Leapers scratched into the concrete in 1953 (see pix). Right next to it are the words Sea Horse Farms. Was that the early stable name? I don’t know, but it’s possible. I do know the stable was called Clark Ranch for many years. Then it was Pomegranate Equestrian Center, and lastly, it was Sunset Horse Ranch.

Think of all the kids that learned to love horses on this little slice of heaven, all the friendships made, and dreams realized. My own daughter got her first pony here. We leased her a little white pony named AutoPilot. Pilot was a Christmas present and was wrapped in a huge red bow on Christmas morning. It was such a magical time for our family. Similar stories to ours played out so many times on this land. Girls of all ages getting their first horse and falling in love with the sport. It’s practically hallowed grounds. I can find quite a few initals, handprints and hoofprints left in the concrete. Memories of long ago friendships and adventures.

It makes me so sad to see this property turned into a retirement home. I know it was inevitable. Property values are rising. It’s happening all over North County….Seabreeze, Kalimar, and now Sunset. It’s a big loss to the San Diego community though. Everyone says we need more parks, but I think we need more horse ranches. When was the last time you made a life long friend at a park? How many people have gone to a park everyday rain or shine for years on end? Certainly not me. But you can find me at a horse ranch even in the middle of a storm!

Think of how many valuable lessons are learned through horses…. Patience, conquering fears, and even money management (living on Ramen noodles to afford your first horse). Every kid should have a chance to be around horses. There is so much to be gained.

I wish I knew more of the stories from this ranch. More of the happy times. It seems too quiet now. No kids, a few remaining horses waiting to move on to their next stable, abandoned paddocks that will never see a horse again. I can’t ever remember this place being so quiet. It’s like a ghost town. Sad.

I snapped a few pix as I wondered around the barn the other day… No one else in sight. I just wanted something to remember this place by. I was here for many years when it was Pomegranate and a year or two in the early Sunset days. I have a ton of good memories as I am sure so many do.

Today I feel like I am saying goodbye to an old friend. This ranch was once an integral part of my daily life. Soon it will all be plowed over. All the cryptic initials in the cement lost forever. All that will be left are the memories…

 

I can’t believe it has come to this, but I must make a choice.

Most of you know Dino has some allergies. The allergies that I was initially most concerned with are the tree allergies as he was stabled under the very trees he is allergic to. But, some other allergies showed up on his allergy test.

It turns out Dino is allergic to certain types of hay. For my non-horse friends, there are 4 main varieties of hay readily available in California. They are alfalfa-a legume hay and 3 types of grass hays- Bermuda, Orchard and Timothy. Turns out that Dino is allergic to 2 of the grass hays, Bermuda and Orchard. It is generally accepted that Alfalfa is too high in protein and calcium to be the sole feed for a horse, so most horse owners mix alfalfa and a grass hay.

On the surface, Dino’s allergies are not a problem at all. He can live on a mix of alfalfa and Timothy hay. In fact, Dino LOVES both types of hay. Of course, life just isn’t that easy, and here is where the tough part comes in…..

As it turns out, I am allergic to Timothy hay! I am covered in hives as I write this. It feels like I have been attacked by thousands of mosquitoes! It is spreading too. I have tried to take precautions, but it just keeps getting worse. I can’t be anywhere near the stuff much less be the one who feeds Dino his Timothy hay lunch.

So who is going to end up suffering…. Me or the horse? What would you do? Help a girl out here. Make the decision for me!

2017 PVRA Dressage Champion

Looks like a certain Dinosaur is on his way to becoming a real dressage dinosaur! We ended the year at second level. Dino is doing great. My back, however, is not holding up so well. All that sitting trot isn’t helping matters….so I guess it is me that is slowing down the little dinosaur’s progress. Ooops. His training is coming along great though. He is schooling half pass at all gaits, can passage, has solid flying changes, is starting schooling 4 tempis, and has one phenomenal trot. Hope we can put it all together and keep me sound enough so I don’t hold him back too much. He sure is a blast to ride!