Santa Ynez Springtime

Arabian Mare and Foal
Originally uploaded by http://www.flickr.com/people/25559798@N08/

Santa Ynez bursts with life in the spring. My favorite new creatures are foals. Here's a picture of an Arab mare and her baby.

This morning I drove past Magali Farms which is about five minutes away from Ridgeline Ranch. It's a large equestrian facility specializing in thoroughbreds.

I stopped by a broad green pasture, mesmerized by the tranquil scene. There must have been twenty mares and foals enjoying the morning air. The mares were grazing lush green grass and the foals, basking in the sun, slept beside them. One little colt was standing on long, spindly legs nursing while his mother munched her greens. Such a beautiful serene view!

Back in the Saddle Again in Santa Ynez

Woman on horseback, Katoomba, Kitch & Co.
Originally uploaded by Blue Mountains Library

Santa Ynez Valley certainly looks beautiful after spending weeks in Los Angeles with a sick relative. The tranquility of Ridgeline Ranch is more than welcome after the buzz of the city.

Of course, Ridgeline Ranch is especially peaceful because of its location adjacent to UCSB's Sedgwick Reserve. One of a handful of homes neighboring this 6,000 natural preserve, Ridgeline Ranch is a rare property with its seclusion and panoramic views.

Santa Ynez Equestrian Celebrities

Monty Roberts
Originally uploaded by Keith Jack

Santa Ynez Valley has many equestrian celebrities. One of those is self-proclaimed "horse whisperer" Monty Roberts. Although Monty's horsemeanship techniques seemed revolutionary to some outside the world of Western riding, they were similar to those espoused years earlier by Tom Dorrance who wrote "True Unity: Willing Communication between Horse and Human" and Ray Hunt who wrote "Think Harmony with Horses."

Monty and his wife Pat, a talented sculptor, own Flag is Up Farm, a large equestrian facility, in Buellton. The farm accepts horses and humans for training! Tours of the farm may be available on the weekend.

Of course, the Santa Ynez Valley has four-legged equestrian celebrities. Three Kentucky Derby winners were trained here: Flying Ebony, Grindstone and Charismatic. 2007 world champion Cutting Horse, Doc’s Tee Boots resides here in the Valley. I could add to the list but you'd really have to be into horses to appreciate it.

Santa Ynez Celebrity Equestrian

Entertainment by Ramon Becerra
Originally uploaded by kenpauley

Santa Ynez is home to a number of horse lovers, vets, owners, trainers and entertainers. Ramon Becerra works as a trainer, trick roper, stuntman and equine entertainer. His performances include elements of haute ecole dressage, the classical form of the sport originally popularized by the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. He also performs flashy acts like standing with one foot on each of two horses that he is driving in tandem as they canter around an arena.

Ramon uses Freisians, Lusitanos and Andalusians in his performances. They are gorgeous animals with thick flowing manes and tails.

Because this is such a "horsey" area with many equestrian events, we have usually have the opportunity to see him at least once a year. Last summer, Platinum Performance (a manufacturer of horse supplements) sponsored a free show at the Santa Ynez Equestrian Center featuring Ramon, Charlotte Bredahl and Sandy Collier among others. It was quite a night!

Santa Ynez Equestrian Celebrities - Dressage

USEF Intermediaire Freestyle -- Charlotte Bredahl Baker and Eskada (Dutch WB)
Originally uploaded by Rock and Racehorses

Santa Ynez is the Valley of the Horse. Yesterday I discussed Western riding competitions and some of the Valley's most successful competitors.

Today I want to write about dressage, my favorite equestrian sport. Dressage traces its origins to Xeres, a Greek general who required exacting precision of his mounted soldiers.

Dressage is somewhat difficult to describe. I've borrowed this explanation from the Ottawa Area Dressage Group:

In dressage training, the natural movements a horse can make on his own, free in the pasture, are repeated as exercises. These range from simple patterns and circles at the walk, trot and canter to movements in extreme collection, such as the piaffe or trotting in place (which is actually part of the showing-off of the stallion).

The idea is to gradually enable the horse to carry more of his own and his rider's weight over his hindquarters than over his forehand. This mobilizing and strengthening of the hindquarters (which provide the motive power as if the horse had rear wheel drive) results in lightening of the forehand and a horse that is much easier to steer and to stop. It is a matter of physics; the horse's immense strength becomes more available to him as he uses himself more efficiently. Because of the obedience required in the exercises, this strength is also instantly available to the rider. In competition, horses perform tests, to assess the horse's correct progress towards the goals of suppleness, balance and obedience.

Charlotte Bredahl Baker is a local dressage rider and trainer. In 1992, she won a bronze medal at the Olympics. She has a large equestrian training facility in Buellton. Her husand is an avid polo player.

Because so many riders in the Valley enjoy dressage, there are several trainers. I should note that dressage is the foundation for other equine disciplines. It is one of the three events included in Eventing, a sport in which the same rider and horse demonstrate their skill at dressage, stadium jumping and cross country. Also, those who specialize in hunter or jumper competitions may study dressage to improve their performance over level ground, also known as "flatwork."

Jennifer Wooten, another Valley resident, and her horse Good Witch were short-listed for the US Olympic Eventing Team in 2008.

Santa Ynez Equestrian Celebrities - Western

Cutting horse....
Originally uploaded by FullMetalJackett

Santa Ynez has another universe of celebrities from the equestrian world. The Santa Ynez Valley is often called "The Valley of the Horse."

Because of the area's long ranching tradition going back to the Spanish vaqueros, we have a large population of Quarter Horses (the breed favored by Western riders). Quarter Horses compete in a number of disciplines, but the two most prominent are cutting (shown above) and reining.

Cutting involves separating a cow from a herd or "cutting it out." No blood is shed in the process! The cow's natural instinct is to get back to the herd, and that's where the challenge lies. The 2007 World Champion cutting horse Doc's Tee Boots lives here in the Valley.

Reining is similar to dressage, another equestrian discipline, requiring close communication between rider and mount to perform specific manuvers. Reining's most showy feature is a sliding stop.

Sandy Collier, a nationially recognized reining trainer and rider, lives and works here in the Valley. She was the first and only woman horse trainer to win the prestigious NRCHA (National Reined Cow Horse Association) World Champion Snaffle Bit Futurity. She also won an NRCHA World Champion Snaffle Bit Futurity Reserve Co-Championship in addition to being a regular Finalist there annually. She has been a NRCHA Stallion Stakes Champion, an NRHA Limited Open Champion, and an AQHA World Champion. She has ranked among the year's top five reined cow horse all-ages, all-divisions riders, and is ranked in the top 10 for NRCHA earnings. She was also a regular finalist in the cutting futurities when she showed cutters

One of my friends and neighbors Pat Cuddy competes successfully in cutting. Her equestrian facility is just up the road in Woodstock Ranch. It's a pleasure seeing her beautiful horses.

Santa Ynez Stars - Part Three

Santa Ynez has several different kind of stars. The last two posts have discussed celestial stars and "star" flowers. It has at least one other sort of star: celebrities. Santa Ynez is only two hours north of Hollywood by car and also has a private airport that will accomodate large twin engine planes and some executive jets.

Maybe you recognize these two: John Corbett (Aidan from Sex and the City) and Bo Derek. Bo lived here in Woodstock Ranch until her husband John Derek died, then moved to another home in the Santa Ynez Valley. She and John are often seen in shops in one of the Valley's towns: Santa Ynez itself, Solvang or Los Olivos. I last ran into them at Home on the Range, a clothing/jewelry/home decor store at the corner of Edison and Sagunto in Santa Ynez.

Other resident actors include Noah Wylie, Cheryl Ladd, John Forsythe, Ed Ames and Fess Parker. "Resident" may be a misnomer as some have primary residences here and others have second homes. A few of these folks are mature enough that it's fair to describe their houses as "retirement homes."

Actress/model Kelly Lebrock and her husband Steven Segal had a home in the Valley. They split and Steven decamped. A remarkable horsewoman, Kelly has a local ranch with extensive equestrian facilities.

The music world has its representatives, too. David Crosby of Crosby, Still, Nash & Young lives in the Valley. A less recognizable name but a lyricist whose words are remembered around the world is Bernie Taupin, Elton John's composing partner.

During training season, Lance Armstrong can be spotted in the Valley. He and his team use the road over Figueroa Mountain as conditioning for the Tour de France or the Amgen Tour of California.

I'm sure other celebrities frequent the Valley but have managed to stay below the radar.

Santa Ynez Stars

Santa Ynez offers breathtaking panoramic views of the stars and planets as I described last night. And it also has another kind of star: Shootingstar wildflower. They aren't ubiquitous like poppies or lupine so finding them is a treat.

One of the things I enjoy about hiking in Woodstock Ranch or the Sedgwick Reserve is the "treasure hunt" aspect. Hunt may be the wrong word because that implies a directed search. Maybe it's more like beachcombing. Nature has surprises tucked away on this rare property. It's somewhat like the Dr. Seuss book McElligott's Pool. "You never know what you'll catch in McElligott's Pool." That was one of my favorites as a child.

Franz and Anke and I went for a walk the other day on the flat, eastern portion of Ridgeline Ranch where it borders Sedgwick Reserve and found some Owl Clover. It's fairly easy to see how Shootingstars got their name, but I'm still pondering the derivation of Owl Clover. Clover yes, but Owl Clover for a pink, white and yellow blossom befuddles me.

Santa Ynez Moonrise

hills
Originally uploaded by Neil and Sarah

Santa Ynez isn't known for its nightlife but it does offer some magnficent sights at night. The moon was full yesterday and gorgeous in a virtually cloudless sky.

Here in Woodstock Ranch we are removed from any light pollution, and the nightime sky is crowded with stars, more stars than I ever remember seeing whether I was in Greenland or the Galapagos. Surely, my memory must be wrong but the evening displays are indeed spectacular. The vastness of the starry canopy is sure to make your problems feel insignificant.

The Valley has an active Save our Stars campaign which is part of the Women's Environmental Watch. My friend Nancy Emerson of Solvang has done a terrific job of educating people about ways to avoid light pollution.

I should add that Santa Ynez does have a bit of nightlife. Several of the cafes have live performers on Friday or Saturday. Fess Parker (remember him as Davy Crockett?) plays the piano and sings some Thursday nights at his inn in Los Olivos. The Maverick Saloon has dancing Friday and Saturday night with a live band on Saturdays. Tales from the Tavern is a series of concerts by notable performers organized by Ron and Carol Cologne and Suzie Trubitz. The Chumash Casinio is open 24 - 7 and brings in live acts. Earlier this week I saw Alan Jackson's tour bus pulled up behind the Casino Hotel.

But I confess I prefer watching the stars up above.

SantaYnez Greens

Santa Ynez has so many different shades of green in the spring. I imagine a copywriter for a paint company coming up with catchy names to capture the essence of the colors: Sag Harbor Green, Arctic Green, Sprout Green, Slate Green, Marsh Green - well, maybe not Marsh Green. That could evoke an unpleasant image. I'm posting a photo of the panoramic view from Ridgeline Ranch. What monikers can you come up with?

I suppose some may have thought the title of this posting referred to golf greens. I'm not much of a golfer - I once won a prize once for high gross - but I do know there are several courses in the Valley. The River Course at Alisal Ranch is in Solvang. It's a gorgeous public course. The Alisal also has a private course. Continuing west toward the ocean, Buellton has the Zaca Creek Course and Lompoc has La Purisima. Traveling east, we're about fifteen minutes from Rancho San Marcos which is situated off Highway 154, the route over a mountain pass between Santa Ynez and Santa Barbara. And, of course, Santa Barbara has golf courses, too.

Part of what makes Ridgeline Ranch such a rare property is its proximity to both wilderness and civilization.

Santa Ynez Skies

Santa Ynez skies have cleared. One of the special things about Ridgeline Ranch is that I can see almost 360 degrees. We have panoramic views of the sun rise and the sunset. It truly is a rare property.

Looking out to the west, like this shot, I often see fog rising up from the Santa Ynez River in the morning. Its course is 75 miles long, running from the Santa Ynez Mountains near Divide Peak through Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, Solvang, Buellton and Lompoc, emptying into the Pacific Ocean at Surf Beach.

Santa Ynez Birding

Lazuli Bunting
Originally uploaded by idahobirder

Santa Ynez skies are clearing. The birds are starting to sing, ready to emerge from their shelter under the foliage of the oaks and sage.

Yesterday I saw a lazuli bunting, a bird which migrates here from Mexico during the summer breeding season. Here's a picture of one of these beauties. I think I can hear one singing now, waiting for the rain to end. The song is a high strident series of warbled syllables.

Each male Lazuli Bunting sings just one song made up of a series of different syllables that is unique to him. Young males fly into on the breeding grounds without a song of their own. Shortly after arriving, a young male develops his own song. It might be a unique rearrangement of syllables, combinations of song fragments of several males, or a copy of the song of one particular older male.

Many, many people here in Santa Ynez Valley enjoy nature. There are always opportunities to learn more. I've mentioned the docent training classes at the Sedgwick Reserve. Lake Cachuma has docent training as well. Also, it features weekly birding cruises. Visitors are often treated to the sight of bald eagles who nest on the northern shore of the lake. It's thrilling to see these majestic birds in flight against the panoramic view of the mountains.

The eagles visit us in Woodstock Ranch occasionally. One afternoon as I was driving home I spotted a large bird on the ground. The bend in the road interruupted my view. When I turned the corner, there was a bald eagle feasting on a ground squirrel!

The Wildling Art Museum sponsors two multi-session of bird watching classes each year. They are taught by Fred Emerson, an MD who went back to school at Cornell to become an orinthologist. He's a marvelous teacher.

I have taken his classes at different times of the year to see different migratory species. The spots we visited included Zaca Lake north of Los Olivos to Lake Cachuma to Goleta to the Santa Ynez River as it runs through Solvang.

Santa Ynez has its own Natural History Society as does Santa Barbara. Both offer lectures periodically. Santa Barbara has a wonderful museum of natural history which is only thirty minutes away from Ridgeline Ranch.

All in all, I think this is a great place to live.

Santa Ynez Rainbow

Thunderstorm and Rainbow
Originally uploaded by Barbara Stock

Santa Ynez was graced by several rainbows this afternoon, including one that kept appearing and disappearing in my pasture. Every time I went out with my camera, the light changed and the color prism was gone. Rats! You'll have to settle for this rainbow from flckr.com. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the panoramic view, but it does have an interesting sky.

It's raining again tonight. I visited a friend's house here in Woodstock Ranch to watch a movie and I was freezing -despite a sweater, turtleneck, jeans and a scarf. I came back into my rastra house 10 minutes ago and had to take off the sweater I got so warm. It's not that I have the heat on. This house is so energy efficient it maintains a very even temperature most of the year. Green construction is a real marvel!

Bedtime. More tomorrow.

Santa Ynez in the Rain

Santa Ynez is enjoying April showers today. The entire state is low on rainfall for the year so it's good news. I'm especially happy because I enjoy wildflowers so much. More rain means a longer blooming season.

The only downside is that Fritz, Anke and I will miss our daily walk. Fortunately, Santa Ynez has a terrific YMCA that was built in the last few years. It's just about ten minutes away from Ridgeline Ranch. People from all over the Valley, including Solvang and Los Olivos, use the facility. Working out on weight machines, stationary bikes, treadmills or ellipticals is an option. Group exercise classes are scheduled throughout the day - my favorite is spinning - and there's always the pool.

Meanwhile the usual sunny panoramic vista from Ridgeline Ranch has changed. Today the sky is gray with clouds reminiscent of wave patterns on the beach. Here's a picture to show you what I mean.

Santa Ynez Conversations about Books

Monday Night Book Club
Originally uploaded by D.Z. Photography

Santa Ynez may be a rural community but it's clearly not unsophisticated. At one point last year I was in three book groups. Way too much. I'm down to two groups and one of them met today.

We're a diverse group who live and work in different parts of the Valley - mostly Solvang and Santa Ynez residents. Probably a third of us life in Woodstock Ranch. Today's hostess lives in Woodstock and has a marvelous hilltop ranch with a panoramic vista of fields and houses.

We discussed "This I Believe," a compilation of 500 word essays put together by NPR. Today's leader asked each of us to draft an essay about one of our core beliefs. Whew! It was harder than I expected.

I wrote about society's need for energy conservation to combat global warming. Living in a "green" house, that's something I feel strongly about.

Right now, though, I have strong feelings about the need for sleep!

BTW, that picture isn't me. But it seems appropriate for a posting about book groups.

Santa Ynez Conversation

Santa Ynez and its natural beauty sparks many conversations. If I could put bubbles over these pictures, I imagine Anke saying, "Wow! Lupine smells good - just like sweet peas!" Fritz replies, "I don't care. I just want some water. When is she going to be done taking our pictures?"

Anke is right. Lupine does smell like sweet peas. Cinch's pasture is thick with lupine. When I walk past it the fragrance perfumes the air. It's wonderful to be so close to the shops in Santa Ynez, Los Olivos and Solvang and still live in the middle of fields of wildflowers. And we're only thirty minutes from Santa Barbara!

It feels like I live within reach of civilization's fingertips in a tranquil post at the edge of the wilderness. Ridgeline Ranch is a rare property indeed!

Santa Ynez Views

Santa Ynez views are generally pastoral - no nighttime vistas of sparkling city lights here! But even in the context of rural scenery there are variations.

I visited a gorgeous home in Ballard Canyon Friday. The area is a favorite of bicyclists because of the winding steep hills. In fact, this year the Amegen Tour of California time trial included this route as did the Solvang Century. From the top of Ballard Canyon the view includes Los Olivos and Solvang almost all the way to Buellton. The scenery is reminiscent of the Hudson Valley School of Art - pastoral with humans and nature coexisting peacefully. The rolling pastures were typically separated by white fences. The hilltops were crowned with homes and barns. I'd say at least 75% of the view was green, and it was all beautiful.

The panoramic vista from Ridgeline Ranch is virtually all wilderness. As I look north toward Grass Mountain and Figueroa Mountain, I see no buildings. I suspect this absence contributes to the sense of tranquility and seclusion that I feel here.

One is no better than the other. It's a matter of personal taste. But I like the idea that because my view is protected wilderness, it will remain that way. That's part of what makes this a rare property.

Santa Ynez Flora - part two

Santa Ynez has such a wonderful variety of wildflowers I could fill a week of posts about them! Unfortunately, distracted by finishing my post yesterday morning, I forgot to bring my camera to the wildflower lecture/hike. So my promise of a photo of a mariposa lily is being fulfilled by an image from flickr.com.

However, Ridgeline Ranch has an incredible bounty of wildflowers itself. I think this is due, in equal parts, to its proximity to the Sedgwick Reserve, and to the large flat area on the eastern boundary of this rare property this is never subjected to cattle grazing . That area is protected from the road and the view of other Woodstock homes by the ridge on one side and Sedgwick's facing ridge on the other. Ultimate seclusion. A writer friend of mine lusts after the space as a retreat, wanting to build an office there so his creativy will blossom in the tranquility and serenity. Some have suggested that we use it for its vineyard potential but I'm glad we've let it stay wild.

Butterfly Mariposa Lily
Originally uploaded by NatureShutterbug

Back to blossoms, here are a just few of the flowers (in addition to the lupine and poppy I've already shown you) I found on my hike this morning on Ridgeline Ranch. I'm not adept enough at blogging to get more pictures in this post.


Top to bottom:


Filaree, an invasive non-native, imported as a high protein source for grazing cattle. Too much can cause a horse to founder.

Buttercup, a native

Blue Dick, a native. The bulb root of this plant was roasted by Chumash Indians and used as food.

Viola, a native. Also known as johnny jump up or yellow violet.

Santa Ynez Flora

Chocolate Lily (Fritillaria biflora) is a species of plant nativ
Originally uploaded by mikebaird

Santa Ynez has an amazing variety of flora and fauna. This morning we had a class on wildflowers for docents and docents in training at the Sedgwick Reserve.

It's easy to understand why Duke Sedgwick longed to buy this property for years. It was only after oil was discovered on his smaller parcel at Corral de Quati to the west was he able to afford what was then called Rancho La Laguna de San Francisco.

Duke was an artist - excelling as a sculptor - and a writer. He cherished the tranquility and seclusion the ranch afforded. He desired to leave the ranch which he described as a "large area of pristine beauty" to UCSB to "create a conjunction of land and learning."

With almost 6,000 acres, the Reserve itself has an incredible assortment of both flora and fauna. Unfortunately, as with much of California, even this rare property has been invaded by non-native plants. Some panoramic views include swaths of bright yellow which is mustard, a plant introduced by the Spanish as they explored Calfornia. Legend has it that the Spanish padres sprinkled mustard seed as they walked from one mission to the next so the flowers would reveal the route the following year.

However, the chocolate lily shown here is a true native. Its name comes from the color - not the scent as is the case with another lily. Other natives includes the Mariposa lily which is a lovely white with pink markings. I'll try to put up an image of that.

This is just a quick note. I'm off to dinner with my friend Doris Banchik, the best real estate agent in the Valley. She works for Sotheby's.

Santa Ynez Sedgwick Reserve

Santa Ynez is blessed to include Sedgwick Reserve. I've alluded to it several times and thought I should explain a bit more about it. It is regarded as the "crown jewel" of the University of California Natural Reserve System.

Here's why:

Encompassing 24 square kilometers (9.2 square miles) on the southern slopes of the San Rafael Mountains, the Sedgwick Reserve spans an elevational range of 500 meters (1,650 feet) and is noted for both its large size and environmental heterogeneity. The reserve contains two distinctive geologic formations: relatively young Paso Robles alluvium and much older Franciscan metamorphosed seafloor, including large areas of serpentine. Diverse vegetation types include coast live oak forest, blue oak woodland, valley oak savannah, buckbrush chaparral, coastal sage scrub, grassland, willow riparian forest, serpentine outcroppings, and agricultural lands. The site contains major portions of two watersheds and a variety of localized wetland habitats, notably vernal pools. The region has a rich Native American heritage, and at least one Middle Chumash habitation site (1,500 to 2,000 years old) rests on site. The reserve’s large size enables research of varying scales on native ecosystems.

Francis Minturn Sedgwick and his wife Alice DeForest Sedgwick purchased the land in 1952, using it to run cattle and as a family retreat. Because both were avid riders, the ranch included equestrian facilities. In 1997, it passed into the University of California Reserve System as a result of their bequest of the bulk of the land and a purchase of the remainder by the Santa Barbara Land Trust and other individuals. In connection with the funding, an agricultural easement was placed on several hundred acres which had both vineyard potential and potential for growing other crops. For those of you interested in genealogy, Francis and Alice Sedgwick were the parents of Edie Sedgwick, Andy Warhol's muse, and were also distant relatives of Kyra Sedgwick.

A recent benefactor of the Reserve is the Tipton Foundation whose gifts have led to solar power, improved roads and, most significantly, a meeting house built to the highest standards of energy conservation. It is a model for those who want to go "green."

Today scientific research is conducted on the Reserve as well as public education, aimed principally at elementary school children. The Reserve has an active corps of docents who lead public hikes once a month and act as teachers for the visiting students.

I've enjoyed my association with the Reserve as a docent tremendously. In fact, there is a class this morning in "Duke" Sedgwick's old art studio about local wildflowers. Gotta go learn more about the bright patches of color now appearing on my panoramic view.