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.