Good day fellow horse afficianados!! December is here, El Nino is on its way, and the long, hot days of summer are a mere memory. We turn our attention to the cares of winter…warm coats, umbrellas (hopefully), and juggling time with our favorite friends, the four legged residents of Arriba Vista Ranch. We wanted to…
This animal is native only to North America. It is unique and does not have a genetic relative on the planet today. This animal has remained unchanged for more than 10,000 years. It has out-survived the Wooly Mammoth, Shot Faced Bear and Dire Wolf. This animal is the second fastest animal on the planet running…
For me, autumn means another trip to Yellowstone. I leave on September 20, 2015. This year’s trip will mark my 22nd trip to Yellowstone. My first time in Yellowstone was in October of 2003. My trips are always spring and autumn except one year I went in February too. So, what is the draw…
Often times we deal with the unknown when it comes to health crises. Children who are too young to tell us how they feel. Elderly parents or friends and family who are disoriented and can’t respond or are adamant that they are “fine” when, in fact, they are not. Or that random accident when a…
Crystal Emir 1986 to 2015 Emir’s show name was “Crystal Emir”, and “Emir” is an Arabic word that literally translates to “prince,” and Emir definitely was a prince He was the consummate show horse; versatile in multiple disciplines, he shone brightest in the show ring. He knew he was in his element at shows and had…
Bart 1985 to 2015 Brenda Godfrey’s beloved Bart was born and raised at Arriba Vista Ranch, one of the many great colts out of Millie’s stallion Cunningham. Brenda owned Bart for 26 years of his 30 years of life and was Brenda’s first love. Bart and Brenda shared many adventures together including wine rides,…
I know that we all have been affected by the drought and that we will continue to be impacted well into the future. But, here is one thing that bothers me about the drought that you may not be aware of or perhaps even knew. Central California is the wintering grounds for many Red-Tailed hawks…
The March 9 SCA Mounted Skills Workshop at Arriba Vista was a lot of fun for both horses and riders! Photos and captions courtesy of Greg Lutz. Tweet
I first saw these Mustangs last June when I visited Oklahoma looking to take photos of wildlife. I wrote about the Mustangs for this blog in July. Last December I revisited Oklahoma specifically to see the Mustangs again. The folks that are active in protecting these Mustangs have become fiends and take us out in…
Rare and Unusual Horse Breeds Series – Part One From the time man first began taming and domesticating wild animals, we have sought to bring out certain characteristics and push back others in our attempts to develop the perfect specimen to meet our own needs. While dogs are largely accepted as the first domesticated animals…