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.

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…

Bobcats Corey writes to Millie, “This is the Bobcat that Angela and I saw behind your property a couple months ago.  We were taking our pony for a walk and this bobcat crossed on the hill in front of us.” Wow, what fun it is to see a Bobcat, they are so elusive and sometimes…

Please join us once again for the holidays!! Just like last year we will meet in the Community Room from Noon to 2pm on Saturday, Dec. 13!! We are excited to spend a bit of time with you and hope you will be able to make it to Arriba Vista Ranch for a bit of…

Wild Turkeys abound in southern Alameda County. It’s hard to believe that in the early 20th century the entire population of turkeys in the United States was estimated at around 30,000 and restricted to a few pockets in the east. Efforts to protect this native bird were put into effect by trapping and moving turkeys…