One Blessing Leads to Another!

Two years ago, my husband was accepted into Caltech for graduate school. We had to make the difficult decision to keep our two beloved horses and take them with us to our new life in Pasadena, from northern Nevada. Having come from little Dayton, Nevada, where our horses were kept with my parents on their property, we discovered things here in California were going to cost twice as much! Nevertheless, we were determined to make our budget work so we could keep our big family members… and it turns out it was one of most rewarding decisions we have ever made.

We searched all over the different valleys and Canyon Country for someplace that suited our riding requirements and budget. Most riding facilities only offered box stalls or mare motels, for too much money per horse, without access to the miles of trail riding we thrive on. Most facilities are also über English oriented. Then we found Rainbow Ridge in Acton: everything we were hoping to find: western riding, hundreds of miles of trails to explore, great pastured boarding, an even better monthly rate, plus an unforeseen added bonus… people who live and work there that we immediately connected with.

Our Nevada riding was a ruggedly beautiful, but rather solitary experience. Having owned my horse since I was a high school freshman (and she’s still going strong!), I was used to covering the mountaintops with only her. We’d leave for the open range behind my parent’s property as soon as I got home from school, Sugar and I, sometimes not returning until sunset—dusty and sweaty—just the two of us. Later, in college, my husband got a horse and we would ride out together when our studying allowed. Unfortunately, we didn’t have anyone around us that shared our need for exploring trails, so we didn’t know what we were missing until we came to California.

Now, still living in Pasadena, and driving out to ride on the trails in Acton, we couldn’t be happier about our boarding choice--because of the friends we’ve gained. What a loss it would have been to have sold my little Sugar and her buddy just because we didn’t think it was possible to keep them. What a blessing it has been in my life to keep her, and gain a multitude of people I somehow can’t live without. One blessing leads to another!

Added: June 28th 2009
Author: Tracy