104 March 19, 2015 Continued from page 10


ge 142


only 14 square miles. Equestrians all over Orange County take


advantage of San Juan’s boarding facilities, which include Ortega Equestrian Center, Mission Trails Stables, Rancho Sierra Vista Equestrian Center, Rio Vista Stables, Sycamore Trails Stables and Tar Farms. All combined, these stables house more than 1,000 horses. Most of the equestrians who board their horses in San Juan Capistrano have generous access to trails, as well as amenities like cov- ered areas, round pens and turnouts. Homes in San Juan Capistrano are not


cheap, horse property or otherwise. Some horse properties in town are located


in gated communities. Others do not provide zoning for horses but off er a community sta- ble with amenities. Most equestrian commu- nities in town back up to horse trails. One unique horsey neighborhood is Mission Hills Ranch, a development launched in the late 1960s with equestrians in mind. Thirteen of the homes are zoned for horse-keeping, but residents of the other 40 homes can board in the stable that rests atop a hill, surrounded by open space. “It’s such a gem—I’m so lucky,” says Shelly


Barker, a 19-year resident of the community and a horse advocate in the city. “It’s like a lit le paradise here where we are. When we get up into the open space, we always kind of pinch ourselves.” Barker is an avid member of Las Vaqueras,


a women-only riding group since 1993. San Juan men have a riding group, too. The Padre Junipero Serra Riders, also known as Las Tortugas, has been together 60 years. Barker, a Vaquera who frequents the 57 miles of multi-use trails in the city regularly with her Tortuga husband, Ken, is one of this horse community’s liaisons between equestrians and civic groups, including the Chamber of Commerce and the City. “City councils change, and things change,”


she says. “Thanks to the San Juan Capistrano Equestrian Council and our riding groups, we keep people paying at ention to equestri- an needs. We have to fi ght tooth and nail to keep our equestrian lifestyle.” The group’s input is more oſt en helpful


than confrontational. When city staff didn’t know the trees were too low on the trail, they soon learned and trimmed them. Or, when slippery asphalt at crossings was a hazard, they learned about that, too. “My job is to cross barriers and bring peo-


ple together,” says Barker.”It is a spectacular town.” Unique features vary from the large scale—like the Blenheim EquiSports facility at Rancho Mission Vista Riding Park where


Continued on page 106 Continued on page 18


Danielle Paskowitz today competes on her reined cow horses, but in 1973 it was gymkhanas that stirred her passion. In the same arena decades later (inset), three generations of Vaqueras line up for a photo at Ortega Equestrian Center, including Danielle (right), her mother, Sharon Brawner (center) and daughter Elah Paskowitz. Says Danielle: “My best memories growing up riding horses in San Juan are running through the orange groves playing tag, riding in the parade and doing all the gymkhanas.”


Horsetowns: San Juan Capistrano


Photo courtesy SJCEC


Photo courtesy SJCEC


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