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of ETI Corral 57. The group puts on events at Soule Park, a community equestrian park in Ojai. At the ETI shows, Ojai Valley equestrians can exhibit their horses in everything from showmanship to English equitation to barrel racing, all on the same weekend. Trail riding is a popular activity in Ojai,


thanks in large part to the Ojai Valley Trail, an 18-mile path that begins in Ojai at Soule Park and ends near the ocean in Ventura after meeting up with the Ventura River Trail. Riders share the path, which is partially paved, with bike riders, joggers and walkers. The trail follows the path of the Ventura Rivers and an old Southern Pacific Railroad track bed. Trail riders also trek through other parts


of Ojai, much of which is part of Los Padres National Forest. A handful of equestrian trails are located within the Ojai Ranger District. Trail riders are treated to spectacular views of the Topa Topa Mountain Range, as well as dense chaparral and rippling streams.


Horses in Education Some of the schools in Ojai also include


equestrian programs. Among them is the Thacher School, a co-educational boarding high school, founded in 1889. Thacher School’s horse program welcomes students who are interested in riding--and some who don’t necessarily feel that way at the start. During their first year at Thacher, all freshmen learn the basics of horsemanship by caring


for a horse: mucking his corral, feeding him morning and evening, and exercising him in the afternoon. The program aims to make the horse and rider a team. In the fall, students work to pass their Rider’s


Tests and then toward competing in the Big Gymkhana--a grand finale to the year for all riders. Students also take at least one overnight horse-packing trip during the year. Students who remain interested in riding


beyond their first year can ride in the Afternoon Program. More advanced riders may take advantage of several team activities; the Thacher Equitation Team rides in English-style events, and the polo team practices in nearby Santa Barbara and competes against local college and club teams.


A handful of students become Thacher


Teamsters, learning to work with the school’s team of enormous Percherons as they pull a feed wagon to corrals and pastures. As a supplement to gymkhana at Thacher, several students also participate in rodeo racing events and gymkhanas around California. These supplementary riding opportunities produce two worthwhile results: They strengthen the bond between horse and rider that lies at the heart of its riding program, and they convey the lessons of teamwork that come from competition, according to school officials. Another area school offering an equestrian


program is the Ojai Valley School, established in 1911. Ojai Valley School is an independent, co-educational boarding and day school serving students from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade.


Ojai Valley School is located on two campuses in the Ojai Valley. The Lower School, near downtown Ojai, enrolls 200 students in grades pre-kindergarten to eight. The Upper School, located seven miles to the east, enrolls 125 students in grades nine to twelve. The school is also known throughout the


region for its equestrian program, which is designed for advanced, intermediate and beginning riders. Ojai Valley School invites students to enter its equestrian program as early as the first grade. OVS offers equestrian facilities on its two campuses, including stables, riding arenas, and access to trails. The equestrian program, in addition to basic horsemanship, offers students the opportunity to learn dressage, stadium jumping, cross- country, vaulting, and western riding. Advanced riders can opt to compete at local equestrian events. In the fourth through eighth grades, students


may choose the equestrian program to fulfill their physical education requirement. Once a year, eighth grade students also have the opportunity to join a group for a five-day horse packing trip to Rancho Oso, nestled in the beautiful hills between Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez. The students trail ride, swim, and enjoy a camp experience. After academic classes, Ojai Valley School


equestrians walk to the stable on its upper campus to ride as their athletic activity. Students are assigned a horse and are responsible for its daily care, grooming, and exercise. The school owns about 60 horses and students are


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