Macella's Corner Why We Do This, What’s In It For US I
actually say now that for the majority of my life I have been in this glorious horse business, beginning with Charlie and I starting Diamond Mountain Sta- bles in 1983. We were just youngsters! When we decided our hometown
believe that by the time I fess up to it, I will be 50 years old this month. Amazingly enough, I can
in an arena and convert the newly built hay barn into stalls. Following that, the day finally came that we even got a six horse trailer instead of making the re- ally untold numbers of trips to every- where with the two horse trailer that was a remnant of my youth. Slowly the business grew and I no
of Calistoga was the place to open a training business, we had a well orga- nized and thought out business plan. Thanks to Charlie’s varied endeavors, killer energy level and work ethic, the stable was able to limp its way into reality but the plan had it scheduled to only last five years. The plan was I then would personally go back to school (my poor parents), and Charlie would move onto other business ven- tures doing something else. Well, as no one business could ever be enough for him, Charlie’s part happened anyway. But mine never did, I stayed with the horses. It is true that for the first couple years
we did not have an arena and rode the young off the track TBs on the wide grassy shoulder alongside the Napa Valley's picturesque Highway 29. But there wasn't nearly as much traffic in the valley then and those horses were pretty darn level headed by the time they made it to their first shows. Even- tually we saved enough money to put
longer had time to be the 4-H eques- trian project leader or volunteer at the local pony clubs, both organizations that were instrumental in my equine education when I was growing up. Those sadly went by the wayside as our lives changed. One fine day, just about when our
five year deadline was approaching, we even had the wherewithal to hire our first stall cleaner. A chore that until then had gone a long way to personally maintaining our "core fitness"!! Another day of celebration was when someone else finally did the show braiding we had always done, thank- less job of midnight misery that it is. Building fences, hanging gates, de-
by Macella O'Neill
knows, these are just a few of the skills you acquire when you have your very own horse business. That's not even addressing the book-keeping skills re- quired, the people skills necessary, the familiarity with insurance coverage is- sues, visa applications, exchange rates for overseas sales, the medical knowl- edge that everyone should possess for both equine and human patients. And, although it can seem almost like an afterthought, the horsemanship and riding talents that should be the very foundation of this life need attention and time. I'm leaving lots of things out no
signing and constructing barns, fixing pumps, drilling new wells, repairing all kinds of pipes in the labyrinth that exists on this old property, drawing straws to see who had to tackle work- ing on electrical problems, and much time with the vehicles...endlessly driv- ing, maintaining, repairing and cursing them. A lot of the buildings and barns
have been completely built from trees on our own property, done completely by Charlie and his merry band of men who chopped down and milled the trees into lumber. As everyone who has done this
doubt, but you can see why I've often been tempted to send a letter to the equine colleges with some suggestions for their equestrian studies curriculum! Actually riding the horses is just a small part of a successful training business, if you want it to survive decades. It's never boring, it's ever changing
and it's been quite a journey from the off side of the road to the World Cup arena! Thanks to all the people, and especially to every one of the horses, who make our journeys possible.
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We'd Love to See You! 12
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