Lake County Horse Council Journal 2015 volume1 - winter

See you on March 29 at

Stay Safe expo!

2015 Volume 1

(page 19)

Lake County Horse Council

Journal

Anniversary Issue ~ LCHC’s Fifth Year

Preserving Heritage Horse Breeds HAW - Loween Fun

Horses & Valuable Life Discoveries

California Dressage Society Schooling Show

Native American Horsemanship in Early California

When was the last time you had your horse or stock trailer in for “grease & pack bearings� service?

A well-maintained trailer is a safer trailer

Call CARLTON TIRES today!

Contact: Lake County Horse Council P.O. Box 1551 Kelseyville, CA 95451 707-263-3899 2014-2015 LCHC Board of Directors Visit www.LakeCountyHorseCouncil.com for Board profiles President: Carol Maxwell ~ cjcmaxwell@yahoo.com

Lake County Horse Council Journal ~ Winter 2015 v1 Inside this Issue President’s Message, Mission Statement

4

Life’s a Parade (Editor column)

5

LCHA Celebrates First Five Years— A Retrospective

6

Horses and Valuable Life Discoveries , a Dialogue

10

California Dressage Society Schooling Show

12

Preserving Heritage Horse Breeds with TLC

13

Native American Horsemanship in early California

14

Carleene Cady ~ carleenejcady@gmail.com

Equine Blast from the Past - What is this contraption?

16

Sally Green ~ baliusfarm@gmail.com

Businesses that Support the Lake County Horse Council

17

Dave Lowrie ~ dalow46@yahoo.com

HAW -loween at Argonaut Farms

18

LCHC presents Stay Safe seminar (flyer)

19

LCHC Calendar of Equine Events

20

Membership/Renewal Form / Journal Advertising rates

22

Vice-President: Donna Thornton ~ 707-987-3964 Secretary: Jaxan Christensen ~ jaxanc@yahoo.com Treasurer: Barbara Kroboth ~ Bmerrybey@aol.com Directors: Deb Baumann ~ web@vaqueroheritage.org

Mike Riley ~ themikeriley@gmail.com LCHC Committee Chairs Executive Committee ~ Carol Maxwell Finance Committee ~ Barbara Kroboth Membership Committee ~ Deb Baumann Trails Committee ~ Mike Riley Historian Donna Thornton 707-987-3964 Communications / Social Media Calendar— Kim Riley 279-0343 kimriley58@gmail.com Journal –Deb Baumann 275-9234 Website & Facebook – Kim Riley 279-0343 kimriley58@gmail.com Advisors/Advisory Groups Disaster Rescue -Lynette Bertelli, 279-2125 Dressage -Dave Claus, 998-9564 Dressage/Driving -Sally Green, 279-9595 Trail Safety -Carleene Cady Veterinary -Jerri Waddington, docjerri@att.net Youth Council -Carol Thorn, 263-5082

Cover Photo Katie Winegarden enjoying fall foliage at the Hooves and Wheels ride-and-drive at Brassfield Winery in November. Katie is riding a Lipizzan, one of the rare heritage breeds identified by The Livestock Conservancy (see page 13) To stay current with Lake County equine events, check out our Facebook page “Lake County Horse Council”, and our website, www.lakecountyhorsecouncil.com

The Lake County Horse Council is incorporated as a non‐profit, public benefit, membership organization under California Corporations Code sections 5000‐9927 and IRS tax‐exempt status of IRC 501(c)(3). All donations are 100% tax deductible. © Lake County Horse Council. All rights reserved. The Lake County Horse Council is a non-profit volunteer organization. This journal is published for informational purposes only, and has been written and edited in good faith with no willful, negligent, malicious, or fraudulent activity in mind. * * * Please contact us with any errors or omissions. * * *

Page 4

Lake County Horse Council Journal ~ Winter 2015 v1

President’s Message Has disaster ever found you?

Twice I’ve stood on my porch and seen wildfire burn across the prairie toward my home. For two months my horses grazed with a 5,000-foot tower of smoke boiling behind them. As a kid, I stood in the middle of our street and watched floodwater roll toward me like a wave, then rowed around the neighborhood with my father to help neighbors. This was an annual event. Six weeks after I married, I walked on the charred remains of our home. I’ve stood at the window with my family watching a funnel cloud twist toward our home.

And yet, the only disaster preparation I’ve made in my barn is to always keep a halter with lead attached, hanging in the handiest place to grab, for each horse. That’s it. And it’s not enough.

We can all do better. I hope you will come to “Stay Safe 2015: For You and Your Animals”, a safety expo your Horse Council is putting on March 29th at Rancho de la Fuente (see page 19 for more information). You can learn from people trained to respond to a range of disasters and emergencies, how to prepare, and how to manage yourself and your animals when you are in danger at home, or in the backcountry. Our general membership meeting will follow this event, at 3 p.m..

Your Horse Council has spent the winter months developing projects aimed at benefiting horse-owners and horse-related businesses in Lake County. We are dedicated to working on your behalf. If you have not renewed your membership, I hope you will do so soon.

Carol Maxwell

The Lake County Horse Council’s Mission is to: •

Promote and preserve the horse as agriculture, industry, and recreation

•

Inform the public about horse community goals, projects, and events

•

Promote educational programs for the horse industry

•

Support private and public equine facilities and activities

•

Serve as liaison between the horse industry, the community, and government agencies

•

Promote all aspects of the equine industry

A Message from the Editor Many thanks to those who contributed to this issue of the Journal, and especially to Scott Bennett (of Scotts Action Photos) for providing so many photos of equestrians at Lake County events.

You can help the Lake County Horse Council Journal cover the local equine scene. We welcome your articles and photographs on any horse-related topic, and any ideas you have for articles.

Send your stories and photos by email to: web@vaqueroheritage.org (please identify location and persons in photos).

Quarterly Deadlines are: December 1, March 1, June 15, September 15. Please send your “event” stories right away (within 2 weeks of event), while memory is still fresh (and you can still remember who is in the photos!).

If you have a story idea you’d like to discuss or request help with, feel free to call Deb at 275-9234

Life’s a Parade Years ago, a cowboy friend told me the story of visiting a ranch to see a stallion whose bloodlines interested him. The owner brought him to an elegant, designer barn where no expense had been spared.

Each stall was encased by tall, solid wooden walls, with solid wooden doors. When they came to the one housing the stallion, the owner opened the top half of the stall door and stepped aside, proudly, to give my friend a view of the horse inside.

A QH stallion stood in the far corner, head low, his entire body weaving from side to side. At the end of each cycle, he kicked out with one hind foot, smacking the wooden wall behind him. Left-rightKICK... Left-right-KICK... Left-right-KICK… My friend was old-school, the kind that doesn’t butt into other people’s business. But the sight of that weaving horse prompted a laconic observation: “You might think about gettin’ that stud outta this stall.”

Alarmed, the owner leaned in to see for himself.

Then he relaxed, chuckling, and said “Don’t worry.

He always does that.”

He always does that. Yes. That’s the problem.

Proponents of natural horsemanship have been vindicated by recently published scientific studies.

Researchers at Nottingham Trent University in Great Britain measured levels of the animal stress hormone corticosterone in horses who were kept in a variety of different environments, ranging from single stalls to group paddocks. They found that the animals became more stressed and increasingly difficult to handle the more isolated they became. Significant levels of stress are proven to lead to disease.

People feel comfy-cozy inside four solid walls and a roof. But for flight animals, the mere fact of being cooped up with nowhere to run and no view of whatever might be approaching is enough to stimulate stress levels. For herd animals, isolation also causes stress. Combine confinement with isolation, and don’t be surprised if you’ve got a neurotic horse on your hands. (Left-right-KICK…) MOVIE TIME - In the last issue of LCHC Journal, I wrote about a favorite horse movie. It got me searching the internet where I found an article on “the 20 best horse movies of all time.” I’d seen nearly all of them, and agreed with most of the list.

What caught my eye was beneath the article.

Commenter after commenter complained that RIDE A WILD PONY should be on the list. I’d never even heard of that movie… how good could it be?

Page 5

Editor Column

With so many insistent voices vouching for it, I looked it up. It was released in 1975. Hmmm... I was in high school in 1975: too old, too busy and too teenager to go see a children’s film. Had something really excellent thus completely slipped my radar? In a word: yes!

When the DVD arrived by mail, I fell in love with this movie. Set in early 1900’s Australia, the sheer joy and exuberance of the riding scenes made my heart sing. The horse training scenes were designed for drama rather than accuracy, but the filmmakers made up for that by casting a kid who can really ride.

For a heart-warming story of children, horses, community, compassion and friendship, it’s a winner.

Speaking of community, I hope we’ll see you at the Safety expo on March 29. There will be valuable information about emergency preparation, and you can renew your LCHC membership, too. 2015 marks our fifth membership drive, after which we’re closing the book on Charter Memberships. If you are not already a Charter member, you have until March 31, 2015, to join the LCHC Charter honor roll. Be a part of LC’s horse history!

Vaya Con Dios

Page 6

The Lake County Horse Council was “born” in late 2010. Its genesis was a group of equestrians concerned about trail safety and the need to protect equestrian rights both with regards to safe sharing of trails and also zoning and property concerns. The first public meeting at the Fair Grounds saw a huge turn-out, as many agreed that Lake County’s equestrians needed such an organization.

The LCHC has been so busy recently that is easy to forget that in our first year (2011) there were no special events! There were member meetings and the first few issues of the Journal. Beginning in 2012, the LCHC started to find its stride. There were member trail rides and potlucks, special seminars, and the first Horse Faire at the Pear Festival was a huge hit. As you can see from the list of 2014’s accomplishments on page nine, the LCHC keeps growing to serve Lake County’s equestrian community and businesses.

Lake County Horse Council Journal ~ Winter 2015 v1

Page 7 LEFT: The first Journals were shorter, but started a tradition of providing important information for local equestrians. CLOCKWISE FROM RT: Lake County riders win at Rancho Murieta in 2012, UL parade, Lakeport parade, HAW at Highland Springs, HAW at Brassfield, parade veteran Lonne Sloan, Juan Erquiaga’s team on the road, and the Clear Lake Junior Horsemen color guard.

Page 8

2012 saw the first annual LCHC Horse Faire at the Pear Festival. Clockwise from top: Huia Pope, Mike Riley and Friend, Kate Erquiaga on belgian, Kenn McCarty, Brenna Sullivan and Quincy Andrus display gaited horses

Lake County Horse Council Journal ~ Winter 2015 v1

First Annual LCHC Horse Faire

Page 9

TRAIL REPAIR—In late 2012 the Lake County Horse Council received a $6300 grant to improve a riding trail at Highland Springs Recreation Area. A team comprised of members of the Horse Council and the Highland Springs Trails Volunteers assessed the damaged trail and made plans for improving it, stretching the grant dollars with donations of labor, equipment and supplies from local supporters.

Volunteers from the Lake County Horse Council, Sierra Club and Highland Springs Trails Volunteers, under supervision from the Lake County Water Resources Department, completed repairs of approximately 600 feet of the Lake Trail in the summer of 2013. One of the most popular hiking and riding trails in the county, the four mile Lake Trail circles the Highland Springs reservoir, and connects to many other trails in the park. The trail sustained severe damage and erosion secondary to wet weather use and was in danger of being closed permanently due to safety.

Photos: “Before” then “After” trail repairs; Julianna Vidich enjoying the Lake Trail.

Look for more LCHC Retrospectives in the next issue of the Journal

2014 LCHC Accomplishments: • • • • • • • • • • •

Supported Upper Lake’s Wild West Strawberry Ice Cream Social & Festival and recruited participants for the All-Equine Parade.

Supported the Clear Lake Junior Horsemen and promoted them throughout the year in our Journal.

Supported Californio Days’ Fiesta of the Horse at Rancho de la Fuente, Lakeport.

Published quarterly issues of the Lake County Horse Council Journal, which promotes and supports equine activities, clubs, and businesses around the county.

Hosted a Saddle Fitting seminar in Hidden Valley Lake, as well as a hands-on Saddle Fitting Clinic at Highland Springs Equestrian Center.

Completed a Trail Repair project at Highland Springs Recreation Area.

Supported Highland Springs Trails Volunteers’ efforts toward safe trails.

Successful 1st trash pick-up for Adopt-A-Road at Highland Springs.

Successful 3rd annual Horse Faire at the Kelseyville Pear Festival.

Successful annual membership trail ride & potluck at Crown Over Cross Ranch, Upper Lake.

Continued support for the Westside Community Park plans for an equestrian center.

Page 10

Lake County Horse Council Journal ~ Winter 2015 v1

Horses & Valuable Life Discoveries ~ A Conversation With My Teacher

By Barbara J. Brown (BB), in dialogue with Sally Green (SG)

B.B. I’m relatively new to horses and Lake Co. and I’m learning about horses because I find my life feels better when I’m around them. I’ve seen there are many ways people enjoy their horses here. Your teaching makes sense to me and has changed my perception. What guides your approach?

S.G. There has to be a deep regard for the wellbeing of the horse. It means we put the horse’s health and happiness before our own agenda. This really becomes a way of life. We try to provide the best environment for the horse, preferably at pasture with other equines, natural diet, hoof care, and so on. If they are raised from a young age in a herd, they learn to understand hierarchy and are comfortable putting their trust in a leader. I try to help people develop a relationship of trust and communication through exercises in body language. Horses communicate through body language, and they have an uncanny ability to know us through our own body language. They will respect a leader who shows clarity and decisiveness and who also remains calm and benign. We often “chatter” unknowingly with our bodies, sending very confusing messages.

B.B. From the class you teach with horses I’ve sensed greater calmness and clarity in myself and I feel more confident with the horse because of it. I’ve heard you say that this body language work also helps keep humans safe...how so?

Sally Green

Photos by Jim & Bobbi Eral

Barbara Brown

S.G. We teach the horse to respect our space, not crowd or step on us, and if something startles the horse, it will look to us for leadership...do we need to be frightened, or is it okay? It won’t feel it needs to take charge by bolting off and the training will progress much more easily if the horse feels comfortable and trusts us.

B.B. In my lessons on the lunge line, you’ve helped me appreciate the importance of developing an independent and effective seat. By not relying on the reins for balance, I’m having more sensitive contact with the mouth and clearer communication with the horse. I’m feeling less tense and its been really enjoyable to learn how to ride.

S.G. You’re developing a soft feel on the reins and here’s why it’s useful: when we first start training a horse, its natural tendency is to raise its head and hollow its back out of apprehension and/or lack of strength. So by enticing the horse through this soft contact to telescope its neck out and down, we enable it to release the tension in the back, rounding it up slightly, and engaging the hind quarters, largely through activating the abdominal muscles. It’s important for the horse to have complete freedom of its head and neck, so we don’t use any sort of restrictive gadgets. The horse “coils its loins,” which means it lowers the croup and flexes all the joints of the hindquarters, reaching under itself increasingly. The untrained horse naturally carries more of its weight on the forehand and this is exacerbated by adding weight to its back or hooking it to a cart, so by engaging the hindquarters, we ask it to carry more of it’s weight on the hind end. As it engages the hind end, the front end lightens in proportion. This is called longitudinal balance and it’s what true lightness is about. Many people confuse a delicate contact with the bit with lightness, but that’s not actually the same thing.*

Lake County Horse Council Journal ~ Winter 2015 v1

B.B. Your instruction seems based on sound principles of biomechanics and, if I’m not aware of the biomechanics, it seems I risk harming the horse by asking it to do something it may not be supple or strong enough to do. You’ve also mentioned lateral balance. What does that mean?

S.G. Like humans, horses are either right- or left-hand dominant. This causes them to overload the dominant front leg and the diagonal hind leg, putting unnecessary stress on their joints.

In order to balance them, we do a lot of exercises in-hand and on the lunge, trying to get them to bend the spine as they work on a curved line and stay upright rather than lean in like a motorcycle on a turn. With the horse able to weight all its feet evenly, the stress on the joints and muscles is minimized. With both longitudinal and lateral balance, a horse has a much better chance of staying sound.**

Page 11

S.G. The word dressage is French, meaning “training.” It’s really just the basic gymnastic preparation of a horse for any discipline we wish to participate in. The dressage exercises are designed to develop balance, suppleness and straightness and this can be pursued to the Grand Prix level, or, simply applied to whatever activity you ask your horse to do in daily life. Dressage allows the horse to develop its full expression, to become beautiful and proud. If we fail them in this, if we use them only to fulfill our own desires, we shortchange not only our horses, but ourselves as well. By honoring and bringing out the best in our horses, we open ourselves to receiving a gift of tremendous value from them.

B.B. Can horses get injured by not working in balance?

S.G. Well yes, they actually can, and do, and I think that’s why the horse supply catalogs are so full of joint medications.

Horses get joy out of movement; but if they are stiff and in pain, moving is not such a joyful experience. That’s why it’s so important to help the horse relax and move fluidly without tension.

Tension causes pain which, in turn, leads to unsoundness.

B.B. How can I tell if a horse has tension?

S.G. It will be hard for you to feel it at this stage, but you will.

You can see when you lunge a horse if his back is undulating loosely. For now, it would be easiest to look at photos. At the trot, is the hind cannon bone parallel to the diagonal front forearm? Tension causes exaggerated front end movement, leg throwing or toe flipping.

B.B. You’ve mentioned that this method of training is referred to as dressage. Can you elaborate?

B.B. Sally, thank you for being here. Your graceful and kind manner has helped me to trust and develop my own inner strength of calm awareness that I can rely on when I’m with horses and that has felt good. Also, thank you for letting me share what I’m learning here in this journal. I’m just beginning to appreciate valuable life discoveries through dressage - the beauty of which, I’m finding, only horses can reveal. * A good article about this is Dr. Deb Bennett’s “Ring of Muscles Revisited” which you can download at www.equinestudies.org/ring_revisted_2008/ring_of_muscles_2008_pdf.pdf

Students in one of Sally’s driving classes

**An excellent book on laterality is “Straightening the Crooked Horse” by Klaus Schoneich and Gabriele Rachen-Schoneich.

September 21, 2014 Lake County CDS Chapter Schooling Show

Page 12

Everyone was a winner at the September CDS schooling show, at beautiful Highland Springs Equestrian Center.

Page 13

Preserving Heritage Breeds You’ve heard conservation organizations talk about dwindling numbers of wildlife and loss of habitat. When a species’ numbers sink too low, it is known as endangered. Lower still, and it is critically endangered.

Did you know there is a conservation group devoted to America’s heritage livestock? The Livestock Conservancy (TLC, previously known as the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy) has been working since 1977 to raise awareness and promote the need to preserve rare old livestock bloodlines.

These breeds sustained our nation for hundreds of years, but they are in danger of extinction, victims of our industrialized factory farm system.

TLC maintains a conservation priority list that divides endangered breeds of horses, asses, sheep, goats, cattle, rabbits, pigs and poultry into five categories based on population numbers and historical interest. (Horses are not raised for food or fiber, but they are definitely livestock.) TLC currently has 3000 members, and serves as a liaison to put breeders of rare livestock in touch with each other. Why is this important?

Industrialized (factory) farming relies upon a tiny handful of breeds whose most important characteristic is that they can withstand the rigors of Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO’s). Factory farms are thus monocultures. If/when a disease comes along which strikes down the one breed of chicken which comprises 98% of all chickens raised for the American market… Wouldn’t it be good to have other breeds of chicken available? Ones that may have within their genetic code resistance to the new disease?

Basic biology informs us of the value of genetic diversity, but our current food system relies on monocultures. This is where the small farmer or rancher (or 4-H or FFA) can play a key role in preserving America’s food and fiber future.

Preserving heritage breeds can also make financial sense, for smaller operations. A farmer who raises 25 pigs cannot sell them at a price that is competitive with the CAFO that raises 2500 - if they are the same product. But if a small farmer is raising heritage pigs that sell for two-three times more per pound because consumers value its better flavor and appreciate the more humane methods used in raising it…? Bingo.

TLC partners with Slow Food USA to put more heritage breeds on America’s dinner tables, which benefits both human and animal health, environ-

Lake County Horse Council Journal ~ Winter 2015 v1

Learn more about TLC at Californio Days on June 28

mental health, and the financial health of rural communities. Restaurant chefs like Wolfgang Puck form partnerships with farmers who provide heritage breeds for their customers. It is a win-win for all.

Even if you are not a farmer by profession, your “hobby farm” could become a valuable part of this important preservation effort.

Visit www.livestockconservancy.org for more information and to see lists of heritage livestock breeds.

Endangered horse breeds include the American Cream Draft Horse, Hackney, Cleveland Bay, Colonial Spanish, Lipizzan, Shire and Suffolk. Recovering from endangered status is the Belgian.

Also listed are cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits and poultry.

These animals are “Living History.” They are part of our nation’s heritage, exotic looking connections to our past whose DNA could make valuable contributions to our future. Preserving them for future generations is important for many reasons.

There are already TLC members in Lake and Mendocino County. As awareness of TLC grows, I hope more farmers (hobby or pro) will join, and we can make Lake County a real force in the Slow Food movement. With Bay Area “foodie” markets just hours away, this could begin a new era of prosperity for Lake County’s farmers.

Author Deb Baumann first joined the TLC in 2003, when it was the ALBC. Anyone interested is welcome to contact her at 275-9234

Californio Days / Fiesta of the Horse

28 June 2015

www.californio.us

Page 14

Lake County Horse Council Journal ~ Winter 2015 v1

Native American Horsemanship in Early California The words Native American horsemanship bring to mind images of warriors riding bareback, galloping their painted steeds with naught to control them except a slender leather thread looped over the horse’s lower jaw… This dramatic image originated in the central and northern parts of our continent, where tribes of the Great Plains caught and tamed wild horses. Starting from scratch, these tribes developed their own unique styles of horsemanship. Their success made them legendary horsemen, earning such accolades as “the finest light cavalry in the world.”

But that was over a thousand miles from the west coast. Here in California, Native Americans also became magnificent horsemen, and they were also very inventive and expanded the art of horsemanship – but in a very different way, because the origins of their horsemanship were different.

Horses were brought to California overland, driven across the harsh desert from Sonora in the 1700’s. California Missions bred cattle, hogs, equines and sheep. As each Mission was established, soldiers who helped drive livestock to their new home would eventually be diverted to duties elsewhere, leaving the padres with quickly-growing herds on a vast, unfenced landscape.

Outnumbered thousands to one in the New World, the Spanish were fully aware of the strategic advantage that riding horses gave them, and therefore it was illegal to allow natives to ride or own a horse. But the padres in remote California, cut off by a thousand miles of desert from the rest the Spanish colonies in Mexico, faced a dilemma – they needed a mounted workforce to patrol and control herds that soon numbered in the hundreds of thousands. The only people available were their Native American converts, known as “neophytes.”

Oftentimes masters of classical equitation themselves, the padres were well-qualified to teach horsemanship. When the padres began teaching neophytes to ride, they naturally taught them to ride the same way the padres themselves rode. Centuries before, Moorish cavalry had literally run rings around slow-moving European knights. The superiority of the Africans’ horsemanship revolutionized riding in Spain and throughout Europe. Thanks to Moorish equestrian legacy, California’s neophytes were taught to ride al jinete, which can be translated to, “by the body,” wherein riders use their entire body to cue the horse and become one with it.

Native Californians mastered the teachings and became expert, daring, athletic horsemen.

In isolated early California, metal was scarce and equipment had to be made from what was available, so neophytes learned to make saddles and other tack from wood, leather, rawhide and horse hair. Native Californian basket-weavers were among the most skilled and artful in the world, so it is not surprising that when they applied their craftsmanship to braiding rawhide and horse hair, the results were spectacular.

By the early 1800’s, the Californio style had emerged, a blend of both cultures: Spanish and Native Californian.

Faced with the challenges of managing cattle that turned wild in the unfenced New World landscape, and unburdened by centuries of tradition that can close the mind, neophyte vaqueros invented new methods of riding and herding, including the most dramatic difference between Old World and New -- throwing the long lasso to catch cattle or horses (even elk or grizzly bears…!), then dallying around a saddle horn to stop and hold their quarry.

To protect themselves from cactus and thorny brush, they wrapped their legs in leather, which eventually led to chaps. They put leather shields over stirrups to protect their feet, which led to tapideros. They favored broad-brimmed hats to ward off the bright California sun. They wore scarves around their necks and put jingling spurs on their feet.

To put it simply: the iconic symbol of the American west, what we today call a “cowboy,” was invented by… Indians.

Throughout the Mission era, neophyte vaqueros enjoyed stature and respect as equestrians, but otherwise their lives were as humble as other mission workers. But in the 1820’s, following secularization (when Mission holdings became privately owned), vaqueros found themselves in great demand. Their wages were high when compared to other workers, and their clothing soon reflected their elevated financial status.

The Californio-era vaquero was proud to advertise his trade and worth with silver spurs and bits, bright silk scarves and sashes, and silver conchos on his pants and jacket – an instantly recognizable, romantic and dashing figure.

And, a revolutionary one. In the Old World, aristocrats rode horses while the working-class

Page 15

walked. The vaquero was a new figure on the world stage — a proud, working-class equestrian, secure in his skill and the high value placed on his services.

Early California exported cattle, horses and vaquero horsemanship to Hawaii (where cowmen are still called paniolos, rooted in colonial Spanish hispaniolos). California cattle and horses shipped to Australia were the genesis of that continent’s ranching industry. American ranches in the north western states were started with livestock driven by vaqueros from California. Look carefully at almost any Charlie Russell painting and you will likely see at least one Californio-style vaquero in the mix.

When California became a state of the USA in 1848, the life of native vaqueros changed, but not as much as you might think. Though most large ranches were now owned by Yankee Americans, the need for a skilled equestrian workforce continued.

Large operations such as Rancho Tejon near Bakersfield were home to entire, self-contained Indian

villages, where Native Californians kept their culture, their language, their ceremonies and their traditions intact. Ranch-work aside, they were otherwise free to elect chiefs and govern themselves, preserving tribal village hierarchies.

Not all California vaqueros were Indians, of course, many were Spanish, African, Mexican, or any combination thereof. From the 1840’s onward, increasing numbers came from the East. Yankees were highly enamored of the Californio style and considered being identified as a “Yankee vaquero” to be among the highest of honors.

The latter 1800’s saw terrible violence against California’s natives, wherein Indians were ruthlessly murdered throughout the state. But marauding racist gangs were stopped at the entrances of the large ranchos by armed Yankee ranch owners.

One can be cynical and say that ranchers were only protecting their own financial interests by protecting their work-force. But the fact remains that those ranch-based villages survived and continued Native California traditions far into the next century, having been spared the genocide that was occurring elsewhere.

If the role played by California’s Native Americans in creating the iconic “cowboy” is largely unknown today, that is not surprising. Statesanctioned racism became the law of the land under American rule after 1848. It was not safe to be identified as having native or mixed blood in California in the latter half of the 19th century. California’s Native American population dropped from 150,000 to 30,000 between 1848 and 1860, and other non-whites suffered harassment and persecution, too.

The new owners of California justified landtheft and genocide by portraying those they disenfranchised as lesser, as lazy, as unworthy. In 1888, historian Hugh Bancroft described the Californio era as an age “characterized by ignorance and laziness.”

Historical and cultural contributions of non-white people were deliberately erased from new history books.

It is a story as old as humankind… To the conqueror goes the ability to spin. © copyright by Deb Baumann Deb has lectured on this topic at schools, museums, libraries and at special events for the Smithsonian Institute, Autry Museum of the American West, and the Santa Ynez Historical Society’s famous annual Vaquero Show, among others.

Blast From The Past At HAW’s winter yard sale, Marty Brookman of UL holds a “mystery object” — it almost appears to be an iron-andleather… bustier?

What purpose did this antique driving apparatus serve… Can you guess?

Page 16

Rancho Californio

Celebrating Los Californios and California’s Golden Era Rare Spanish-Era Breed Preservation Living History Presentations Horse Training “Jaquima a Freno” Doma Vaquera / La Garrocha www.californio.us

Answer is on page 20.

Page 17

Please Support These Businesses That Support the LCHC A&B Collision (Clearlake) 994-8800 Ag Unlimited (Kelseyville) 278-3131 Animal Hospital of Lake County

(Clearlake) 995-1138

Bamboo and Bit Exchange (HVL) 355-0358 Black Horse Tack (Redwood Valley) 485-0347 Carlton Tires

(Lakeport)

263-6770

Clear Lake Redi-Mix (Lakeport) 263-5297 Cole Creek Equestrian Center (Kelseyville) 279-0915 Cowgirl Consignment (Lakeport) Fischer Development (Kelseyville) 350-0155 Highland Springs Equestrian Center (Kelseyville) 279-1903 Holdenreid Harvesting

(Kelseyville)

John’s Market (Kelseyville) 279-2440 Lake County Farm Bureau

(Lakeport)

263-0911

Lake County Rodeo Association (Lakeport) Lake County Wine Studio (Upper Lake) 275-8030 Middletown Animal Hospital (Middletown) 987-2000 Mt.Konocti Truck & Auto Repair

(Kelseyville) 279-1974

Rancho de la Fuente (Lakeport) 263-3160 RB Peters (Lakeport) 263-3678 Soul 2 Soul (Kelseyville) 279-0732 Tallman Hotel/Blue Wing Saloon (Upper Lake) 275-2244 TNT Storage (Kelseyville & Lower Lake) 279-9090 U.C.C. Rentals

(Lakeport)

263-6488

Wildhurst Vineyards (Kelseyville)

.

Page 18

Lake County Horse Council Journal ~ Winter 2015 v1

HAW—Loween at Argonaut Farm by Carol Maxwell Rain poured all day and half the night Saturday, but Judy Mitchell and volunteers had Argonaut Farm festooned with creepy decor by 10 Sunday morning, October 26. Riders and drivers paraded before judges and photographers in the arena in full costume. A witch in stylish boots joined two Bumble Bees atop equine bouquets and a circus rider in shimmering veils. Dame Thorn, dressed for a Victorian driving party, was only a century late. Famous French artist Mr. Monet pranced around his easel, and Red Riding Hood arrived driving… Gramma?

Ballots were cast, then the parade headed out to loop five miles through Finley, gathering up cards for their poker hands as they went. Back at Barbara Kroboth’s Argonaut Farm, we all enjoyed a leisurely tri-tip barbeque and potluck under the trees. We talked, cheered the prizewinners, and laughed through the afternoon.

It was a perfect day: friends, horses, food, and fun. Crisp air and warm sun—I drove away glowing.

Do you remember being ten or thirteen, painting or decorating your horse, and hopping aboard for a turn around the pasture, or a ride down the road to share the fun with a friend? Well, it’s just as fun now as it was then.

This HAW tradition is open to all. I hope you’ll join in, next October, fourth Sunday of the month.

Page 19

Page 20

Lake County Horse Council Journal ~ Winter 2015 v1

LAKE COUNTY HORSE COUNCIL—Announcements of Upcoming Events General Contact/Events for LCHC: Kim Riley (707) 245- 7468 or kimrileya58@gmail.com

Answer to “Blast from the Past” (page 16)

Local clubs are invited to send their entire 2014 calendars for inclusion as soon as available.

Send your event information to: Kim Riley (707) 245- 7468 or kimrileya58@gmail.com Due to frequent updating of the Rolling Calendar, the printed version in any Journal becomes outdated very quickly. Please visit the LCHC website for the most current Calendar information including events held in locales beyond Lake County.

www.lakecountyhorsecouncil.com

WANTED: HORSES & Horse Groups to Ride or Drive in Upper Lake’s

Wild West Days Parade Above iron apparatus has leather straps that suggest it was meant to be fitted over an animal’s head, blocking eyesight.

However, closer inspection reveals tiny slits, through which the animal would only be able to see a tiny area directly beneath its front feet.

Can you guess why?

Our Answer: In old logging operations, oxen were used to pull logs out of the forest. These blinders prevented them from being distracted or frightened by the busy activities going on around them, and/or by the heavy dangerous objects they were pulling.

(Have a better answer? Please let us know !)

June 6 (Saturday) Contact Susan Feiler 707 275-8030

Page 21

LAKE COUNTY HORSE COUNCIL – CALENDAR OF LOCAL EQUINE EVENTS Ongoing or Multi-Date Events Back Country Horsemen Lake Mendo Unit: Quarterly meetings at Round Table Pizza, Lakeport. Contact: Paul Villanueva 263-0147 or villan13@pacific.net California Dressage Society clinics and shows - Highland Springs Equestrian Center. Juliana Vidich 279-1903 LCHC Board Meetings: Second Tuesday of each month, meeting starts at 6pm at Kelseyville Pizza Redwood Empire Quarter Horse Association Team Penning - see Facebook page for new events Steam Country Equestrians Gymkhanas—Middletown Central Park Arena, Info Vicky Schmidt 707-494-4929 White Dog Ranch events for Kids and Adults too—Potter Valley 707-743-9973 www whitedogranch com

One-Time Events in 2015 March 15 (Sunday) - Hooves & Wheels Brassfield Winery Drive Info: Judy Mitchell 707-357-3009 mitchell@mcn.org April 26 (Sunday) - Hooves & Wheels De-Sensitizing Clinic Bachelor Valley Info: Tom & Lynn Hughes huffnpuff@hughes.net May 23 (Saturday) Lakeport Memorial Day Parade May 24 (Sunday) - Hooves & Wheels Derby Info: Judy Mitchell 707-357-3009 mitchell@mcn.org May 24 (Sunday) - Lower Lake Daze Parade June 6 (Saturday) Upper Lake Wild West Days parade and street fair June 19-21 (Friday – Sunday) Middletown Days http://www.middletowndays.org June 28 (Sunday) - Californio Days / Fiesta of the Horse Rancho de la Fuente, Lakeport Info: 707-275-9234 info@californio.us July 10-11 (Friday - Saturday) Lake County Rodeo http://lakecountyrodeo.sharepoint.com/Pages/default.aspx July 26 (Sunday) Hooves & Wheels Camping Weekend Info: Judy Mitchell 707-357-3009 mitchell@mcn.org August 29-30 (Saturday – Sunday) Lake County Fair Horse Show Junior Horse Saturday - Open Horse Sunday http://www.lakecountyfair.com/fair/contest-handbook September 26 (Saturday) Kelseyville Pear Festival and Lake County Horse Council’s Horse Faire. Kim Riley 279-0343 September 27 (Sunday) Hooves & Wheels Play Day Lakeport Info: Roz Ashby rozashby@yahoo.com October 17 (Saturday) Lake County Horse Council The Great Highland Springs Scavenger Hunt Poker Ride http://www.lakecountyhorsecouncil.com October 25 (Sunday) Hooves & Wheels Brassfield Winery Drive/Halloween Costume Party Info: July Mitchell 707-357-3009 mitchell@mcn.org October (date TBA) LCHC Annual Meeting and Board of Directors Elections November (date TBA) Thorn Hill Equine & Wine Festival November 22 (Sunday) Hooves & Wheels Old Toll Road Drive Highland Springs Info: Judy Mitchell 707-357-3009 mitchell@mcn.org December (date TBA) Hooves & Wheels Christmas Caroling Drive Info: Judy Mitchell 707-357-3009 mitchell@mcn.org

Reminder: This calendar is updated twice a month ONLINE ~ please check the LCHC website for most current information

Page 22

Lake County Horse Council Journal ~ Winter 2015 v1

JOIN or RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY!

Lake County Horse Council

Don’t miss out on any of the benefits of membership, which may include: • Member exclusive informational forums • Quarterly Journal

Celebrating our 5th Anniversary!

• Frequent member email updates and local equestrian calendar information • Access to discounts on supplies and clinics Return this form to: Lake County Horse Council, P.O. Box 1551, Kelseyville, CA 95451 – Checks payable to Lake County Horse Council

Name* ____________________________________________________ Today’s Date ____/____/_______ *Family Membership: please identify household’s adults by name on this form Address _______________________________________________________ State_______ Zip_________ Email

_______________________@_____________________

Phone

Membership Category ________________________________________ Category

Individual (Basic) Membership Family Membership **

Dues $10 / yr $25 / yr

________________________ Amount Enclosed $_________

Benefits Basic: Events, Email Updates Basic + LCHC Journal mailed to your home (**NOTE: Family includes named parents/guardians and their minor dependents)

Charter Membership *** Last Chance to become a Charter Member

Lifetime Membership

$50 once, regular annual dues thereafter

$150

Basic + 2 business card ads in Journal, web listing and inclusion in “Charter Members” page in Journal (***NOTE: after March 31, 2015 no more Charter memberships will be issued) Basic + LCHC Journal mailed to your home

(one-time payment) Business/ Club/ Organization

$75 / yr

Two Quarter-page ads in the Journal, 10% discount on additional Journal ads, and web listing

Lake County Horse Council Journal Advertising Rates Ads will run in the next quarterly issue of the Lake County Horse Council News Journal and must be renewed in order to run in further issues. * * * Discount rates for ads running three or four consecutive issues. * * * To place an ad (your design or we’ll help with layout), contact Deb Baumann 275-9234, or mail payment and ad copy to Lake County Horse Council, P.O. Box 1551, Kelseyville, CA 95451 (attn: Journal Advertising) Outside Back Cover, color Inside Front Cover, color Inside Back Cover, color Full Page black & white

$175 $150 $150 $125

Half page black & white Quarter page black & white Business card black & white Classified ad

$75 $50 $25 $10

Lake County Horse Council P.O. Box 1551 Kelseyville, CA 95451

LCHC Celebrates 5th Anniversary in 2015