By Teona Tone Schley
The Santa Ynez Valley has the perfect climate for raising horses, and it is home to many famous horses and horse trainers in every discipline. Several of these ranches allow visitors to tour their facilities to learn more about the particular breed or type of horse they raise. If you are interested in horses that are both beautiful and easy to ride, you should visit Rancho de la Florecita. Owners Brian and Terry Jarchow raise and sell Peruvian Paso Horses that are an absolute dream to ride. Terry explains, “I had ridden all my life, but I had injured my back and couldn’t ride for 15 years.
www.florecita.com
If you are interested in horses that are both beautiful and easy to ride, you should visit Rancho de la Florecita. Owners Brian and Terry Jarchow raise and sell Peruvian Paso Horses that are an absolute dream to ride. Terry explained to us, “I had ridden all my life, but I had injured my back and couldn’t ride for 15 years. Then a friend told me about the Peruvian Pasos and they solved my problem—now I can ride for hours without worrying about my back.”
“Then our whole family fell in love with these beautiful horses,” said Brian. In addition to having wonderful dispositions, Peruvian Paso Horses have a “broken, four-beat pace,” a smooth lateral gait that is inherited and very easy to ride. All foals born to purebred parents have this gait. Columbus brought the first of this type of horse to Santo Domingo, then other Spanish explorers brought them to Peru, where they were isolated for several centuries from interbreeding with other types of horses. They were used by Peruvian ranchers as their major means of transportation until very recently.
Both Brian and Terry began riding Peruvian Paso Horses for their own pleasure on trails near their home, at beaches, in the Los Padres National Forest and many other places. Then Terry’s mother talked them into buying their first mare, Mascara, for breeding, as well as riding. Then they bought another mare. “We bought the very best mares we could afford and bred them to the best stallions,” said Brian. Those first two mares were the foundation of their very successful breeding program.
They then progressed to a training center and ultimately to a large breeding farm, where they stand three champion stallions and a number of very high quality mares. They have horses for sale and welcome visitors who might be interested in purchasing one, but please call first for an appointment: 805-688-1447. For more information, and to see photos of some of their horses, you visit their website listed above.
www.cielocelestefarm.com
Celeste Huston (CiCi to her friends and customers) moved to Santa Ynez in 1995, where she developed her dream ranch,
Cielo Celeste Farm. There, she began researching horse color genetics, and started a serious breeding program. Initially her ranch specialized in dun and grulla Quarter Horses, which have rare color genetics similar to those of early wild horses. But when the Gypsy Horses came galloping in to her life, she had to downsize her Quarter Horse stallion and mare population to make room for this new interest. CiCi believes that, “As a responsible breeder, I have an obligation to ensure that I am breeding for the best quality and color, creating a top of the line Gypsy Horse.”
Gypsy Horses are a compact draft-type horse built to pull Gypsy caravans and bred to be friendly and docile for the Gypsy children. They range in size from 14hh to 16hh. Gypsy Horses can be found in a variety of colors–they are an equine Whitman’s sampler! Their most distinctive features are their flowing manes and tails and fully-feathered legs. The Gypsy Horse is a rare breed in the United States. Also known as Gypsy Vanner, Gypsy Cob, Gypsy Horse, and Colored Cob, they all refer to the same strong and colorful breed of horse. Bred for hundreds of years by the Romany people (Gypsies) in the U.K. and Ireland, their bloodlines are well established. Fortunately, you can buy American born and bred horses at Cielo Celeste Farm.
Their show record, with St. Clarins, the 2010 all around Champion of Champions at Fort Worth, proves that the Gypsy Horses at Cielo Celeste Farm are among the finest. Any horse Celeste has for sale was born and bred on her ranch, from her excellent foundation sires and dams. Celeste explained to us that, “The quality coming out of Europe is NOT as it was! The truly finest Gypsy imports came to USA several years ago and what you see coming from abroad now, for the most part, does not compare. The offspring from the best foundation horses are here in the USA.”
Celeste points out that as a responsible and caring breeder, “I never price gouge when selling my horses.” She clarified, “Unlike many unscrupulous dealers who sell imported horses, I am a breeder, not a dealer. I have been standing stallions, owning, competing and loving horses since before the 60’s and can well afford to be fair to the public.”
Call (805-688-8020) for an appointment to view these amazing animals in person (warning: you may fall in love!). DVD’s are also available for those wanting a sneak preview.
Contact us at Santa Ynez Valley Guest Magazine