FOR
the vast majority in the San Gabriel Valley and
Whittier areas, horses are off the radar. They've been
disappearing from our landscape, mostly due to
economic pressures. But maybe it's time to revisit
their contributions to our history and culture.
Perhaps there's still time to take a long, hard look
at "progress' and realign our priorities.
On his Web site, well-known
horseman, trainer, author and teacher Don Blazer says,
"Man's progress wasn't too swift until he got on
the horse's back, then the whole human race began to
boogie.'
True. In earlier times horses
carried our soldiers, pulled our armaments, plowed our
fields, hauled goods to market and provided
transportation. They enabled Western expansion.
Without horses the vast United States would not have
been explored, let alone developed.
Ancient history? Perhaps. But
it's a history that should not be forgotten. It's a
vital part of our national character.
Does modern society have an
obligation to preserve our equine partners? No. But
shouldn't we want to keep alive a connection with
horses that has existed since several thousand years
before the birth of Christ? You bet.
It's obvious. In terms of new
development, progress locally is finite. There's only
so much land available, and sooner or later,
construction here will be a matter of rebuilding, not
developing empty space. Why not stop short of
developing all of it?
Area horsemen just want a
tiny slice of the pie so they can continue to exist.
The city of San Dimas stands out as a fine example of
how communities can accommodate equestrian use,
cementing horses in the community with protective
zoning, bridle paths and a community arena.
What can other cities and Los
Angeles County do? As mentioned in our story,
"Unstable situation: Horse owners losing out in
economics of urban land use' (Jan. 5), they can make
provisions to maintain horse zoning; they can
encourage public stables; and they can protect areas
where horses can be ridden.
As leases with the county and
other entities come up for renewal, we'd like to see a
commitment to maintaining existing boarding stables
with lease renewals or new concessionaires where
necessary.
We urge the city of South
Pasadena to continue the San Pascual Stables property
as an equine venue, negotiating a new lease when the
current one expires. And we'd like to see Metropolitan
Water District's lease with the Rose Bowl Riders and
the county's lease at Whittier Narrows Equestrian
center continued. Additionally, public riding arenas
in Altadena, the Arroyo Seco, Avocadoa Heights, Eaton
Canyon, Glendora, Hacienda Heights, West Covina and
Whittier Narrows should be maintained and protected.
Horse owners are open to the
concept of multi-use trails and should be included in
the planning process as the San Gabriel River, the Rio
Hondo River, and the historic Arroyo Seco are further
developed for recreational use. Likewise, trails in
the Angeles and access roads should be kept open.
But equestrians must also do
their part to be good neighbors. They should keep
stabling areas clean, be conscientious about fly
control and mitigate dust. It's their responsibility
to practice good horsekeeping. And they must
understand that non- horse owners don't necessarily
understand their animals' behavior and idiosyncrasies.
For that reason, we'd like to
see education and better signage in areas where horses
meet cars, bicycles, hikers and dogs. Understanding
can stave off culture clash.
Finally, where there are
horses there is open space. And we all benefit when
the Earth has a little room to breathe.
