HoofBeat, March 2019

Just when you feel inspired to get back in the saddle for some serious riding after the holidays, the rain and frigid temps of February make things a little tough. It’s wonderful to hack the horses out and see the flowing river again. March is a great time of year to get some long slow fitness back on the horses and hit the trails, roads that are generally a little hard in the summer make for excellent winter trails.

Buck Davidson Clinic

We have a little inside joke here at Twin Rivers Ranch that Paso Robles can really turn on some extreme weather whenever we host events. Staying true to form, the first weekend in February provided some fairly rainy, blustery and generally unpleasant horse riding weather. Buck Davidson is one of America’s most decorated eventing riders, his father Bruce Davidson Snr is an icon in the sport and is widely regarded as one of the greatest. This was Buck’s first trip to the beautiful central coast to teach a two day clinic. Luckily for us, the huge covered arena at Twin Rivers Ranch was the perfect setting to ensure the weather stayed on the outside! Over 25 riders travelled from all over California to take part, some of them enjoying a few extra days of Paso living and wine tasting after the roads home were closed due to snow. Looking ahead to March, we are excited to be hosting the U.S. Eventing Chef d’Equipe and Performance Director (essentially the team coach) Erik Duvander at the Winter Horse Trials at Twin Rivers (March 1-3rd). After the United States narrowly missed out on qualification in the sport of eventing for the upcoming Olympics in Tokyo 2020, their sights are firmly set on a top podium finish at the Pan American Games in Lima, July 2019. It’s great to see our wonderful home attracting such high calibre clinicians, events and competitors at this time of year (despite the winter weather thrown our way!)

Black Oaks Pony Club

Dubost Equestrian in Templeton is home to North County’s only Pony Club, ‘Black Oaks’. The small-but-mighty club is home to 10 young members who enjoy some of the wonderful experiences Pony Club offers to aspiring young riders looking to learn all about the horse world. Black Oaks DC extraordinaire and owner of Dubost Equestrian, Sarah Kotchian Dubost, ensures the kids can experience a wide variety of events such as visiting Santa Ynez Hunt Club, schooling cross country at Twin Rivers, showjumping rallies in Fresno and Woodside, hosts an annual mock rally at home and also participate at shows at the Paso Robles Horse Park. The club draws on instruction from not just Sarah but some of North County’s finest trainers including Katie Augsburger Katz, Lou Moore Jacobson, Andrea Baxter, Sarah Pollock, Lorraine Danahy, Amanda Diefenderfer and Katie Sequeira. If you’re looking for a great program to broaden your horse knowledge contact Sarah at skdubost@hotmail.com or 805-423-2460 for more information.

March Calendar

March 1-3 Twin Rivers Ranch Winter Horse Trials. The ‘best of the west’ compete – 3 day event. Info at twinrivershorsepark.com.
March 5-10 Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association presents the 2019 PCCHA Coyote Rock Ranch Roundup at the Paso Robles Event Center, Paso Robles. Go to pccha
.com or email info@pccha.com
March 9-10 Gerhard Politz Dressage Clinic, Refugio Road Ranch, 2181 N Refugio Rd, Santa Ynez. Contact Sarah Graham at s.graham
@agpsla.com for information.
March 12 SLO Horse Expo, Madonna Expo Center. Food, fun, shopping, entertainment, and education. Free admission. Get more info at info@slohorseexpo.com.
March 21-24 CCPHC Western Paint World Spring Fling APHA/ ALL Breed Show. Paso Robles Event Center. mjmshowservices.com
March 29- 31 Cattlemen’s Western Art Show at the Paso Robles Event Center. cattlemenswesternartshow
.com