Direct From Hadsten House In Solvang, California: RDLF Peruvian Passos Rule
Where Peruvian Passos Are Kings!
I have fallen in love with this area. The Santa Ynez Valley is truly amazing and of course the City of Solvang is very special. What makes a place special? What makes one love one area and not an other that may be very similar in style and geography. It basically boils down to people for truly, people do make the difference. Those that I have encountered here and within the Santa Ynez area are truly the ones that make this God's Paradise different from places that I have been in many parts of the world. That is not to say I dislike the other places that I have been but I feel a special attraction to the people and sites of this area.
Terry Jarchow is one such person. Her Rancho de la Floricita (or RDLF) she offers a welcoming hand to fellow horse enthusiasts and lovers. I'm the first to admit that I know nothing about horses. My daughter, Taryn and her friend Victoria Delsnyder are the true "experts" on this trip. They compete in Hunter/Jumper events in Canada and spend most of their waking moments at the "barn" either working or taking care of the horses. Yesterday, July 31st, they got the thrill of visiting Terry's ranch and riding two of her famous horses.
Taryn was here before last year and was thrilled to ride Terry's National Grand Champion----a beautiful Chocolate Brown Palomino Peruvian Passo.
The story of Terry and her husband, Brian's interest in Passos begins when Terry had back surgery and found that the riding these gentle horses was less jarring on her back than regular breeds. In 1980 they bought land and built a home on West Oak Trail though they lived in Santa Barbara at the time. They moved to the area permanently in 1991.
Terry, with degrees in literature and history, was the perfect person to ask how the Passo breed came to be.
"The horses are descended from those that were brought from Spain by Columbus on his second voyage in 1493. The breed was further established in Jamaica and Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) and can been traced to the Spanish Conquistadors. Those that are descended from the Caribbean area are called Passo Finos however, Francisco Pizzaro (1471-1541) with him in his decimation of the Inca Empire. The breed settled there and is different from the "Finos" in that it has a longer reach giving it a more fluid gait thus allowing it to go further---easier. Both breeds are farm animals."
At the ranch, Terry and her staff of expert trainers (which includes her very pretty 14 year old daughter) treat each horse with tender loving care. These horses which range in size from 14 to 15 hands are truly a sight to behold as they they move around the ring in their "broken, four-beat pace". What got me was not only the sheer beauty of their colours and long manes but also their especially defined and delicate faces that seemed so expressive and intelligent as they looked at me. In many ways, their movements could easily be imagined to be that of the legendary Unicorn as it moved so poetically through the forest.
All the horses at Rancho de la Florecita are bred via purebred parents thus ensuring that the foals have all the attributes that make this breed so famous. Several interesting features that Terry spoke about was that the horses do not have shoes.
We toured the ranch visiting the stables, young horses and the foals. Darlene made a comment how quiet it was and I just watched, quietly admiring poetry in motion as these horses moved.
Taryn and Victoria got the surprise when two horses were saddled for them to ride. Keep in mind that both these girls, though very experienced in the riding of Thoroughbred Jumpers, had little in the way of introduction to the Peruvian Passos. Taryn rode the "RDLF Fantasia" a light grey mare while Victoria rode "RDLF Bugambilia", a pretty chestnut mare. It was somewhat amusing to see them trotting around the paddock ring with that particular gait. Terry's trainer put both girls through a series of trials such as weaving around red road cones in patterns. The girls both reacted in much the same way: "It was so cool----what cool horses!"
I guess if there is any word to describe the horses and Rancho de la Florecita I guess the word would be "cool". Terry Jarchow, however, in that case, would be the coolest of all!!!"
Definitely a must for any person wishing to see some of the loveliest animals this side of Paradise!
Rancho de la Florecita www.florecita.com or 805-688-1447
I have fallen in love with this area. The Santa Ynez Valley is truly amazing and of course the City of Solvang is very special. What makes a place special? What makes one love one area and not an other that may be very similar in style and geography. It basically boils down to people for truly, people do make the difference. Those that I have encountered here and within the Santa Ynez area are truly the ones that make this God's Paradise different from places that I have been in many parts of the world. That is not to say I dislike the other places that I have been but I feel a special attraction to the people and sites of this area.
Terry Jarchow is one such person. Her Rancho de la Floricita (or RDLF) she offers a welcoming hand to fellow horse enthusiasts and lovers. I'm the first to admit that I know nothing about horses. My daughter, Taryn and her friend Victoria Delsnyder are the true "experts" on this trip. They compete in Hunter/Jumper events in Canada and spend most of their waking moments at the "barn" either working or taking care of the horses. Yesterday, July 31st, they got the thrill of visiting Terry's ranch and riding two of her famous horses.
Taryn was here before last year and was thrilled to ride Terry's National Grand Champion----a beautiful Chocolate Brown Palomino Peruvian Passo.
The story of Terry and her husband, Brian's interest in Passos begins when Terry had back surgery and found that the riding these gentle horses was less jarring on her back than regular breeds. In 1980 they bought land and built a home on West Oak Trail though they lived in Santa Barbara at the time. They moved to the area permanently in 1991.
Terry, with degrees in literature and history, was the perfect person to ask how the Passo breed came to be.
"The horses are descended from those that were brought from Spain by Columbus on his second voyage in 1493. The breed was further established in Jamaica and Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) and can been traced to the Spanish Conquistadors. Those that are descended from the Caribbean area are called Passo Finos however, Francisco Pizzaro (1471-1541) with him in his decimation of the Inca Empire. The breed settled there and is different from the "Finos" in that it has a longer reach giving it a more fluid gait thus allowing it to go further---easier. Both breeds are farm animals."
At the ranch, Terry and her staff of expert trainers (which includes her very pretty 14 year old daughter) treat each horse with tender loving care. These horses which range in size from 14 to 15 hands are truly a sight to behold as they they move around the ring in their "broken, four-beat pace". What got me was not only the sheer beauty of their colours and long manes but also their especially defined and delicate faces that seemed so expressive and intelligent as they looked at me. In many ways, their movements could easily be imagined to be that of the legendary Unicorn as it moved so poetically through the forest.
All the horses at Rancho de la Florecita are bred via purebred parents thus ensuring that the foals have all the attributes that make this breed so famous. Several interesting features that Terry spoke about was that the horses do not have shoes.
We toured the ranch visiting the stables, young horses and the foals. Darlene made a comment how quiet it was and I just watched, quietly admiring poetry in motion as these horses moved.
Taryn and Victoria got the surprise when two horses were saddled for them to ride. Keep in mind that both these girls, though very experienced in the riding of Thoroughbred Jumpers, had little in the way of introduction to the Peruvian Passos. Taryn rode the "RDLF Fantasia" a light grey mare while Victoria rode "RDLF Bugambilia", a pretty chestnut mare. It was somewhat amusing to see them trotting around the paddock ring with that particular gait. Terry's trainer put both girls through a series of trials such as weaving around red road cones in patterns. The girls both reacted in much the same way: "It was so cool----what cool horses!"
I guess if there is any word to describe the horses and Rancho de la Florecita I guess the word would be "cool". Terry Jarchow, however, in that case, would be the coolest of all!!!"
Definitely a must for any person wishing to see some of the loveliest animals this side of Paradise!
Rancho de la Florecita www.florecita.com or 805-688-1447
posted by Chuck Byers - Wine Consultant | 7:17 AM
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