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Hunter Equestrian Center |
A soft summer breeze rolls across Eden Valley in Escondido, carrying with it the distant scent of the ocean and the closer, more familiar scents of horses, leather and hay. July marked the second year in operation for the Hunter Equestrian Center, and owner Michell Anne Kimball is still rendered speechless by the beauty of the foothills and the tranquility they inspire at her center. It creates a soft ambiance that Michell tries to carry over into every other aspect of Hunter Equestrian Center. The unassuming entrance and serene atmosphere of Hunter Equestrian Center can be a bit deceiving. Under the full oaks and behind the lush landscaping there is a lot going on at the facility. One only has to pass through the 30-stall breezeway barn to view the entire 15-acre facility. With the addition of eight adjoining acres purchased in January, now known as The Country Club Ranch, the complete facility now boasts eight arenas including two grand prix fields (one sand and one a bi-level grass field), two dressage courts with lights (one full and one half), two hunter rings and two smaller lesson arenas for beginner riders. Additionally, the facility also features two 60’ round pens (one is open and the other brand new one is fully covered/enclosed), three extra large tack rooms and wash areas, two new Centaur Equicizers, a private area for the vet and/or farrier to work and a park-like picnic area. Michell is also in the process of adding a formal club house that will host a media room, guest rooms for overnight visitors and a gorgeous covered built-in barbecue patio. All the amenities may lead many to assume that Hunter Equestrian Center is bursting at the seams with horses and riders, but Michell is committed to maintaining a 20 percent vacancy cushion so that trainers and clients of the stable will not feel crowded. The added acreage and arenas ensure that every trainer and client can enjoy a full, well-rounded program in spacious harmony. Her goal has always been to create a fun and inviting environment; one where every rider, no matter their level or discipline, can truly enjoy their equine experience. Every aspect of Hunter Equestrian Center, from its elaborate amenities, to the top-quality service provided by the staff and professional trainers, all play an important role in cultivating that mission. Currently there are four trainers, crossing three disciplines, working out of the center. Trainer Karen Busch has been at the facility since it opened, followed by Jessi Rapheal a year later. This year two new trainers arrived, Kelli DiGioia-Bautista joined in May and most recently grand prix trainer Claudio Gallo moved to the stable in August. Michell laughs softly as she shares a comment made by one of the trainers: “You need to change the name of this place to Hunter Equestrian Riding Park.” Then she quietly notes with a soft grin, “After all, when everything is said and done, it’s a park when you have 60 blooming trees and 200 rose bushes.” Karen Busch and Got-2-Fly Farm Karen Busch’s philosophy is simple: take good care of your horse and they will take care of you. “A horse will go well if he feels good,” explains Karen. “And if a horse is happy and healthy, it should feel good. When that happens, you can be sure you’re doing something right. I may work in a more conservative manner than some trainers, but I like to make sure all my horses, hunters and jumpers, have a solid foundation. Their physical and mental health is of utmost importance to me.” Her training program also revolves around that philosophy. All her students and horses develop a strong foundation with pole work and horses never jump more than twice a week. In addition, she encourages her clients to trail ride at least once a week to prevent boredom and sourness in both the students and their horses. She specializes in training hunters and jumpers, taking on students and horses of all ages and backgrounds. Karen says she has always been drawn to “problem” horses as well as young horses and riders, and loves watching them flourish under her tutelage. Using her strong background in dressage, Karen strives to create a balanced ride that is supple and light. “I want my students to ride into a horse and not just on top of their horses,” explains Karen, who has found her diverse background and extensive experience in dressage to be an invaluable tool in educating her students and training horses. “To me, a good ride is one where an observer can’t tell where the horse starts and the rider begins, because they are working as a seamless pair, one unit.” Jessi Raphael and Turning Leaf Farm Jessi Raphael would be the first to say her middle name should have been “lucky.” Her amateur and professional career, in and out of the show ring, has been blessed by fortunate happenstances. As an assistant trainer she was able to inherit her business from her mentor after he retired. Her current group of students has been training together for almost five years. But Jessi cares very little about the blues and tri-colors, for her it’s all about enjoying horses and camaraderie found in a close knit barn. Jessi’s philosophy, which she hopes her students will inherit, is “If you’re not having fun, then it’s not worth it.” “I love watching children progress with their horses,” say Jessi, who taught her first riding lesson when she was only 15 years old. “I was fortunate enough growing up to ride with a lot of great trainers, so I’ve learned a number of different ways to explain things. Good communication is vital to teaching.” She credits her success to her mentor, but her students testify to Jessi’s unfailing dedication and seemingly never-ending patience. Both Karen and Jessi used to teach at Forest Hill Farm, and Jessi says they hit it off right from the start. “We got along well from the very beginning,” says Jessi. “When the farm closed I went to another place and she went to Hunter Equestrian Center. But all too soon, I found myself in the same situation and I knew how much she liked the facility.” Though her students and Karen’s compete against each other at local shows, in both hunter and equation divisions, they are always quick to put show ring agendas aside at home. Jessi says they are all a close knit group that trail rides together and socializes outside of the barn. “We (Jessi and her students) are really just out to have fun and learn,” says Jessi. “I’m always looking for more kids to come in and ride with us. I really do cater to beginners and children, and for our sport to really grow and thrive, I think that’s important.” Kelli DiGioia-Bautista and KDB Training Stable She may be the new kid on the block at Hunter Equestrian Center, but Kelli DiGioia-Bautista’s riding resume is a Who’s Who list of California’s best and brightest. Kelli spent 10 years riding at the legendary Foxfield, before going on to ride with a string of well-known trainers including the Karazissis’ at Far West Farms, Karen Healey and Richard Spooner. “Growing up riding at Foxfield and with Healey I learned how important good horsemanship is, and that is something I try to pass on to all my students. I have clients of all age ranges and experience levels, young and old, junior and amateurs, and I love teaching them what I learned and how to manage their animals. I think trainers have started to realize that over the past 10 years we have created dozens of great riders, but not necessarily dozens of great horsemen. Many kids have learned that if they can go out buy a nice horse, they can go out and win. What happened to people really learning how to ride? The ribbons will come if you start with good riding and good horsemanship. That should be our first focus.” Kelli can certainly back up her theory. As a junior she had quite an illustrious career. She won the 17 and Under San Fernando Medal Finals and the Rosewood Medal. Kelli was also reserve champion in the Pacific Coast Horse Show Association (PCHA) Horsemanship Medal, the West Coast Equestrian (WCE) Junior/Amateur Medal and third in the USET Talent Search. After taking an extensive hiatus from the horse world, Kelli started riding and teaching again five years ago and started seriously persuing it professionally two years ago. Coming from Los Angeles, Kelli says that it has been both exciting and frustrating, trying to re-establish herself in San Diego after having ridden most her life on another circuit. But when all is said and done, she loves that her riding and her students’ achievements have been able to stand on their own merits in San Diego, and she feels like she has really found a home at Hunter Equestrian Center. “I can’t imagine a better place to ride. I stepped across the driveway, looked around and just fell in love. All of us—my horses, my clients and myself—have just fallen in love with it. There is plenty of room to grow and it is just a fabulous place to ride. Every job has tools. For equestrians, good footing and spacious arenas, quality equipment and tack, are some of those tools. Having all the right tools make everything about my job, and riding, better.” Moving On Up Though all three trainers have different backgrounds and specialties, they all agree that Hunter Equestrian Center has given them the tools they need to help their clients and their horses meet all their goals. But like Michell, they understand that there is more that goes into creating an outstanding facility than just
great amenities.
For more information about Hunter Equestrian Center call 760-294-6666 or email info@ huntereqcenter.com. To contact Karen Busch call 619-920-4880. To contact Jessi Raphael call 760-525-2305. To contact Kelli DiGioia-Bautista call 760-213-6920.
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