 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
California Riding Magazine • June, 2009 The Gallop: by Erna L. Adelson |
Santa Barbara equines and their keepers have had an eventful year. First, the Gap fire struck in late summer of 2008, and more recently the Jesuita fire called for a second evacuation of horses that are homed in the Santa Barbara foothills. Luckily, reports indicate that horses were safe. Save for a few at Rancho Ravella who weren’t caught on Thurs., May 14, and had to spend the night before they were collected the next day, the horses in potentially hazardous locations were moved to safety by the time the blaze was dangerous. The Santa Barbara Equine Assistance and Evacuation Team was instrumental in moving horses to shelter. A sector of the County Animal Control and Humane Society, SB Equine Assistance helped move upwards of 60 horses and various mules, minis and donkeys, some llamas, alpacas, pigs, 22 goats, 42 chickens, parakeet, a cockatiel, several cats, and even 10 possums from wildlife rescue to Earl Warren Showgrounds for safekeeping, estimates Eugene Granaroli, vice president of SB Equine Assistance. Granaroli says, “We have kept very busy with the T fire, Gap Fire and now Jesuita. This last fire was intense and moved really fast since it was fueled by sundowners. Luckily, we have a lot of volunteers who are willing to pay for their own fuel and feed.” The Santa Barbara Equine Assistance and Evacuation Team was founded a decade ago when the Painted Cave fire called for mass evacuation of horses. “At our peak we were moving animals with nine different trailers of different capacities,” Granaroli says of the Jesuita evacuations. He reports that no horses were lost in the effort. Many other horses were moved to various locations throughout the region. The Santa Barbara Polo Fields also served as a refuge. The 70 horses from Amapola Ranch were relocated there on Thursday night. Rebecca Atwater, who runs a hunter/jumper operation out of Amapola, says, “I was riding my grey Warmblood mare Lola, owned by Hilary Langlois, on a trail ride Thursday and I saw a small fire on the hill across from me. The wind was howling so strongly that my helmet almost blew off. Luckily the wind was north east and away from our barn at the beginning of the fire, but by 8 p.m. the wind shifted and the fire was headed for the ranch.” Atwater knew they had to move the horses, but Earl Warren was already full. She was contacted by John Westley of the Santa Barbara Polo Fields around 8:30, and with the help of Westley, the rest of the Polo Fields staff, and Betsy Woods and Pam Murphy from Ridgewood Stables, all 70 horses were moved to the polo fields by midnight. “We call Westley ‘Saint John’ at Amapola,” says Atwater. Westley himself says, “It was a collaborative effort on the part of the Polo Fields staff and local stables. I called Rebecca in the middle of the night and asked if they needed any help. I rounded up trailers from the Polo Grounds, and we were able to keep all 70 horses from Amapola out there. I would like to note that it was truly a group endeavor.” Erin Bruce of Sunnybrook in Carpinteria was called to help on Thursday night. “The 16 horses from Ocean View Farm on the ridge were already out,” she says, “so we started moving the 70 from Amapola Ranch. By the second trip, it was scary. Just getting out of Amapola to Cathedral Oaks (about 1 mile) took 30 minutes. It was so smoky you couldn’t see where you were going and the roads were closed. By that time, the ridge had caught fire, so there were fire trucks racing up the road. However, with vet Karen Blumenshine helping the horses, we were able to stay pretty organized,” she adds. “Santa Barbara has a great evacuation team, we were there just because we got called personally.” After helping evacuate Amapola, Betsy Woods of Ridgewood Stables moved the 18 horses from Ridgewood Stables in Hope Ranch to veterinarian Charles’ Boles’ empty barn in Buellton. Pam Murphy and her assistant Bryan of M&H transport did some of the hauling as well. “It must have been around 11:30 or midnight when we moved the horses,” Woods recalls. It was more a preemptive strike, as Hope Ranch was not in immediate danger. “I just thought I would be foolish not to take all of the horses to one, safe, location, so we did,” Woods explains. “They stayed there from Thursday though Sunday, and are back at
|
