Horse Watching at San Pascual Stables

I'll admit it: sometimes I pull into the San Pascual Stables parking lot just to look at the horses.  Can you blame me? 

I've taken a lot of photographs at the stables over the last ten years.  Take a look at the video compilation below...

Horsing Around San Pascual Stables

Like the old west, just minutes from Downtown LA.

You'd think living next to a world-class equestrian center would be great.  But you know what it means to me?  Hearing the words:

"Can we have a horse?  Pleeeeeeeeeeeasssssse?!?!?!?" 

every single time we drive by.

San Pascual Stables is located right in the thickety brambles of the Arroyo Seco.  Specializing in Hunter/Jumper training, the riding academy and boarding facilities also host a pretty darn great kids' birthday party.  Just get ready for endlessly repeating:

 "No!  For the last time!  We can't have a horse!" 

You have been warned.

Want to leave a message?  Head over to the Glimpses of South Pasadena Community Forum to start a conversation!

Horsing Around

Guess who wants a pony?

Animal Magnetism

Today is Theme Day for participating City Daily Photo bloggers. Today's theme is Animals.

Meet Otto, one of South Pasadena's more regal residents. Otto has an impressive show horse background, but he was kind enough to gently, patiently give rides to a passel of excited 6 and 7 year olds at a recent birthday party.

Otto is just one of many horses occupying the two stables in South Pasadena. You'll see his pals meandering along the trails of the lower Arroyo, reminding us that there is still a little Wild West left in the big city.

For more examples of critters from all over the world, check out my fellow City Daily Photo bloggers. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Caption This Photo (#85)

That one on the left is up to something...

What do you think?

Caption This Photo (#85)

All I can think to say here is awwwwwwww!

(What about you?)

a pull at his rein and a toss of his mane...

Oh, a wonderful horse is the Fly-Away Horse -
Perhaps you have seen him before;
Perhaps, while you slept, his shadow has swept

Through the moonlight that floats on the floor.
For it's only at night, when the stars twinkle bright,
That the Fly-Away Horse, with a neigh
And a pull at his rein and a toss of his mane,
Is up on his heels and away!
The Moon in the sky,
As he gallopeth by,
Cries: "Oh! what a marvelous sight!"
And the Stars in dismay
Hide their faces away
In the lap of old Grandmother Night...

--Eugene Field

Pale Horse (No Rider)

Every time I stop by San Pascual Stables I have to check on this horse. I have never seen him out running around. Instead, he is always in there, staring into the light like some kind of ghostly symbol of the captivity of modern life...

(Or maybe I just catch him at the wrong time of day.)

Hoofing It

With two local stables (and a little girl who squeals like Christmas morning every time she sees a scene like this one) it's easy to envision a horse in my family's future. While nearby rush hour drivers fight freeway squall, here a few riders meander along the Arroyo with a peaceful clip-clop. Say what you will about Los Angeles and its car culture. In this neck of the woods the horses get the right of way.

Good Things: Small Packages

For a teeny tiny, itsy bitsy, widdle biddie horsie ... this one has the spirit of a Triple Crown winner. At least that's the way it seemed to my daughter and me when we recently stopped by San Pascual Stables to watch the riders. (I think the instructor was pleased with what she saw in the corral but I couldn't really hear her over all the "awwwww"s.)

Sour Grapes

I missed a great shot of one of the prettiest old cars I've ever seen. It would have been ideal to include in my series. Picture it: a vintage white Thunderbird ...high polished, pristine, perfect. It was strategically parked in front of a Craftsman home yesterday and, wouldn't you know it, the batteries in my camera were bad. When I went back later, the car was gone.

J.D. Salinger once wrote, "I don't even like old cars. I mean they don't even interest me. I'd rather have a goddamn horse. A horse is at least human, for God's sake."

Well alrighty, then! That old white T-bird was derivative, anyway...

Moving Violation

Now this is something we don't see every day. I'm not sure of the penalty for disregarding that street sign ... but how do you give a horse a ticket, anyway?

I spotted these charming equine traffic violators on Saturday afternoon. I assume they were meandering toward the Mission West Spring Festival, but we'll never know. (Check out my overflow blog for a few more shots.)