MY STORY...

I was involved  in the California horse industry beginning around  1968, active pretty much daily through  2003. I have been  involved breeding and showing a variety of breeds.   I've been lucky to  have had many opportunities to train,  show, breed and judge professionally  and have shown national and state champion quarter ponies from halter to western pleasure, owned stakes winning and producing thoroughbreds, ridden and promoted notable Arabian horses. I've bred, ridden or  shown state and world champion paint horses -- coming full circle from my beginning of local gymkhana events and GRA barrel racing in the 1970's.

I feel fortunate to have bred or  owned some really great horses in my time!  Custom King Collins - 1981 AQPA National Champion; Stormy's Whiz - western pleasure state and national champion; Natural Look - APHA World Champion halter, APHA Superior pleasure horse; Impress My Dad (1981-2005) AQHA futurity and national champion sire, Real Handey - AHR Scottsdale top ten western pleasure, Formula One - Stakes winning Thoroughbred son of Drone and leading CA sire... and of course, Paulo Dell (1968-1998) APHA Champion and Sire of Multiple APHA Champions and Superior Performance horses. Dell was the mainstay of my paint breeding program and gave us many wonderful years of colored working bred babies.  He  is buried near the barn on Eby Ranch. 

I've been so very lucky  to work with a variety of breeds in my lifetime, and  able to handle some top bred horses over the years... showing and training some lovely horses.  I've enjoyed most of them, and certainl learned something from each and every one of them. I think that my favorites were the many Dreamazon offspring.

I'll be  working on stories and pictures about my involvement with  some of these horses on my "horses I have known" page.

I've had a wonderful equestrian life ... being completely enthralled with everything "horses"... After leaving the industry professonally in 2003, I so missed the at lifestyle that my immersion in the horse world gave me. I've gained immeasureable value directly related to the confidence and knowledge that handling and being with horses  has taught me. No young girl ever had her nose more in the equine section of the library, seeking out every 'how-to' title -- studying horse conformation, equine anatomy and veterinary medicine,  training techniques and tack...more than I did. Growing up in a horse-challenged family in Orange County in the 60's,  fueled my internal fire to seek out equestrian buddies and riding and work opportunities for myself at local Santa Ana dude strings and boarding stables.  As I matured,  family friends always warned that when I 'found boys' I'd tire of horses and move on... They couldn't have been more wrong. Instead, I sought out boys who loved horses as much as I did!

Any horse-person knows that to ride, train, or breed  horses -- is so much more than a just another "career choice" or a idealized profession.  It becomes your friendships and  marriages, your hobbies and vacations... your hairstyle and clothing choices...even your vocabulary... all these things set me  apart as a "horse woman". This fascinating world of its own - quickly becomes your entire life. It can come to define who you are. It did for me. To change stride so drastically in my middle age was a strange ride, indeed! This is not at all what I could have envisioned for myself in my younger days when I thought  I'd still be a 'cowgirl' like my good friend Wilma Tate,  (RIP Wilma..May 7, 2010) and breaking colts when I was 65, God willing. ;^)

I've had the opportunity to train and  handle for some of the very best breeders in their respective  breeds. True cornerstone's of the horse industry, many of whom have passed on.  These clients and mentors, who became my good friends,  strongly influenced the person that I am today.  Buster Naegle - APHA national director, "Billie" Lu Prele Williams - Desert Arabians, Pearl Larson  (Show Arabians) , Barbara Crail  (B Bar C AQHA cutting and reining horses) Margaret Haverstock owner of Dreamazon+++, Hanson Stock Farm where I foaled out broodmares and worked with the yearlings. In retrospect, I wish that I had been aware enough in those past years  to live in the moment and truly appreciate and acknowledge the wisdom and  opportunities these people handed me, and to understand what a gift it was to have earned the faith they bestowed upon me with their horses.

For several years during  the late 90's I developed various off-the-wall  health problems and autoimmune issues. During 2001, throughout my involvement with PSI seminars,  I began having mysterious, often severe and chronic "issues"  including a long term severe gall bladder infection and susequent removal, as well as asthma,  chronic pnemonia and "black outs" due to low blood oxygen levels.   By 2003, after many trips to the ER, various tests  and  misdiagnosis' -- it was  discovered  that I had developed several  very severe allergies to a multitude of things, not the least of which was HORSES and pine trees! (My  own ranch was planted heavily with pines in 1990) Even after 2 years of  treatments,  courses of  weekly antigen shots, many medications, acupuncture,  meditation and  even prayer... I had to let go of  the  stubborn idea that "I  refuse to give up my  horses."  After having 6 'bouts of pneumonia in 12 months, I had to make the choice of my health over  my passions (and ego).

Suddenly and what felt abrupt... my  horsewoman's  lifestyle that I knew, was no longer feasible. So throughout 2003 and 2004,  my horses were sold off and the Eby Ranch barns stood empty.  To fill my time I went to work for Central Casting and became involved in movie work. Still yet, I was disillusioned and bitter and sold all of my show tack, horse trailers  and most  of my ranch equipment.  I completely  threw in the towel in summer of 2004 and upon advice from my allergist,  relocated from the ranch to a beach front cottage in the ocean community of Hollywood Beach. For years I refused to even look at a horse magazine or follow anything remotely equestrian.  I  felt saddened and angered by my loss and somewhat betrayed by the horses that I loved for so long. It felt worse than a bad divorce! 

On the upside, I wanted to be proactive and resilient so I became  involved in  the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in Channel Islands. I trained on the boat crew program and worked on ocean patrols in Port Hueneme and out to the Channel Islands. I was appointed the (11SR0707) division 7 staff officer for information services (IT). I focused on doing background work and my new Homeland Security duties. Removing much of my negative focus (bad vibes) completely off of my perceived losses, and having a new interest, my  health did much improving!  So well, that in March 2009 after several years away - I'm moving back part time to the high desert, to rework the ranch! I was recently retested and although I do have some new and different health issues to deal with, I have shown improvment in managing my allergies!  Yipeee.

So now, after  unrelated medical problems, it was determined that I can carfully be around horses. I cannot yet ride freely and I am dealing with the other  issues, but I am absolutely thrilled at the opportunity to once again own horses!  I now have a bay arabian filly,  TWS Sea Breeze - and a  bay Shining Spark AQHA mare named Diamond Spark DR! When it's in your blood - it's in your blood.

I will get back in the saddle again - one day at a time! I am on the 2012 board of directors for ETI Corral 88; Tri-Community Horsemen (Phelan, CA) and have joined LVDGA (Lost Valley Dairy Goat Assn)

See you around in 2012!

Happy Trails,

Gater