I rode outa the meadow club and knew MMWD purty darn well. saw my first cougar, maybe in 1964 while atop a grey Arab. would ride that country for hours on end, and do chores too. would ride Phoenix lake, and the Audubon ranch ride with TTR. loved it. It was great. I was lucky. made me really love horses.
That is so great that you are still involved with horses. I wish I had the time - maybe some day. I haven't been on a horse in 15 + years. What great memories though. Glad you remember me too!. Say "Hi" to Kim and Kevin for me.
Kim , I can't remember Bill and Scott's last names right now , but they worked in the General Services Dept. In a coupe of days I think I remember their names. I know Bill retired and Scott took over the Dept. I worked on building the sign shop and setting up the sign truck. Being in that Dept. I did lot of parking meter pole repair and replacements for you. Remember at the old 3rd St. parking structure when someone took a pipe cutter and absconded with at least 4 meters. John Petroni and I got the arc welder and welded more 2" pipe onto the stubs that the thiefs left. I worked there from 1982 to 1986 and took and early retirement to start my own sign business. Now I am a licensed electrical contractor working in southern and west Marin. I missed working for San Rafael for a while but not any more. I just remembered , it was Scott Clark and Bill Harrington.
Hello Paul; Do you remember who the guys were that I would have worked with around 1982 at the yard--there was the older guy, Bill, I think, and Scott?--they helped me with the parking meters and were still there when I became a cop. You guys were all really nice! Glad you enjoyed the horse stories!
Hi Nancy; I'll betcha your Schatzi and mine is one and the same--she and I used to ride our ponies down to the stores at Red Hill--there was a grove of euchalyptus trees where everybody tied their mounts--you could always see who was hanging around by what was tied and waiting! The rodeo you attended at the base of White's Hill was held at the old Circle V Stables (now Baywood Canyon?) and was put on by (I think) the Rotary--my father was a member and I got to go--I must have been about 5 or 6 and that's where my love of horses and rodeos was born! I still remember--of all things--getting the boxes of cracker jacks and loving the prize inside! My 2 kids roll their eyes when I talk about "the good ol' days"! As kids with ponies instead of cars, the shortest way to get where we wanted to go was inevitably across town; we rode across more lawns and hedges than I care to remember! Fun memories! I too rode out at the San Geronimo stables, also Dixon Ranch AND I had a friend who kept her horse at the place across from San Quentin (Ellen McGarry--are you out there?). As Dave, who wrote earlier, pointed out, I was a San Rafael cop and that old pasture became (and still is I think) our shooting range! Marin sure has changed! I will give you all an interesting observation: I used to think that Fairfax was so far from,say, Larkspur, or that San Rafael was so completely separated from the other towns by the hills, but now, after living in the mountains for all these years, when I come back to Marin it seems so small. My eyes are used to seeing past the little hills (or, as my husband said when I first showed him Mt. Tam, 'They NAMED that little thing?"). I do enjoy this site--I hope to read more horse stories from other people too!
Hi Kim, I remember you from when I worked for San Rafael Public Works , and you started out in the parking Dept. Later I heard you became a peace officer. But obviously you bailed out of the rat race to live up north , good for you. That is cool that we all can share our wonderful memorys on this site , and we all look forward to more of your great stories. Thanks.
One of my first summer jobs after high school was as an assistant "teacher" at summer school, at the school at the base of Red Hill (it's been a long time)(c. 1974) ......Schatzi must be the same Schatzi that was a student in that class, how many Schatzis can there be? I remember she had a horse, and I was envious, as I always was of anyone who was so fortunate and not as lazy as I was. The closest I got was a series of lessons (5 western, 5 english) at San Geronimo Valley stables (was that the name?). For a while you could rent horses for like $5/hr at Olampali. A friend kept a horse across the road from San Quentin, I rode up and down the hill there a few times. I remember going to something like a rodeo at the arena at the base of White's Hill, in the 1960's. My father posed for a Levi's trade ad at Sleepy Hollow Stables; he looked totally like an ol' cowhand, when in actuality he was a mild-mannered San Rafael shopkeeper who wore bow ties.
Hi Dave: How cool is this? I never would have even thought of you (and everybody down that memory lane) if it wasn't for this site! I KNEW I remembered you; that you were part of the "pack" of riders during one of the happiest times of my youth. I loved going to Ross after school and riding with whomever showed up--riding around Phoenix was awesome! I've been back a few times and everything seems so much SMALLER! Are you still involved with horses? I have 8 of my own (I live in a rural area at the top of California) and have successfully competed as a barrel racer and rodeo queen, plus I am an experienced packer--my husband and I pack into the Marble Mountains for a week or so at time for fishing and hunting trips. Kevin still lives in Marin and Kit lives in Hillsborough--they are both doing well. Schatzi is still there too but we haven't spoken in a few years, just busy. Cheers to you--hope life has treated you well!
I remember you and Schatzie. I went to Redwood with Kit and UofA with Kevin- I started at UofA later after working for a few years. Also, my parents are friends with the Hawkins - both families. Our paths have definitely crossed.
It's been a long time so I don't remember all the horses names. But I do remember Sue and Becky. Also, Julie Havel, Katy Solari, The Cavalier kids. Carolyn Roberts. I had horses named "Bomber", "Dingo", and "Sucra" who I sold to a girl named Cindy Podesta in Sleepy Hollow. Earlier I had a couple of ponies, "Dude" and "Misty". Misty was sold to the Koepkes if you know them. They kept Misty at the Meadow Club. I think Schatzie was friends with someone else that I knew named Sharon Merrit. I was also a member of TTR. Do you remember that organization?
Hidden Meadows was fun. We would ride there and hang out. It was a good ride for after school since it wasn't so far away. Occasionally, we would ride our horses into the water at Phoenix or Lagunitas lake and of course, the Ranger would ALWAYS catch us.
Dave, I'm sure I know you--I remember somebody named Eva--we all kinda rode in the same informal group. We were always rippin' and teatin' around Phoenix Lake--racing to Hidden Meadows, etc. Do you remember those horses that were kept near the entrance to Phoenix Lake? I'm trying to remember everybody's name; There was Sue Bricca and her friend Becky; there was, well, a bunch of us, all about the same age. FYI. I was a skinny blonde, rode a buckskin named Tequila, and other horses (Star, Chester). My friend Schatzi would ride over from Sleepy Hollow on her pny Tassie. Ring any bells?
Yes, we remember the Sleepy Hollow Stables well. My sister and I took English riding lessons there when we were around 6 and 8 years old, 1949 - 1950's. I had a horse named Jeff; my sister had a buckskin named Peanut. My Dad was an amateur photographer, but all our pictures are 8 mm movie film or B & W photos of my sister and me on a horse, none of the stables themselves. We had Purina paper arm bands on for the horse shows we were in with our numbers. We paid $2 each for a lesson. Never outgrew our love of horses and still ride to this day when we can. Marilyn's husband, Rich Carbine, also took lessons there in the late 1940's; his brother rode a horse named Cookie. Mrs. Gianini owned the stable then. My cousin had horses at the Nye Ranch in Stinson Beach in the days when you could ride on the beach. Patty (Bagshaw) Simmons & Marilyn Bagshaw
We had horses and would ride from Ross to Phoenix and the other lakes all the time. There was a long stretch of dirt road up by Lagunitas lake that we called the "Race Track". I remember one time a friend of mine (Eva T) was in front of me on her pony and my horse reached out and bit Eva on the back!. Luckily, Eva was OK. We would go to horse shows at Circle V, Meadow Club, and the SMHA arena in Mill Valley (I think it is the middle school now).
My friend Schatzie and I would ride from Sleepy Hollow down to the lagoon at the civic center and swim in it, horses too. We probably ran into you; for a long time we just had ponies but towards the early 70's we would take our horses. Did you ever go to jumping lane? It was a set up in the euchalyptus trees at the top of the hills between Terra Linda and Sleepy Hollow; also a portion of San Rafael's fifth st was below. Great memory!
Hey all you rowdy riders, my friends and I rode EVERYwhere bareback (so we could jump things). We were in Sleepy Hollow (anybody remember jumping lane?) and we'd ride across town to get to Phoenix Lake or Kentfield or whereever. I entered shows at Circle V, the ring above Sleepy Hollow school, shows at the stables at the end of Butterfield and at Matin Stables and San Geronimo. I too was really irked when the girls with the "horse show" moms would compete--seem's they always had the best of everything! We rode a lot in Ross; one time a group of us met at Phoenix Lake parking lot at 5 AM and then rode (bareback!) over Mt. Tam and almost made it to Stinson Beach; it was so late by then we turned back above Stinson and rode the main highway back to the top, then took a really steep north route down Tam (came out at Alpine Lake) and then split up for different routes home. What a ride! I'd love to hear other memories!
Does anyone besides Carp remember the donkey's on San Pedro Rd in Scabo? And the horse stables below Gallinas school??? Lots of good times there. We rode anyones horses back then,,, no halter, saddle or anything,,, just hang on!!
We had our horses stabled at Circle V stables (now Baywood Canyon) in Fairfax. We would often ride over Loma Alta into Sleepy Hollow and over to San Domenico. I used to do horseshows and lessons all the time over at San Domenico. We used to warm up for the horse shows across the street on the vacant dirt area, which is now built on.
My neighbor had a horse at Sleep Hollow Stables? I aways wanted a horse. Everytime I threw a penny in a wishing well that's what I asked for. My uncle ran the stables at the Meadow Club in Fairfax, he used to let me ride for free with my friends. One day one of my friends decided to gallop acoss the green at the golf course, which was across the street from the stables. That was obviously the end of my riding at the meadow club.
i had a horse in the 60s and early 70s, but was out in "the valley." i did show my horse a few times at the sleepy hollow stables. i remember one time, in particular, when i was maybe 6 or 7, the little kids could have their horses led around the ring by an adult if needed or wanted. i rode by myself but lost the class to a girl that was from a well known "horseshow family" who was led around. i felt soooo cheated that she won because of her family name.
I had a friend during the '70's who lived in Sleepy Hollow. She didn't have a horse, but dreamed of having one, so we always visited the stables. I also remember walking around the hills somewhere behind them and there were giant concrete pipes that we would climb through. i guess those were for the construction....?
Did anyone else have a horse in Marin in the 70's? I kept my horse, Rebel, in Los Ranchitos and my friend Rachel and I used to ride our horses along the railroad tracks and over to the Civic Center lagoon and let the horses splash around in the water. Then we would like to also ride up Nova Albion to Golden Hinde then up Del Haro to the open space and ride all around up in the Sleepy Hollow and Terra Linda open space. On really hot summer days, we would ride just over to the Dandy Market on Merrydale, tie the horses up out front and get a cold Coke and some ice cream sandwiches. The horses kept us very busy and it was a lot of fun.
Does anyone remember the Sleepy Hollow Stables on Butterfield Road? On the left before you get to the end of the road. I took lessons there and Mrs. French was the lady who checked you in at the front desk for your lessons. I remember the horses had funny names like "Playgirl", "Playboy", "Taxpayer"...can't remember much else. I still have lots of photos of the horses but not many of the stable itself. I think the stable was torn down in the 70's for a section of new homes.
