Carolyn Read, 1932-2025
California Horsetrader founder, equestrian advocate leaves legacy
SAN MARCOS — Carolyn Read, who rode her passions for horses, agriculture and historical preservation to a legacy for generations to come, has passed away on her ranch home of 63 years, her family said. She was 92.
In 1979, Carolyn blended her publishing background with her lifelong love for horses and created the California Horsetrader. She served as publisher until 1990 when she sold the business to her son, current publisher Warren Wilson.
“She is, and will be, profoundly missed. She was a difference-maker who had many gifts — her character, her abilities, her tenacity,” Wilson said. “She had an artist’s eye, a businesswoman’s mind, and a strong heart for her land and everything on it, especially her horses. Her opinions were strong, and so was her care and commitment to everything she loved. “
Galway Downs closer to hosting LA28 equestrians
City of L.A. committee OKs venue; IOC meets in April
From staff reports
A Los Angeles City Council Ad Hoc Committee on the Olympic and Paralympic Games, meeting for the first time since June 2024, approved by a 5-0 vote March 26 to proceed with requested venue changes from the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing committee. Relocation of all equestrian events are headed to Galway Downs in Temecula, pending one final approval step in April.
Galway gathering
Support, dissent both aired at meeting to reveal center’s plans, needs
From Horsetrader staff reports
TEMECULA — Galway Downs owner Ken Smith hosted a well-attended presentation Feb. 19 to announce plans and hear public comments in the wake of January requests his team made to Riverside County planners. Along with Galway Downs Manager Robert Kellerhouse and land use consultant Alan Long, all three took turns at the mic to field questions. The almost two-hour forum was at times heated — especially when traffic caused by soccer events at Galway was broached — and at times supportive: the mention of Galway Downs’s proposed hosting of the 2028 Olympic Games equestrian events drew a loud ovation.
Coming together at LAEC
When the January fires hit, volunteers stepped in
From Horsetrader staff reports
BURBANK — It will be a while before the Los Angeles community recovers from the wildfires that devastated the area. The tragic week of Jan. 7-10 charred more than 36,000 acres just with the Eaton and Palisades fires, where close to 16,000 structures were destroyed and another 2,000 damaged. Twenty-nine lives were lost.
‘Meet and Greet’
San Marcos horse group introduces new parks head to equestrian community
From Horsetrader staff reports
SAN MARCOS — It was a postcard-perfect afternoon on Sept. 23 at Walnut Grove Equestrian Center — excellent for introducing the facility and its supporters to Mark Olson, who became Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of San Marcos last January. Patty Morton, President of the Twin Oaks Valley Equestrian Association, along with other board members, led Mark on a tour of the grounds. The walk-and-talk ended in a meeting hall where additional local equestrians engaged in a town hall meeting that included a Powerpoint presentation on TOVEA, some area equestrian history, and the value of an equestrian lifestyle in a community. They also invited him to the Horse Heritage Festival and the 18th Annual Ride & Stride fund-raiser Oct. 20 at the park.
EHV-1 cases at Desert Circuit forces cancelation of Feb. 19-20 Western show
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — With three confirmed cases of non-neurologic EHV-1 over the weekend at the Desert Circuit hunter-jumper series in Thermal, the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park has cancelled the Feb. 19-20 SoCal Ranch & Slide event.
The show is the first of four 2022 ranch riding and reining competitions scheduled at the Orange County venue, and it marked the first western events ever scheduled at the venerable facility known for hosting world-class hunter-jumper competition.
“Out of an abundance of caution due to the EHV-1 equine virus and for the safety of the horses, the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park has canceled the Feb. 19-20 western show,” announced management of the SoCal Ranch & Slide Series, Orange County-based Track One Events.
Track One Events added that the second western show in the SoCal Ranch & Slide Series, set for March 5-6 at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park, remains on schedule.
Additional info on the show series: https://www.trackoneevents.com
Additional coverage of the EHV outbreak at the Desert Circuit: https://bit.ly/ehvdesertcircuit
Corona Coping!
Readers share how horses make a difference…
The horses are the ONLY thing in my life that has seen relatively no change since the virus. I get up, shovel poop
, brush the horses, tend to my human family and then I saddle up and ride. From the second that I get on, the rhythm of riding relaxes my whole self. The trail is in front of me, the horses quietly flick their ears and plod along — and for a while, there is no virus. Just us.
I’ll ride ’til they close trails, and then I’ll just take walks on the street with them. I hope everybody out there is just breathing in their horses and staying well.
– Juliet Johnson, Los Angeles
Corona Coping!
Readers share how horses make a difference…
“As a horse owner and a pediatric nurse, there has been a lot of uncertainty, but in the midst of all of it our mare delivered during a rain storm Thursday morning — a healthy colt! It makes you realize life is such a gift and a blessing.”
— Regina Faucette
Let’s ride this out!
Horse tips during COVID-19 concerns
The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a horseperson.
So, how do we spend the period (weeks?, months?) between now and the end of the COVID-19 viral scare?
From top to bottom, the COVID-19 crisis has affected all aspects of our local horse communities. Someday — hopefully later this spring — the gauntlet of rules and quarantines will pass, allowing us to return to our untethered equestrian lives. Those who are fortunate enough to be healthy but who may have a hiatus from work, school or other obligations because of lay-offs and closures — your horse is there.
California is a big state with a variety of restrictions, so please check with local government constraints during the quarantine. For example, seven counties in Northern California have “shelter in place” orders from the State. Other counties have no reports of confirmed cases.
Having said that, here are some tips for equestrians:
Gatherings
Bans on all gatherings of more than 10 people remain in effect. This means that any event larger than 10 people (e.g. horse shows, clinics, larger trail rides, conferences, etc.) are against federal recommendations, and in some areas, local laws.
Equine Related Injuries – ERs and Hospitals
During this time, exercise extreme caution in your own equine activities. Think twice about doing anything that might increase your risk of injury. The state continues to face shortages in the medical community, including reduced inpatient beds, availability of doctors, and sterile medical environments free of possible COVID-19 contamination. Trips to the ER increase your risk of contracting disease, and you may also be taking up medical resources that are needed by very sick people.
Social Distancing for Stables – Best Practices
The CDC and WHO also suggest the practice of social distancing. This should apply to all activities including equestrian activities at your farms, barns, and other agricultural buildings. Please ensure:
- A minimum space barrier of 6 feet between yourself and other people at all times. (e.g. no giving leg ups, no riding side by side, etc.)
- No more than 10 people in an area or present at an activity at one time.
- Sanitization of all common surfaces, supplies, and other items.
IMPORTANT NOTE: A person CAN contract COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it. The virus can survive from several hours up to a week on surfaces, depending on the type of surface, and the temperature and humidity. https://www.prevention.com/health/a31405079/how-long-does-coronavirus-live-on-surfaces/
These objects found in and around your farms include but are not limited to:
- Tack and Apparel: Bridles, Saddles, Girths, Saddle Pads, Wraps, Helmets, Boots, and all other Leather and Cloth items.
- Communal Barn Supplies: Pitch forks, Wheelbarrows, Hoses, Grooming equipment, etc.
- Rest room, tack room, feed room door knobs, light switches, etc.
We strongly advise you consider this when making decisions to continue your lesson programs and invite individuals including boarders to your facilities. You can find a list of disinfectant products that are effective in killing the COVID-19 virus here: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
Business Insurance – Loss of Income Clauses
If you own a business and are or expect to suffer a significant loss of revenue, we encourage you to check your business insurance policy for loss of income clauses and any recourse during a declared national or state of emergency.
Horse Care & Welfare – Available Resources
Finally, all members of California’s wide equestrian community should be thinking about how we can be prepared to help our fellow equestrians and their horses as the economic impact of the pandemic widens and is felt locally. If owners can no longer afford to care for their horses, contact association leadership and horse rescue operators for suggestions and options — before horses become abandoned or go without hay or feed.
If you have helpful information or news to share, please send to news@horsetrader.com so we can post it on our online newspage and also on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Facing Fire
Hoping wildfires will leave us alone isn’t enough; preparedness is our best bet to protect our horses
What does it mean to prepare for a disaster? Preparedness is important for all animals, but it takes extra consideration for horses because of their size and the requirements for transporting them. If you think that disasters happen only if you live in a floodplain, near an earthquake fault line, or in a coastal area, you may be tragically mistaken. Disasters can happen anywhere and include barn fires, hazardous materials spills, propane line explosions, and train derailments, all of which may necessitate evacuation. It is imperative that you are prepared to move your horses to a safe area.
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