ESCONDIDO — The Escondido Mounted Posse, an equestrian group that performs in parades throughout San Diego County and beyond, is looking for new members to expand its ranks.  To become qualified to ride in parades takes about two to three months, as each applicant must attend a Posse monthly meeting, a couple of training sessions and function as ground crew at a parade.  Prospects also must pass a horse-and-rider inspection, performed by the sponsorship committee.

Two Southern California Arabian Horse clubs merged as of Jan. 1 this year, forming a new club, the San Diego Arabian Horse Association. The two organizations that came together, the Desert Arabian Horse Association and the Tierra Del Norte Arabian Horse Association, actually are two branches of the same tree. Tierra Del Norte formed in 1976 when it split from DAHA, which began in 1950.

Former TDNAHA President Theresa Oakley is President of the San Diego AHA, which will meet on the second Monday each month in Escondido. “Our club’s main charter is to promote the Arabian Horse in our local community,” said Oakley. “Our efforts will be focused on introducing the Arabian horse to our community through new ideas that may include one-day Class A shows, supporting local all-breed community shows, and trail rides. We look forward to promoting the Arabian Horse in our community and welcome ideas.”

RIVERSIDE — Six-year-old Katherine King may not have much experience in the saddle, but you can bet she’ll lead the nation in ribbons won this year.

The youngster from Placentia, known in her circles as “Katherine The Brave”, is battling a rare terminal illness, and her village of supporters has grown to include trainer Heather Spies and clients at HS Performance Horses in Riverside. After devoting themselves to give Katherine a special day with a unicorn via the Make A Wish Foundation on Nov. 28, the barn has dedicated itself to the youngster and her family.

“No National Championship moment, no Regional Championship or any ribbon will ever compare to that day,” said Spies, whose former horse, a retired Arabian now owned by Lori Chiodini, made the perfect unicorn.

Katherine has diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG), a rare illness with highly aggressive and difficult to treat brain tumors found at the base of the brain. Nationally, about 300 children are diagnosed with DIPG each year, usually between the ages of five and nine. Last year, she was given a window of less than a year to survive.

A photo with Santa is something that’s treasured, and word has it that he’ll be trotting into Deer Springs Equestrian on Sunday, Dec. 13. Bring your horse, your family or your favorite pet from noon to 3 p.m., and Santa and the store staff will make your day bright. Deer Springs Feed and Supply is a full-service feed store that offers weekly sales and Christmas specials, so pick up some great gifts and supplies for the four-legged friends in your life.

Big Horse Feed and Mercantile “Gift Registry” is the best way to avoid gift giving disasters this holiday season. The gift registry is the perfect opportunity to graciously tell your loved ones what you’d truly like for Christmas. Both registrants and their loved ones will receive 15% off any purchase of registry items (restrictions apply). That’s Big Horse savings! And ladies, it’s your night…Ladies Night on December 3rd, 6-8 pm! There’ll be food and refreshments as well as 20% savings on your Christmas shopping.

The Sgt Reckless Memorial Fund is pleased to announce that the Department of Navy has accepted their $140,000 gift for a monument and grave marker for Staff Sergeant Reckless, the Korean War horse hero. Thomas W. Hicks, performing the duties of the Under Secretary of the Navy, signed off on the project on Wednesday, Sept. 23, granting permission to place the monument at the Pacific View Events Center on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Partnering with the Camp Pendleton Historical Society, plans will immediately get under way for the final fundraising, ground-breaking and installation. A target date of March 2016 is proposed for the dedication ceremony. For updates and how you can donate, please go to www.SgtReckless.com, and see the ad on page 73.

ELK GROVE — In August, one never knows what to expect with the weather. It could be a warm 106 or a cool 86. The Summer Rein show was blessed to enjoy the lower temperatures and cool breezes.

The Summer Rein show is an NRHA approved and WCRHA approved show and was judged by Johnette Burman from Montana and BJ Le Master from Sacramento over the 3 days. We started the show at 7:30 on Friday and with the cooler temps we started the show at 9 on Saturday and Sunday.

Friday Night draw party was held at the Elk Grove Milling Pavilion and hosted by Lorraine Kemper, Future Homes & Real Estate. We served 105 carnitas taco dinners and then the exhibitors were called to the stage 1 by 1 to select their positions in Non Pro and Open Futurity and received a gift card and a Brookside Wine Glass.

DEL MAR — Blenheim EquiSports is pleased to host the Young Jumper Championships Western League Finals again this year. After three rounds, one on Thursday, one Friday and the last one today, three young champions in three age divisions rose to the top of the results.

After Thursday and Friday’s qualifying rounds, all ten entries returned for the final round.

Two of the ten, Michelle Parker and Cross Creek Farm’s U.S. Warmblood gelding CCF Yasur (Ocean I x Andiamo), along with Jamie Sailor and Felyn Farm’s Hanoverian gelding Flashdance (For Edition x Quinar), jumped through all three rounds fault free. The two talented five-year-olds returned for a jump-off to determine the winner.

Does your horse need a few more healthy calories? Try supplementing with Integrity® Rice Bran. Horse owners seeking healthy weight gain or weight maintenance for their horse often turn to a rice bran supplement. Available in meal and nugget, rice bran is high in fat and helps horses get the extra calories needed for building a little more lean muscle. Horses will love the taste of Integrity Rice Bran. It is a dry source of healthy fat that tastes much better than oil. People don’t eat vegetable oil straight because it would taste bland. Horses think so too! They would much rather consume their energy in a dry form, such as Rice Bran pellets or meal.

POMONA — Cal Poly Pomona administrators decided in August to put future students out to pasture. A crunch for student housing had led school officials to examine 10 sites on which a new phase of student lodging would be built, and despite protests by students and others, 13 of 45 acres of on-campus pasture got the nod.

The property, for decades an iconic emblem with grazing Arabian horses from the school’s venerable program, was not the first choice of ag students and horse enthusiasts who called the designation for housing “short-sighted.” A protest last January caused school officials to pause, but the plan is back on track after a six-month reevaluation.

University spokeswoman Esther Chou Tanaka said new President Soraya M. Coley, who took the reins of the university in January, paused the project in February, mindful of a need for additional student housing.