Horses

I urge the homeowners in the Rancho District to hang in there and stick to their guns (“ Rancho and its knee-jerk response ,” Feb.11). I feel strongly about this. I am not a horse owner, nor do I live in the Rancho District, but I think this proposed new development is but the first salvo in what eventually will become the loss of all horses in the district. After the beautiful new houses are built, the landscaping in, and the new owners settled, the complaints will begin.

Neighborhood fences and police cars proved no match for a bear in Sun Valley, where it hopped into backyards and roamed into horse corrals Wednesday morning before being tranquilized. Police started getting calls from residents about 6:10 a.m. about the bear, which TV news showed having free rein through the Sun Valley community. It didn't appear to be fully grown and was seen climbing over fences into backyards, spooking horses in corrals and avoiding police cars searching for it on the street, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Josh Goldstein RANCHO DISTRICT-- For those who make a living recreating scenes of panic, excitement and danger for television and film, this was just too good for fiction. It was just after 8 a.m. Saturday when about 35 adult horses broke loose from a corral thanks to an unlatched fence at Circle K Stables near the intersection of Valley Heart Drive and Mariposa Street. Giddy in their newfound freedom, the horses galloped and trotted through the streets of Burbank, and some kept going to Glendale and Eagle Rock, police said.

I was reading about this whole equestrian center issue, and I must agree with the people who are against it. It's called the equestrian center for a reason. People moved to and live around that area because of the horses. To tell them to stop complaining about an issue that concerns their safety is ridiculous, at best. The people who say it's not a safety issue obviously don't know much about horses. This facility would be fine in any other part of Burbank, but not in the equestrian center.

Gary Moskowitz RANCHO DISTRICT -- As the setting sun dropped behind the stables at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, mariachi music filled the arena as rare Spanish-bred horses trotted past cheering crowds. Nearly 4,000 people attended the Fiesta of the Spanish Horse Saturday at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, many dressed in cowboy hats and boots. The event was designed to educate people about the history and culture of the Spanish horse in America.

Hundreds of equine enthusiasts got an early look Sunday at the 2009 team of horses set to march in January’s Tournament of Roses Parade. Equestfest, at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, allowed many to catch a sneak peek of the horse teams slated to march down Colorado Boulevard on New Year’s Day during the annual parade. “This is great for him,” Giovanni Arevalo said of his 17-month-old son. While his son stared at the Long Beach Mounted Police squad, sitting atop Grand palomino horses, Arevalo, 28, also reveled at the chance to see the fanciful assortment of equines for himself.

Accountability called into question by BTAC project Where is the accountability for up to a million dollars to remodel and expand the Burbank Temporary Aid Center facility? Who makes up the difference in funds if the project goes seriously over budget, leaving the facility incomplete or an eyesore? BTAC board leadership was seriously questioned with the firing of the former director, Pat Smola. Now with funds so tight in Burbank and so many critical needs, we are expected to believe that the board suddenly has developed exceptional project management skills that will enable it to stay within budget and bring the remodeling project in on time?

Laura Sturza Though horses were standing in for reindeer, holiday spirit kicked up its hooves and made its way through town. Holiday tunes with a Western twang came from a car that led the equine parade Sunday. About 20 riders, from 8 to older than 60 -- trolled the roads, some stopping along the way to hand out candy. Even Santa -- Burbank resident Glenn Cooper -- found time to join the posse, and said horseback riding was "much more comfortable" than his traditional sleigh and reindeer crew.

Trick riding is astonishing Josh Bartell, 10, of La Crescenta is in the fifth grade at La Crescenta Elementary School. If you see a big circus tent in the middle of Glendale, stop in and see what's inside: "Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Horse and Man." This is a spectacular performance of tumblers, riders, dancers and 33 magnificent horses. Frederic Pignon and Magali Delgado are both incredible trainers and performers. During the three "Liberty" acts, I was amazed to see the connection Pignon had with the horses.

Ryan Carter Officer Edgar Penaranda has always been proud of his horse, Scout. It was the trailer that the 20-year-old American Quarter Horse traveled in that he wanted to improve. "It was an ugly old brown trailer," he said. But not anymore. After a year of Penaranda's work to restore the 30-year-old vehicle, the department recently pitched in with some grant money to have it professionally painted. Now, the black-and-white trailer is more consistent with the rest of the department's fleet.

Neighborhood fences and police cars proved no match for a bear in Sun Valley, where it hopped into backyards and roamed into horse corrals Wednesday morning before being tranquilized. Police started getting calls from residents about 6:10 a.m. about the bear, which TV news showed having free rein through the Sun Valley community. It didn't appear to be fully grown and was seen climbing over fences into backyards, spooking horses in corrals and avoiding police cars searching for it on the street, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Responding to reports that investigators in the Czech Republic found equine evidence in the chain's frozen meatballs, Ikea said that all meatballs sold in its U.S. stores are sourced from an American supplier and "contain only beef and pork from animals raised in the U.S. and Canada. " The affected product was sold as a packaged beef and pork item in more than a dozen European countries, but not in the U.S., the L.A. Times reported . The Czech State Veterinary Administration confirmed on its website that samples of the meatballs, which are made in Sweden, contained horse DNA. Shipments of the meatballs have been suspended, according to the agency, which said it sent its findings to European Union authorities.

Good morning, readers. Today is Monday, January 7. Police are asking for the public's help in finding a man they call the "Red Car Flasher. " The suspect has reportedly exposed himself to teenage girls near schools in Arleta and Panorama City , reports NBC . A woman in Burbank suffered head injuries after the horse-drawn carriage she was driving overturned . Police say the woman was ejected from the vehicle. L.A. Times Police arrested a suspected car thief in Canoga Park Sunday night, reports the Daily News . Smog regulators have approved a $200,000 "stink monitoring system ," just months after a foul odor from the Salton Sea reached the San Fernando Valley.

His name is “Poco,” but he seemed pretty big to me. And though he's a quarter horse, I'm confident in saying he's 100% horse. I met Poco at Renee Baker's stables at the L.A. Equestrian Center, a place always right down the street; but until last week, I never ventured very far under its single white arch. The 72-acre property beyond sprawls like a little mini-city at the junction of Burbank, Glendale and L.A. This horse-lover's dream city has its own shopping district, public works (especially street sweeping)

Rancho residents will have an easier time building horse stables on their properties after the City Council this week approved easing the zoning restrictions. The changes, which came as the city works on updating the equestrian-centric neighborhood's master plan, were applauded by residents who had sought to ease certain requirements that made it difficult for some to build their own stables. The City Council agreed to remove a requirement for specific construction material and deleted a rule that required house windows and doors be separated from stables or corrals by at least 20 feet.

I urge the homeowners in the Rancho District to hang in there and stick to their guns (“ Rancho and its knee-jerk response ,” Feb.11). I feel strongly about this. I am not a horse owner, nor do I live in the Rancho District, but I think this proposed new development is but the first salvo in what eventually will become the loss of all horses in the district. After the beautiful new houses are built, the landscaping in, and the new owners settled, the complaints will begin.

Burbank resident Margaret Culver turns 100 years old on Feb. 2. She was born Margaret Emaline Culver on Feb. 2, 1912 in Winslow, Ariz., five days before Arizona was declared a state. She is the daughter of Eli Lichtenburger Hosler and Gillia La Prade. Her ancestors emigrated to the United States in the early 1700s. Her father's family was from Switzerland and mother's family from France, with five generations of ancestors being born in the United States. Culver is the oldest of three sisters who include Thalia who is deceased and Geraldine who is 85 and lives in Arizona.

Fiesta of the Spanish Horse culminates Saturday at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. The Spectacular will feature different breeds of horses presented with Latin, Mariachi and other music, as well as ballet, flamenco and folkloric dancing. Horses and riders, however, have been competing since Wednesday in a number of other competitions, such as dressage. The event celebrates the influence of Spanish horses, and proceeds from the show will benefit USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Cavalia is all about showcasing the beauty and power of the horse. But the multimedia production opening Wednesday in Burbank is not just another horse show, says Founder and Artistic Director Normand Latourelle, who also helped build the famed Cirque du Soleil and other national and international performance events. The horses run and play across the 200-square-foot dirt "stage" under the white Big Top. Some will have riders, others will simply be allowed to run free and do what comes naturally — all to original music performed by a sextet.

What started as something to do for fun turned into a lifetime passion for Richard Spooner. Growing up in Fountain Valley, Spooner, 40, enjoyed baseball and other sports, but when relatives came out for riding lessons, it sparked a new interest in Spooner. "My mother had a jumping saddle, and that is what I ended up taking to," he said. Now the former Burbank resident rides for major money and will complete this week in the L.A. International Jumping Festival at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank.