Horsin' around?

Both of us have a history with horses, and work with horse property as well as horse owners. Obviously, it's not a small group. According to the American Horse Council in Washington DC, it's a "highly-diverse, national, serious and economically significant industry that deserves the attention of the general public, the media and federal, state and local officials."

What they said.

California Horse Economic Statistics

The horse industry is a very large and important part of our state, national, and local economies, involving agriculture, business, sport, racing, entertainment and recreation. The three top states with the largest amount of revenue from goods and services produced are first, California, then Florida and Texas. however, California exceeds both Texas and Florida if value of goods and services produced by the horse industry by more than $1 billion dollars.

The following information is from the comprehensive report completed in by the Deloitte Consulting LLP for the American Horse Council Foundation (HorseCouncil.org). It validates what the industry has known for some time, that the horse industry is a highly-diverse, national, serious and economically significant industry that deserves the attention of the general public, the media and federal, state and local officials.

California Horse Industry - 4.1 Billion Dollars

The California horse industry produces goods and services valued at $4.1 billion (larger than even Texas which produced $3.0 billion).

There are 698,000 horses in California, over 70 percent of which are involved in showing and recreation. (California is only exceeded by Texas which has 979,000 horses).

311,100 Californians are involved in the industry as horse owners, service providers, employees, and volunteers. Even more participate as spectators.

The national industry has a $7 billion impact on the California economy when the multiplier effect of spending by industry suppliers employees is taken into account. Accounting for off-site spending of spectators would result in an even higher figure.

The California horse industry directly provides 54,200 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs. Spending by suppliers and employees (in California and other states) generates additional jobs in California for a total employment impact of 130,200.


National Statistics Highlights

There are 9.2 million horses in the United States.

4.6 million Americans are involved in the industry as horse owners, service providers, employees and volunteers. Tens of millions more participate as spectators.

2 million people own horses in the United States.

The horse industry has a direct economic effect on the U.S. of $39 billion annually.

The industry has a $102 billion impact on the U.S. economy when the multiplier effect of spending by industry suppliers and employees is taken into account. Including off-site spending of spectators would result in an even higher figure.

The industry directly provides 460,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs.

Spending by suppliers and employees generates additional jobs for a total employment impact of 1.4 million FTE jobs.

The horse industry pays $1.9 billion in taxes to all levels of government.

Approximately 34% of horse owners have a household income of less than $50,000 and 28% have an annual income of over $100,000. 46% of horse owners have an income of between $25,000 to $75,000.

Over 70% of horse owners live in communities of 50,000 or less.

There are horses in every state. Forty-five states have at least 20,000 horses each.

WOW. That's a lot of horses. Contact us if you're interested in buying or selling a place for yours.

PAWS in the Park - Money for Critters

As many of you know, we both raise dogs. We love all kinds of animals, and in fact, between us, we have 9 or 10 different species! We wanted to do something that benefits animals and was a fun outing, too, so on March 25th from 8am to 12pm, we will be walking for the Escondido Humane Society at Kit Carson Park in Escondido. The walk raises money for animal care, adoption, education and protection.

The Society's mission is to promote responsible pet ownership and respect for all living creatures. They care for more than 10,000 animals per year and are committed to providing a safe haven for homeless pets until then can be placed into permanent, loving homes.

As a private non-profit organization, the Society is supported through contributions, grants, bequests and your support of fundraising events like Paws in the Park. They depend on the generosity of the local community and people like you to continue saving as many companion animals as possible.

Please visit our Humane Society Website to pledge your donations and help us reach our $1,000 goal ~ or sign up and join us with your pet(s) for the walk! Either way, we thank you. Woof!

A different kind of country club....

I came across this article and an old family name I recognized from my childhood caught my eye . . . . Mendenhall. I knew they lived on the mountain, but what a surprise to hear about this resource!

Hmmmmmm. . . . . My cousin lives on Palomar, wonder why he didn't tell me about this. Keeping it to himself maybe?

My Country Club: a hunter's dream

By: ERNIE COWAN - For the North County Times

We stopped counting the wild turkey flock at 200 when distracted by a herd of mule deer that decided we had gotten too close. In less than an hour, we had spotted several hundred wild turkey and more than 30 deer, including bucks.

While this might sound like some distant hunting paradise, we were on land within a rifle shot of Palomar Mountain.

I was bouncing over dirt roads with Frank and Janice Mendenhall, enjoying the mild winter day and the beauty of oak meadows filled with wild turkey and mule deer. In five years, the Mendenhalls have taken a dream and turned it into reality.


Their dream was to provide hunting access to some of the prime wildlife areas of San Diego County, some of which had not been hunted in more than 20 years.

The husband and wife, along with their son Joel and brother-in-law Gary Whyte, founded My Country Club and now own or control more than 50,000 acres in the Lake Henshaw, Palomar Mountain and Santa Ysabel areas.

The Mendenhall name goes back to the 1860s on Palomar Mountain, with one of the most scenic valleys still bearing that name. Frank Mendenhall was born in Love Valley, on land now owned by the U.S. Forest Service on the eastern side of Palomar.

"I've been here all my life, I'm in touch with the land and the wildlife, and I have watched as more and more areas were taken away from hunters," he said.

His family has lived on this land, raised cattle and hunted here for generations, and wanted to see others enjoy the same experience.
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Membership starts at $3,000 a year for an individual and $3,500 for a family. Additional information is available by calling (760) 782-3503.

As the shadows of evening began to fill the mountain valleys, we closed the last gate and headed back to the club office at Lake Henshaw. In the glow of sunset, a small dot in the distance grew larger until we could see the magnificent form of a bald eagle skimming the lake surface looking for the last meal of the day.

Every hunter should have such an experience. The good hunt is more than filling a tag, and the Mendenhall family wants to provide this experience to as many as possible.

read the whole thing

The sewer is coming, the SEWER is coming!

According to the North County Times...............

Shopping? In Valley Center? Wow.

Sewer plan for southern Valley Center moves ahead

By: QUINN EASTMAN - Staff Writer

VALLEY CENTER -- Water district officials have worked out a phased plan for building a shared sewer system for the commercial area in southern Valley Center.

Long-frustrated owners of commercial property along Valley Center Road seemed pleased as the Valley Center Municipal Water District's board approved the plan Monday afternoon.

Under the plan, property owners who want to build homes and a shopping center on Valley Center Road across from Mirar de Valle Road will pay for the design and construction of the next phase.


Bell Enterprises, one of the group, has been planning to build the shopping center, which would have a Major Market, for decades.

Bonds from an assessment district, encompassing Bell's, Alti's and other nearby properties, will be used to reimburse Bell Enterprises and Alti Corporation.

Some property owners in the area roughly between Woods Valley and Old Roads have already sent the district deposits of $2,500 per home. People interested in sewer service have until March 5 to apply.

The first phase, construction of a sewer treatment plant for the Woods Valley Ranch development, is scheduled to be finished in March.

Most of the 270 homes at Woods Valley Ranch are already built and residents have been using a temporary treatment plant to treat their waste. The effluent from Woods Valley Ranch is used to irrigate its golf course.

Construction of the second phase probably won't start for at least another year, general manager Gary Arant said. However, Bell and Alti's willingness to pay up front -- at least $12 million, according to previous water district estimates -- could save them several months, he said.

Read the whole thing.....


Sewer plan for southern Valley Center moves ahead