When most people think of Orange County, they think of beaches and palm trees, not cowboy hats and the wonderful musky scent of horses. But luckily, for my childhood happiness, such sublime things do exists in the heart of Southern California.
Little known to most Biola students, Fullerton has an active horse community and a simple fifteen-minute drive down Rosecrans Ave. can transport you from the world of textbooks and coffee to saddles and country music.
The Fullerton Recreational Riders club has been riding for over 45 years and are wrapping up their show season with one last gymkhana.
For those of you unfamiliar with the world of horses, a gymkhana is basically mounted games; horse and rider race through the different events and try to get the fastest times. Examples of these include the barrel race, in which the pair weaves a pattern around three barrels and try to not knock any of them over.
Call me crazy, but I’m hard-pressed to find a better way to spend my weekend than to watch some of God’s most magnificent creatures in action. Even for those unfamiliar with the fabulous world of horses, this fast-paced sport is exciting to watch and easy to understand.
Laguna Lake Park is as close to outdoorsy as Fullerton gets and you may be surprised to find this little slice of paradise nestled close to the busy streets of Imperial and Euclid. The park has two riding arenas, bleachers and various red barn-like buildings, all of which will be buzzing with people this weekend.
A horse show is a beehive of activity, so take it all in. Fawn over the gorgeous horses tied to their trailers, swishing their long silky tails, and delight in the sound of them whinnying and neighing.
Riders enter the arena to test their skills and their partnership with their horses against the clock. I rode dressage in high school, which focuses on training horses in balance, obedience and flexibility, which is quite different than the heel-kicking, tail-flying, fast-paced sport of gymkhana, but I find it exciting to watch nonetheless.
You can spend the day, or even just a few hours, watching these events. The big red barn will be selling food at lunch or you can bring your own. Laguna Lake Park also has a small lake that is about a three-minute walk from the arena with benches to sit and relax while watching the ducks swim around.
If you really want to make a day out of it, wear some good walking shoes and go for an easy hike after; Fullerton has over 26 miles of connected trails.
The gymkhana runs Fri. from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sat. from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Admission is free and, because the park is located in a residential area, parking is without charge and abundant.
