Where Did All the Horses Go?  What can the Horse Industry do? 

Horse facility owners MUST become politically organized to provide support to the elected officials, county committees, and county staff members who are eager to see the horse industry return and thrive in Alameda County. You must break the cycle of silence that empowers government agencies to attack your facilities and lifestyle. Alameda County Equestrian’s and Friends can tell you if your facility is on the inspection list. Please join, and we will share the status of your permit requirement.

Equestrians MUST begin to use your combined voices and VOTES to affect policy in Alameda County the Bay Area. Alameda County Equestrian’s and Friends can help prepare you to participate, but you must do so. The power of combined voices is presently seen by our officials, but those voices come from people who oppose horse activities and want ranches and farms to fail so they can be easily purchased for parkland or conservation trusts to have their gates locked, and allow their lands to become degraded and become fire risks.

Horse Serving Businesses – PLEASE SHARE THIS MESSAGE. We hope to grow and promote your business. We share your devotion to the industry and recognize the impact of your declining gross income. There is no greater metaphor for the decline of equine business than the recent closing of Christensen’s Western Wear in Pleasanton after 92 years of services to the agricultural and horse community. Standing at the door for many of those years was Gus the Horse, a statue that invited a touch, and demonstrated our equine heritage to Tri-Valley visitors. Unfortunately, the decline of the horse industry lead to the closing of Christensen’s and Gus was moved from the front of a business to the front of Pleasanton’s Museum on Main.

With reflection, Christensen’s owner Cory Janes summed up the closing of his shop, and the status of the horse industry best: “Pleasanton has evolved away from the need for a store like this slowly over the years, with a lot of infill for housing and less of an equestrian base.”

Let’s pony-up and do more to Bring Back the Horses.