Thank you to all of our boarders who participated in this year’s Stall Decorating Contest.
Consistent with the state Regional Stay-at-Home Order we have regretfully closed Nellie Gail Ranch playgrounds effective today. Nellie Gail Ranch parks and trails remain open for use subject to physical distancing requirements and no gatherings with members other than their own household.
The Equestrian Center and Recreation Center remain open as an outdoor recreational facility for the purpose of facilitating personal health through physically distanced outdoor exercise.
The press release may be viewed at the following link: https://occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/eoc-press-release-54
Equestrians and hikers who know this section of the trail just beyond the Nellie Gail Road tunnel are familiar with conditions resulting from natural drainage that has been at best boggy and at worst impassable. In collaboration with the City, we have completed work this week to install culvert sections to transition water under and away from trails. This work will result in making a major link of the Nellie Gail Ranch trail system between the Equestrian Center and Moulton Parkway accessible for improved use throughout the year.
Our Equestrian Center was privileged to host four horses evacuated from the Silverado Fire this week. Oakie and Booger returned home today after a three-day stay. Gracie and Crusader (Pictured) remain in our Sun Pens safe and cared for.
The evacuations were coordinated by San Juan Capistrano Large Animal Response Team (LART), an organization that provides training and resources to safely evacuate large animals during emergency situations. In addition, Doris Bryant one of our Equestrian Center boarders and a Hayden / Clarke Sporthorses trainer, volunteered with her daughter to transport other horses away from the fires during the first and most critical night of the fires. Volunteers with horse trailers made the difficult journey past checkpoints to enter the evacuation zone. They were then directed to homes that required assistance loading frightened animals in trailers and evacuating them to safety. Through the combined efforts of organizations like LART, transport volunteers, and private and commercial boarding facilities, many horses were safely evacuated from the fires and sheltered and cared for until ready to return home.
Continue reading below to see how you can be of help.
Input Requested
The Nellie Gail Ranch Trails & Safety Committee, with the support of the Equestrian Committee and certain concerned Nellie Gail Ranch Residents, have initiated discussions with the City of Laguna Hills regarding safety concerns with pedestrian and equestrian crossings on Nellie Gail Road (connecting Moulton to Oso), with a particular focus on the pedestrian/equestrian crossing at the entrance to the Nellie Gail Ranch Equestrian Center and Nellie Gail Road at Empty Saddle. The goal is to determine what further safety mechanisms, if any, can be implemented to slow the flow of traffic on this particular stretch of Nellie Gail Road and prevent “near misses” or accidents that could be hazardous to pedestrians, riders, and/or horses.
The City of Laguna Hills will be reviewing this matter over the next several months and has requested our help to collect certain data. To that end, if anyone encounters, or has encountered, a safety concern when crossing Nellie Gail Road by the Equestrian Center or when crossing Nellie Gail Road by Empty Saddle, or in any other locations in Nellie Gail Ranch, please report such incidents via the below link or by emailing admin@nelliegailranch.org. To submit a report please click on the following link and identify your name, the date of the incident, a brief description of the incident, and your relationship to Nellie Gail Ranch (resident, guest, equestrian instructor, equestrian boarder, etc.). Thank you in advance for your “near miss” reports as we collaborate with the City to make our streets safer for everyone!
Taking advantage of a week when many of our equestrians and horses were away at the Blenheim Summer Classic we scheduled tree pruning at the Equestrian Center. Thirty trees were pruned and work has been completed. This seasonal project benefitting the Nellie Gail Ranch Equestrian Center was funded by Equestrian Center boarding fees.
Our trainer Hayden Clarke Sport Horses and many of our Equestrian Center boarders are excited to start competing again after a long layoff over Spring and early summer. This will be their first show with the new COVID-19 protocols and best practices in place. Starting next week, the two week Blenheim Summer Classic takes place at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park in San Juan Capistrano. This is a prestigious United States Equestrian Federation event for the top competing classes.
We have been monitoring the state and county press conferences regarding ongoing business closures and reopening discussions. We have also reviewed reports of local recreation facilities who are making moves to reopen their clubs. We are currently preparing our own plan for a phased reopening and are scheduling a Zoom video/conference call on Monday, May 11, 2020, at 6:00 pm to review a draft plan and schedule for reopening the recreation facilities. We want our homeowners, Tennis Members, Pickleball Members, and Swim Center Members to review our proposed plan for reopening and provide an opportunity for you to provide input. We know many people are ready to start participating in their sports of choice again, while others remain concerned about potential public exposure. We want to create a plan that addresses both perspectives and provides you with an opportunity to give input.
Please put the date of May 11, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. on your calendar. We will send a link to the meeting next week. Meanwhile, please safely enjoy our trails and open space and what looks to be a beautiful weekend.
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