The equine life divine

June Casagrande

The words “welcome to Newport Beach” were still reverberating in the

air when a controversy broke, stifling the city’s welcome to its new

neighbors in Santa Ana Heights. Hip-deep in the horse manure battle,

in which equestrians and city officials squared off over water

quality issues, the exciting news was muffled: Newport Beach is now

home to horses.

Scoopable news aside, the addition of Santa Ana Heights to the

city’s borders brings a proud tradition of a long-loved lifestyle.

“It’s the only sport where your life is in intricately involved in

the animal,” said Mary Slouka, a longtime member of the Santa Ana

Heights Equestrian community and owner of the area’s only commercial

stable, Wildwood Farms. “It’s not like riding a surfboard. It’s not

like training a dog or a lion or something. When you’re sitting on

top of a horse you’re communicating with your body to that horse. And

there’s that moment when you’re both on the same wavelength and the

horse is right inside your head and you’re working together. It’s

like a ballet. It sounds corny but it’s kind of like a spiritual

thing.”

In Santa Ana Heights, it’s a way of life. About 150 to 200 horses

reside in the community that’s now half in Newport Beach and half in

unincorporated Orange County.

Custom zoning makes this possible. The area is zoned “REQ,” for

“residential equestrian,” which allows a homeowner to keep up to six

horses on a half-acre lot.

An equestrian trail links the homes with a way to ride through the

stunning scenery of the Back Bay to places beyond.

“This is a unique area in that there are still horses here,” said

Rich Carr, a member of the Back Bay Equestrians group, who describes

himself as a lifelong equestrian. “It’s an enjoyable thing to be able

to go outside your home and be able to experience the community. It’s

a brought me a sense of community to be able to do it on horseback.”

Carr rides almost every day, often along the winding trails that

extend beyond the city’s borders along the San Diego Creek.

“It’s really beautiful in there,” he said. “Because you’re riding

along the river, there’s lots of birds and lots of wildlife. You’re

away from cars and office buildings and houses. There are other types

of plants. It’s quite pretty when you get back up in there and to see

the wildlife that lives along the creek is pretty amazing.”

Closer to home, nature performs more amazing acts, such at the

birth of new foals at Slouka’s stable. On Saturday, a new miniature

horse was born and, as with all new foals the stable, Slouka

announces the birth by putting out balloons.

“That’s how the schoolchildren know there’s a new foal and the

whole community comes out to see it,” Slouka said. “The horses are so

much part of the lifestyle and the community here.”

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.