Spooked Equestrians : Plan to Revamp No-Frills Fillmore Stable Too Costly, Tenants Say

A proposal to revamp a no-frills equestrian facility in Fillmore has tenants worried that the facility’s low-cost, do-it-yourself style will go the way of the horse and buggy.

R&R; Equestrian Center, located on 35 acres on the south bank of the Santa Clara River, should generate more revenue than the $10,000 the city receives annually from Don Marcotte, who operates the stable on a lease from the city, officials said last week.

But many of those who board horses at R&R; say the city’s urge to upgrade could leave its rural past in the dust.

“We’ve been country folks all our lives, and we’ve got a good thing going out there,” said C.D. (Buck) Basolo, who doesn’t keep his horse at R&R; but uses its steer-roping arena.

“I’d hate to see something like this leave the community,” said Basolo, who lives in the Fillmore house where he was born 65 years ago.

R&R; differs from most horse-boarding facilities in Ventura County, where care is covered by fees ranging from $125 to $200 a month. Tenants at the Fillmore center pay $50 a month for corral space, and either do all the work themselves or pay a nominal fee to have someone feed and clean for them. The facility boasts a steer-roping arena, an exercise pen and galvanized pipe corrals for about 80 horses.

“This is the only place in the tri-county area where you can do all your own horse care,” said Fred Howard, who commutes from Santa Paula to look after his four horses. “I like feeding my own animals--I know they’re eating and drinking right.”

Officials say the proposed refurbishing comes in response to complaints about the rundown appearance of some parts of the facility, which was built 20 years ago atop a former city dump. R&R; tenants agree that the facility could use a bit of sprucing up, but they say a complete face lift would not be cost-effective.

“People wouldn’t want to pay top price to keep their horses on a dump site,” said Kym Southwick, a Fillmore native who has kept horses at R&R; for three years. “There’s always the risk of holes opening up where the trash is breaking up, like the one we had in the big arena last week.”

She was referring to a hole that appeared without warning and had to be filled before the steer-roping arena could be reopened.

The city began advertising July 9 for proposals to upgrade the horse park. City officials have put no price tag on the long-term lease they want to sign with “someone out there with vision,” City Manager Roy Payne said. And no particular improvements have been specified for the Spartan facility.

But applicants are being asked to explain how they might provide restrooms, sufficient water for irrigation or fire protection and $2 million in insurance--potentially pricey amenities that locals say will cull the average horseman from the herd, leaving an equestrian elite occupying the facility.

“They’ve said they want to keep it for Fillmore citizens, but someone’s got to pay for all these grandiose plans, and it’s sure not going to be the city--it will be the people who can least afford it,” said Debbie McKnight, who has kept horses at R&R; for three years. “A lot of people out here already give up quite a bit to afford their horses.”

Basolo also doubts that anyone could make the city’s requested improvements without spending more than R&R; could generate in income. “I hope the city relents a little, or locals won’t be able to afford it and we’ll just have outsiders in there.”

Payne denied any attempt to transform R&R; into an elite equestrian facility.

“We’re not prejudiced about what should be out there, and people at R&R; will have plenty of opportunity to comment,” Payne said. “It’s true that the self-care arrangement is unique, but the city is not obligated to ensure that such a facility exists.”

Some tenants said that the city shares blame for the rundown conditions at R&R.; “For the last three years, they’ve had Don on a year-by-year lease, and I never heard that there were specific things he was supposed to do,” McKnight said. “No one’s going to go all out if they think they may lose the place next year.”

Marcotte said new lessors would have their work cut out for them, and that expansion options are limited by hazards lurking below the surface. “Everywhere you look there’s rocks, and holes keep opening up as the trash settles. I don’t mean little trash, I mean cars, cable--all kinds of things,” Marcotte said.

“And with that water test, who knows? If they find anything, they may have to close this down and dig everything up.”

He referred to tests by state water officials that could reveal underground pollutants at the former dump. City officials are still awaiting the results.

R&R; tenants said they value the freedom and camaraderie they share as much as their low rent.

“It’s like a big family out here,” said horse owner Kay Mitchell. “Nobody bugs you, you’re free to ride around--we’re lucky to have this.”