Laura Fenwick rides a friend’s horse boarded at Pebble Beach Equestrian Center at least once a week, riding on 27 miles of scenic trails along the shoreline and through Del Monte Forest. She fears the magic of those rides are coming to an end with plans by Pebble Beach Company to close the 100-year-old Equestrian Center by June.
“This was one of the last places on the Peninsula you could sign up to go for a trail ride,” Fenwick says.
She and a group of other dedicated horse enthusiasts are making a bid to PBC to reverse its decision, or at the very least agree to a compromise that will give equestrians a way to continue the tradition of horseback riding in the coastal area. “We’re sad,” she says. “It’s like taking the golf courses away from the golf people.”
Company officials cited decreased income and usage as reasons for the closure, plus a need for $15 million in renovations. The decision is final, according to a spokesperson.
Stephen Pellett, who runs his training business at the center, disputes PBC’s account, saying it had a waiting list of 50 people wanting to board who were not let in. He believes there was a way to make the center profitable.
Fenwick and others at least want a way for horse owners to bring their horses into Pebble Beach by trailer. Reportedly there are plans in the works for trailers to be parked close to the trail system, which PBC officials have said they will continue to maintain.
Since the company’s announcement, at least 25 of the 60 horses have been relocated by their owners. Owners are being offered rent rebates and assistance in relocating. Some horses owned by the company will be rehomed. Employees will have an opportunity to take jobs elsewhere in PBC.
An online petition started by Pellett (online at bit.ly/reversePBCdecision) has gathered over 2,500 signatures. Fenwick says they are approaching the Monterey County Planning Commission for help, which approved a 2013 PBC housing plan that included the construction of a new equestrian center.
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