 | | | Former Orinda mayor Bobbie Landers smiles with her horse, Nevada, who has found a new home. Photo Sora O'Doherty | | | | | | Bobbie Landers' 27-year-old thoroughbred horse, Nevada, has finally been moved off the Pacific Gas and Electric Company land on which he had lived off Bear Creek Road. Landers had a lease on the land for 33 years, but early this year PG&E had informed her that they would not renew the lease. Landers, a former mayor of Orinda who is 90 years old and has been an active participant in many of Orinda's civic and social activities over the decades, was very stressed by having to relocate her old horse, whom she was accustomed to visit and care for twice each day. PG&E gave her several extensions, but could not offer another suitable piece of land.
Fortunately, help arrived in the form of Mike McCaffrey of Hold Your Horses. McCaffrey and company founder Chantel Tieman run the business, which specializes in rescuing horses from fires. McCaffrey has a ranch in Byron, California, where his two daughters raise show pigs.
On Sept. 20, the horse, named Nevada was not too happy with Landers, who refused to feed him his breakfast. She believed that if he was hungry, it would be easier to lure him into a horse trailer, an experience the horse has not savored in the past. Landers' two daughters, Holly and Merrily, were on hand to help with the move. Emotions ran high as they removed Nevada's things from the barn built by their father and John Fazel many years ago. The plaque bearing Nevada's name was unfastened from his stall, ready to be transferred to his new home.
McCaffrey and Tieman arrived with a large horse trailer, in which Landers felt that Nevada would be more comfortable. McCaffrey evaluated the horse, and administered a light sedative to calm him down. After about a half hour, Nevada calmly followed Landers' daughter Holly, who had ridden him in the past, out of the barn and into the trailer, where breakfast awaited him. It was a calm ride out to his new home in Byron. Upon arrival, Nevada was led into a large corral and left to acclimate himself to his new surroundings. In the distance, the other side of Mount Diablo rose to the west. In a field beside the corral, two black Morgan horses came close to the fence to meet their new neighbor. Nevada, who has been alone in his field for many years since the death of his barn mate, trotted over to say hello. He cantered around the ring, looking nothing like his 27 years. He got down and rolled on the ground, and investigated his surroundings.
Finally, McCaffrey led him to his new stall, which is large and has a large run attached. One of his neighbors, a chicken, jumped up on the stall, and startled Nevada, but he took it in his stride. Across from his stall, the show pigs were calm about their new neighbor. Landers won't get to see Nevada every day any more, but she is often in Byron and will visit him regularly there. So, while it isn't as good as having him in Orinda where she can see him daily, Landers is content with Nevada's new home, and happy that the stressful process of relocating him is over. |
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA