Two and a half months ago, preparations for Encore! began for her move to Stonepine Estate, in Carmel Valley, CA. At eight years old, Encore! had enjoyed a life of unrestricted movement, in a large paddock and five acres of free range. Unfortunately, her education suffered a large gap. I didn’t have a truck or trailer to teach her the basics of riding the roads in a horse trailer to enjoy adventures beyond our trail rides and low level dressage.
Gratefully, Ramone Becerra stepped in to fill the gap. His superior abilities as a horseman, with uncanny understanding of horses, brought Encore! through some difficult moments to final acceptance of loading up and driving out in a horse trailer created by Sundowner and supervised by Sundowner Representative, Matt Heacock, of Heacock Trailers and Truck Accessories.
One of his spectacular feats of horse training prowess is demonstrated in country pop singer Shania Twain’s YouTube video of her Las Vegas show that features Shania riding an Andulusian horse on stage to sing the opening song “You’re Still the One.”
With Encore! Ramone first had to trailer Encore! to his training operation, which was a significant challenge, but in Ramone’s own words, he simply “never gives up and there’s only one outcome.” If patience is a virtue, and we all know it is, Ramone has it in spades. Ultimately, he had to back Encore! into the trailer with the wry statement, “Sometimes you have to fool them.” and fool Encore! he did. She was loaded up after a struggle that ended up defeated by Ramone’s unflagging patience.
On Tuesday, July 21, 2020, Ramone with his wife Charlotte and daughter Catherine delivered Encore! to Stonepine Estate.
I found out that years ago Ramone performed in monthly Wild West Shows at Stonepine. So it is that Encore! gave to Ramone an opportunity to revisit a past full of amazing equestrian entertainment.
Catalina
Broad hats and weather worn faces, everyday’s a picnic and a rodeo.
-Tim McIsaac