HORSE, RANCH, ESTATE AND FARM PROPERTIES by Sue Kalina Our county has some incredible estates for the landowner and rancher. Much of the sloping properties are a great location for the new orchard crops of avocados that are rapidly replacing oranges and lemons. Some of this acreage has proven to have vineyard potential so there are lots of eyes watching this market. Previous strawberry crops now make room for raspberries and blackberries the new hot ticket. The Thoroughbred race  horse industry holds a lot of history here as much as smaller gentleman estates like that of President Ronald Regan. Camarillo is named after the famed city founder Adolfo Camarillo who bred the Camarillo White Horse made famous by their presence in the annual Rose Parade under heavy silver saddle decoration. Ventura County guidelines require that horse property is defined by the minimum guidelines in whatever city the property or land is located. Where the property is in an unincorporated zone then the county minimum guideline is 20,000square feet per horse. A horse (over 14.2 hands) by county definition is considered one animal unit. This begs to ask the question ”Can I have a pony (or two) on less than 20,000 square feet?” The answer is yes…if the children want to join FFA or 4H Club then you might even want to have a school project animal and chickens too! Just remember that you are required to be a good neighbor and follow the county guidelines,  like property setback rules that determine the proper distances between human and animal enclosures. A pamphlet is available to you at the County government center located at Telephone and Victoria Avenues in the city of Ventura. There are some large estate properties that exclude the containment of horses due to homeowners associations where the rules exclude horses and farming. Some associations embrace them with names that include “equestrian riding trails” and such. The Ojai trail embraces both human walk, horse trail and bike path all the way down to the fairgrounds at the beach in Ventura. Your real estate professional will generally know how to direct your search but my advice is to stick with those of us who specialize in horse properties because it is also our passion. It’s somewhat akin to knowing what a parent feels for their children…you have to have them to know what it’s like! I’ve had my appendix gelding Jazz since 1986 and he’s presently well over 30 years old and happily retired at Swan Hill Farms.  I’ve been a horse owner since I was 18 years old and can’t even imagine the direction my life would have taken if I didn’t have a horse to keep me busy. One thing is for sure…I am a great deal more patient because of the crazy antics of my beloved Tango. I still miss him to this day. That’s the understanding that I bring to the situation every day that a horse owner spends looking for that ‘perfect home for their steed! So let’s embark on that search for the perfect horse property shall we? Call me at 805 701-7847.