Last Night's Parks & Rec Meeting Sparked Many Ideas on How Everyone Can Enjoy the Rohr Park Horse Arena

The meeting was over in less than an hour. There were a total of six in the audience and three of us had come in the same car. One of the participants was Robert Johnson of Chula Vista Live Data. Robert was filming so I'm hoping to get video from him. But I wanted to give you a little insight of the overall mood.

Chula Vista staff had upped their game. There were microphones so everything was clear and easily heard. There was a timer so you knew exactly how long you could speak. And I don't know it they were new or not but there were name plates for each commissioner.

There was horse talk, lots of horse talk.

I sadly have not learned the names of the commissioners but I promise to be better in the future. That's a known problem with redheads, we only remember other redheads and I was the only redhead in the room. But I really like this group of people and would like to hear more of their thoughts.

One board member approached me before the meeting began to ask if my horse was tied up in the parking lot, eating hay.

One commissioner asked Director Frank Carson about the status of the horse arena in Rohr Park. No information there.

Another commissioner spoke about a wonderful horse program involving children and the Chula Vista Police Department. I believe she said it was a camp and took place in Valley Center. She asked if Rohr Arena could be used for something like that and I nodded yes, yes, yes. Are you paying attention Serenity and BVH?

Director Frank Carson mentioned that he would be attending the Bonita Valley Horsemen Ranch Riding Clinic on this Saturday from 10-1. Several commissioners inquired about that.

In my public comment, I mentioned that the snack bar at Rohr Park Horse Arena was under-utilized. I suggested that it be fixed up, bidded out and used as a coffee stop for walkers on the trail and those coming to see the horses in the arena. Maybe some tables and chairs to sit a spell and take it all in. There were a lot of head nods on that one and I hope that we can bring it to fruition. Stay tuned as I hope to write an article shortly.

In trying to locate the horse camp mentioned in the meeting, I came across an interesting website called Saddles In Service. In 2020, Chula Vista Police Department Lieutenant Jason Deaner wrote the following:

Chula Vista Police Department Lieutenant Jason Deaner

"I’ve been a cop for 24 years; my industry just began talking about stress and PTSD in the last five. It’s odd because very few of us think of the things we see as anything other than work. We move from accidents, fights, domestic violence, murders, and death, day in and day out for decades, without really thinking about the impact it can have on our minds. The experience of dealing with these images can impact our marriages, friendships, and relationships with our children. It surfaces in aggression, drinking, drug use, bad decision making, and other counter-productive traits and yet most continue to move through their lives and careers without even taking a minute to slow down and identify what’s behind it.

Day one at Saddles In Service was a reminder to do just that. Meeting up with Tammy and Mike and having them introduce me to Samantha, my Wrangler, was a calming experience. I was learning something I knew nothing about, and Samantha was there to guide me through the whole experience patiently. Her smile alone brought me peace and solitude, throw in the fact that she’s willing to volunteer to share years of hard-earned experience with horses, and I knew I met someone special.

Then I met “my” horse, Splash. She was rescued from an “auction” where horses are often euthanized for their meat. I could feel, through running a brush through her coat, that this is an animal that’s been through a lot but still has a willingness to love and trust. Who wouldn’t stand in awe for a moment when they saw this animal’s ability to forgive and trust?

Tammy told me about the instinctual predator and prey relationship that horses (prey) have to sift through to trust a human (predator). The horse is literally fighting millennia of instinct to trust us, yet they will as long as you’re willing to do your part and trust them. With a commitment like that, who wouldn’t do their part?

The experiences, the knowledge I gain about horsemanship, the connection of meeting new people and horses, are indeed experiences I will never forget. The best part, it’s all on my terms and at my pace. The impact this has on my psyche and my peace positively changes all the other days when I’m not working with the people and horses at Saddles In Service."

Jason Deaner, Chula Vista PD Lieutenant | April 12, 2020 | Saddles for Service

"With Your Support We Are Saving Lives, One Ride at a Time. You’ve helped us serve 1,155 heroes, deliver 9,283 program sessions and adopt 37 healing horses. 5 of which are retired Border Patrol Mustangs serving a new purpose in healing heroes."—© 2025 Saddles in Service

This one brisk meeting literally opened the door in my mind to a zillion ways to use the arena. I'm seeing so many new ways that Rohr Park Horse Arena could be utilized to its full potential.

It shouldn't just be a place for horse riders to use, it should be a place for everyone that loves horses to use.

Bring back the pony rides of the past! Let our community children/adults sit on a horse, touch a horse, be lead around on a horse, fall in love with a horse.

Ask BVH to bring their kissing pony to the arena.

Ask Sunnyside Saddle Club to do a one-hour jumping exhibition.

Make a HUGE board where people can post their horse's photo (laminated, of course, to protect from the rain) with the horse's name. Maybe add cork-board to the back side of the current buildings along the walking trail and post them there. No delineation as to whether the horse is backyard, charro, BVH or SSC . . . just photos, lots and lots of photos. A big, happy horse community!

I used to teach kid's scrapbook classes in the summer because parents were looking for activities for their kids. Someone could teach a one-day or one-week horse class on basics like grooming and ground work. Maybe add more weeks and advance the training. Do you know how many parents would sign their kids up for that!!!!

Let's not keep the community at arm's length . . . . let's bring them into the horse circle.

Let's all brainstorm TOGETHER on everything we'd like to see happen. Write your ideas in the comments below.

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