Walnut Grove Equestrian Park

San Marcos, California

By Lori Hall-McNary

 Directions / Map

Once or twice a month the equestrian area of Walnut Grove Park located in San Diego's North County, saddles up for free family fun. A conservative crowd stops to watch the shows, consisting of magnificent horses and riders. Plenty of bleacher space, but bring a hat in the summer. The Southern sun tends to fry the unsuspecting.

The excitement of a Gymkhana show really send the dirt flying as participants compete in a variety of classes that test both horse and rider's skill and speed. In the popular rodeo barrels, participants run a cloverleaf pattern, to the skill of Polebending, where a horse and rider team must weave up and back through six poles set twenty feet apart. 

Unlike the stopwatches of yesteryear, an electronic timer registers the time for all events to the thousandth of a second. These are events where you can yell for your favorite rider. 'Bring 'um home!' is a popular cry, urging the rider on as he rounds the last obstacle and speeds toward the finish line.

Vallecitos Spurs, a non-profit equine group, has hosted horse shows at Walnut Grove Park since 1964. Located three and half miles off of Hwy 78, the park is steeped in San Marcos history. Walnut groves have been cut away to make room for grassy fields large enough to play soccer on. A Children's playground and covered picnic areas are installed around the park. The Red Barn built in 1950 for the purpose of square dancing and community shindigs was moved from its home in the center of town in 1992 to Walnut Grove Park. The Red Barn, renamed the Fred E. and Frances A. Williams Barn in 1997, stands as a proud heritage to a man who was the first San Marcos Volunteer Fire Chief and the barn's original builder.

During the lunch break at the show, you can purchase juicy hamburgers or sizzling hot dogs at the cook shack or venture 6 miles West to Old California Restaurant Row located at 1020 W. San Marcos Boulevard. Food ranges from Mexican to seafood, Indian to Chinese. There is also a microbrewery, coffee shop and small boutiques to purchase gifts for the folk' back home. Lunch prices range from $5 to $15, dinners are higher, but many of the restaurants offer an early bird special.

After lunch come back for more free equine entertainment. The show will wrap up in time for you to catch a round of champion golf at Twin Oaks Golf Course (1-760-591-golf) two miles from the park.

Now that you've put in a hard day's ride on the bleachers, relax in the hospitality of the land the Spaniards of 1797 dubbed Los Vallecitos de San Marcos (Little Valley of the Saint Mark). Soon you'll be rested and ready to saddle up again for more equine adventures.

If you're staying in the area, try Elfin Forest Vacation Ranch 1-760-744-2444, Champagne Lakes RV Resort 1-760-749-7572, San Marcos Motel 1-760-744-9924 or Quails Inn Hotel at Lake San Marcos Resort at 1-800-447-6556 (www.quailsinn.com).