About Us Karen Krahl Returning Point Ranch started in 1986 to breed the National Show Horse and Warmbloods; primarily Holsteiners. Now that reining and cutting/working cow horse have been added to USET and Olympic Equestrian sports, we have added the American Quarter horse, and the American Paint Horse to our small herd. Karen Krahl and husband, Tony Chitwood "pull together in the harness" at this place. Krahl's experience includes work on the race track as a race horse groom, on Arabian horse breeding farms in Maryland and California, riding and showing in dressage, hunt seat equitation and over fences, lessons in polo (Solvang, SLO, and Jamaica) and 2 years ago showing in Country English Pleasure on the Arabian circuit, in Half-Arab and National Show Horse classes. Concurrently in the last 3 years Western training/riding was added to the mix, as a basis for reining, cutting, and team penning with the Quarter horses. Karen has attended numerous seminars and courses over the years in horse health, shoeing, breeding, foal care, stable management, and training through local equine clinics, courses at the Cal Poly Extension Department in conformation, and UCSB Extension Department. Tony and Karen together have attended the Equine Affair in Pomona February 04, the Equine Event in Paso Robles 04, attending classes by Craig Cameron, Chris Cox, Teddy Robinson, Craig Schmersal and many others. 2005 Pamela Krahl, Karen's sister, another Equine enthusiast together attended classes at the Equine Affair again, this time classes with Clinton Anderson, Craig Cameron, etc, sorting through new feeds, nutrients, and attending classes on foaling, legal issues etc. Again in 05 at the Paso Robles Equine Event, they were able to take in some additional Chris Cox wisdom. At Returning Point Ranch we use some of the Clinton Anderson, Chris Cox, Al Dunning and Craig Cameron techniques in working with our horses. Tony Chitwood has ridden and shown his offtrack thoroughbred, "Stretch" in hunt seat, and is now learning working cow horse and cutting. Tony , Karen took a 4 day clinic in Santa Paula with Chris Cox fall of 04, Karen on Taboo, a 2 year old filly for Horsemanship One. July 05 they will attend a workshop with Richard Winters in Ojai, on 3 year old filly Blue (for sale) and her 1/2 sister also 3 year old filly, Taboo. Lisa Locarnini; our barn manager graduated from Cal Poly and moved back North, but left a great foundation of groundwork and basic horsemanship stamped on Smokin Blue Genes, Hot Peopita Magic, Blue.Doodle Bug Music.and several other horses we trained, tuned up and sold. Cassie Rowland and Jessica Lighthill are our onsite helpers getting the lunging, ground work and drills done.They are experienced Western Pleasure, English Barrel and Reiner riders between the two of them, who have shown and won at AQHA and other shows locally. RPR, a 10 acre property, straddles Davenport Creek which winds through Edna Valley, a famous Chardonnay Wine Appellation in San Luis Obispo County, California. Nestled against oak-studded hills, it has a view to the East of the Santa Lucia mountains. We are about 5 minutes from the SLO airport, 20 minutes from Lopez Lake and Canyon, and about 12 minutes from the Pacific Ocean. Year round temperatures average approximately 70-75 degrees, an ideal climate in which to breed, raise and work horses. Areas of interest: In order to better focus on our Quarter Horses for performance and our breeding program we are phasing out our NSH. See our GO or Sale pages for more on that. My Licorice Twist and CF A Spot of Tea are for sale. CF A Spot of Tea is being shown this year in Hunt Seat and possibly Show Hack. She has had 12 First Places already on the Arab circuit. Cutting, Reining, Team Penning, Trail/Endurance, Working Cow Horse with AQHA, IBHA, FQHA, including but not limited to grulla, dun, buckskin and APHA horses Sales of the well-broke, seasoned trail savy horse; these come and go pretty quickly, check out our SALE page. Sales of our NEW, small, foal crop. A grulla filly and bay stud colt, both with performance and solid Foundation bloodlines. They can be purchased now and shipped after weaning in August. Understanding Grulla's We want our horses gentle, smart and willing, beautiful and experienced. We expose them to water, hazards, show conditions, arena work and real life situations so they are as safe as they can be, bombproof and fun to ride. We insist on pretty faces, kind eyes, excellent conformation for each breed/type ( focusing on Grulla, Dun, Black, Buckskin, Palomino, and Paints ), athletic ability, foundation lines, with the color on top all the "must have" basics. For now we are offering Quarter Horse breeding in grulla/grullo, and currently paint horses as well. National Show Horse/Half-Arabian in black and white tobianos will be phased out to concentrate on the others. Watch us show, grow, and go. We have owned and bred horses on a small scale for over 20 years. We have shown in IAHA/ half-arab NSH shows in '03 and '04, and soon AQHA will show our different and wonderfully diverse stock. All the while we are getting them accustomed to everything from trailering, tarps, uneven footing, and the ocean, to climbing the trails in nearby mountains, or getting on cattle, so they are enjoyable for work or for recreation. Spring of 05 our first foal "crop" "Sophie and Handsome" a grulla filly and bay stud colt are for sale. See them under New Arrivals, and on our Sale page. Our horses range in size from 14.2 hands-16.2 hands. Please contact us for more information. If we don't have what you are looking for ( not in your size or color?! :) ) we can probably find it for you. CD's, videos, DVD's of sale horses are available and video downloads are at the bottom of a sale horse's own page. Visitors are welcome at RPR, so call for an appointment so we can show you around! Sincerely, Karen Krahl and Tony Chitwood, Owners Tony, Karen & Fast Fox
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