Saving Skyline Stables

Donning a pink cowgirl hat with a tiara and matching cowboy boots, 2-year-old Sienna Calderon had one focus Monday afternoon — riding a horse.

She didn’t want to say, "hi” to the handfuls of people standing atop a Millbrae hill surrounded by trees. No, she had her eyes on a pretty horse. "Ride ’em?” she asked while pointing.

She joined Allen Harrison on one of his horses and started traveling in a small circle.

Calderon is a third generation horse lover at Skyline Stables, a co-op for horses that feels like a family environment. It is located on the Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant property owned by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. For more than 50 years, families have worked on the land at the end of Helen Drive near Interstate 280 to house their horses. Everyone pays a maintenance fee but does everything else like caring for the horses, cleaning the stables, buying food separately to make it an affordable way to house animals.

That family setting may soon end because of seismic upgrades to the water system. The SFPUC is currently finalizing an environmental report on a massive retrofit project, slated to be completed in 2015 and preparation for the Harry Tracy Treatment Plant updates need to begin this fall, said Alison Kastama, Peninsula communications liaison for the SFPUC.

Unfortunately, the land on which many of the stables sit is required to make the upgrades, said Kastama.

While space at other stables is available, they are far away and more expensive. The families using the space are asking to be relocated to another nearby SFPUC-owned property. Relocation, the SFPUC argued, would mean spending public dollars on stables — not exactly the charge of the group.

"We’re very conscious of the stables,” Kastama said, adding they’ve been great neighbors.

Families who have spent years together at the site worry that maintaining their horses won’t be possible without access to the urban stables.

San Bruno resident Lori Anderson has the distinction of being the longest user of the stables, 36 years.

Keeping her horse Smokin’ Mendy, who she calls Maggie, in Millbrae offers her the chance to stop by multiple times a day to care for the animal. Housing Maggie in Half Moon Bay or Woodside would mean a longer travel time, and thus less time that could be dedicated to the horse. But the cost is also prohibitive.

Spaces are available at private facilities. Unlike the cooperative setup, costs would be required for someone to care for the stables, food and care — much of the work done by those who use the Skyline Stables.

Terri Stines grew up around the corner from the hidden stables. She and her siblings spent summers caring for the horses, taking them down the street and bathing the majestic creatures in their family driveway.

"It’s the best gym,” she said, noting it requires shoveling about 50 pounds of manure daily.

Today, she shares the experience with her own children.

Stories of the 17 barns are shared during friendly conversation. Many of those using the co-op purchase a barn. Ownership of the barns has changed over the years, with some users staying atop the hill simply in a different barn.

Christine Hansen, president of the Skyline Stables board, flipped through a scrapbook with photos dating back to 1959 showing the horses and families who have used the space. She realized one photo, that of a newborn pony, was taken in the barn that is currently hers.

Carole Bottarini has used the stables for 28 years. Her love lives on in her daughter, and 2-year-old granddaughter Sienna.

Bottarini, in her 60s, rides four to five times weekly with daily visits to her horses — something that may not be possible if the horses were housed in a different location.

Allen and Michelle Harrison have maintained horses at one of the barns for 11 years.

Allen Harrison explained how his wife grew up in San Francisco with a love for horses and a desire to have them. He didn’t initially share that enthusiasm, but laughed and said she clearly won.

The family currently houses three horses on site. The horses are gentle creatures, which Allen Harrison trusts enough to allow some of the younger ones to ride on their own.

Moving three horses to another facilities would be a financial burden. Allen Harrison estimated it would triple the cost. A bigger concern to him is the loss to the children.

Not only were Allen Harrison’s grandchildren around on Monday afternoon, his friend 5-year-old Cassie Brown was also riding.

Brown’s parents have space but when they’re both working she will sometimes join the Harrisons and ride Windy.

She’s been riding nearly her whole life, and can easily explain the steps for prepping the horse or extra help she needs to mount it as she’s quite short compared to the gentle horse.

Brown also enjoys riding Starman, a horse owned by Laura Stevens, a horse trainer.

"I always thought this place was an urban legend,” said Stevens, who heard about Skyline Stables long before knowing where it was located.

It’s not an urban legend though.

"It’s the only place where you can just come and hang out for hours and hours because people can afford to be here,” she said.

The group is not sure what will happen, but is currently seeking community support. They’ve requested letters of support from the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno, as well as local elected officials. Thus far, they have generated support from the Millbrae Historical Society and supervisors Rich Gordon and Mark Church.

Heather Murtagh can be reached by e-mail: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105.