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Gar land View Stables' Equestrian Tradition B Y M I C H A E L C H AT F I E L D W hen Rhett Petit explains his horse and horsemanship training approach, the word "relationship" comes up frequently. "Some people think that you kick a horse to make it go and pull on the reins to get it to stop," he says. "But there's a lot more to it than that. From the moment you put the halter on a horse, you're in a working relationship." At Garland View Stables, the horse training and boarding facility on Carmel Valley Road that Petit and wife Christy operate, the emphasis is on developing that horse/rider relationship. He employs the "vaquero" training method. Vaquero practitioners believe horse training should commence when the animal is a little older, say ages 5 or 6, as opposed to modern training that typically starts at age 2, which can lead to lifelong damage to bones and joints. Though he's been working with horses nearly his entire life, Petit realizes that there's lots more to learn. "Every horse is different," he says. "They're all going to humble you in some way." Some lessons are hard learned. "I've fallen off plenty of horses," he says. "If you haven't, you haven't ridden much." In addition to training, the Petits offer boarding, birthday parties and pony rides. Garland View Stables is located at 456 W Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. For more information, go to www.garlandviewstables.com or call 831/484-9893. SHORTCUTS NEIGHBORS Christy and Rhett Petit own Garland View Stables, a horse training and boarding center in Carmel Valley, which also offers birthday parties and pony rides. 102 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 Photo: Heidi Borgia