We Are

Horses

We lease our land from East Bay Municipal Utility District. Our herd size is usually between twenty and thirty horses, though the lease allows pasturing of up to thirty-eight. We welcome all breeds, but some thrive better in our environment than others. We accept mares and geldings who live together in the same herd; stallions are not allowed.

Our land is too hilly to be suitable for horses who require flat footing, but many horses have aged well here. However, please note that OHA is not a retirement facility for older horses, and we do not have facilities suitable for breeding or foaling. We provide hay on the pasture for approximately five months each year, when forage is sparse. Horses who cannot maintain body condidtion on grazing with seasonal hay are not good candidates for OHA.

People

Our membership includes individuals and families from all walks of life, spans all ages from kids to teens to retirees, a wide range of skill levels, all disciplines, and we are dedicated to attracting and increasing the diversity of our group. See Membership Info for membership types, requirements, and eligibility.

Currently, we are 20–30 local horse-owning Proprietary Members and their immediate families; 15–20 Associate Members, who help care for and ride horses belonging to Proprietary Members; several Riding Partners of Proprietary Members; and about 10 Honorary Members, who have deep history contributing to the cooperative.

Horses brought to pasture must be able to live peaceably in a herd environment and be handled safely by other members. If a horse is discovered to be chronically aggressive, such that other horses or humans are injured, or highly likely to be injured, the member may be asked to move the horse out of OHA.

While we don’t expect all members to be expert equestrians, for the safety and health both horses and humans, we do require members to have sufficient knowledge, skills and experience to care for themselves and their horses in our rangeland environment.

We hold regular work parties (fencing, weeding, general clean-up, etc.), collaborate on herd moves and pasture rotations, participate in group rides, and work with local vets, farriers, and trimmers for shot clinics, teeth floating, informational sessions, etc. As members of a cooperative, it’s essential that all involved pitch in, lend a helping hand, and accept responsibility for the health of functioning of the entire organization.

We also welcome outside trainers, who offer lessons to members onsite.

Membership comes with a number of responsibilities, chief of which are paying dues and contributing work hours to the upkeep of the cooperative. The work consists of physical work on the pasture; organizing, facilitating, and executing ranch upkeep and administrative processes; and monitoring and ensuring the health, care, and safety of all horses in the herd. We also all participate in winter feedings of the herd, when grass is sparse, in the pastures — rain or shine.

Proprietary Members are eligible for nomination to serve on the OHA Board, and all members are expected to attend biannual meetings and stay up to date on organizational projects, plans, and communication.

Rangeland

OHA leases 443 acres of rangeland pasture in north Orinda from East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), to whom we have contractual responsibilities, including rotational grazing, protection of certain wetland areas, and maintenance of the facilities, which includes removal of waste from stalls and paddocks, upkeep of structures on the property, and maintenance of pastures and fencing. In addition, for liability reasons, EBMUD allows only OHA members and their family members access to the leased property.

The land includes wooded ravines, forests, and open pastures. It is cross-fenced into sub-pastures to allow rotational grazing. OHA is responsible for control of invasive non-native plant species (such as yellow star thistle and scotch broom), eradicating toxic weeds, preserving endangered plant species, and encouraging native grasses. Our horses have an important role in keeping the land grazed down and fire resistant, benefiting the surrounding community.

Horses live in the pasture year round, 24/7, with only natural tree cover to protect them from the elements, so they must be of sturdy stock, in good health, and adaptable to this environment. We do have a few stalls available on a temporary basis for horses with injuries or illness, those who need to diet or gain weight, and those who need to be readily available for a vet or a farrier.

Facilities

in progress

The land includes wooded ravines, forests, and open pastures. It is cross-fenced into sub-pastures to allow rotational grazing. OHA is responsible for control of invasive non-native plant species (such as yellow star thistle and scotch broom), eradicating toxic weeds, preserving endangered plant species, and encouraging native grasses. Our horses have an important role in keeping the land grazed down and fire resistant, benefiting the surrounding community.

Horses live in the pasture year round, 24/7, with only natural tree cover to protect them from the elements, so they must be of sturdy stock, in good health, and adaptable to this environment. We do have a few stalls available on a temporary basis for horses with injuries or illness, those who need to diet or gain weight, and those who need to be readily available for a vet or a farrier.