About

The Story of Miwok Stables

 

What is so special about Miwok Stables? Our story is that we bring horses into the lives of everyday people. Much of the horse world is for fancy barns, but what sets us apart is that we love beginners, rusty riders, casual riders and children of all ages.

Our location in a National Park means we are public. Our mandate is to welcome the amateurs, the kids, and the curious. We bring ladies to the sport who never had the chance to pursue a childhood dream and get a welcome break from their routines. We have men who love the chance to cowboy as a respite to their pressured careers. Children are thrilled to ride the lessons, show team and summer camps, often sparking a life-long pursuit of the sport.

And we have an outreach for those in our community with special needs like the inner-city kids seeing horses and a ranch for the first, and probably only, time in their lives. We have partnered for decades with MarinHealth, working women recovering from cancer, finding new strength, hope and pleasure in the healing powers of the horse. In partnership with the Tam Valley Fire Department, we facilitate an annual holiday toy drive.

Horses and ranches are disappearing – especially in this area, a crowded metropolis, where cars and computers dominate our lives. Our mission is to preserve and protect this living ranch in the National Park. The Miwok Stables is an historic gem, a ranch which has been in continuous operation for 200 years.

 Living History

When you are at Miwok Stables you are living history.

When you are at Miwok Stables you are living history.

This fascinating place was home to Miwok Indians for a thousand years, providing abundant acorns, deer, fish, clams and otter for them in this valley.

This fascinating place was home to Miwok Indians for a thousand years, providing abundant acorns, deer, fish, clams and otter for them in this valley.

In the early 1800's, the Spanish caballeros moved their herds through the chaparral in these hills, part of the immense Rancho Del Corte Madera Del Presidio.

In the early 1800's, the Spanish caballeros moved their herds through the chaparral in these hills, part of the immense Rancho Del Corte Madera Del Presidio.

Later, Portuguese built a dairy here, one of a dozen in Tennessee Valley in the 1880’s.

Later, Portuguese built a dairy here, one of a dozen in Tennessee Valley in the 1880’s.

This dairy ran until the 1960’s, then became a horse stable. In 1971, the land became a National Park, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

This dairy ran until the 1960’s, then became a horse stable. In 1971, the land became a National Park, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

The Miwok Livery riding school opened here in 1981 for the public, founding this non-profit originally as the Miwok Livery Outreach. Thousands have enjoyed their time here in this very special place.

The Miwok Livery riding school opened here in 1981 for the public, founding this non-profit originally as the Miwok Livery Outreach. Thousands have enjoyed their time here in this very special place.

We beg for your help.

 

We operate under a lease with the National Park which requires us to make expensive restorations to the facility.

We can only carry on this wonderful place and its programs with your donations to keep this alive and thriving, so the horses and this ranch in the National Park can continue to charm, amuse and educate for generations to come. This is your park, your community, and your opportunity to do an important good deed.

 

It is wonderful to have this piece of reality to keep us grounded in a world becoming over-pixelated. May the rich history continue, and Miwok Stables thrive, the oldest and the last working ranch in Southern Marin. This is truly a living history.

Please help this rich history to continue.