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snitcherus
01-03-2004, 07:32 PM
As we rode down Main Street in the antique fire engine car, our CM chauffeur told us that on Christmas Day between 12 and 5pm, a colt had been born at the Disneyland Stables. They named the new foal Noel (Noelle?). A girl! The CM told us that New Year's Eve Day was the first time she ventured out into the yard with her mother.

After years of seeing horse-drawn vehicles go down Main Street, I never put two-and-two together to realize that Disneyland must have stables! Duh! But where are they?

sleepyjeff
01-03-2004, 08:07 PM
The Circle D Ranch is located just NE of the Park. Right behind the old Big Thunder Ranch.

Not Afraid
01-03-2004, 08:49 PM
The foal was born to the mare of a pair of white horses that will be used in the stage version of Snow White at Fantasyland Theater. I don't remember the names of the horses, but they go together - like click/clack, ding/dong, Sugar/Cream, snow/flake. I guess the second's name after hearing the first. Darn. I know the names. I'll be posting at 3 am.;)

BTW, the two horses are brother and sister and are fairly young.

Well, the names of these two are lost in my brain. If anyone knows, please post. I won't find out until tomorrow evening - IF I can catch one of my Circle D friends.;)

Morrigoon
01-04-2004, 01:35 AM
Hmm... I hope that foal is from only ONE of the pair, then.

MickeyLumbo
01-04-2004, 08:37 AM
Originally posted by Not Afraid


BTW, the two horses are brother and sister and are fairly young.

Well, the names of these two are lost in my brain. If anyone knows, please post.

:eek:

brother and sister? yikes!

could the names be Riff Raff & Magenta? LOL :D

Leap for Joy
01-04-2004, 08:50 AM
My brother-in-law was offerred the job of caring for the horses about 15 years ago, and he didn't take it! It was probably the right decision for his family, but oh I wanted him to have that job sooooooooooo bad!!!

tod
01-04-2004, 11:16 AM
Originally posted by snitcherus
After years of seeing horse-drawn vehicles go down Main Street, I never put two-and-two together to realize that Disneyland must have stables! Duh! But where are they?

Where the Big Thunder Trail meets Fantasyland there are two gates that can swing one way to allow guests to pass along the Trail, or swing the other way to make a backstage road.

From those gates, if one were to head north through the backtage tunnel, the stables are on your left after you emerge from the tunnel. The original Dominguez family house was still standing there when I was there last, back in the '80s.

(This, of course, is trespassing backstage, and should not be attempted unless you are with a Disney executive, like I was.)

There was an idea thet the stabling was going to be moved onstage to the Big Thunder Ranch, but this never came about, or happened briefly but was discontinued, I really don't remember it well but wasn't there a blacksmith shop in Big Thunder Ranch at one time?

--T

MickeyLumbo
01-04-2004, 12:03 PM
i'm not sure about the blacksmith shop at big thunder ranch, tod, i missed ever seeing it.

last i knew, the dominguez homestead was still in it's location and was used as a office/darkroom for the park's official photographer... (that was quite a few yEARS ago though)

i sure miss Ron Dominguez... what a terrific guy he was (Dick Nunis too!)


Does anyone remember those glorious HUGE black Percherons that were used to pull the caliopy for the 25th anniversary parade? what a sight they were.

located next to the Circle D ranch (i assume part of it) is a place to avoid for sure. behind a 6 foot chaion link fence are the lovely German Shepheards that protect the park. if you'd like to feel your heart skip a beat, walk past them and say "boo!":p

(as tod say's ... do not do this)

the Horse Drawn Street cars are prepared for service behind the firehouse on main street... the horses are brought around the western perimeter of the park from circle d and returned the same way after their shift.

there used to be two white pony's that brought out the red/white/blue homing pigeon's container used in the flag retreat... does anyone know if they are still at circle d?

AVP
01-04-2004, 01:28 PM
Originally posted by Not Afraid
I don't remember the names of the horses, but they go together - Mom is Jekel.

AVP

Polar33
01-04-2004, 06:22 PM
Originally posted by tod
From those gates, if one were to head north through the backtage tunnel, the stables are on your left after you emerge from the tunnel. The original Dominguez family house was still standing there when I was there last, back in the '80s.
After the tunnel leading from onstage is actually a backstage area containing breakrooms and storage areas for many departments. However, directly north of that tunnel is an underpass taking you under the berm. Once through that underpass Circle D is on the left. There is also still a dirt road leading over the train tunnel that once provided access to the Big Thunder Ranch for Circle D.

And the Dominguez house is still there used as an office for Circle D.


Originally posted by MickeyLumbo
the horses are brought around the western perimeter of the park from circle d and returned the same way after their shift.
I'd like to add that the horses are all driven to Main Street and back. That, plus the part about each horse working four hours a day, four days a week gives them pretty darn good working conditions if you ask me.

TruCinderella
01-05-2004, 04:47 AM
Originally posted by snitcherus
.... our CM chauffeur told us that on Christmas Day between 12 and 5pm, a colt had been born at the Disneyland Stables. They named the new foal Noel (Noelle?). A girl!


ahem.... but was the foal a colt or filly....?

AVP
01-05-2004, 08:25 AM
She's a she, and I was told she's a filly, but I know next-to-nothing about horses. Is there a difference between a colt and a filly, other than gender?

AVP

Not Afraid
01-05-2004, 10:22 AM
ARGH! It's about time I remembered!

The mom/mare is Jekyll and the brother/uncle/gelding (I'm assuming) is named Hekyll.

tod
01-05-2004, 11:59 AM
Originally posted by Not Afraid
ARGH! It's about time I remembered!

The mom/mare is Jekyll and the brother/uncle/gelding (I'm assuming) is named Hekyll.

Heckle and Jeckle? Paul Terry characters?

They couldn't find a Disney pair to name the horses after?

--T
confused

lisap
01-05-2004, 12:39 PM
Originally posted by AVP
She's a she, and I was told she's a filly, but I know next-to-nothing about horses. Is there a difference between a colt and a filly, other than gender?

AVP

No other differences--a colt grows up to be a stallion (or gelding), a filly grows up to be a mare. I think the change in title comes around two years old.

TruCinderella
01-07-2004, 10:52 PM
Originally posted by AVP
She's a she, and I was told she's a filly, but I know next-to-nothing about horses. Is there a difference between a colt and a filly, other than gender?

AVP

Yes colt is male filly is female, she said a colt was born and it was she which is kinda contridicting and i was just wondering :-D

Morrigoon
01-07-2004, 11:20 PM
Originally posted by MickeyLumbo
:eek:

brother and sister? yikes!

could the names be Riff Raff & Magenta? LOL :D

Naughty naughty naughty :fez:

bubsy
01-08-2004, 12:48 PM
Originally posted by MickeyLumbo
:eek:

brother and sister? yikes!

could the names be Riff Raff & Magenta? LOL :D


It's very common to inbreed or linebreed horses.

MickeyLumbo
01-08-2004, 03:03 PM
:p glad i'm not a horse. LOL

[derail]
hey morrigoon: check out page(s) 10/11 (Leading Off) of the January 12, issue of Sports Illustrated :cool:

[end derail]