DE FRATES HORSEMANSHIP
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Welcome to FLYING P RANCH

Our Dream ... in the making!
In Fall of 2017 we purchased 10 acres in Gilroy, CA and have slowly been turning it into a top of the line equestrian facility, Flying P Ranch. The Flying P was purchased as a house sitting on a piece of bare land and we are building our equine facility from the ground up, which is no small task, but we are making great progress and while we are no where near done, we are for all intents and purposes, fully operational! We can't wait for you to join us!
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Facilities include:
  • 250' x 150' Horsemanship Arena
  • 200' x 100' Performance Arena with CowTrac mechanical flag 
  • 60' Custom ergonomically designed, all weather round pen
  • 10 Stall FCP Shedrow with hot water wash rack & two foaling stalls
  • 1 Acre Paddock Paradise (aka Track Pasture) attached to the barn
  • ​5 - 20' x 36' paddocks with 3-sided 10' x 12' stalls
  • 10 - 12' x 16' 4-rail Pipe Paddocks for Day/Overnight Use
  • 1 Acre Pasture Turn Out
  • IMTCA/Extreme Cowboy Style Obstacle Course spanning 1.25 acres!
  • Access to a kitchen and multi-stall, all gender restroom
  • Secure entry with automatic gates
  • A supportive, no drama environment ​
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Still to come:​​
  • Expansion of our track pasture
  • A Mounted Archery/Shooting Track
  • Lighting for our arenas
  • RV parking
  • Landscaping
  • More turn out spaces and walking paths
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How did you get the name 'Flying P'?

The name 'Flying P' has A LOT of meaning to us; we hope it will to you too!
Dana grew up in San Francisco dreaming of running her own training facility and breeding horses for a living, but was always told her dreams were unobtainable, crazy, ridiculous. The phrase 'when pigs fly' has crossed her ears more times than she can count. So, here we are, building our very own facility designed specifically to train horses and the people who love them, and it is rather obvious to us that pigs can indeed fly.

The other, and if we're honest, deeper meaning of Flying P, lies with the most amazing dog that has ever crossed our paths, our mascot, Cupcake the English Bulldog. Partially because Cupcake was born deaf, and partly because she was, well, a bulldog, she snorted like a pig, rooted around like a pig, and even looked like a pig when she's wet, all of which earned her the nickname, you guessed it, 'Pig'. Being deaf, Cupcake, was never expected to amount to much of anything. Her brothers and sisters went on to become champion show dogs, but despite her beauty, she wasn't eligible or "worthy" of the show ring. Several trainers said she was untrainable because she would never hear commands, and we were told she would need to spend her entire life 'on leash'. It had even been suggested to us, multiple times actually, that we should put Cupcake down so she didn't have to suffer through life with her 'handicap'... Soak that one in for a minute. 
If you ever had the chance to meet this perfect soul, you instantly understood why our ranch was named in her honor. In her prime, Cupcake was a CGC Certified Therapy Dog who not only provided comfort to those living out their final days in hospice, but also gave confidence to children who struggled to read. We lost Cupcake suddenly on May 17th, 2021, less than a month before her 13th birthday. Her passing was unexpected as she was seemingly in perfect health until the very moment she suffered a massive stroke, from which no amount of emergency care could cure, and trust us, they tried everything. Cupcake died as she lived, on her own terms and in Dana's arms. The amount of joy Cupcake brought to everyone she met will forever make us think twice and question those who tell us we can't or shouldn't do something. 

Pig is now, as she was in life, an angel, and we all know angels have wings!  ​
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 Fly on Pig, Fly ;) 
Cupcake, a.k.a Pig
6/14/2008 - 5/17/2021

Flying P Ranch is dedicated to everyone who has ever been told that their dreams were unrealistic,
​and to all those who have ever been told they weren't good enough, were not worthy, or had nothing to offer this world.
May we all rise to the challenges life throws our way, and fly. 
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Proudly Located in Gilroy, California


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408-548-PONY (7669)

Email

defrateshorsemanship@gmail.com

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Copyright 2023 De Frates Horsemanship, LLC.
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Philosophy
    • The Facility
    • The Obstacle Park
    • Testimonials
  • Services
    • Training
    • Clinics, Lessons & Skill Labs >
      • Confidence Clinics
      • Horsemanship Clinics
      • Obstacle Clinics
      • Skill Labs
    • Equine Experiences
    • Match Making
    • Relationship Rescue
    • Equine Assisted Learning (EAL)
  • Schedule
    • Clinics
    • Skill Labs
  • For Sale
  • Contact
  • Blog