OCEANSIDE: Couple dances with horses on a weekly basis

By Tom Morrow - For the North County Times | Sunday, April 13, 2008 4:59 PM PDT ∞

OCEANSIDE ---- As a couple, Fred and Ginger Nuthall have been teased about their first names since they graduated in 1952 from Oceanside High School. No, they aren't that Fred and Ginger, but they have been known to cut a few rugs around town.

Today, they do most of their dancing with horses.

Retired after 40 years in the plumbing business in Oceanside, the Nuthalls spend much of their time volunteering at Ivey Ranch Park, a care and recreational facility for children with special needs.

The Nuthalls work with the facility's horses and are assisted throughout the week by four other women, Karin Sears, Candace Curlee, Marcia Martinez and Lee Littlefield.

"Fred and Ginger are simply wonderful people," says Tonya Danielly, executive director for Ivey Ranch Park. "They and the other ladies are so good with the horses and our kids."

Danielly said park's focus is on youngsters and adults with special needs, but the facility is also open to able-bodied or what she described as "typical" children and adults.

Ivey Ranch Park provides horseback riding for challenged youngsters on Saturdays. During the week, the park uses the horses to give lessons to other youngsters, ages 6 and older.

The Nuthalls volunteer their time mostly during the week, walking and grooming the horses, along with cleaning the corrals. Fred Nuthall is also busy at the park on the weekends.

"Ginger and I are down here every Tuesday and Thursday," Nuthall said. "The other ladies come down at various times throughout the week, and I come down on Saturdays and to work with the challenged youngsters."

He says the Saturday experience serves several purposes.

"It gives these (challenged) youngster the experience of riding, it gives parents a breather from the constant attention they have to give their youngster, and it gives these horses needed exercise," Nuthall said.

He said horses at the park can't stay corralled all the time and that the program continues to grow.

"When we started volunteering here four years ago, there were only five horses," he said. "Now we have 13."

The horses have been donated from a variety of sources. One was a polo pony in South America, another was injured and need a lot of recuperation.

"A few of them (horses) were owned by young girls who were going away to college and had to give them up because it takes a lot of daily care to keep a horse," Nuthall said

He said during the days when the horses are ridden, none are used more than twice.

On the weekends, several more volunteers come out to assist at the park

Nuthall oversees the entire crew, making sure everything gets done properly.

"A lot of the kids who take riding lessons during the week show up here on weekends and help with things like cleaning out corrals, walking horses, and whatever else needs doing," he said.

Danielly said the park really is for the entire community.

"We offer horseback riding to the public, children and adults," she said.

For more information, go online to: www.iveyranch.com or call (760) 722-4839.