San Diego Union-Tribune, The (CA) - July 7, 2000
Deceased Name: Christy Hugh Anderson, 73 longtime equestrian, riding teacher
From the time he began accompanying San Diego High School classmates to the stables in Balboa Park, Christy Hugh Anderson was hooked on horses.
Over the next several decades, he would teach generations of riding students from South Bay to North County and train a variety of horses, specializing in saddlebreds.
Mr. Anderson, who was as patient with people as he was with animals, died July 2 at San Diego Hospice. He was 73.
The cause of death was complications from a bone-marrow disease, said Linda Dowdy, a longtime family friend.
Dowdy's late father, Bob Bradley, became a leading figure in San Diego's equestrian history after opening Balboa Park Stables in 1940.
"That's where a lot of us got started," said Bob Smith. "We all kind of got into horses together as kids.
"My sister Peggy would spend every day at the stable riding horseback and Christy said, 'You know, I'd love to be able to do that.' "
Before long, Mr. Anderson was one of Bradley's prized students, spending each afternoon after classes at the stables near the San Diego High campus.
"He took to horses like a fish to water," Smith said.
By age 17, Mr. Anderson was working for Bradley and developing into a consummate horseman who later showed Saddlebreds and taught students ranging from beginners to the advanced.
"He was a fixture at the stables, Bob Bradley's right-hand man," Smith said. "After becoming one of the most proficient instructors of young people in riding, he started training horses and working with adult and advanced riders."
Among his proteges in the 1960s: Joan Embery, the longtime ambassador for the San Diego Zoo and author of several animal books, including "On Horses," in which she saluted Mr. Anderson as her mentor.
"Christy was one of the more influential people in my life," she said yesterday. "He was so quiet, so encouraging. I idolized him."
Today, Embery has more than 60 horses on her Lakeside ranch, where Mr. Anderson spent his last days as a trainer before retiring two years ago.
"It was through Christy that I developed the confidence to work with big animals," said Embery, whose career with the zoo started 32 years ago in the baby elephant enclosure.
"All my work with horses allowed me to excel at the zoo," she said. "And I took everything I learned from Christy into my zoo work.
"He would take a horse out of its stall on a hot summer day at my ranch, and if it wasn't working right and he needed more than the allocated 15 minutes, he would spend three hours -- if that's what it took.
"Patience and the name Christy were synonymous."
Dowdy recalled that Mr. Anderson prepared actors, including George Peppard and Lloyd Bridges, for riding roles in movies. "People from all walks of life admired him because he was such a kind soul," she said.
Mr. Anderson worked at Balboa Park Stables until 1960, when it was displaced by state Route 163. Bradley then established Bonita Valley Farm, where Mr. Anderson taught Embery and others before moving with Bradley in 1980 to Dehesa Equestrian Center in East County. Bradley died in 1985.
Mr. Anderson, who was born in his grandparents' home in Chula Vista, lived in Rancho Santa Fe for the past 15 years.
"He would take a select group of women in Rancho Santa Fe and work with them on their horsemanship in recent years," Dowdy said. "He was particularly good with children and women because he had so much patience."
Mr. Anderson is survived by a sister, Oral Manard of San Marcos.
Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. today at Little Chapel of the Roses, Glen Abbey Memorial Park, Bonita.
Donations are suggested to San Diego Hospice or to the San Diego Humane Society.
Deceased Name: Christy Hugh Anderson, 73 longtime equestrian, riding teacher
From the time he began accompanying San Diego High School classmates to the stables in Balboa Park, Christy Hugh Anderson was hooked on horses.
Over the next several decades, he would teach generations of riding students from South Bay to North County and train a variety of horses, specializing in saddlebreds.
Mr. Anderson, who was as patient with people as he was with animals, died July 2 at San Diego Hospice. He was 73.
The cause of death was complications from a bone-marrow disease, said Linda Dowdy, a longtime family friend.
Dowdy's late father, Bob Bradley, became a leading figure in San Diego's equestrian history after opening Balboa Park Stables in 1940.
"That's where a lot of us got started," said Bob Smith. "We all kind of got into horses together as kids.
"My sister Peggy would spend every day at the stable riding horseback and Christy said, 'You know, I'd love to be able to do that.' "
Before long, Mr. Anderson was one of Bradley's prized students, spending each afternoon after classes at the stables near the San Diego High campus.
"He took to horses like a fish to water," Smith said.
By age 17, Mr. Anderson was working for Bradley and developing into a consummate horseman who later showed Saddlebreds and taught students ranging from beginners to the advanced.
"He was a fixture at the stables, Bob Bradley's right-hand man," Smith said. "After becoming one of the most proficient instructors of young people in riding, he started training horses and working with adult and advanced riders."
Among his proteges in the 1960s: Joan Embery, the longtime ambassador for the San Diego Zoo and author of several animal books, including "On Horses," in which she saluted Mr. Anderson as her mentor.
"Christy was one of the more influential people in my life," she said yesterday. "He was so quiet, so encouraging. I idolized him."
Today, Embery has more than 60 horses on her Lakeside ranch, where Mr. Anderson spent his last days as a trainer before retiring two years ago.
"It was through Christy that I developed the confidence to work with big animals," said Embery, whose career with the zoo started 32 years ago in the baby elephant enclosure.
"All my work with horses allowed me to excel at the zoo," she said. "And I took everything I learned from Christy into my zoo work.
"He would take a horse out of its stall on a hot summer day at my ranch, and if it wasn't working right and he needed more than the allocated 15 minutes, he would spend three hours -- if that's what it took.
"Patience and the name Christy were synonymous."
Dowdy recalled that Mr. Anderson prepared actors, including George Peppard and Lloyd Bridges, for riding roles in movies. "People from all walks of life admired him because he was such a kind soul," she said.
Mr. Anderson worked at Balboa Park Stables until 1960, when it was displaced by state Route 163. Bradley then established Bonita Valley Farm, where Mr. Anderson taught Embery and others before moving with Bradley in 1980 to Dehesa Equestrian Center in East County. Bradley died in 1985.
Mr. Anderson, who was born in his grandparents' home in Chula Vista, lived in Rancho Santa Fe for the past 15 years.
"He would take a select group of women in Rancho Santa Fe and work with them on their horsemanship in recent years," Dowdy said. "He was particularly good with children and women because he had so much patience."
Mr. Anderson is survived by a sister, Oral Manard of San Marcos.
Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. today at Little Chapel of the Roses, Glen Abbey Memorial Park, Bonita.
Donations are suggested to San Diego Hospice or to the San Diego Humane Society.
San Diego Union-Tribune, The (CA) - July 7, 2000
Deceased Name: Christy Hugh Anderson, 73 longtime equestrian, riding teacher
From the time he began accompanying San Diego High School classmates to the stables in Balboa Park, Christy Hugh Anderson was hooked on horses.
Over the next several decades, he would teach generations of riding students from South Bay to North County and train a variety of horses, specializing in saddlebreds.
Mr. Anderson, who was as patient with people as he was with animals, died July 2 at San Diego Hospice. He was 73.
The cause of death was complications from a bone-marrow disease, said Linda Dowdy, a longtime family friend.
Dowdy's late father, Bob Bradley, became a leading figure in San Diego's equestrian history after opening Balboa Park Stables in 1940.
"That's where a lot of us got started," said Bob Smith. "We all kind of got into horses together as kids.
"My sister Peggy would spend every day at the stable riding horseback and Christy said, 'You know, I'd love to be able to do that.' "
Before long, Mr. Anderson was one of Bradley's prized students, spending each afternoon after classes at the stables near the San Diego High campus.
"He took to horses like a fish to water," Smith said.
By age 17, Mr. Anderson was working for Bradley and developing into a consummate horseman who later showed Saddlebreds and taught students ranging from beginners to the advanced.
"He was a fixture at the stables, Bob Bradley's right-hand man," Smith said. "After becoming one of the most proficient instructors of young people in riding, he started training horses and working with adult and advanced riders."
Among his proteges in the 1960s: Joan Embery, the longtime ambassador for the San Diego Zoo and author of several animal books, including "On Horses," in which she saluted Mr. Anderson as her mentor.
"Christy was one of the more influential people in my life," she said yesterday. "He was so quiet, so encouraging. I idolized him."
Today, Embery has more than 60 horses on her Lakeside ranch, where Mr. Anderson spent his last days as a trainer before retiring two years ago.
"It was through Christy that I developed the confidence to work with big animals," said Embery, whose career with the zoo started 32 years ago in the baby elephant enclosure.
"All my work with horses allowed me to excel at the zoo," she said. "And I took everything I learned from Christy into my zoo work.
"He would take a horse out of its stall on a hot summer day at my ranch, and if it wasn't working right and he needed more than the allocated 15 minutes, he would spend three hours -- if that's what it took.
"Patience and the name Christy were synonymous."
Dowdy recalled that Mr. Anderson prepared actors, including George Peppard and Lloyd Bridges, for riding roles in movies. "People from all walks of life admired him because he was such a kind soul," she said.
Mr. Anderson worked at Balboa Park Stables until 1960, when it was displaced by state Route 163. Bradley then established Bonita Valley Farm, where Mr. Anderson taught Embery and others before moving with Bradley in 1980 to Dehesa Equestrian Center in East County. Bradley died in 1985.
Mr. Anderson, who was born in his grandparents' home in Chula Vista, lived in Rancho Santa Fe for the past 15 years.
"He would take a select group of women in Rancho Santa Fe and work with them on their horsemanship in recent years," Dowdy said. "He was particularly good with children and women because he had so much patience."
Mr. Anderson is survived by a sister, Oral Manard of San Marcos.
Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. today at Little Chapel of the Roses, Glen Abbey Memorial Park, Bonita.
Donations are suggested to San Diego Hospice or to the San Diego Humane Society.
Deceased Name: Christy Hugh Anderson, 73 longtime equestrian, riding teacher
From the time he began accompanying San Diego High School classmates to the stables in Balboa Park, Christy Hugh Anderson was hooked on horses.
Over the next several decades, he would teach generations of riding students from South Bay to North County and train a variety of horses, specializing in saddlebreds.
Mr. Anderson, who was as patient with people as he was with animals, died July 2 at San Diego Hospice. He was 73.
The cause of death was complications from a bone-marrow disease, said Linda Dowdy, a longtime family friend.
Dowdy's late father, Bob Bradley, became a leading figure in San Diego's equestrian history after opening Balboa Park Stables in 1940.
"That's where a lot of us got started," said Bob Smith. "We all kind of got into horses together as kids.
"My sister Peggy would spend every day at the stable riding horseback and Christy said, 'You know, I'd love to be able to do that.' "
Before long, Mr. Anderson was one of Bradley's prized students, spending each afternoon after classes at the stables near the San Diego High campus.
"He took to horses like a fish to water," Smith said.
By age 17, Mr. Anderson was working for Bradley and developing into a consummate horseman who later showed Saddlebreds and taught students ranging from beginners to the advanced.
"He was a fixture at the stables, Bob Bradley's right-hand man," Smith said. "After becoming one of the most proficient instructors of young people in riding, he started training horses and working with adult and advanced riders."
Among his proteges in the 1960s: Joan Embery, the longtime ambassador for the San Diego Zoo and author of several animal books, including "On Horses," in which she saluted Mr. Anderson as her mentor.
"Christy was one of the more influential people in my life," she said yesterday. "He was so quiet, so encouraging. I idolized him."
Today, Embery has more than 60 horses on her Lakeside ranch, where Mr. Anderson spent his last days as a trainer before retiring two years ago.
"It was through Christy that I developed the confidence to work with big animals," said Embery, whose career with the zoo started 32 years ago in the baby elephant enclosure.
"All my work with horses allowed me to excel at the zoo," she said. "And I took everything I learned from Christy into my zoo work.
"He would take a horse out of its stall on a hot summer day at my ranch, and if it wasn't working right and he needed more than the allocated 15 minutes, he would spend three hours -- if that's what it took.
"Patience and the name Christy were synonymous."
Dowdy recalled that Mr. Anderson prepared actors, including George Peppard and Lloyd Bridges, for riding roles in movies. "People from all walks of life admired him because he was such a kind soul," she said.
Mr. Anderson worked at Balboa Park Stables until 1960, when it was displaced by state Route 163. Bradley then established Bonita Valley Farm, where Mr. Anderson taught Embery and others before moving with Bradley in 1980 to Dehesa Equestrian Center in East County. Bradley died in 1985.
Mr. Anderson, who was born in his grandparents' home in Chula Vista, lived in Rancho Santa Fe for the past 15 years.
"He would take a select group of women in Rancho Santa Fe and work with them on their horsemanship in recent years," Dowdy said. "He was particularly good with children and women because he had so much patience."
Mr. Anderson is survived by a sister, Oral Manard of San Marcos.
Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. today at Little Chapel of the Roses, Glen Abbey Memorial Park, Bonita.
Donations are suggested to San Diego Hospice or to the San Diego Humane Society.
Inscription
SON - BROTHER - FRIEND
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
