Alpine County's Gansbergs know their horses

When we first moved to Alpine County, I was an enthusiastic new horse owner. People I grew to respect told me that the best horses were the Gansberg horses. Then Pat Rahbeck and Gail Day told me that Faye and Chris are the hardest working ranchers in the county, and that "Faye can really ride." I knew that Chris Gansberg was an Alpine County supervisor, but the family is neither political nor public about their accomplishments.

Ranching and farming are second nature to the Gansberg family. Chris and Faye Gansberg run cattle, breed and train horses, and maintain a close family life with their lively grown children and growing grandchildren. The family history goes back three generations, when Chris's great grandfather arrived in Carson Valley from Hanover, Germany and soon after sent for his family.

Ever since, the Gansbergs have ranched in Alpine County. Chris, Sr., was a natural horseman and rancher who taught his children and troops of 4-H members the care and respect of animals. Chris, Jr., attended UC Davis to study agriculture. There he met his future wife Faye.

Faye is from a farming family in Los Banos, so when she told her parents about, "love at first sight with a rancher," everyone was pleased. Faye's parents were both educators and her father invented a honey extractor that he marketed in Australia. Faye grew up with horses in Los Banos, "riding bareback and never taking any kind of lessons." She told me, "I grew up in the country and was used to being outside and the getting along with boys as well as girls."

Faye's horsemanship took on new dimensions after she married Chris. "He is a perfectionist," she added and "riding with a Gansberg is a whole different story." She started riding quarter horses Spider, Joe, and Brownie. When the children came along, she sat them in the saddle in front of her and took them for pleasure rides. Riding was so much an integral part of the cattle industry that Faye's husband couldn't believe that she "would ride for fun and not to get the job done."

But Faye had a true love for the horses. She knew that her riding skills were much improved when Chris Sr. told her that she could ride his horse Baby Doll whenever she wanted.

At that time, many of the Gansberg horses were not registered and some were Mustangs. Chris and Faye began watching the breeding lines of quarter horses and fell in love with a Texas breeding line from a horse named Colonel Freckles. In 1986, a Federal tax law changed which forced many oil producing ranches to downsize their breeding stock. When Colonel Freckles passed away, the owner L.A. Waters decided to sell some of the offspring.

Faye had a vision to bring home a yearling stallion from the Colonel Freckles line to breed with the Gansberg mares. Chris initially said, "No way," thinking that the cost would be prohibitive. Faye replied, "We have to try," and the rest is a huge success story. The Gansbergs have a famous line of quarter horses known first for their disposition, but equally renown for working cattle and showing.

Faye stated, "The quarter horse is an all around horse. It was originally used for racing 1⁄4-mile sprint. The horses we have now have won cutting competitions and reining which includes stopping, lead changes, spinning, and fence work."

Faye attributes the disposition to breeding, and she gives Chris the credit for training the horses to be gentle, responsive, and supple. The foals are halter broke at weaning time, and then allowed time to develop socialization skills with the other horses and with humans. The Gansbergs start training the horses at age 2, using a round pen and the flag technique to signal the horses to turn, stop, and move without any pressure on the horse's mouth.

An intense love is the main ingredient in Faye's success with horses. She knows every horse and marvels at the magic of foaling time, the pleasure of watching the young horses run and play, and the amazing results of good training: a trustworthy companion.

All of the Gansberg children ride and share the family love of ranching. Chris and Faye run a commercial cattle business, using several of the horses on a daily basis. Chris and Faye work every day. They do sell some of the horses, but have no need to advertise. Chris explained, "It is all word of mouth." When I asked Chris if he ever took a month away from the ranch, he smiled and looked a little puzzled, then replied simply, "No." The family, the ranch, the animals are home and happiness to the Gansbergs.

n Joyce DeVore is an Alpine County resident.