Second Hearts Ranch petting zoo and equestrian riding school grand opening is April 4-5. Courtesy image
BUSINESS News:
Second Hearts Ranch has opened in White Rock and allows the public to interact one-on-one with a full menagerie of animals.
The family-run business, which offers a petting zoo for birthdays and other gatherings, and equestrian riding lessons, will celebrate a grand opening from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 4-5 at 308 Potrillo Drive. Regular hours are noon to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Birthday parties will be hosted at 2:30 p.m., 3:45 p.m., or 5 p.m. on weekends, and riding lessons will begin in May. Lessons will be offered for beginners and advanced riders.
Second Hearts Ranch offers a donkey, multiple full-size horses, a mini horse, baby lambs, baby goats, an adult goat, a baby llama and a baby mini calf. It is a longtime dream of Melissa Blair. She got involved with agricultural activities when she was in 9th grade in 1996 and went on to study Animal Science at Oklahoma State University.
Blair has shared her passion for animals and the farming lifestyle with Los Alamos County since 2008. She had a stable lot on North Mesa where she cultivated her passion and shared her love of livestock with her kids Jackson and Bella, their friends and classmates, and anyone who wanted to show their kids a bit of farming life. She’s hosted playgroups, pony rides, class field trips and many other activities at the North Mesa Stables over the years.
Blair said her proudest accomplishment was bringing a bit of history back to Boy Scout Troop 22. It was the first mounted patrol Boy Scout troop in the country, having started during the Ranch School days in Los Alamos. She taught riding lessons to a group of Boy Scouts who later performed a mounted ceremony for the 100th anniversary of the Ranch School on Fuller Lodge lawn.
To book a birthday party or riding lessons, text or call Blair at 505.412.7768.
The website for Second Hearts Ranch, (www.secondheartsranch.com) is under construction, but once completed, patrons will be able to book and pay completely online. Summer hours and lessons will be different so be sure to check the website for updates. Second Hearts Ranch also offers a Facebook page, which can be found by searching Second Hearts Ranch and Petting Zoo.