Woodinville equestrian park fulfills long-held dream

On a clear day, Seattle appears as a blip on the skyline. A faint smell of horses rises with the breeze, and the clopping of hoofs can be heard from a nearby trail.

Although the only seats in this muddy equestrian park are on horseback, today's long-awaited opening offers visitors a stunning view, a parking spot near several trailheads and new facilities for training horses.

Kathryn Taylor Equestrian Park, named for the late activist who envisioned it, is the completion of a 20-year dream.

To members of the local horse community, who have worked to keep large developments from overrunning horse trails in rural areas, it's also a symbol of hope.

"It's a thing that says, if you got the dedication and the vision, you can do it," said Judy Willman, who worked closely with Taylor and others to found the King County Executive Horse Commission.

The view of Seattle is courtesy of Quadrant Homes, which built Trilogy, a 1,000-acre development east of Redmond and Woodinville. In an agreement with King County and other local organizations, Quadrant gave the 27-acre site and a $250,000 endowment to the county in exchange for permission to dump 300,000 cubic yards of dirt on the site.

King County gave $100,000 for the park's construction; the nonprofit Northwest Parks Foundation will maintain the park through the endowment."It's an example of how horses and developments can coexist," said Jan Reinking, who helped start the horse commission.

Sitting amid groups of tightly clustered homes in Trilogy, the park looks like little more than a vacant lot at first glance. Quadrant's man-made knoll, dubbed "the mound," serves as a backdrop to a pen for individual horse training and a larger arena for multiple riders. Both are available for public use.

"I think it's a great partnership," said Kevin Brown, director of King County Parks and Recreation. "We're still a great supporter of equestrian activities in King County."

The Tolt Pipeline, a popular trail for riders, runs along the back of the park. The park is also an access point for the Snoqualmie Valley Trail and the Redmond Watershed.

"There are many trails, but there aren't many safe places to park your horse trailer. ... So this provides a great trailhead," said Jennifer Duncan, horse commission secretary.

The park is the result of an approach Taylor proposed 20 years ago. At the time, most activists were trying to stop the developments that were encroaching on rural horse trails, but Taylor had the idea to work with them, Willman said.

"It was her at the front of the pack, waving the banner, that got concessions, that got recognition of the fact that these developments were going into areas that were rural and heavily equestrian," she said. "She also was the original one who was pushing for the trails to be continued or relocated."

Taylor began working on the project in the late 1980s. She died of heart failure in 2002, a year after Quadrant deeded the 27 acres to King County for the park. Horse-commission members went on to design the park.

"To name it after her is totally fitting and appropriate," Reinking said. "Kathryn was a one-of-a-kind, a unique character."

Celeste Flint: 206-464-3192 or cflint@seattletimes.com