Nestled between bucolic farmland and the rolling hills of the Diablo Range sits a nearly 10-acre piece of land that Dana De Frates and her husband Jason call their “little patch of heaven.”

The couple moved from Half Moon Bay to Gilroy eight years ago, purchasing a plot of land zoned for agricultural use in unincorporated Santa Clara County. The lifelong equestrian decided at the time to leave her staid corporate job behind to finally realize her dream of educating people on how to become better horse owners.

These days, people bring their equines from across the Bay Area to De Frates Horsemanship to learn new skills, get advice on caring for their animals or just to rekindle the sense of childlike wonder they once experienced with a new horse.

But anxiety and confusion are growing amon

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