HORSES : In Saddle, New Vista of South County

Each day, experienced riders and greenhorns alike trek through South County hillsides that suburban sprawl hasn’t touched.

“The scenery is breathtaking,” said Amy Salak, one of Sycamore Trails’ “wranglers,” mounted guides who lead riders in Western saddles through hundreds of acres of land adjacent to the equestrian center in San Juan Capistrano. “You appreciate nature better when you’re not separated from it by a car window.”

From a ridge-top vantage point that can only be reached on one of the rides, she said, riders can see the ocean on one side and the Jewel of the Missions on the other. To get there, riders must maneuver their mounts through a tunnel of trees and across San Juan Creek--normally dry, but after recent rains girth-deep for the center’s two dozen trail horses.

Veteran trail horses don’t mind a little water, brush or bramble, but the city slickers who ride them may feel differently. “Twenty miles an hour on horseback feels 10 times faster than 40 miles an hour in a car,” said Salak. “That’s part of the fun.”

Fun is an important ingredient in a trail ride, according to Salak and fellow wrangler Sheila Coleman. The two experienced horsewomen take pride in entertaining their charges with campfire-type stories as they wind through beaten paths high above the city.

Sometimes, the trail rides themselves become fodder for stories. The wranglers recalled one rider who screamed every time the horse moved or shook its head. “The more we told her to relax, the more she screamed,” said Coleman. “She was on a 20-year-old horse who wouldn’t hurt a flea.”

Another novice rider jumped off her horse--the tallest one in the trail string--to fetch a handkerchief that had been dropped on the trail. Then she realized there was no “mounting block” on the trail from which to climb onto the horse, as there had been at the stable. One of the wranglers dismounted, hoisted her back up and resumed the ride.

To avoid such mishaps on the trail, riders should follow a few basic guidelines:

- Don’t shout or become excited if the horse does something unexpected. Stay calm and follow instructions from the wrangler.

- Remain single-file. Do not pass the horse in front of you--and above all, don’t pass the lead wrangler.

- Keep several feet of space between the horse in front of you and the horse behind you. Even the best-tempered horses may become nervous or kick if followed too closely.

- Don’t dismount on the trail. If you need assistance, ask a wrangler to help you.

The wranglers try to match riders to horses, based in part upon size, experience and temperament. Sycamore’s trail horses range from docile types--such as Butterscotch, a “bomb-proof” 25-year-old palomino, and Napoleon (a tall horse known as the “gentle giant”)--to Buck (a former rodeo horse) and Sweetpea (a spirited mount for advanced riders).

“Each horse has his own personality, just like people,” said Salak, who accepts riders of all levels--including those who have never ridden or are disabled. “You’ll have a lot more fun on a trail ride if you don’t overestimate your riding ability--and so will everyone else on the ride.”

Sycamore Trails is at 26282 Oso Road, San Juan Capistrano. Trail rides, which are $20 an hour, go out every day (weather permitting). Weekend ride times are: 8:30, 10 and 11:30 a.m. and 1:30, 3, 4:30 p.m., but weekday schedules vary, so call for times. Sunset rides are available during summer. Reservations are required. Call (714) 661-1755.