Molly Patterson, the proprietor of the Glover Street Market, co-owner of the old Prewitt ranch, breeder and trainer of quarter horses, designer of homes for The Patterson Company, and mother of three boys — all currently in college — has so much going on that I struggled to decide what to write about her.
When I visited the ranch to talk with Molly, the place buzzed with activity as preparations were underway for a Josh Lyons clinic, along with renovations of old farm buildings and the development of infrastructure for handling mares, foals, colts, and fillies of various ages. Sharing her love of horses, I was curious about what Molly’s breeding program entailed. Additionally, I wanted to know more about the Josh Lyons clinic and possibly audit it.
Molly and Jeff Patterson bought the Prewitt ranch four years ago, “probably the first people to buy a homestead property from the ‘original seven’ that came to the valley,” Molly said. They had had their eye on the property, once a 3,600-acre ranch, ever since they first met 25 years ago. The Pattersons’ goals were to keep the ranch — a little less than 500 acres — intact, renovate as many of the old buildings as possible, continue to hay 120 acres, and, for Molly, develop a breeding program using well-bred mares of barrel racing and roping bloodlines.
Molly grew up in Susanville, California, and from an early age, was always involved with horses. She dreamed of owning a place where people could learn horsemanship skills, a sort of “equine trade school,” and of course, she wanted a place for her own horses. As I interviewed Molly on foot or from a four-wheeler, she was able to rattle off all the bloodlines of at least a dozen horses of various ages, all while keeping her eye on various projects, employees, and a loose mare dashing up the hill.
With the help of veterinarian Jake Lynch, Molly is breeding her mares using artificial insemination and embryo transfer.
Molly starts all her colts and fillies. Whether ground training weanlings and yearlings, or training 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds under saddle, she’s doing it all. Currently, she’s working with nine youngsters. After they are started under saddle, she turns her youngsters over to more experienced trainers or “jockeys,” people involved in the racing industry who will campaign, promote, and possibly help market them.
So far, Molly has sponsored a packing clinic and a clinic with Wylene Wilson of Extreme Mustang Makeover fame at her ranch. Josh Lyons, son of legendary horseman John Lyons, will be her third clinic. Every horsey person of my generation remembers John Lyons and his publication, “The Making of a Perfect Horse.” Most of us were unable to attend his clinics, since we were urban-raised-without horses, but we cherished those magazines — collecting, trading, and reluctantly, lending them out.
Josh Lyons has carried on the family tradition for the past 40 years, developing a comprehensive horsemanship trade school called the Lyons Legacy that offers college-level education in equine welfare, health, farm management, riding, riding instruction, equine-assisted activities, and business. Molly was the sponsor of a three-day clinic attended by 10 riders, addressing the individual concerns of the participants and teaching basic horsemanship skills, which were built upon day by day.
Participants in the clinic were able to park their horse trailers in one of seven new full-service RV hookups. Most had quarter horses and were Western riders, and talk of their bloodlines dominated the opening conversation with Lyons. But at least one rider, such as my 92-year-old friend, had a gaited horse and came from other riding traditions, such as dressage.
I had only intended to watch the first day of the clinic. But due to unforeseen circumstances, I ended up riding my friend’s gaited horse in Lyon’s clinic. It’s challenging just riding your own horse while being surveilled by a master horseman. It’s even worse riding a horse you’ve never been on.
Molly’s plans for the ranch are ambitious, including more clinics and perhaps a covered arena. She’s already involved with several young people hoping to enter the equine industry, one who will be enrolled in the Lyons Legacy program. Horses have always been an intrinsic part of valley life, and keeping that tradition alive takes dedication and grit, traits Molly has in spades.
