Equestrians who initially supported development at Dillingham Ranch now are wondering if they backed the right horse.

Horse owners, riders and boarders at the ranch are alarmed at changes they say are taking away their riding areas with no plans forthcoming about any replacement.

However, the ranch owner said an improved equestrian center will be developed even though a plan has not been completed for it.

Dillingham Ranch 'Aina LLC, an affiliate of Beverly Hills, Calif.-based Kennedy Wilson Inc., is developing 77 home lots on the roughly 2,700-acre ranch.

Before construction began, the ranch had an equestrian center with a cross-country riding area, exercise rings, a dressage arena for competitions, horse pastures and boarding facilities.

Now their areas for riding, training and competition have been reduced or eliminated, said Sue Arakawa, a horse boarder.

Apparent action last Sunday morning has equestrians thinking they may be the next to go.

"Everyone is in an uproar," Arakawa said. "(Kennedy Wilson) has bulldozed our dressage arena, our riding pens and there's stakes all over this last riding area ... plus the trail to the mountain has been cut off."

But Clifford Smith, a vice president at Kennedy Wilson, said the changes are efforts to repair and upgrade the property. Horse paddocks were moved out of the floodway but the jump area and trail around the ranch lake will stay, Smith said.

"Long term, the facility is going to be expanded," he said. "There's pasture area to the east and out of the floodway that will be our second phase, if you will, and there'll be more than enough areas for people to ride their horses."

SAFETY ISSUES

Another concern raised by boarders is the safety of their animals in a construction site. When the old paddocks were torn down, no effort was made to clear the area of nails and now open trenches and idle equipment are left in horse pastures.

One boarder, who didn't want to be identified for fear of reprisal, said everything done so far has been to the detriment of the horses and their owners.

Audry Grover, a boarder, told Smith in an e-mail that she and others don't oppose the development but they deserve to know the truth.

"Tell us what we can expect!" she wrote. "Don't try to wrap it in a pretty package and try to shove it down our throats. We have all tried to accommodate the construction and the destruction of all of the riding areas. Now we find out this is going to include our cross-country course and most of the grazing area for the horses."

The ranch charges $175 a month to board a horse, and $150 for someone to feed the animal twice a day but that does not include the cost of the feed. There are about 80 horses boarded.

The equestrian center is used for shows and competition on regulation-size fields, but those have been reduced, riders said. The Pony Club, a children's equestrian group, also meets there.

Of the 2,700 acres at Dillingham Ranch, about 400 will be divided into 5-acre lots for home development. The developer won some community support because it promised to improve and continue ranching and equestrian activity there.

Michael Dailey, a Mokule'ia resident and polo club president, said the changes so far have improved the curb appeal of the property. Where there were old horse paddocks is now a green open field, and old barbed wire fences have been replaced with vinyl wood-like railings.

Dailey said Smith had done an "exceptional job" reaching out to the community and that he's worked with the Mokuleia Community Association and kept its members informed about progress at the site.

He said Kennedy Wilson promised to improve the ranch and the equestrian facility and he's comfortable that they will do that.

"I haven't seen anything to tell me contrary," Dailey said.

Smith said he's aware of the boarders' concerns and promised to meet with them after the first of the year.