E.C.I. is a state of the art facility which was built in January of 1984 in the
elite desert community of Rancho Mirage. Among the many attributes that
the facility offers, there is something to please everyone.
This reality came to be from a young boy’s dream to own his own horse
someday and to be the best that he could be. It was at the age of 12 that
Michael first asked his parents for a horse. They made a deal with him – he
would have to raise the money to purchase the horse and they would assist
him with the upkeep and maintenance. At the time, Michael rode at
Kenmore Stables in Mission Valley (the old polo grounds that is now a major
golf course). Michael bought a half Quarter Horse, half Arabian named Flash
with $300 he had saved from a paper route. Flash, however, was $500.
Michael's grandfather gave him the balance of the money to purchase Flash.
Alan Balch was Michael's first trainer at Kenmore. He soon had Michael
showing Flash in the San Diego horse shows, including the annual l Del Mar
Horse Show held at the Fairgrounds. Flash was a very special horse and
Michael won many equitation and children's jumper championships with him.
Soon after that, Michael started doing the entire California circuit. He
has fond memories of his mother in the grand stands cheering him on.
When Michael was 16, George Morris invited a few riders to train with
him under a scholarship program. It was there that he was first able to
ride among what would later become America’s champions such as Conrad
Homfeld, Ann Kursinski, Joe Fargis and the like.
This turned into an experience of a lifetime and set in stone the life
Cintas wanted for himself as he progressed through life. From his time
spent with /George Morris, he grew to rely on the rigid standards which
produce results. George Morris insists that his riders present themselves
in a workmanlike manner which shows respect for the trainer, yourself and
your horse. As Cintas approached age 18 it came time to decide whether
he would turn professional or go on to try out for the Olympics.
Morris called him and asked if he would like to ride in the Olympic
Trials at Gladstone. Cintas was exited at the opportunity. Gladstone went
well, but Cintas did not have an Olympic caliber horse or a sponsor. He
returned to California with a tremendous amount of knowledge.
One day, after arriving back to California, Michael's parents took him
by a farm just to have a look. They looked at the main residence, barn and
the two large arenas. His parents then told him that the farm was a
birthday present for him and his sisters to have fun with when they were
not in the city. Michael couldn’t believe his eyes, and from that day on he
knew that this would be his life's dream come true. Green valley Acres was
the first of four horse facilities that he would own.
Once Cintas had married, his father thought it was time that he should
learn the tuna fishing business. He went on the maiden voyage of the world's
largest tuna seiner, “The Apollo”, on December 29, 1970. Michael was on
his way down to the wet deck when a cable towline caught his left ankle and
his was thrown over-board. As a diver went down to cut the line all Michael
could think about was whether he would be able to ride his horses again,
unaware that his left leg was only attached to the foot by the main artery
and that there was no bone, ligaments or tissue left. Twenty-two hours
passed before Michael was able to receive medical attention and gangrene
had set into the little tissue that was left. There was a slim chance that his
leg could be saved his leg, but when he got back to the United States, he
found that he had contracted a bone disease but they were able to save his
leg.
For the next 13 years and 37 operations, Michael struggled through each
day with extreme pain yet was able to conduct business, ride, show, teach
lessons and train horses.
In 1984, a pre-green horse slipped and fell on Michael's bad leg, crushing
it on impact. It was then that he decided To have the leg amputated. When
he awoke from the surgery the doctors told him to wait a month before
riding. Two weeks later he was showing over fences at Bonita Valley Farms
in San Diego. Soon after, Cintas received his first prosthesis and has been
riding ever since. Cintas had many great riders and trainers to help him with
his career. It can be seen through his disciplined training to the
compassionate instructionand support.
