His Bakersfield beginnings may not have been not strategically calculated, but Dr. Montano would learn life is about risks and finding blessings in disguise.

Risk one: After being offered a position at a local orthodontist’s office, Montano loaded everything he owned into his car, threw caution to the wind, and headed from Santa Monica to Bakersfield – a place he had only driven through up to that point.

In the 24 years since then, he has built his own local practice and has grown to be one of the most recognizable names in his field. In addition to running his own practice, he is also a member of the Bakersfield West Rotary Club and a board member of the National Smile for a Lifetime Foundation, a charity he formed with a friend that provides orthodontic scholarships for deserving kids who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford orthodontic care. The Bakersfield chapter currently accepts 24 youth per year. With all of these activities, two daughters and a loving wife of more than 20 years, it’s a wonder that Dr. Montano finds time for sleep, much less hobbies. Yet his hobby isn’t as simple as a pickup game here or there. Montano is an avid horse rider, and he and his wife personally care for four of their five horses.
Montano said it’s his wife who first got him into riding, as she grew up around horses. Riding horses could be risky for someone like Montano, who was new to the sport. But his wife left him with some great advice.

“She said, ‘It’s not a matter of if you fall off. It’s a matter of when,” said Montano with a laugh. “In 24 years, I’m doing OK. I haven’t fallen off.”

While wife still competes in cutting (a sport in which a rider isolates a chosen animal from a heard), Montano rides for pleasure and relaxation.

“I told her I’d go to the competitions, but I like riding around Panorama Bluffs and up and down the river better,” he said.

Montano, his wife and their daughters also enjoy riding along the cost when time permits.

Though rides are relegated to weekends and vacations, Montano knows caring for the horses is a full-time job. He laughs when asked how the family manages.

“It’s called a busy wife,” He said. “She doesn’t mind cleaning the stalls. My job is fixing the stuff they break; they’re always tearing things up. We have a five-acre property, and there always things to do.”

“My favorite thing is just being outside and getting away. I love being up in the hills, especially this time of year when it’s green, and spending time with the family. We usually ride, just the four of us.”

For those who are interested in taking up the hobby, Montano cautions that a little research is necessary.

“Just buying a horse isn’t a good idea. With the economy downturn, lots of people couldn’t take care of their horses,” Montano said. “Unfortunately, they eat like a horse, and with hay prices up, lots of horses are for sale.”

If you are ready for the commitment, Montano advised getting “help with finding a horse that’s a good horse to ride. A lot of horses are a little spunky, and if you don’t know what to look for, you could get yourself in trouble. Try an older seasoned horse that is well mannered and well trained.”

Of course, one of the first things to do is to take some riding lessons, Montano said.

The bottom line: “Get some advice. People with horses tend to be pretty friendly.”

By Allie Castro