Celebrity-named horses are ranch’s main attraction

Jean-Claude Van Damme is in love with Sandra Bullock, but she isn’t interested in romance. She’s completely focused on work.

Shania Twain hates to sweat. Whenever her face gets hot and sticky, she’ll bend down and wipe it on the feet of the closest bystander.

Johnny Depp eats and plays with everything he can put in his mouth. He’s a comedian; if there’s a funny sound, there’s a good chance Johnny is making it.

And Jet Li is always up for adventure. "One of the animators for Disney rode Jet when she was working on the movie ‘Tangled,’" said Gina Weaver, head wrangler of Ironwood Ranch on Maui. "I told her Jet knows how to untie knots and open locked gates. He’s like a giant dog, always getting into trouble. She got a big kick out of that, so for the movie, she created the character of Maximus the horse after Jet."

Weaver’s responsibilities include vetting, purchasing and training horses for the ranch. Her love affair with horses began at age 3, when she received a pony from her aunt as a birthday present.

"Horses are a girl’s first love; they’re majestic animals," Weaver said. "They can take you to amazing places that you can’t get to even in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Horseback riding is one of the most incredible experiences you can have in nature."

Wranglers carefully match riders with mounts in terms of size, temperament and riding ability. "We’ve got everything from small, gentle horses for kids to spirited cow ponies for experienced riders," Weaver said. "We think our 20 horses are superstars, which is why we’ve named all of them after celebrities. Brad Pitt, Will Smith, Janet Jackson, Jessica Alba and Justin Bieber are among the other horses on our trail ride string."

Ironwood’s rides go through former pineapple fields to hills overlooking the ocean, Lanai, Molokai and West Maui’s resort areas. Views also encompass the West Maui Mountains, where a lush peak called Puu Kukui averages 365 inches of rainfall per year. It’s the second-wettest spot in Hawaii after Mount Wai­ale­ale on Kauai.

In a valley called Maile Pai, loosely translated as "fast-growing vines," the trails wind past thick greenery, including guava, coffee, mango, ginger, sword and bird’s nest ferns, lilikoi (passion fruit), noni (Indian mulberry), kukui (candlenut), silver oak, eucalyptus, Norfolk pines and the ranch’s namesake ironwood trees. Ancient walls made of rocks fitted together without mortar indicate the Hawaiians settled in this area long ago.

A century ago, entrepreneur H.P. Baldwin planted his plantation’s first 20 acres of pineapple in West Maui and began construction of the 8.7-mile Hono­lua Ditch to carry water from Puu Kukui to the fields. Completed a year later in 1913, the ditch is another intriguing vestige of the past hidden in Maile Pai.

JENNIFER Love Hewitt, Kelsey Grammer, Vanessa Williams, Britney Spears and Jim Carrey are among the stars who’ve enjoyed rides at Ironwood. "Jim was hysterical," Weaver said. "He kept making loud animal noises while he was riding Smokey Robinson. I had to ask him to stop or he was going to give Smokey a heart attack from fright."

Weaver also accompanied Hollywood A-listers Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio, who’ve been best friends since childhood, on a ride. "I showed them berries growing on the coffee trees in the forest," she said. "When you suck the beans inside the berries, your mouth tingles and you get a caffeine buzz. They really liked that, so they filled their pockets with coffee berries."

New York resident Ed Nordlinger is the ranch’s favorite guest. "He has been visiting Maui every year for the past 25 years, and always rides with us," Weaver said. "He’ll do our 9 a.m. ride 16 times in a row — every day of his vacation. Ed is 78 years old now, but he still looks forward to the time he spends with us. We consider him part of our ohana, and we’ve even named a trail crossing after him."

Ironwood’s trails meander over private land not otherwise accessible to the public. "Most kama­aina who’ve lived on Maui all their lives probably haven’t seen what we see on horseback," Weaver said. "All of our rides are done at a walk, so even people who’ve never been on a horse before will feel safe and comfortable."

After their ride, guests can relax over chilled beverages on the deck of the ranch’s office. They’re also welcome to wander through the adjacent organic orchard and pluck a treat from the trees, including guava, orange, lilikoi, grapefruit, tangerine and soursop.

Although her managerial duties keep her busy, Weaver looks forward to leading rides. "I love to ride and to be able to share the experience with others," she said. "Horses teach you unconditional love, responsibility, dedication, selflessness — how to be a better person. They’re always there for you, calming you and making you smile if you’re going through a rough time. They become part of your soul; it’s a strong spiritual connection. Even greenhorns who spend just a few hours with us feel that special bond."

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.