In many ways, the history of William Randolph HearstÕs San Simeon is the history of California: from the Indians who first discovered its spectacular coastal location, to the Spanish missionaries who built their missions there, to the Mexican dons who acquired and worked the land, to goldminer George Hearst and his family, who preserved and expanded the grand coastal ranch. Each of these generations of owners brought horses to San Simeon, to work the land, to race and to ride. In The Horses of San Simeon, Austine McDonnell Hearst tells a rich tale of the natural beauty, people and, especially, the horsesÑfrom workhorses to Thoroughbreds and grand ArabiansÑthat made San Simeon famous.