The Happy Horse Riding School doesn't exist anymore. But the memories from along County Road 96 in Davis took on a lot more meaning Tuesday.

When she was 7, Gina Ostini Miles began her journey to an Olympic medal there. On Tuesday, the 34-year-old Davis High School graduate put an exclamation point on her horse-centered life by winning the silver medal in equestrian eventing.

"It was my dream just to be in the individual final, to be fourth or fifth," Miles told the U.S. Equestrian Foundation Web site. "This is the reward for a lifetime of work." Her performance with McKinlaigh, her Irish sport horse, in the Hong Kong competition, which included dressage, cross country and jumping, sent e-mails abuzzing and touched off plenty of celebration among Yolo County horse enthusiasts.

"I'm just absolutely so happy for her," said Barbara Kendrick, who owned Happy Horse when Miles took lessons there. "She was a kid that really stuck to it. That impressed me from the beginning. She's always been that way.

"I've been absolutely ecstatic all day." Miles learned to groom and saddle a horse, took field trips to UC Davis, listened to lectures and learned to ride at Happy Horse, where she stood out by working so hard.

"We gave her a good start, but it's also due to her perseverance and skill," said Kendrick, whose riding school is now a boarding facility. "I'm really proud of her."

So is Carol Smith, whose daughter Michelle was a member with Miles in the Panache Pony Club in Davis.

"I'm so excited; this is just fabulous," Smith said. "It was a great group of girls overall. They were just really dedicated young horsewomen.

"It's almost a huge dream fulfilled for the whole club."

When Miles was 10, she watched the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and became hooked on eventing. Her father bought her a pony a year later at an auction for $170, and soon afterward Miles was competing.

"You're a little kid, you have big dreams," Miles told The Bee last month.

Those big dreams came true Tuesday. Miles and the 1,410-pound 14-year-old McKinlaigh entered the final day in fourth place with 56.1 penalty points, then jumped cleanly through an eight-jump course within the required 67 seconds to move into the medal picture.

Germany's Hinrich Romeike won the gold medal with 54.2 penalty points. Great Britain's Tina Cook finished third with 57.4 penalty points.

Miles was one of five riders for the United States, which finished seventh in the team eventing competition, won by Germany.

"I always knew he (McKinlaigh) was the best event horse in the world," Miles told USEF. "He had his day to shine at the Olympic Games."

Miles lives in Creston, near San Luis Obispo, with her husband, Morgan, and their two children, Austin, 9, and Taylor, 2. She returns to Davis regularly to visit her mother, Pat Ostini, and to conduct training seminars.

Michelle Haseltine, who has trained occasionally with Miles in the past two years, was among those celebrating Miles' breakthrough.

"We were excited," said Haseltine, who owns Pine Trails Ranch in Davis. "She's a really nice gal. She explains things very nicely. I recommend her to folks.

"It's kind of nice for the kids in this area."

Having a local win an Olympic silver medal might boost interest in equestrian events, too.

"We'll probably have an increased interest in eventing," said Julie Smith, assistant director of the UC Davis Equestrian Center.

"It will have a domino effect, a ripple effect, certainly. These aren't going to be people new to riding. These are going to be people who are already experienced.

"Horse people may look to eventing to provide a new experience."

Brenda Cedarblade, owner of the Historic Nelson Ranch and Brenda's Tack Warehouse in Woodland, called Miles' performance "absolutely amazing."

"In Europe, riding is totally different," Cedarblade said. "It's almost a lifestyle. People are born into it. The kids here have to work at it.

"For her to accomplish this, it gives me goose bumps."

And maybe gives the next generation something to pursue.

"It's a great way to get kids into the sport," Cedarblade said. "When they can actually meet someone face to face that's been to the Olympics, it gives them the ambition to push harder, because they can see that they can do that as well."