Nestled in the hills of Marin County, California, overlooking Tomales Bay and the absolving tide of the Pacific Ocean sits Hillclimb Ranch, home of Big Betty. The 28-year-old Belgian draft horse isn’t the only resident, however; owner Jeff Zwart, his wife, Terri, and their two children also occupy the modern steel-clad ranch home from time to time.

The first thing one notices after crossing the concrete bridge approaching the property is the expansive 5,000-square-foot enclosed courtyard. Olive trees, California poppies, and grape plants create a private reserve between the geometric structures that bookend the enclosure. “It’s the way that it utilizes the outdoors that makes it so nice,” says Zwart. The yard is protected from the wind, giving it an intimate feeling, while the vast 667-acre property stretches toward the horizon. The juxtaposition creates a pleasant tension, welcoming nature to coalesce with the controlled comfort of the constructed space.

Original owners and architects David Morton and Thomas Cordell integrated the landscape into the design of the house, putting the structure in tune with its surroundings and creating a dialogue between the interior and exterior areas. Zwart credits the original homestead site as the ideal environment to accomplish this exchange, located amongst a thicket of trees and near the year-round stream that bisects the property. “It’s exactly where the house should be,” he assures.

Betty, like the rest of the natural elements, is often brought into the cozy confines of the courtyard. After years of pulling carriages around town in Colorado, her only responsibility now is to serve as the “giant lawn mower,” keeping the sod trim and enjoying the elements from the pastoral repose of Hillclimb Ranch.