Fall Scenes from the Trails

Top Left: Hunter Pace at Rockefeller State Park: a huge turnout with 180 horses and riders

Next: Riding trails in Dutchess County

Last: Views from horseback are just a little more magnificent! Ward Pound Ridge Reservation

May Trail Riding

The trails are gorgeous. This week I rode several times in the Pound Ridge Reservation and in the Mt. Holly Preserve with several friends and sometimes alone. I alternate between Riptide, my 18-year old Appaloosa-Percheron cross, and Toady, my very large 17 year-old draft-cross who is blind in the right eye, but still very sure-footed and forward.  I’m always surprised that I rarely meet other riders on these beautiful trails, even on weekends.  Perhaps people don’t know the trails and are afraid to get lost or don’t realize they are available? I enjoyed hearing the sounds of the wild turkeys in the woods. I also saw a young fox with his prey in his jaws. To ride in the Pound Ridge Reservation, I usually park at the Lewisboro town park, which is available to residents to park and hike. I also regularly walk in the early morning with friends and dogs. Retirement is great!

If you are not a resident of Lewisboro, contact me and I’ll tell you where you can park your horsetrailer, or contact the park directly. If you are interested in joining me on the trails for horseback riding, contact me.

Why I Became a Farrier

People often ask me why I chose to become a farrier. When I retired from a career as a financial officer working for various German companies and organizations, I knew that I wanted to be more involved with horses. I also felt that after spending decades behind a desk I wanted to be outdoors and learn a manual skill.

What intrigued me about horseshoeing was that it is not simply a craft but also sort of an art. While the prospect of earning some extra money with an occupation that enabled me to spend a lot of time with these gorgeous creatures, using a physical skill and being forced to stay fit was probably the more important motivation for becoming a farrier.

And last not least, I knew from my and my family’s own experience that the horseshoer is always welcome at the barn! This is especially true if the farrier comes to a quick rescue when the owner discovers early in the morning before leaving for an event or the fox hunt that a shoe got lost over night, so I do my best to respond to such requests, keeping in mind how much I appreciated it over the years when I had to call a farrier or vet who came at crazy hours on a weekend when they could have been home enjoying life with their family or own horses.