11/05/2022
Now for the hard part. This week I sold my farm. In 2004 I bought an undeveloped piece of land on rolling hills in Long Valley NJ. I had always dreamed of one day having my own farm- just a modest little barn where I could keep my horse and have a few friends board theirs. In 2006 I opened my doors of a farm I designed and built. Originally 12 stalls, an indoor arena, an outdoor jump ring, a cross country course, a house for the trainer and groom’s apartment. It eventually grew to be 17 stalls with 20 paddocks and a robust boarding business! My one horse became 9 at one point…. Go figure. I was proud that 16 Hands Farm was a facility that people wanted to come to, but mostly I just enjoyed owning it and running it, having a place where I could breed, ride and train and spend time doing something I love.
But life changes. I stopped eventing having broken too many bones to count, took up dressage and started going to Wellington in the winters. We eventually bought that small farm I meant to build -on 5 acres not 54! - where I keep my 4 dressage horses and have a couple of boarders to enjoy it with me. And then suddenly running a large farm from 1200 miles away was too much.
There are way too many people to thank for all their help and support these last 16 years. People who have worked for me, people who entrusted me with their horses, people who helped keep the place in pristine condition- you all touched my life in some meaningful way. Thank you all.
