Preparing My Horses for a Trip to Maine
I'm having such a wonderful time in Maine.
If you follow me on Instagram @MarthaStewart48, then you know I am at Skylands, my home on Mount Desert Island, and one of my favorite places on Earth. I'm enjoying all our activities - hiking, boating, playing games, and feasting on so many delicious foods with family and friends. Whenever I am in Maine for an extended period of time, I often transport a couple of my Friesian horses to ride along the trails of Acadia National Park. Yesterday, preparations were in full swing at my Bedford, New York farm to ready the horses for the eight-hour journey - I can't wait to see them this evening.
Enjoy these photos. And be sure to visit my blog often - I will be posting many more images from Maine in the coming days.
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- My horse trailer was thoroughly cleaned for the long ride from my farm to Skylands. This trailer accommodates two horses and all the necessary horse tack and other supplies needed for their stay.
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- The trailer is well-padded and will comfortably hold Ramon and Rinze during the eight to 10-hour ride. They have done this many times before, and are both excellent travelers.
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- The saddles are loaded into the tack room of the trailer, which is located in a separate compartment in front of the stalls.
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- There are ample hooks for all the bridles, girths, and harnesses.
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- There are also hooks for rakes, muck shovels, and brooms.
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- There is additional storage space in the gooseneck of the trailer for more supplies, and equipment.
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- Here are my grandchildren’s riding helmets in case they want to ride also.
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- To prepare the stalls, Sarah first spreads some straw pellets on the floor – these pellets are very absorbent and will help keep the area dry.
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- Next, Sarah spreads wood shavings over the pellets.
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- We always make sure the horses travel as comfortably and as safely as possible.
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- A feed bag designed especially for horse trailers will hold the hay at a reachable level, so the horses won’t have to move too much in these close quarters.
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- A Nibble Net is also put up in the stall. This will hold the wet hay for Ramon. Nibble Nets work by slowing feed times, curbing boredom, and simulating grazing.
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- Meanwhile, here are my curious peafowl outside the stable – making sure they don’t miss any of the activity around the farm.
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- Inside my stable tack room, Sarah cleans the bridles with saddle soap, so they look their best for our rides.
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- Sarah prepares an extra one – just in case, and lets them all dry before loading them on the trailer.
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- She also washes the roper cinches and girths. These are used around the belly of the horse to keep the saddle in place.
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- As a safety precaution, the horses’ legs will be wrapped for the long drive to Skylands.
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- Tubs of food are packed and loaded onto the trailer.
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- Sarah also packs each horse’s supplements and vitamins into individual bags, which are labeled by day and time of day – one for the morning feed and one for the evening feed.
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- Up at my Winter House, all my riding equipment is gathered and packed.
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- Ryan picked lots of delicious fresh vegetables that will also be transported to Skylands. Look at all the colorful onions and zucchinis, and the beautiful head of Savoy cabbage.
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- And during this harvest, Ryan also included many, many beans – our crops are so productive this year.
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- Shqipe prepared several boxes of fresh eggs for us to enjoy – and look on the left, a few of the season’s first red, juicy tomatoes, fresh from my garden.
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- All the vegetables will be packed into coolers and loaded onto the truck just before departure.
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- Everything is labeled and piled neatly in the flower room.
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- I’m so excited to see my dear horses and to ride along the carriage roads of Acadia National Park. The only thing left to do – get Ramon and Rinze, my beautiful Friesians. Come on boys…
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