Carriage Rides Around My Farm

September 25, 2024

Fall is a lovely season for horse drawn carriage rides - especially here at my Bedford, New York farm.

I share my stable with 10 equines - four handsome Friesians, a Fell Pony, and five donkeys. I horseback ride regularly, but I also enjoy driving and riding carriages. Two of my Friesians, Hylke and Geert, are well-trained carriage horses. They are from Holland and joined my herd in 2022. This week, we had a visit from Dutch horse trainer Anne Okkema, who had worked with Hylke and Geert abroad. We pulled out my marathon carriage – suitable for both marathon and pleasure driving - and enjoyed a few rides along my four miles of carriage road here at Cantitoe Corners.

Here are some photos and a short video, enjoy.

: While my busy lifestyle is currently better suited for horseback riding, I have long enjoyed horse drawn carriage riding. In fact, my neighbor and friend, the late Mr. David Rockefeller and I enjoyed carriage rides through Acadia National Park up in Maine on the same roads built as a gift by David’s father, John D. Rockefeller Jr. from 1913 to 1940. I was excited to get back in a carriage and ride again. Here I am with Anne out for a ride at my farm with my stable team and our leaders, Hylke and Geert.

: This is my marathon carriage. It is lightweight, aerodynamic, and designed for safety.

: Because the automobile is now the main form of transportation, it’s easy to forget the importance that horse-drawn carriages and sleighs once played in transportation. When I acquired my Friesian horses and the farm, I had a strong interest in driving carriages and started collecting a few carriages of my own. This marathon carriage safely seats four.

: Anne spent some time in my stable going over how to properly attach the harnesses and carriage to the horses.

: My stable manager, Helen Peparo, and Juan Londoño, take excellent care of all my horses and have their ultimate trust.

: The harnesses and breast collars are all padded for safety and comfort.

: A carriage breast collar should fit a horse snugly, but not too tight, and should always allow the horse to move freely.

: When well fitted and properly positioned on the horse, the equipment should distribute the weight evenly and never rub against the horse’s shoulders. They should be snug, allowing just two or three fingers to fit between the leather and the horse.

: The Friesian is most often recognized by its bold black coat color. They have long, arched necks and well-chiseled, short-eared, “Spanish-type” heads. They also have powerful, sloping shoulders, compact, muscular bodies with strong hindquarters, and low-set tails.

: Blinders block surrounding views, so the horses can safely focus on pulling and not on all the other happenings at the farm.

: The last piece hooked up is the carriage itself. A horse can typically pull up to three times its own weight on a flat, smooth road. My Friesians weigh about 1500 pounds each.

: Here is Anne with my Friesian, Geert.

: Before lunch, Anne, Helen, Juan, and Jimmy go out for another brief ride around the farm. Keeping horses primed for pulling a carriage requires a great deal of time and effort, which is very difficult to maintain.

: And although they have not pulled a carriage in quite some time, Hylke and Geert remember everything.

: It was also a big treat for my stable kittens who watch everything with curiosity. Here is Cinco.

: Anne and his family are all true horse marathon enthusiasts and own a horse training facility in Holland. In fact, Anne also sold me the harnesses the horses are wearing.

: Friesian horses are excellent for pulling carriages because of their powerful trot, elegant appearance, and high-stepping gait.

: Horses also have a natural sense of direction and can memorize patterns easily, but it is crucial to train them with positive reinforcement to maintain trust and develop effective communication skills.

: After a ride, the last pieces of equipment that were attached are the first pieces detached. The carriage, harnesses, lines, and collars are removed in a certain order – all for the comfort and safety of the horses.