• Please use real names.

    Greetings to all who have registered to OPF and those guests taking a look around. Please use real names. Registrations with fictitious names will not be processed. REAL NAMES ONLY will be processed

    Firstname Lastname

    Register

    We are a courteous and supportive community. No need to hide behind an alia. If you have a genuine need for privacy/secrecy then let me know!
  • Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!

Blue Star Equiculture Farm

doug anderson

New member
I visited this farm yesterday. It is the official retirement home for New York City carriage horses (the ones that circumnavigate Central Park). It is also a rescue facility for draft horses. Several of the people who work there have experienced severe trauma (survivors of 9/11, cops, firemen, combat vets, etc.) and the attraction seems to be the warmth and gentleness of the communion with animals. I was photographing when I felt a gentle nudge and turned around to find Tex, a HUGE draft horse who wanted some affection (second photo). The first photo is of a very tired, lovely horse that was nodding off during the shoot.
DSC_6476%20b-L.jpg

Tex: there is nothing in the photo to give him scale, but the owners told me he's on record as the largest living draft horse.
DSC_6501-L.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I visited this farm yesterday. It is the official retirement home for New York City carriage horses (the ones that circumnavigate Central Park). It is also a rescue facility for draft horses. Several of the people who work there have experienced severe trauma (survivors of 9/11, cops, firemen, combat vets, etc.) and the attraction seems to be the warmth and gentleness of the communion with animals. I was photographing when I felt a gentle nudge and turned around to find Tex, a HUGE draft horse who wanted some affection (second photo). The first photo is of a very tired, lovely horse that was nodding off during the shoot.

Wonderful story and great place to visit. where is it?

DSC_6476%20b-L.jpg

This is so wonderful for me to see. So beautiful. I hope you have many more of these white horses.

Asher
 

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
Hi, Doug,

I visited this farm yesterday. It is the official retirement home for New York City carriage horses (the ones that circumnavigate Central Park). It is also a rescue facility for draft horses.

Yes, I had just recently become aware of this establishment, as a result of my recent interest in plows. I have many videos of plowing being done there, including by students who have learned the craft there.

The draft horses do part of the training of the student plowmen!

Thanks for the great pix and stories.

Best regards,

Doug
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Doug K.,

That horse on the right is the plough horse proper and the white one is a stand in from Central Park, or they both know what the're doing?

Also that's a nice and shiny plough!

Asher
 

doug anderson

New member
Asher, that horse is in fact a Central Park carriage horse. This farm is their official retirement community. They also rescue draft horses and you are right about it being a work horse.

By the way, Blue Star is also an organic farm and all the plowing is done by horse. They have one gas driven backhoe for picking up manure.
 
Top