The Vermont Horse
ing contest featuring Belgian, Percheron, Suffox Punch, and Clydesdale horses. There is a daily horse parade on the racetrack during which commentary is given explaining each breed of horse and their uses. Champlain Valley Fair, Essex Junction, offers a full day horse show with Western performance, Saddle Seat, Hunter, and the ever-popular miniature horse division.
Pond Hill Ranch, Castleton, is the place to go every Saturday night in July and August for a real pro-rodeo. Events such as bronc riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, and barrel racing feature some of the best Quarter Horses in the country. Owned and operated by the O’ Rourke family, Kaci O’ Rourke made history at the 2024 National Reining Horse Association( NRHA) Futurity by becoming the first woman to win the event with her horse“ The Fireman.”
For six weeks in July and August the HITS Vermont Summer Festival in Manchester
presents hunter and jumper competitions for every level of equestrian. The event is very spectator friendly and features open speed jumping and Grand Prix jumping featuring some of the best horses and riders in the country, and the Green Mountain Team Jumper Relay.
One might not expect to find Icelandic horses in Vermont, but located in the Mad River Valley is an opportunity to ride these uniquely gaited horses at the Vermont Icelandic Horse Farm. USA Today called this one of“ 10 great places to go horseback riding.” Another unique horse experience is a sleigh ride with Kedron Valley Stables in South Woodstock. Chip Kendell guides his horses over a groomed trail along the Kedron Brook and is happy to share stories and his great sense of humor with his passengers.
Vermont and the horse have been intertwined since the very beginning. It is the state animal and the horse’ s presence in today’ s economy is a multi-million-dollar industry. Here, there are horse shows, trail rides, breeding farms, boarding facilities, spectator events, and the iconic scenery of horses grazing in emerald green pastures. The horse has been instrumental in keeping Vermont from succumbing to land development and allowing equestrians to enjoy the trails envisioned 100 years ago by people who foresaw an even greater equine future here in the Green Mountains. n
COURTESY OF UVM
64 VERMONT MAGAZINE