For 364 days of the year, the
extensive Ascutney Mountain Outdoors Center (AOC) trail system is a
recreational playground for hikers, mountain bikers, and skiers, as well
as an outdoor education and community resource. But for one day every
fall, 10 miles of these scenic trails are reserved for horses and
riders, who gather to enjoy a spectacular trail ride—for pure pleasure.
This year’s ride will be on October 8.
“It’s
lovely to do something noncompetitive at the end of the season,” says
Debbie Klene, who rides her beautiful black Morgan mare on competitive
trail rides throughout the season. “We start out riding up a big field
at the base of the mountain, and it’s really, really pretty.” The course
offers beautiful views of the village of Brownsville as well as wooded
sections flaming with fall foliage.
“It’s
nice because it’s a combination of trails on the mountain (some on
private property) and local dirt roads,” Debbie says. The majority
(about 70 percent) is trail, some single track and some double.
All Are Welcome
Sponsored
by the Vermont Equine Riding and Driving Association (VERDA), the event
welcomes all horse and rider teams from near and far who would like to
take advantage of this rare opportunity. Out-of-staters mingle with
locals, as riders go out in their own time and at their own leisurely
pace, and if they start alone, are often welcomed into small groups.
“It’s a very cordial group,” says Barbara Gerstner, the main organizer,
“and the horses are well behaved.”
Barbara
conceived the idea for the ride about five years ago. “There weren’t
many people riding on the Ascutney Outdoors (multiuse) trails,” she
says. “The trails were used mostly for mountain biking. We thought it’d
be nice to have trails on the mountain just for horses,” at least one
day each year.
The
fall pleasure ride is well marked, and riders can choose from a six- or
ten-mile loop. Is the terrain strenuous? “Only if you’re from
Connecticut, where there aren’t many hills,” Barbara says. There is some
climbing, but it’s not all up and then all down. Perhaps the most
challenging parts—for some horses, anyway—are the two water crossings on
snowmobile bridges. “They’re wide, and not very high,” Debbie says,
“and you can go around one of them, but at the other crossing, you do
have to use the bridge.”
Last
year, to make things more interesting and fun, riddles were strung
along the route, all equine themed. “It gave everyone a laugh on the
trail, and something to look for,” Debbie says.
The
ride begins and ends in the large parking lot of the AOC, where, after
horses are untacked, fed, and watered (with water supplied by the
event), riders congregate to enjoy the delicious brown-bag lunches
catered by Brownsville Butcher & Pantry, a local country store and
café renowned for its excellent food. “I would urge anyone who wants to
try it to come out,” Barbara says.
Join the Club
Doug
Bejarano, who with his wife Wendy has been competing in VERDA events
for more than 30 years, would further encourage trail-riding enthusiasts
to join the club. Members will enjoy a second pleasure ride on October
23 called the Eat-a-thon Year End Celebration—a “progressive lunch on
horseback.” And next year the club plans to add more pleasure rides to
its schedule of events.
Founded
about 40 years ago, VERDA is dedicated to competitive trail riding and
driving, but has recently embraced endurance riding as well. And what is
the difference? Competitive trail rides are like a rally, scored on a
points system. Riders aim to finish within a certain time frame, and
points are deducted if they are too early or too late. Scores are also
affected by the condition of one’s horse at various checkpoints.
Endurance rides, on the other hand, are timed events. The first horse to
cross the finish line wins—provided he or she is judged by a
veterinarian fit to continue.
VERDA’s
last event of the season will be a 30- or 15- or 10-mile endurance ride
or carriage drive beginning at Kedron Valley Stables in South
Woodstock. The club is introducing shorter courses to encourage
newcomers to give it a try. “We have 10-year-olds to 80-year-olds
participating,” Doug says. “The competition is just for fun. We have a
saying: to finish is to win. Anyone can do it to enjoy your horse, bond
with your horse, take care of your horse, and let your horse take care
of you. We’d love to see more people come into our club and into trail
riding.” For information on registration for any of these events, visit verda.org
