Fairfax County’s Booming Horse Business
By Trish Mandes
Virginia’s Northern District includes Fairfax, Prince William, Fauquier, Loudoun, Culpeper and nine other counties. Approximately 71,500 equines call this area home. Their value of $813 million dwarfs the value of equines in the other districts. In Fairfax County alone, we support 5,800 horses and ponies. Many of them live in Fairfax Station, Clifton, Lorton, Mason Neck, Great Falls and Oakton, where farms and backyard barns still flourish. Horses thrive in Fairfax County, in part, because they are fostered by strong local organizations and services.
The Clifton Horse Society (CHS), which has more than 300 members, has made invaluable contributions to the community since 1977. Founded by a handful of horse enthusiasts, the group has four aims: recreation, education, service and social activities. The overriding goal is making sure that horses remain “a part of the future of this area of Virginia, as they have been in the past” (visit www.cliftonhorsesociety.org). A glance at the CHS calendar reveals a monthly whirlwind of events—hayrides, barbecues, 4th of July parades and Christmas caroling on horseback in the Town of Clifton. The club also hosts monthly rides throughout Northern Virginia and surrounding areas, arranges seminars and clinics and helps maintain the trails along the Occoquan Watershed. CHS volunteers work tirelessly on the trails at Hemlock Overlook, Fountainhead Regional Park, Bull Run Regional Park and Bull Run Marina. Thanks to them, you can walk for miles on the clearly marked trails without losing your way or tripping on underbrush.
During the 2007n08 fiscal year, reports Mary Flowers, a Fairfax Station resident who has been a member since 1988, CHS contributed approximately $6,700 to worthy causes. These included veterinarian hospitals, rescue organizations, publicly operated equestrian facilities and therapeutic riding programs. The Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center just received a generous donation for its molecular research laboratory, and on May 9, Virginia Tech vet student Leslie Rhodes was awarded a CHS scholarship. The monthly newsletter, the Lead Line, edited by Katie Teitel, provides a wealth of information about equines and responsible horse ownership. To learn more about this group, visit their Web site or send an e-mail to forhorses@cox.net.
In 2007n08, the Coalition’s members were amazingly busy. Volunteers mended fences, cleared and marked trails and built new trails in the local parks. They helped with the Wild Mustang and Burro Adoption Days at Meadowood, rode their horses in Lorton’s 4th of July parade and sponsored fund raisers for charitable groups. They raised $3,000 for Saddle Up for St. Jude, a trail ride which benefits the celebrated children’s research hospital. Turning to the needs of local programs, the MNHC sponsored a trail ride and scavenger hunt in April; at this event, they raised $4,500 for Simple Changes, a therapeutic riding group at Meadowood. They also enjoy helping Girl Scouts with the coveted horse-related badges and have a blast introducing their horses to the troops.
Fairfax4Horses (F4H) got its start in 2002, when equestrians became concerned about the loss of land to development. Their unease was spurred by the closing of two large barns—Centreville’s Bay Ridge and the Great Falls Horse Center—within a year of each other. Because many of the lessons at these facilities were offered through Fairfax’s recreational and park programs, F4H President Kevin O’Connor and Vice President Beverley Dickerson began a campaign to include riding facilities at the new Laurel Hill Park in Lorton. Both the Park Authority and the Park Foundation agreed to work with F4H to develop and help fund the proposed equestrian center. Initial construction will begin this fall when several of the ramshackle buildings and sheds near the prison dairy barn will be torn down. A ring and parking lot are scheduled, and nearby trails will be cleared. This construction will be financed by proffers from developers and funding from a 2004 bond.
The price of a horse is cheap compared with the upkeep. Virginians spent $783 million on their horses in 2006, largely on bedding, feed, capital improvements and equipment. These categories include shavings, straw, hay, grain, saddles, helmets, fly spray, brushes, buckets, carts, tractors, rakes, fencing and a myriad other items to keep horse and rider happy and safe. In our area, horse owners probably headed straight to Woodlawn Saddlery on Richmond Highway or to Clifton Saddlery. A beautiful store with exceptional merchandise, Woodlawn was opened in 1986 by Joan and Cindy Mitchell, who also own Woodlawn Stables. To the sadness of its clientele, Woodlawn Saddlery closed on June 30, 2008.
Clifton Saddlery had its own change of hands almost two years ago. This charming shop, located in the heart of picturesque Clifton, was launched by Sue and Gary Clairmonte in 1987. After putting it on the market for a while, the Clairmontes considered closing the business altogether. But to the rescue raced Liz Nuti, who lives two miles down the road in Fairfax Station and owns four horses. As a rider, she felt that an institution like Clifton Saddlery shouldn’t vanish. “As an accountant,” she reflected, “I run businesses for others; why not for myself?” In February 2007, Liz purchased the Saddlery. Longtime customers are happy to find that the welcoming atmosphere and the excellent service have not changed.
To draw new visitors to Clifton Saddlery, Liz has instituted one or two changes. Last summer, for example, she scheduled a visit from Thumbelina, the world’s tiniest horse. During the weekend of Thumbelina’s appearance, hundreds of fans, vendors, therapeutic riding groups, riding clubs and community members thronged the town. It was Clifton Day in miniature. In conjunction with the town’s many holiday festivities in December, the Saddlery sponsored a Blessing of the Animals. Hamsters, guinea pigs, birds, cats and dogs were all welcome. In addition to hosting events like these, Liz Nuti is testing the waters—“getting her feet wet locally,” she explains—with a mobile tack shop, which she has taken to horse shows at Frying Pan Park. During the winter, she plans to hold workshops on different aspects of horsemanship.
Associations like the Clifton Horse Society, the Mason Neck Horse Coalition and Fairfax4Horses and stores like the Clifton Saddlery are outstanding community resources. They are major factors in the growth of our horse industry. Riding is a lifelong skill, not a sport you put aside like basketball or soccer when you grow up. Owning horses is a way of life, “a passion,” explains CHS president Jean Voss, that Fairfax County residents are fortunate to indulge.
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Jenny Blank wrote on Aug 4, 2008 12:35 PM: