Tennessee Equestrian Real Estate : The Farm at Tralee : Knoxville Farm Land in Strawberry Plain, Knox County, TN

I have basically known that this day would come...the dreaded day when one of my "babies" needed to be sold. I am many things, but a horse-seller I am not. I tend to collect, and eventually bury, the horses I have known. I am what you call a "lifer". But there are times when selling a horse is not only a very legitimate choice, but the best choice, for both the seller and the horse. Such is the case with Archer. He belongs to Tralee, but he is loved by all. A total character and a barn favorite, he has been a blessing to the many riders in his life that he has taught. Like many talented horses, Archer has moved around a lot from show barn to show barn. He eventually ended up at Tralee to be rehabilitated after an injury. He recovered, and moreover he has taught many riders here a thing or two about riding. However, his size (18h.!) made him an awkward fit for most students. It was often the case that his talents were wasted away and he was only worked a day or two every week. I knew he deserved a real mommy, one who was devoted to only him. At Tralee, he was underused and taking up much needed space in our barn. I decided to sell him with much sadness. But the story gets interesting here...

Going through his file, I found an old letter from his former owner's mom. The mom was writing to a trainer buying Archer, who used to be known by the name Jake. In the letter she expressed how her teenaged daughter was terribly distressed that they had to sell "Jake" and hoped that they could stay in touch with him as he ages, and even purchase him back some day when life was more settled and the time was right. She mentioned how her daughter found a soul mate in "Archer". 

Well, I called the number on the letter and left a detailed message. A day later I got a phone call from his former owner Sarah. She was hysterical with joy to locate him, as the name change combined with serveral successive homes had caused her to lose track. She expressed her heartbreak over losing him, and as a successful career woman in her 20's, how she still felt like the loss of him had left an empty hole in her life. She came to see him here in Knoxville and brought him his favorite treat, Skittles--who knew! Archer is moving to Miami to live the rest of his life with Sarah in October. He is finally going home to be with his mom again, and while I am so incredibly sad to lose him I can't think of a better ending to his story. Congratulations to Sarah and Archer...or should I say Jake!

 

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

This week, Tralee student Susan and I chose to take advantage of the decidedly spring weather and go lesson in the field. The best field for riding is a large stretch of hilltop that overlooks the pond and pavilion, and due to its shape we riders call it “The Big L” field. The “L” is community space at Tralee, open for riding, picnicking, bird-watching…and most of all, for the simple serenity of gazing at vast stretches of rolling meadowland.



It’s a great place to pull all your riding skills together, because open space riding really requires an effective, confident, accurate, secure rider who can use her aids well. Susan was up to the task, and Gracie enjoyed the break from the arena as they practiced hand galloping over the rolling terrain and jumping the single fence I had brought out to the field. I personally always feel bolder jumping in the field, as if somehow the fences magically shrink against the blue horizon. I think this comes from that naturally more forward pace that most horses have in the open spaces, or maybe just because the tall grass makes the fence height look smaller.



Either way, the field can be a fun place for an experienced rider to get some confidence-boosting mileage over slightly bigger fences. By the end of the lesson, I dropped the 3’6” vertical down to 2’9” for one last jump, and Susan remarked that it looked positively puny at that point. This picture captures that happy moment, after a mind-opening lesson such as we had this day, where 2’9” will never look quite the same again!

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Cross over the Burr Arch Bridge, veer left on Lot 26, and you will find the second home at Tralee. Paul Smiddy has started construction on  "The Cottage." At nearly 6,000 square feet, the second home in Tralee may be larger than you might imagine a cottage, but the novel plan is reminiscent of the English Country.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Click To Play

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

This summer I have been thinking a lot about the 14 years I have spent with my horse Burke. It seems like a long time, with a million memories to show for each and every year. But at the same time it has raced by, and as he ages I can’t help but feel anxious wondering how many more great memories will we create? It was in this reflective mood that I started browsing through old pictures. I realized that even though we’ve been together for so long there were surprisingly few photographs to cherish. So, I decided to hire an equine photographer to come to the farm and take some portraits of my boy. I have to say it was one of the best things I have ever done!



After some searching I found a photographer who does equestrian work on the local East Tennessee Hunter/Jumper circuit. Julie Poole is a Knoxville resident who specializes in horse and dog photography. She really captures the spirit of the animal, be it a head shot of your prized stallion or a photo finish of your racing whippet! She had a spring special going on that waived the farm call fee if there were three or more participants, so I just had to get boarders Nikki and Kim to join in.



The scheduled day arrived. After much horse bathing and clipping, we three girls finally headed down to the house to shower and get ready. The afternoon was hot and hazy, worsened by the drought this summer. Sure enough, as we prepped for the shoot a thunderstorm rolled in and rained like crazy. When Julie called to reschedule we were forlorn. It turned out to be a huge blessing in disguise, because the very next day we proceeded with the shoot under a brilliant, freshly washed blue sky.



The day was perfect. Julie started the afternoon with head shots under the leafy trees. Then we moved on to riding and jumping in the ring. Since Julie was able to enter the arena (unlike at a horse show), she was able to get some really unique artistic shots. She used various lenses to get wide angle effects, and she was even game enough to crouch next to the landing side of a 3’6” vertical to capture Kim and Gracie landing in grand prix style. That shot will make Gracie’s sale ad for sure!



The grand finale was held in the rolling Tralee fields at sunset. As we loped bareback into the sunset and lolled across our horses sun-kissed necks, Julie captured what we all agree are our favorite moments. I am so glad to have the photos of my boy. His golden chestnut coat and chocolate eye sparkling in the sun shows that horse that I love—one that has a frosting of grey hairs to mark the years we have spent together. Even better, Kim and Nikki got to avoid the mistake I made. They now have top quality photos of themselves and their horses, young and in their prime, which I am sure they will treasure as the years go by. To see all the images from that day, go to www.juliepoole.com, and click on “The Farm at Tralee” in the gallery link.

• Print
• Comments (1)
• Trackbacks

Knoxville, being one of Tennessee’s four largest cities and the largest city in the region, is home to a number of heath systems that extend their services to East Tennesseans through their major medical centers as well as the placement of branch centers and specialty clinics around Knox and its surrounding counties. As a result, East Tennessee residents have long been the beneficiaries of cutting-edge medical technologies. With seventeen major hospitals in the area (many of them award-winning), as well as a multitude of specialty clinics, East Tennesseans have access to outstanding healthcare options.

It is hard to understate the importance of the Baptist Health System to the region. Consisting of three major hospitals, the Baptist Hospital for Women, and the Baptist Senior Center, the Baptist Health System specializes in the treatment of senior health, women’s health, as well as cancer, heart, and eye health. Baptist Health System’s flagship hospital, located in downtown Knoxville, has been repeatedly named a Top 100 Hospital and a Top 100 Cardiovascular Hospital. In 2006, renovations on this facility were completed, updating the chapel, the medical surgical unit, intensive care unit, and some waiting areas.

The Covenant Health System consists of several regional hospitals including Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, Parkwest Medical Center (a Top 100 Heart Hospital), Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, Fort Loudon Medical Center, and Fort Sanders Sevier Medical Center. The Thompson Cancer Survival Center provides the newest cancer treatments and diagnostics in three area locations; a fourth location is under construction at this time. Covenant Health boasts the delivery of 3,043 babies at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in 2006 (including 66 sets of twins, eight sets of triplets, and a set of quadruplets!). Also in 2006, Parkwest Medical Center graduated the largest class in history from its Peninsula Behavioral Health division.

St. Mary’s Health System includes four hospitals and a number of centers throughout East Tennessee; its flagship Medical Center has served the region for nearly 75 years providing women’s services, cancer care, orthopedics, and cardiac care, among others. A Top 100 Hospital, St. Mary’s Medical Center provides quality care with five star ratings from HealthGrades in a number of service areas. For 2007, major improvements to the System include the addition of a 72-bed acute-care facility to its North Campus, scheduled to open this fall. Also, St. Mary’s flagship campus will undergo renovations along with the new construction of a $100 million patient tower.

The University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC) serves as the region’s Level I Trauma Center. An academic hospital in the University Health System, Inc., UTMC employees focus on education, including research and discovery of new and emerging treatments. The UTMC is but one of several centers in a regional network. Other centers include the Brain and Spine Institute, the Cancer Institute, the Heart Lung Vascular Institute, and the Center for Women’s Health. In 2006, UTMC opened its Heart and Stroke Center, as well as the Tom and Katherine Black neonatal intensive care unit. This $4.8 million unit added 29 private rooms for East Tennessee’s tiniest and most fragile citizens.

For more information on East Tennessee’s medical facilities, including a comprehensive list of major medical centers, click here.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

The Knoxville metro area continues to receive national attention as an excellent area to relocate both in retirement and starting a new career.  KnoxNews recently wrote this article citing housing costs, tax rates, cost of living, and quality of life as a few of the reasons for this ranking.

This week, two groups who do research on relocating ranked Knoxville number one among midsize cities.

Worldwide ERC, a trade association for work force mobility, and Primacy Relocation, a Memphis-based provider of employee relocation services, also ranked Nashville number two among large cities.

They looked at several factors: economic, education, quality of life, climate, recreation, leisure, arts and culture, air quality, watershed quality, sales tax, unemployment rates, job growth, area educational levels, school expenditures per student, students in public school, SAT/ACT percentile, and population growth.

Here is a link to the report.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Tonight on Live at Five, Russell Biven  did a great job of covering the story that we have been sharing here, here, and here. As you can see in the video, the roofers are hammering in the final pieces of slate.  With a few final  touches, the bridge will be done.  During filming, Jeremy said that he will be finishing the Part IV of the bridge installment soon, so check back for the latest updates.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Construction of the model home is underway on Lot 35.  The foundation was completed last week and the framing of the model begins today.  From the back yard patio, this beautiful home site boasts miles and miles of a thousand shades of green rising into the peaks of House and Clinch mountains.  Construction is projected to take approximately 6 months to complete.

• Print
• Comments (1)
• Trackbacks

Lot 23 contains one of the most spectacular views of Mt. LeConte, which is part of the reason that Talbott chose this site for his future home.  To match these spectacular views, he has selected Greenwich, Connecticut based Shope, Reno, Wharton to design his home.  Below is a picture of one of their designs, which fits nicely with other designs used in The Farm at Tralee.



Listed in Architectural Digest's Top Architects and Designers, Shope, Reno, Wharton carefully crafts their home designs to match the landscape where the home is built.  One of their principle design goals is to integrate the residential experience with the home's natural surroundings.

Talbott intends to begin construction after the Equestrian Center is completed and relocated.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

11 Miles from The Farm at Tralee, sits one of the nation's best classic golf courses.  Holston Hills C.C. was built in 1927 and designed by Donald Ross. It is widely considered to be one of the more original Donald Ross designs left in the United States.

This Par 72,6932 yard course is considered by many golfers  to be the finest golf course in the state of Tennessee.

Holston Hills C.C.
5200 Holston Hills Rd
Knoxville, TN 37914
(865) 523-4119

• Print
• Comments (1)
• Trackbacks

There are several other options for equestrians in Knoxville beyond what I’ve already mentioned. Believe it or not, Knoxville has a local polo club called the Sassafras Polo Club. They practice and play tournaments in the summers, and it is a thrilling game to watch.



Knoxville also boasts a local foxhunting club, the Tennessee Valley Hunt Club. Not only do we have great coverts in east Tennessee, but we are also located within a day’s drive of some of America’s most famous hunt country in Virginia. For children, nothing quite compares to the United States Pony Club, an organization that encourages young riders to grow as horsepeople.

The Pony Club has different levels that a rider advances through by taking tests. The tests involve not only mounted skills, but general horse care and barn management skills. Plus, the camaraderie and friendships are hard to beat. Once you are over the age of 18, pony clubs are not an option. However, riders going to college often choose to attend a school that hosts an Intercollegiate Equestrian Team. Regional schools that have an equestrian team include the University of Tennessee, Maryville College, University of the South, and more.  For those of you who prefer to be out of the arena, Knoxville and the surrounding areas also have a community of trail riders, competitive trail riders, and endurance riders. Last but not least, there many horse lovers who are no longer riding, perhaps because of time, convenience, or an old injury. For riders and non-riders alike, volunteering with local horse organizations provides a way to share your knowledge and spend quality time with wonderful equines and people.

Non-profit organizations like Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding, or STAR, offer a tremendous service to our community by providing a unique therapy opportunity for disabled children. Horse Haven of Tennessee (www.horsehavenoftn.com) is a non-profit dedicated to rescuing neglected or abused equines. These organizations need support from our community to keep up their good work.

With so much to do in east Tennessee, it’s a wonder the stalls ever get cleaned! And to think that I’ve only scratched the surface…after all, there is a whole other “Western” world out there.

• Print
• Comments (1)
• Trackbacks

Beyond Hunter/Jumpers, there are other disciplines that riders at Tralee enjoy. Primarily, 3-Day Eventing (or just Eventing for short) is a fascinating sport that is best compared to an equestrian triathlon. At the most advanced levels, Events take place over the course of 3 days, where each day a different discipline is displayed. A horse and rider have to be very versatile and connected as a team to excel in this sport. Day 1 is a test of precision, obedience, grace, harmony, and athletic skill as horse and rider complete what is known as a dressage test. Dressage is a sport all its own, and it is ridden in an arena without any jumps involved. Dressage is like dancing with your horse—a display of different gaits, patterns, and movements meant to show the judge the natural beauty and ability of the horse. Horses playing together in a field can display breathtaking grace and energy, trotting powerfully with their back legs engaging deeply under their bodies, their front legs seemingly skimming the ground, their necks arched high and their backs round and supple. This comes natural to the horse! However, it can take a lifetime or longer to achieve the communication with your horse such that he can produce these qualities on command. Dressage is a French word that literally translates as “training”, and many riders would agree that dressage is without doubt the foundation of all other riding.

However, the task does not end there for Eventers! Instead, the same pair that showed delicate grace on day 1 now has to complete the tasks of day 2: the cross country course. Cross country jumping is the heart and soul of Eventing. Riders gallop full speed across fields and through woods, jumping solid and natural type obstacles. The stakes are high—if your horse hangs a leg on a fence, it does not fall down as in Jumpers…instead you are the one who might fall. Horses must splash through water, plunge down vertical banks, and jump over uneven terrain at high speeds. Once again, the successful pairs will do all this with no refusals or falls, and do so within a prescribed time.

On day 3, the often tired and achy pair must again show obedience, precision, and athleticism over a Jumper course in the arena, designed to test how well the horse listens to the rider and provides its best effort after a trying cross country course the day before.

Eventing is thrilling to compete in, and also thrilling to watch. At the highest levels, it is truly incredible to observe such multi-talented riders and horses. Tralee is a fortunate place for Eventers for two reasons. First, many Events are held close by, including at River Glen Equestrian Park a mere 20 minutes away. Moreover, we are a couple hours from the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. Events are ranked in difficulty based on a star system, with 4 stars being the highest level. There are only three 4 star Event in the world, two in England and one (the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event) in Lexington (www.rk3de.org). We usually gather up a group and make an annual trip to watch Rolex at the end of April. If you have a chance to go, it is a spectacle to behold!

Well, Dressage, Eventing, Hunters, and Jumpers are the disciplines I love. However, there is even more to do in Knoxville, and I will wrap up this thread with my last installment on some other English disciplines to enjoy in this area.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

The Farm at Tralee announced today that it proudly welcomes Anita and David Hasbury-Snogles of England to ride its trails March 12-14, 2007—one stop during their cross-country trek deemed Horse Quest USA. After liquidating their assets for this cross country adventure, their visit to Tralee is one of the couple’s only stops in East Tennessee.

Through sponsorships and the proceeds from the sale of their house, Anita and David have arranged to spend one year riding from sea to sea, even to Hawaii, riding trails in each state. Along the way, their adventures are being captured in HDTV for broadcast Horse and Country TV, RFDTV, and Best of America by Horseback.  

In addition, Anita and David will be raising money for three of their favorite charities: The British Horse Society, International League for the Protection of Horses, and Brooke Hospital For Animals. The couple will both track their progress and accept donations to their charities at their website: www.horsquestusa.com.

During the couple’s short visit, they will begin by riding through the lush pastures at Tralee, and they will also ride a variety of East Tennessee’s trails. Tralee’s resident horse trainer, Katie Settlage, will direct them through their journey through the area’s horse trails.

The Farm at Tralee, developed by Holrob-Smiddy partnership, represents East Tennessee’s premier gated equestrian community located in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee. The planned community was designed to preserve the area’s lush beauty with more than 100 acres of common area in the 200 acre community. With a premier equestrian center, concierge service, and luxurious details, The Farm at Tralee is home to a privileged few.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

East Tennessee is blessed with one of the best farriers in the country. Frank Cifaldi is a master at his craft. For him, shoeing horses began in high school when he apprenticed himself to a farrier in Florida for a school project on the various carriers to be had. Frank had always been involved with horses, but like most of us, he had never tried his hand at shoeing until that fateful day. He had a natural talent for working with his hands, crafting a horse hoof with precision. His apprenticeship continued after the project was complete, and his educational journey had really just begun. Years of working on racetracks and broodmare farms gave him the volume of experience that he eventually began to apply to some to the top performance horses on the east coast. Frank works with all types of performance horses, but many of his clients are Hunter/Jumpers and Dressage horses. His skill at correcting faulty shoeing and less-than-perfect hooves have given him such a dedicated following that when he gave up life on the road for a home-based shoeing business, his clientele never wavered. Frank is known as a perfectionist that always strives to better himself. He has won every shoeing competition in the southeast at least once, and one year he won them all. Frank has worked wonders on my horse Burke, who had severely contracted heels and a diagnosis of navicular. He is still going strong, thanks to my vets and my farrier. Thank you Frank!

• Print
• Comments (4)
• Trackbacks

I hired Mr. Kelley Hunter to help with building these massive arches on Monday, February 5th.  Kelley and Adam started setting up shop in the hay storage shed on-site.  I helped them along with getting the form built and my mind was jumping with anticipation as I could see those arches in my head even more clearly now that the form was ready to go!  When we started milling lumber we soon realized that our power source was inadequate so we used the help of a fine electrician, Mr. Ken, and he set us up nicely to continue full steam ahead.



After what seemed to be endless preparation on our shop, we finally were ready to begin lamination of the arches.  We had made a makeshift clamping system and on Wednesday, February 14th, it was finally tested and we had our first two laminations glued and clamped.  There was a sense of excitement and anticipation as we saw the oak being placed on the form.  A little more tweaking and the system was ready for full production.



The arches, when complete, will reach a mere 48 feet and four inches.  With four arches total, we have a total of  193 feet and four inches of arch to laminate.  There will be over 3200 lineal feet of 1 X 8 red oak totaling around 8000 pounds of oak arches!  We are using 16 laminations to reach our 12 inch thickness.

The first arch was ready to be removed from the form after three days of work but remained until I was able to have a forklift delivered on-site.  The beam reacted superbly when it was lifted, keeping its form quite well and no cracking was herd.  On February the twenty first, we placed the beam on benches for prep.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

We have missed seeing Sarah at the farm lately. Sarah is one of the “regulars”, but lately she has been having sinus headaches that just won’t go away! She has had to take a break from riding and stay out of this nasty weather, but hopefully she’ll be better soon. Here is a beautiful picture of Sarah and Gracie this fall…they are sooo cute together it should be criminal!

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Last week, Kim, Nikki, and I joined my friend Buff Cavender for a trial ride at Big South Fork. It was a first for Kim and Decadence, and for Cadbury as well. All went well and the horses were great. The day started off freezing, but it warmed up nicely throughout the 17 mile ride. Buff is a trail riding expert. She knows all the trails in the area, and Big South Fork is one of her favorite destinations.

Knoxville is literally in the heart of trail riding paradise, with Big South Fork, Great Smoky MountainsNational Park , Cumberland Gap, and all the national forests and state parks. Big South Fork is especially famous for its geography. A sandstone base makes for smooth sandy riding with lots of opportunities to trot and canter. The sandstone also erodes to form some of the most breathtaking creek canyons and bluffs.

Decadence is new to crossing water, but the trail offered many confidence-building opportunities to cross some small inviting creeks. Soon she was a pro, and by the time we descended down to the river gorge and met up with dozens of huge iced puddles she was happily crunching her way across them. At one point Nikki took the lead in this area, and she too crunched through the puddles. Then we decided to take advantage of this long flat stretch, and Nikki took up to a canter. Kim and I were right behind, and had a great view as Nikki rounded the corner and approached a large puddle with a large branch arcing across the top of in, smack in the middle of the trail. She and Cadbury just sailed over it, and Kim and I gave each other one quizzical look before it was too late…we all said afterward that it was a bona fide “training moment” and now Nikki can say she has done her first “water complex” with Caddy. River Glen Horse Park, here we come!

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

East Tennessee is poised to be one of the great retirement destinations in the country because of the state's low taxation; mild climate (with four seasons); central location to nation's population; proximity to premium golf, shopping and recreation; cultural attractions; and availability of continuing education.  I am starting a category, Best Place to Retire, and over the course of a few posts, I will explain the benefits of East Tennessee living. If you want to read all of the posts in this category, click best place to retire.

No State Income Tax

East Tennessee has some of the lowest taxes in the country with no income tax, moderate sales tax, and low property tax. The state only taxes dividends and interest income, and it fairly taxes gasoline and tobacco. There is a statewide sales tax rate of 7%. As you see at this post, the property taxes on a million dollar home in Tralee are just $4,150 making Sevier county the lowest tax rate in the area.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

We have a new boarder! Nikki and her gelding Cadbury have joined our barn, and we couldn’t be more pleased. Cadbury is a complete sweetie, and Nikki is a sunny presence to brighten up our wintertime barn. Nikki is very good friends with Kim, who owns Decadence. I call them the Twinkies, because Nikki and Kim for some odd reason tend to wear matching clothes (something about buy-one-get-one-half-off sales). To make things worse, their horses both have the same sire and therefore look very similar as well. They make for a cute set, and we are hard at work imagining up ridiculous pas de deux routines for them to perform. Nikki plans to compete Cadbury in 3-day events, and they are training to get ready for the upcoming competition season. Cadbury is a fast learner, and Nikki has taught him many things in their relatively brief time together…including how to kiss on command. It is our new favorite trick. If you stand in front of him and say “kiss kiss” then you better be ready with a pucker, because he is going to plant one square on your lips. Then, if you don’t give him a treat, he looks at you like you are one lousy date!

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Although it snows in the valley less than I would prefer, we live in a protected climate.  In East Tennessee, we experience all four seasons, albeit mild doses of each.  This site lists some very interesting statistics detailing temperature, precipitation, and percentage of sunshine.  For example, see the Average Temperature Table Below.


Light snow February 1, 2007

Average Temperatures in Knoxville, TN.

Month	Low	High
Jan	28.9°F	46.3°F
Feb	31.8°F	51.7°F
Mar	39.1°F	60.3°F
Apr	46.6°F	69.0°F
May	55.6°F	76.3°F
Jun	63.9°F	83.6°F
Jul	68.5°F	86.9°F
Aug	67.3°F	86.4°F
Sept	60.8°F	80.7°F
Oct	47.7°F	69.9°F
Nov	38.9°F	59.0°F
Dec	31.9°F	49.8°F

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Snow at The Farm at Tralee. An opportunity to plug in the electric kettle and sit in the tack room with hot cocoa, graham crackers, and friends. The horses don’t seem to mind the snow, but the wind and rain can be miserable. We try to ride on days like today, but sometimes even the most diehard equestrian takes a day off. It’s a good time to catch up on grooming chores (Gracie looks like a wooly mammoth!), clean some tack (if the oil is not frozen!), or…maybe…not…

Did I mention the electric kettle?

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Well, wintertime has arrived, and the horses are bundled up in their blankets. The grass is dormant, but we have some pastures that were not grazed this summer, and they still have quite a bit of grass--albeit sad looking grass!  For the time being, the grazing is still pretty good.  Winter’s early sunset has been a difficult adjustment, and I have had to do some riding under the arena lights. It is so odd to be riding at 5:30 in the dark and have every fiber of your body screaming that it is NIGHT TIME. We should be eating dinner, reading, and going to bed soon, yet in the summer, I think nothing of riding at 7:30pm! Winter also makes it hard for students who are in school to get out to the barn and ride before dark, and we are all looking forward to days that stay bright a little longer.

Nevertheless, winter riding can be very enjoyable in several ways.  Riders do not to feel the cold much because of all the exercise that we get. Also, trail rides are nice this time of year because you can really see through the woods and get great mountain views and wildlife sightings (if you can spot them! I rode right past a turkey the other day and didn’t see her until we almost stepped on her).  Winter riding gives you time to focus on your riding goals and make improvements in preparation for the upcoming show season.

One of the challenges of winter riding is that your horse will often get really sweaty under a full winter coat of hair, and then they get chilled once the ride is over. The solution is to body clip your horse. Body clipping shortens the hair so that the sweat evaporates and your horse stays clean and dry. It is very convenient, but you must blanket a clipped horse. There are several styles of body clipping. Burke has a full clip, in which all but his leg hair is clipped off. Al has a trace clip, which removes the lower half of his body hair and allows him to stay dry without being totally bare. Tralee offers a body clipping service for $130.00, or we are happy to show you how to use your clippers to achieve a professional looking job!

• Print
• Comments (1)
• Trackbacks

We have talked about the beautiful mountain views from The Farm at Tralee.  House Mountain is just to the north of Tralee by about 7 miles (as the crow flies) and offers some stunning views from the 2100 foot peak.  With rich forestry, geologic history, and ecologic diversity, this nearby treasure offers both a pleasant backdrop to Tralee's rolling hills and an interesting destination.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

For the past few weeks, we have enjoyed the comfort of the Count Rumford fireplace at the Pavilion.  Every Sunday, Paul has arrived well before any open house visitors to create a masterpiece in the Count Rumford fireplace.  With great care, he has laid base logs along the back of the stand and then stacked the front logs vertically to create an inviting, warm fire.



At first, we thought that this style of fire was a Count Rumford, but Paul clarified that the Count Rumford was the fireplace. Wikipedia helped to clarify:

Rumford fireplaces are tall and shallow to reflect more heat, and they have streamlined throats to eliminate turbulence and carry away the smoke with little loss of heated room air.

Rumford fireplaces were common from 1796, when Count Rumford first wrote about them, until about 1850. Jefferson had them built at Monticello, and Thoreau listed them among the modern conveniences that everyone took for granted. There are still many original Rumford fireplaces, often buried behind newer renovations.

Count Rumford, for whom the fireplace is named, was born Benjamin Thompson in Woburn, Massachusetts in 1753 and, because he was a loyalist, he left (abruptly) with the British in 1776. He spent much of his life as an employee of the Bavarian government where he received his title, "Count of the Holy Roman Empire." Rumford is known primarily for the work he did on the nature of heat.

Each homeowner, may enjoy the luxury of the Count Rumford in their own outdoor fireplace.  Under the Covenants and Restrictions, each homeowner must build an outdoor fireplace.  While this may seem to be an odd restriction, Tralee is largely about developing a community where people enjoy the beauty of the land and the company their neighbors.  

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

This week we coordinated with the 7 day forecast to open our gates to the public.  A number of area Real Estate Agents came to The Farm at Tralee to view the newly completed cobblestone roads, mountain views, equestrian riders, and meet the staff. 

The response was amazing.  People simply could not believe how beautiful Tralee is.  One agent commented, "when I saw the pictures on your site, I thought that they were fake, and as I stand here and look at these views, I still have a hard time believing it."  Fortunately, that is a common response when people first step on the property.

We are opening the gates to the general public for the next three Sunday afternoons.  Email us if you are interested in attending.

• Print
• Comments (2)
• Trackbacks

On to the next two horses in our barn, “the girls”. The girls are both owned by The Farm at Tralee and they are here to be trained and eventually sold. In fact, Decadence is currently for sale, but Gracie, the pony, is still too green and needs more training before she can be sold.

Decadence is a beautiful Oldenburg mare, and she has been my main ride lately. She is a blast to ride because she is soft, supple and forward, and her jump is really a kick in the pants! I have really enjoyed riding her and I am trying hard not to get too attached.



Gracie is a Welsh pony who is only 6 years old. She is the most beautiful dark bay color. She is really fairly inexperienced and it has been a fun challenge to ride a young horse and remember how far we’ve come with all the other horses in our lives and how often we take their knowledge for granted. Gracie tends to get quick and want to rush the jumps, so we often demote her to walking over tiny little fences in order to teach her that she can be slow and relaxed about jumping. Good for her, but boring for the rider. Speaking of rider…my petite friend Sarah has been put on pony training duty, but I’ll tell you more about Sarah later.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

The Farm at Tralee currently has a pretty 6-stall barn on the property, and I am happy to say we have 6 beautiful horses to fill each stall.  Each horse has a unique story.  Today, I would like tell you about the two lesson horses owned by Tralee.  Archer and Al are two of the best lesson horses I could anticipate. Both are very experienced and intelligent, but other than that they differ completely.



Archer is a huge bay Holsteiner gelding.  He came to us after he suffered a femur injury in a pasture, and his owners knew that this horse that was once so valuable and talented now faced an uncertain future.  They wanted to find a good home for him, and Tralee took a chance and bought him hoping he would recover from his injury and be rideable again.  In May, Archer went back to the University of Tennessee vet school for his final bone scan, and it showed that he was completely healed!  We were so happy for Archer, because he is still young and has a lot of life in him.  Now, Archer is back to normal again, and he is a pleasure to ride.  Archer has an adorable personality…a bit lazy under saddle, a bit of a ham in the crossties, and a bit demanding about having his itchy places scratched for the full duration of his itchiness.

Al is a 19 year old thoroughbred that is very educated and fun to ride.  He has a funny personality—sometimes sensitive and makes little grunts of annoyance if things are not going his way (i.e. if he’s getting into trouble and thinks he might be close to getting spanked…the dreaded spanking!). Al sees dead people…in the bushes, behind the trailer, in the wash stall.  He is one of my favorites because he is so funny and is great for teaching many different riders.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

 

Well, this is my first entry for The Farm at Tralee--so far, so good. I have to admit that I am not a big “blogger”, but if there is one thing that can get me to post, it is the excitement that I have for Tralee. I sometimes have to pinch myself because I can’t believe that I am lucky enough to wake up every morning to views of my beloved Smokies, see the horses cropping at grass in the sunrise, and walk out the door to ride every day on acres and acres of our very own farm. Tralee is such a special place to live, but of course I’m biased…having horses in my backyard tends to do that to me! My job as the Trainer and Manager of the equestrian center at Tralee has given me the rarest opportunity to work with horses, earn income, and interact with some of the nicest people out there—people who happen to love horses! I anticipate many of my blog entries will be about the horses and people at Tralee that I love so much. I hope you enjoy getting to know everybody as much as I have.

• Print
• Comments (2)
• Trackbacks

A fairly common question that I have had about The Farm at Tralee is:  "How far will I have to drive to get groceries?"  The short answer to this, zero miles--have the concierge pick up your milk.  While that may seem dreamy in many communities, it is an option at Tralee.

I did, however, think that it would be nice to show on a map the golf, shopping, arts and cultural attractions, and dining that is within a short distance of Tralee.  On this Tralee-map, you can see those a collection of those items. 

If you have a suggestion, please leave me a comment and I will try to add your suggestion to the map.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

A great deal of thought has gone into making Tralee a beautiful place to come home to, starting with this graceful entrance constructed of limestone and brick with gates crafted from Honduran mahogany.  Imagine watching these gates swing open and knowing you are home.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Holrob Investments, LLC joint venture with veteran builder Paul Smiddy at The Farm at Tralee enters its final stages of completion.  Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and located in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee [view map], the Farm at Tralee provides breathtaking views that include a snow-capped Mount Le Conte to the south and the distinctive contours of House and Clinch Mountains to the north.

Each of the forty homesites has been painstakingly selected to capture the most exquisite views and to assure maximum privacy, and the number of homesites has been purposefully limited to allow the space, privacy and serenity that only a low-density, secure community can provide. Strict architectural guidelines will maintain the integrity of this unique community and, with a character reminiscent of an English country retreat, natural materials and soft palettes will define these charming cottage-style homes. In addition to their homesites, residents will own an undivided interest in more than one hundred acres of common area which include premier equestrian facilities, a three-acre lake for fishing, and a swimming pool with cabana.

The Farm at Tralee offers over 188 acres of fine living only minutes from either downtown Knoxville or downtown Sevierville. Equipped with horse riding trails, a stocked pond, and over 100 acres of common lands in the shadows of serene mountain views, The Farm at Tralee will set a new standard in residential development in the Knoxville area.

• Print
• Comments (1)
• Trackbacks