Tucked among the rolling hills of lovely Middlebury, CT, we found Daffodil Hill Stables to be wonderfully welcoming. This isn't always the case among the 'horsey set', who can be downright condescending about visitors to their premises.
We did let them know we were coming and that an older mare we'd sold a while ago had been bought by them and we wanted to check out her new home.
'Well kept' is how I would describe this facility in a nutshell. Stalls, of which there may have been 30 or so(???), were impeccably clean. No smell of urine ammonia or damp moldiness, no excessive cobwebs, no standing water puddles or muddiness, not a lot of flies. Large and very clean stalls with ample bedding and full water buckets. The wash stall with hot and cold running water was another luxurious amenity. Even the bathroom was tidy, with flush toilet and porcelain sink--Not all stables have these, and if they do, they can be downright disgusting! The indoor riding ring was smallish but not claustrophobic. IT WAS HEATED in the winter as was the viewing room upstairs.....HEAVENLY!!!
Both of the two outdoor rings were of substantial size, however it was a bit of a challenge to climb the steep paths to either of them. Wouldn't want to have to do this in inclement weather. That being said, a rider needs strong legs, so this was a good stretching and strengthening exercise.
Daffodil Hill is a show barn with its own I.E.A. Team and an owner/operator that competes regionally as a hunter/jumper. The stable manager is level-headed and client-oriented (another unusual and wonderful surprise!!!) and obviously loves what she does.
While we were there we were pleased to see the horses getting their 'Sunday Treat' of soaked mash which they gleefully slobbered down, savoring every slurp...:-)
So happy that our gal wound up at such an excellent facility where she'll be well-loved and a bit pampered by both staff and students. Looking forward to our next visit.
If you plan to stop in, do call ahead AND bring a ginger snap or two for 'Cinnamon'. Those are a favorite of hers!! read more
