Soft Landing Stables LLC
Soft Landing Stables LLC is an historic farm that used to be the Dillon family cattle ranch, purchased by Mr. Dillon in 1935. He built the farmhouse with his own hands and his six children, several of whom still live in the area, were born in the house, formerly known as Elizabeth Manor.
Journalist Bonnie Erbé purchased the 40-acre farm in late 2006 and spent the better part of a year putting up fencing, drilling a well and making other major accommodations for horses and hunter riders.
Soft Landing Stables LLC was licensed as a boarding facility earlier this year and now proudly admits a select few hunter riders who ride for the joy of it, and show to keep themselves and their horses in shape, but not to chase ribbons.
Ms. Erbé purchased the farm after boarding at a half-dozen other stables in PG County and one A-circuit show barn in Montgomery County over a period of 12 years. Except for the Montgomery County facility and one barn formerly in Brandywine that no longer exists, she always found her horses lacking the good care and wonderful turnout they deserved. She was also continuously disappointed in the training she received and dispirited by long commutes from her downtown D.C. offices and Falls Church home.
Then she discovered Accokeek, which is so close to Washington DC and Alexandria, Va and yet so rural in feel. She decided to buy her own farm to give her 7 horses 25 acres in pasture, large stalls, great care, top-notch facilities (large indoor, grass outdoor ring) and find a credentialed, incredibly knowledgeable and immensely instructive r-rated hunter judge to train at the farm. Her commute from offices in NW DC takes 25 minutes in no traffic and up to an hour at rush hour. Still it takes much less time than the two-hour commutes she used to endure. From Falls Church, it is 30 minutes to Accokeek, which is a rural-feeling community just across the Potomac River from Mt. Vernon. Accokeek was zoned "rural preservation" starting in the 1950s, so that every tourist who ever visited Mt. Vernon would see the same view George Washington saw when he lived there in the 18th and 19th centuries. The back of Soft Landing Stables is 300 feet back from the Potomac River and it borders Piscataway National Park. As a result of the foresight of conservationists, Accokeek is an island of country in a sea of suburbia.
1-Full board: $550/mo including oversize stalls for large horses and regular stalls for smaller horses and ponies; unlimited 2d cut leafy orchard grass hay, buckeye grain, inclusion of supplements horse owner buys for horse, holding for barn farrier and barn vet for routine visits, blanketing (one blanket on or off---if owner has several blankets, must tip staff to change them,) anytime use of indoor arena and outdoor grass ring, use of clean, nicely-decorated feed/tack room which is inaccessible to horses (in other words, no horses can break in and colic on too much feed), additional storage when available, hot & cold HEATED wash stall for summer & winter showing. As of March, 2010 the stable is full but is taking names for wait list.
2-Lessons: with either A-circuit trainer/r-rated judge or trainer who specializes in beginners (two different trainers.) Lesson costs vary from trainer to trainer and whether group or individual, on own horse or trainer's horse. In this video, A-circuit trainer Lyndi P. Caruso hoses down 5 horses taking group lesson from her. Boy did we have fun!!!!
3-Trailering: to local and rated hunter shows for the cost of gas (this is unheard-of in the DC area.)
4-Show horse leases: 1/2-leases on four different show horses as they become available. Horses vary in price from $250-$300/mo. All are private horses ridden by the stable owner. They are not lesson horses and do not have lesson-horse-like habits. One-year minimum lease commitment required. Prefer that lessee have or acquire own tack. If lessee needs to use SLS tack, additional fee of $50/mo. is added. As of July, 2010, all four show horses are leased. We have a waiting list for 2'6"-3' show hunter riders who would like to be called when a horse becomes available for lease.
5-ONLY CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Farm Apartment Rental plus board: There are two one-bedroom apartments in the farmhouse that occasionally come available for rent. They may be rented with or without full board for a horse. Please call for further details about costs. As of August, 2010, no apartments available but one may come available by year's end and we'd like to hear from hunter show riders who want to board a horse at home about this incredible opportunity.
Sites we recommend:
www.virginiaequestrian.com
www.chronofhorse.com
www.equiery.com
www.cheshirehorsehills.com
