Lexington, KY - While many of her friends were sleeping through early morning frosts this winter, Krista Cotten was
at the barn with her leased Quarter Horse, Texas. Every day, Cotten and fellow boarders at Bittersweet Acres Farm
turn their horses out, clean stalls,
give hay and grain, and change blankets - all before heading to work.
Some come by in the evenings, too, to care for their horses before settling in to their own dinners.
Many visitors, and locals, have admired the well-groomed pastures and impressive barns of central Kentucky's majestic horse farms. For those who are not involved in the horse industry, it's easy to assume that most horse owners must live in the lap of luxury, just like their horses.
"We live in an area where there is more wealth in horses than any other place in the country. People see the gates, fountains, ponds Ö it's assumed that to do that, you have to have money," said Patrick Higginbotham, who owns Bittersweet Acres on Military Pike with his wife, Erica. "People don't realize that there are an awful lot of people who are middle class, working hard to work with horses."
For the majority of backyard and small-scale horse owners in Kentucky, their horse is not a side business or extravagant accessory; for many clients at Bittersweet Acres and other barns across central Kentucky, having a horse means working early hours, no matter the weather, on the way to their day jobs.
Most horses spend part of their day indoors, and part in the pasture, depending upon their needs, and are fed grain and hay in the morning and evening, so they require care twice a day. Many facilities include the labor for morning and evening care in their monthly "full" board charge.
In addition to full board, the Higginbothams offer more affordable partial and self-care options to their boarders, providing their horses with a stall and pasture space if the owners agree to come care for their horse in either the morning or evening, or both. Other Lexington boarding operations have begun offering partial or self-care options, including McConathy Farm on Jacks Creek Pike, Paddle Stone Equestrian on Bryan Station Road, and Waterwild Farm on Russell Cave Road among many others.
Patrick reports that both options are very popular among his clients on a budget; in fact, of the 33 horses boarded at Bittersweet Acres, 31 are kept either on self- or partial care.
For boarders like Cotten, a recent college graduate, keeping Texas on self-care is what enables Cotten to care for her.
"I enjoy it so much. It's relaxing, it's good therapy," she said. "I could totally find better things to spend my money on, but I don't want to."
Sharon Shepard, another boarder at Bittersweet Acres, also began using the self-care option for her horses, Aspen and Bogue Sound, when she bought Bogue upon Aspen's partial retirement.
"Economic times are tough Ö right now I can afford my horses and still save a little," said Shepard, racing secretary for Shadwell Farm. "I will cut costs in other parts of my life to pay board. I'd rather buy hay than a new dress. I drive an old car but ride a young horse."
Both Shepard and Cotten compete their horses casually. Cotten plans to take Texas to a few small reining shows this year with hopes of going to the state fair this summer. The pair has already gone to their first competition of the year, and Cotten was pleased with the results.
"More than anything, it was an awesome experience; I had fun and Texas had fun, and that's what's really important," she said.
Shepard has taken Bogue to the recent Paul Frazier Combined Test at the Kentucky Horse Park and plans to attend additional shows and lessons when she feels she has the cash available.
"The real emphasis of my riding is leaving the office, pulling in the barn driveway, my two horses running to the pasture gate to meet me, a leisurely 20-minute ride in the ring or out in the back 40 acres," Shepard said.
Both Shepard and Cotten also say that a big attraction of coming out to the barn each day is the friendships they have formed there.
Patrick and Erica Higginbotham agree that their group of boarders is especially tight-knit.
"There's a lot of people that have developed friendships. Even if the weather's bad, the barn is warm and they want to be around their horse [and each other]," Erica said.
"I enjoy my friends. That's how we all met, really. It's as much about the friendship and camaraderie as anything," Cotten agreed.
She said there are plenty of nights that the Bittersweet Acres boarders end up chatting in the barn aisle long after chores are finished.
Patrick Higginbotham said he welcomes potential newcomers to the equine world, emphasizing that you don't have to be rich to spend time around horses.
He and his clients say, in central Kentucky it's easier than anywhere else to learn about the equine industry by visiting the Horse Park, taking a riding lesson or going on a trail ride.
"I always tell them to get to know people who enjoy riding," he said. "By the numbers there are far more middle class people in the horse industry than wealthy. Meet them."