I’ll admit I have a lot to learn about equestrian culture and lingo. Gelding, fillie, furlong, purse – it’s almost a foreign language to me. Thankfully, you don’t have to possess a deep knowledge of horses to fall in love with them.
Horse lovers on Long Island engage in their own unbounded tribute to horses. The horse has been around our area since the early settlements and has carved out a recognizable niche for itself in LI chronicles. Throughout our local past horses were employed for agriculture, transportation, and the Cavalry. Horses were also a source of entertainment and sport for lavish estates as the wealthy took part in activities such as polo and fox hunting. Horses were in integral part of the growth and prosperity of our region, and remain a part of our culture and identity.
What most Long Islanders aren’t aware of is that horses are still here in abundance. Roughly 60,000 horses call Nassau and Suffolk county their home, according to the Nassau-Suffolk Horsemen’s Association (NSHA). Believe it or not, Nassau County ranks first in New YorkState in number of horses per square mile; that number is 20.24. Suffolk comes in second at 6.22 horses per square mile.
Combined the counties generate about $1 billion in revenue related to the business of horses. The 175,000 people in the horse industry on Long Island are involved in breeding, boarding, veterinary services, training, trailing, feeding and more. Let’s face it: the horse business is no monkey business.
Obviously we no longer need to rely on horses to get around town or aid in our high-tech military operations. Instead we are finally appreciating them for their strength, beauty, and majesty. We are enjoying them for leisurely rides and recreation, traversing the thousands of horse trails that meander the island. Riders are also engaged in English, dressage, and western showing.
In the forefront Long Island is home to the Hampton Classic, a nationally recognized horseshow, and Belmont Stakes, the well-known thoroughbred race and final jewel in the Triple Crown. But other than these renowned equestrian events most of us are not exposed to day-to-day horse life. 60,000 horses have to be somewhere – but where?
They are everywhere, apparently. On the north shore in particular there are private horse properties in towns like Ridge, Port Jeff, Huntington, Nissequoge, Smithtown, Setauket, and more. Most of these homes are inconspicuous and unassuming; you most likely pass them every day and don’t realize it. There are also dozens of riding stables and academies all over the island, quite a few of these enveloped on our very own north shore.
Bill Uhlinger, President Emeritus of the NSHA, comments “Public awareness of horses is down, but the horses are here. Life is too organized and too busy.” He adds “Sometimes I’ll ride my horse into town to pick up milk and you should see the looks I get.” I naively asked if it was legal to ride your horse on a public street, and I knew by the tone of the answer that Bill was shocked at my equine ignorance and possible horse snobbery. “Of course you can ride your horse on the street. If you can drive your car, ride your bike, and walk on the street, you can ride your horse.” Let’s just say that I was both ashamed and enlightened.
Unfortunately town codes and restrictions are forcing modest operations to shut down or move out of state. High property taxes and zoning laws are prohibiting the small boarding businesses and stables from being able to function. There are initiatives and task forces being created by the owners of these establishments to make some necessary changes, and hopefully the battle will preserve many of the horse farms that are suffering.
Hopefully you will see your LI surroundings in a new light, and take notice of the ubiquitous yet almost undiscernible presence of horses here. There are many opportunities to become familiar with horses and even engage in some kind of equestrian activity. Here’s to horsin’ around!
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