May 22, 2025 • 31 mins
Justine Saudan and Lyndsey Estes from Red Fern Riding Center share how they're bringing authentic horseback experiences to visitors and locals alike at Shelby Trails Park in Simpsonville, Kentucky. Their riding center offers guided trail rides, English riding lessons, boarding services and equestrian events while focusing on safety, accessibility and exceptional horse care.
- Located on 465 acres of county parkland in Simpsonville with trails for both horses and hikers
- Offers two types of guided trail rides — a one-hour Nature Ride and a 90-minute Adventure Ride
- Provides comprehensive safety measures including pre-assigned horses matched to riders, safety videos, helmets, and mounting platforms
- Welcomes riders as young as 7 with no upper age limit (their oldest rider was 88)
- Many horses come from rescue situations and are transformed through proper care and training
- Attracts visitors from around the world including Australia, UAE, Japan and across the US
- Partners with bourbon tour companies for combination experiences
- Lesson program teaches "horsemanship from the ground up" for all ages and experience levels
- Recently added signage improvements, GPS-mapped trails and a cross-country jumping course
- Open Wednesday through Sunday with rides at 9 AM, 11 AM, 2 PM and 4 PM
Visit redfernridingcenter.com to book your trail ride or learn more about their programs.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome to Kentucky Hidden Wonders.
I'm Jeanette Marson and I'mMason Warren.
Together, we're uncovering thesecrets, stories and hidden gems
of Shelby County, Kentucky.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
From unforgettable places to off-the-beaten-path
adventures.
Join us as we explore Kentuckytreasures and Shelby County's
best-kept secrets.
On the show today we haveJustine and Lindsay from Redfern
Riding Center.
Thank you for being here.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Thank you for having us.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Well, so before we get into what Redfern Riding
Center is and what you do thereand everything, tell us a little
bit about yourself.
Whoever wants to go first, justyou know.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Put your background?
What started your love ofhorses?
How'd you get started?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Well, my mom started my love of horses.
She grew up in New Zealand andshe grew up riding and so when
she moved to the United Statesshe got a horse eventually and
she started me riding when I wasthree and I always tease her
because she put me on a littlebit of a crazy horse and I fell
off and broke my arm.
I said that was my intro tohorses.
(01:08):
However, that didn't deter meat all.
Yeah and so.
So you've always had a horse Iguess Always had a horse.
Grew up competing, grew up inpony club Riding with my mom.
Yeah, kind of lived andbreathed it until I went to
college.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Fantastic Mom, yeah kind of lived and breathed it
until I went to college.
Fantastic, yeah, so I actuallygrew up in the Highlands in
Louisville, so very much a citygirl from the beginning.
However, there was a writingstable in a park near my house
and from the moment I learned toread, I would beg my mom to
call the number on the bannerthat said writing lessons in big
letters, and she would just putme off and ignore me and ignore
(01:45):
me, hoping that I forgot.
And finally, when I was sixyears old, she said fine, it's
just a phase.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
She's going to grow out of it.
And here I am, 28 years later,still riding.
Well, that's exciting, and thatmeans you guys know what you're
doing.
You've done it a long time andyou know horses, yes.
So how did Redfern RidingCenter get its start and how did
you all get involved in it?
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Well, I was working for the Humane Society for a
long time and I had gotten intohorses, but prior to that I'd
worked for myself and kind of mypassion has always been to be
an entrepreneur and abusinesswoman.
And so when the contract cameup from Shelby County to take
over Shelby Trails, I kind ofjumped on it because I saw an
(02:31):
opportunity to do what I loveadd to the community and work
for myself.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
And I'm so glad you did so.
Before we go any further, canone of you talk about where
Redfern Riding Center is andwhat it is, because some people
may just not know.
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
So we are located in Simpsonville, on Aiken Road,
about 15 minutes from downtownSimpsonville.
We are located on a county park.
The park itself has 465 acres.
It is open to horses and hikers, and Redfern Riding Center is
located within Shelby TrailsPark and we provide boarding
(03:14):
riding lessons, guided trailrides to the general public,
training, you name it.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Okay, so you've talked a little bit about that,
but the horseback riding programis just one of the things there
.
And so, focusing on that,because that is so special and
unique for this area, there'sreally only a handful of
horseback riding or trail ridesin the state.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Guided Guided trail rides yeah, and that surprises a
lot of people.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
They think Kentucky there's just like horses
everywhere.
Yeah, and there are to anextent, but not kind of the
guided hands-on experience likewhat you all offer.
And so talk a little bit aboutwhat that guided trail ride
program looks like at RedfernRiding Center.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Sure, well, part of what we offer and you know, like
you said it and like you said,this is quintessential horse,
country and people come forthoroughbreds.
But having a guided rideoperation is complicated.
You need really well-trainedhorses, you need a beautiful
place to take them, you need ahorse background, a safety
(04:19):
background.
So I think it is hard forpeople to do that and we're very
lucky that we can do that forthe community.
What makes us special, I guess,is that you know we can.
Our guided rides are kind offor for anybody.
So say, you come to Kentuckyand you know you want to do
something above and beyond, tosee the thoroughbreds or do a
(04:42):
farm tour, which is also reallycool but, you want to bring your
family to do something whereyou sit on a horse, but you
don't have experience.
Well, we have the horses for you, we have the guides, we take
you out, we make you safe andit's just a fun experience.
And, yeah, it's unique.
It's unique to this area.
People think, well, I'll go outwest and I'll you know.
I can ride in the Rockies or ordo whatever, but they don't
(05:04):
think I can ride in the, in thebluegrass and, and they can.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
I always uh say this is not to speak ill of you know
some of our more famousracetracks?
Uh in the state.
Uh, but you don't get thathands-on experience there.
It feels like a half mile awayfrom a horse at any given moment
, whereas with you all, withwhat you're doing, you're
literally on a horseback.
(05:28):
So that's a different, morehands-on experience for people
wanting that authentic Kentuckyexperience there.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Experience is the word definitely.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Well, and one of the things that I think really sets
us apart and that we are mostproud of is our program is very
safe.
If you look at our reviewsonline, everyone mentions how
safe it is and they're stillhaving fun.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
We're not compromising safety for fun, but
we're not compromising funeither, and you've mentioned
safety a couple of differenttimes, which is so good, because
I remember getting on a horseat other places, maybe not even
in Kentucky, and you've justnever been on one.
They sit you on one and itdoesn't feel as safe.
(06:09):
But go through your safety.
I mean you watch a video, Tellour viewers, our listeners, what
they can.
I mean it will make them feelbetter if they're bringing their
children or somebody that'snever been on a horse.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Yes, yeah, absolutely so.
We start off at the verybeginning.
When people register, they giveus their ages, their weights,
their names, their things likethat.
So before you even step footonto the property, you have a
horse assigned specifically toyou that we know is going to be
appropriate for you.
(06:43):
Watch a safety video beforehandthat goes over you know basic
instructions and then, um,everyone does wear helmets,
which is very important to us.
And once you get on the horse,even though you have watched the
video, our guides go over thesteering instructions, safety
(07:03):
instructions, answer anyquestions that you may have, and
then, while out on the trail,the guides the whole time.
The guide in the front will bebasically riding their horse
backwards the guides the wholetime.
the guide in the front will bebasically riding their horse
backwards keeping an eye on you.
So, and typically for largerrides, we have two guides, so
that you know, you have eyeballson you at all times.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
And for those listeners that are short like me
, getting on that can be aproblem, but you've got some
stairs and a platform where,literally, you're just like
stepping right over, so thatshouldn't be a concern for
people Not at all, and that'show people get off as well.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
They get off on the stairs, so that's another
element of safety and ease aswell.
You know, we do have a lot ofpeople with physical limitations
who come to ride with us, andthey'll reach out to us
beforehand concerned aboutgetting on and off the horse,
and we reassure them that we dohave the facilities for them.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Now your program goes way beyond just the guided
trail rides.
What are some other things thatyou're doing?
And you've added some thingslike agility, or I may I don't
know.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Cross country course.
Yeah, it's horse agility, it is.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
No, that's good, that's good, no, you can tell
we're not.
Yeah, that's okay.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
That's okay.
It is essentially horse agility, yeah yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
As far as Redfern Riding Center, we have a lesson
program.
So it's an English-based lessonprogram.
It's set up for again, anybodywe do kids, adults, beginner to
advanced Again verysafety-oriented.
We do you know arena work oryou work on the flat and you can
learn how to jump.
You can learn how to jumpoutside and everything, just
(08:42):
like our guided ride program, iskind of built on a.
You know, you start here andyou work your way up and you
really learn.
What we're proud of with thelesson program is it's you learn
fundamentals, you learnhorsemanship, how to walk a
horse properly, how to brush,all those things that you know
sometimes get missed in notother lesson programs, but
(09:03):
that's our, that's our focus isreally care.
So if you do decide you want ahorse, eventually you know
everything.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Yeah, we call it horsemanship from the ground up.
So every single lesson you arewith the instructor on the
ground, like Justine said,learning how to brush, learning
how to lead, learning how toturn your horse out safely.
You know just all of the thingsthat you would need to know to
own your own horse one day.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Gotcha.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
Amazing Anything else .
Speaker 3 (09:29):
We have borders, oh okay.
So we have people who bringtheir horses.
It's called full care board, sowe take care of their horse
from start to finish feed them,turn them out, give them grain,
make sure that they have water,that they're, you know, safe and
healthy, and then the borderscan just come out and they get
to do the fun part.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
They get to do the fun part.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Yeah, I always say, if I was a billionaire or a
millionaire, that I just want tobe a boarder and show up and
ride my horse and just ride andjust ride.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So also at the park, can't youjust bring?
If you own, like say, I ownedmy own horse I can bring it out,
Absolutely, absolutely.
And is there a cost for that?
Just for riding, yep.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
So there's two and that kind of dovetails into the
cross-country course that wejust built.
But there's two options.
You can either have a year passor a day pass, and that's for
either trail riding, if youdon't want to use the jumps, or
for cross-country, if you dowant to use the jumps.
And we try to make it reallyeasy.
People can do it online.
They just hit get my pass.
(10:29):
They can buy their year pass oror day pass, um, and then they
can come down to the barn or wewill come find you and we'll say
hey, have you been here before?
Um, kind of show them where thetrail heads start, and that
kind of stuff.
Um, in the last year we've beenreally lucky and we've gotten
some grant funding to do acouple of things.
One is more signage.
I think that was a problem forus, for well, you guys put signs
(10:51):
up, which was wonderful, butsigns within the park as well.
So we have a whole informationbooth and new trail maps and
we've GPS the trails.
So we really want to helppeople be able to independently
show up if we're not there andjust say, okay, I'm here.
I've never been here before.
I'm going to follow this trail.
Oh, that's fantastic.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
It's fantastic, yeah.
And then this summer we'regetting new trail markers out,
so once you're out on the trails, it's going to be a whole lot
easier to find your way aroundAbsolutely.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Oh, that's so good, yeah, so going back to the
guided trail rides for a second.
Uh, there's.
You offered the two differenttypes of guided trail rides,
correct?
And what are those?
Speaker 4 (11:30):
So we have an hour long ride we call it the nature
ride, and then we have a 90minute ride that we call the
adventure ride.
Both are appropriate forbeginners.
Um, we do tell people for theadventure ride if you think
you're going to be nervous, it'snot the best first ride because
, there are some bigger Hills,but again, it's still beginner
friendly and anyone of any levelcan ride.
(11:52):
We take people as young asseven, and I think our oldest
rider to date was 88.
So as long as you meet theminimum age requirement you are
welcome.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
No maximum, no maximum, no maximum age.
That's amazing and it's just sobeautiful it is the?
Probably either one I know I'veseen starting out in the open
field and going through the,through the woods.
Do they both kind of start thesame way, only they're just a
little short.
One is shorter yeah, um.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
So that is the nice thing about both of the rides is
you're going to see, um, moreor less the same terrain on each
ride, just one's a little bitlonger.
But you go through open fields,you go through the woods,
there's creek crossings, there'salways lots of wildlife, lots
of deer.
The deer are not scared of ourhorses and they'll let you get
(12:41):
pretty close.
It's really cool to be able tosee deer up close like that.
And then later on in the year Ithink around June is when he
comes by we have a great heronthat lives in the creek and I
mean he's massive, he's probablygot a 10-foot wingspan.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
Yeah, and he's been back year after year.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
But yeah, he's been there all eight years that I've
been here.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
But yeah, our adventure ride is a little bit
different in that, so we kind ofhave called this the.
The front side is the natureride and then there's a creek
that divides and then the backside is the adventure ride.
Um, and the adventure ride kindof goes to the far point of the
park and it's where most trailriders ride as well, so there's
(13:22):
a more flat section in the frontfor our nature ride and a lot
of families do that, because thetrails are a little bit wider
and if you've got back problemsit's less kind of going up and
down hills and then theadventure ride goes all the way
to the back.
So you do see a little bit morestuff, but all in all it's
(13:42):
gorgeous.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
It is gorgeous.
It really is.
Those rides are wonderful.
We're very relaxed.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
So you've talked a little bit about I guess the
best way to put it would be yourwildlife encounters on the
property.
But is there a moment or amemory that stands out to either
of you?
Not even necessarily about that, but just something funny, a
funny story that happened on atrail ride?
I mean, I have a story aboutthe time, but I won't scare
(14:08):
anyone by telling that one.
So, but anyway, go for it.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
Come on.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
You have to tell the turkey story.
I'll tell the turkey story.
Oh, there's a story.
It has a name.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Okay yes, so we have a lot of wild turkey at the park
.
Just a disclaimer this is theonly time that this has ever
happened In nine years.
In nine years, and it was myfirst year of working at the
park.
Do I have to make this soundeffects?
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Oh, do If you want to .
Speaker 1 (14:38):
You have said the word sound effects, so now they
must happen.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Okay, so I was taking a ride.
It was a young boy, his motherand his father.
It was so far a very uneventfulride.
We were about halfway throughthe ride and I turned forward
for a brief second to just makesure I was heading in the right
direction.
And from behind me I just hear.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
Oh my gosh, that was fabulous, that was perfect,
isn't that?
Speaker 4 (15:07):
good.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
We need to have a turkey calling contest.
Yes, definitely.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
And this poor boy.
There were turkeys chasing hispony and the boy did come off
unfortunately, but he handled itlike an absolute trooper.
I got him back on, Everythingwas great.
We continue down the trail.
Not even 10 minutes later,Again I hear and I had been
(15:34):
turned around backwards my horsespun around, I came off, the
little boy came off, and that'sit.
I said we're done.
And we all I put the boy back onhis horse but I walked him back
to the barn and, uh, myfavorite part about that was the
family went out to dinner, Iguess at Texas Roadhouse or
something after that and therehad been a taxidermy turkey in
(15:54):
the restaurant and they sent usa picture of the little boy
shaking his fist at the turkey.
That's so funny.
So it was an unfortunateexperience, a funny experience
looking back, but the boyhandled it really well and the
parents handled it really welland I think we all came away
with a really crazy story.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Disclaimer I know.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
There needs to be a disclaimer.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Disclaimer People, rarely, rarely rarely, rarely
ever fall off, and part of whatwe were doing was it was in the
height of summer and we decidedto do rides later and I think
this ride was at like sixo'clock it was like 630'clock,
it was like 6.30.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
Yeah, it was a late ride.
And what?
Speaker 3 (16:29):
happens later is the turkeys come out, and that's
what we learned, so weimmediately stopped doing later
rides.
Speaker 4 (16:35):
That is why we no longer do rides after 5 pm.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
Yeah, truly Truly it is.
It is yeah Because it's.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
And again.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
This was eight years ago and it has not happened
since and it is the only timeI've fallen off on a trail ride
is because of the turkeys.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Oh my gosh, but your turkey sound was fabulous, very
good, it was fabulous.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
I was looked behind me oh my gosh, I have a mental
picture of it all happening, but, um, you mentioned, uh, that
you don't do them after five.
So so what season do you do theguided trail rides?
And then, from what time towhat time?
What?
Kind of information about that.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Sure, we run from usually spring break.
Spring break we historicallyApril 15th, but we look at when
the schools go on spring break.
So this year it's a lot soonerbecause we really want kids to
be able to enjoy, you know,spring and we run all the way
through november 15th.
They do a little bit of huntingout there, so we stop before
(17:35):
they before and they do it onthe back side of the park.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
That's still oh, we like to play it safe.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Yeah, if there is going to be hunting on the
property, we aren't riding andit's pretty funny because we can
tell when hunting season comes,because all of the deer will go
.
Come on the front side of thepark and now we'll just be so
many deer.
And we're like yeah, you know,you know it's hunting season.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
They've gotten really smart, they know.
Oh, it's November.
I better head over the creek.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
I've always noticed that the deer disappear.
It's like they have that guideor something.
They're reading it, they knowthings, they know things.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
And our rides are 9, 11, 2, and 4.
So we do four rides a day, max10 people.
Usually we go up to about 12 inthe summer.
It just depends on how manyhorses we have and how busy we
get.
But Wednesday through SundayDid.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
I say that yes, wednesday through Sunday, but
you can never say it too often,so just to get it, get it in
there and set.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
And people make that, they reserve that online ahead
of time.
It's not just a show up type ofordeal.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
No, I wish, I wish it could be a show up.
We do do a lot of same daybookings, so, and every year as
we you know, the word gets outand more and more people learn
about us we can do that more.
I mean the ultimate goal.
It would be wonderful just tosay, walk in Um, but people are
pretty good about pre-bookingand that helps us staff.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
And how many horses we're going to use and that
stuff.
Honestly, one of the reasonsthat we can't always accommodate
walk-in bookings is becausepeople do book with us well in
advance and we fill up prettyquickly.
But we will accommodatewalk-ins when we have room.
Sure.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
And then your website is.
Speaker (19:17):
Redfernwritingcentercom .
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Perfect, I figured it would be, but you never know,
somebody might try and getcreative on it.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
I'm in front of KY in there, yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
So what's next for Redfern Writing Center?
What, what excitement is coming?
Your hopes and dreams for thefuture, Our hopes and dreams, I
mean, we've made.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
We've done a lot of things in the last year that
that have kind of set us up,like the cross country course,
which we worked with a volunteerfrom the parks who helped us
get to fundraise and we're ableto build this course and being
able to build this course andbeing able to build this course,
we can do events, so reallyexcited about being able to host
some horse related events.
(19:55):
We're also partnering with someschools to have schools come
out, do some educationalopportunities and field trips.
We're doing open how, like moreopen houses.
We really are just trying toget more people to the park in
general, not just.
Redfern Riding Center but ShelbyTrails Park and that's kind of
been a big push all along, notonly for the business but for
(20:17):
everything for Shelby County andI'm pretty proud of the things
that we've done in the last fewyears.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
You guys have done great and that's a good move.
With the kids coming fromschool, they bring home a flyer
and then suddenly you're havingriding lessons or guided trail
rides.
Speaker 4 (20:33):
Yeah, we're very excited.
Simpsonville Elementary isgoing to be coming out in May,
so we're excited to haveeveryone out.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Yeah, that'll be fun so at Shelby Trails Park, not
just Redfern Riding Center, butat the park itself.
Is it just horseback riding?
Speaker 3 (20:51):
Can people go hiking bring their dogs?
What does that look like?
Horses and hikers?
So it's in a trust and it canonly be horses and hikers, so
unfortunately, no bikes or ATVsor anything.
Yeah, part of what we did withredoing the trails was we're
trying to get more people tohike out there because it really
is a great place to hike.
It's not on people's radar.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Is it the same trails that the horses are going on
Like?
You might meet a guided trailride and you just step to the
side, I guess yes, 60, 40.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
And there are some trails that are hikers only.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Oh, okay, but I didn't know if I was hiking and
then I hear beating hoovesbehind me.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
I would be a wild turkey, or wild turkeys.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
But the beauty about coming out to the park to hike
is you get an extra 80 acresthat the horses don't have
access to.
There is an annex on one sideof the park that is for hikers
only, so if you are nervousabout meeting some horses, you
can just head on over there andyou get to see part of the park
that is for hikers only.
So you know, if you are nervousabout meeting some horses, you
can just head on over there andyou get to see part of the park
that we don't get to see becausewe're riding horses.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
But it's got beautiful wildflower.
I mean it's just gorgeous.
Oh really.
Yeah, it's really pretty, andthere's an archery range up
there as well.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
So yeah, oh, that's fantastic yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Yeah, and if you want to see horses from afar, it's a
good place to hike.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
So is there a charge for the archery?
I mean, if somebody was hikingand they go out with their
equipment, can they just do it?
They can just do it.
Oh, that's wonderful.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
Hikers are always free.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Oh, wonderful, Wonderful to know.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
However donations to the park are always appreciated,
always.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Do you have a place for donations?
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Like, as people are, is there like a box, or they
usually just come to the office.
We have people come and askabout things that they can
donate.
People have been very generousabout donating equipment or
their time.
Their time is wonderful.
We'll take that, so, yeah.
Or they can go to thefoundation Shelby County Parks
Foundation.
There you go.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
We have an open door policy in our office, you know.
That's why we don't have awhole lot of like just leave
your money boxes around, becausewe want people to come down to
the office and meet us.
We want to give them a map, wewant to show them around, we
want to answer their questionsright, and you probably have
horses of all personalities.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
I know you said you match people with the horse, so
probably more.
Some horses are more zippy, orI know I would probably want one
that was practically dead, justsleepy, just sleepy.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
Yes, so our least experienced horses.
This will be their third seasonwith us, so they are very well
seasoned.
Most of our horses have beenwith us for six or seven seasons
.
We have one who's been with ussince the beginning.
Oh wow, cricket.
He's our good kid horse.
He's a golden oldie.
He's a very special boy.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
You could put a baby on him.
He's amazing, oh that's great.
It's funny because we weretalking about this on the way
here and we always joke.
We don't rescue horses onpurpose, but we do get horses
from auctions quite often and wewere looking through some of
the pictures of thesetransformations that we've made
(24:00):
from these horses that were justemaciated and sad, scared,
scared and sad and, you know,scared and it's just.
It's pretty cool seeing thechanges in these horses
personalities and bodies and youknow these are older horses
that may not have been takencare of well and they're so fit
you know just just doing guidedrides and doing that walking and
(24:21):
good nutrition, it's kind ofcool.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
Oh, you're doing good work.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
It's really amazing.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
It's kind of cool.
Oh, you're doing good work.
It's really amazing.
I think that's my favorite partof the job.
That goes unseen and I'm finewith that, but I just I really
do enjoy trans.
They're seeing these horsestransform from these scared,
skinny creatures that we get tohorses that are well loved and
love their job right, yeah, well, that comes also from your
Humane Society background too.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
Yeah, that's so good.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
So this apologies, these two were not on the or
this question was not on thelist of prepared ones.
But how many horses do you havethat you're actually caring for
through Redfern Riding Center?
Speaker 4 (25:05):
Right now I think we're at 32.
Okay, so there are a lot ofhorses on the property.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 4 (25:11):
Later in the summer we're going to be getting some
more horses in, so we typicallyhave around 40 horses on the
property that we are caring fordaily.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
Yeah, and is it just you two, or do you have staff?
Speaker 3 (25:22):
additional, we do have staff.
We have staff who feed, we havestaff who clean the stables,
and then we have obviouslyguided ride folks that we hire
seasonally, yeah, um so so wehave quite a bit of help.
That being said, when I firststarted, you're looking at the
guys.
It was just the two of us um,and, and we, we do run the whole
(25:43):
thing, the two of us andsometimes you know, helping out
and managing the park andpromoting the park, yeah, PR, HR
, all of the R's.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Yeah.
Do you have people that want tovolunteer, that say, oh, I
don't want a job, but I'd loveto just help out?
Anybody like that.
Speaker 4 (26:03):
We do, we just quote unquote, hired a woman who is
going to volunteer on Wednesdays?
She's going to lead guidedtrail rides for us and she just
wants to volunteer her time andhang out with our horses and
meet people.
Oh, that's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Yeah, hopefully you'll get some more volunteers
and people that help you out,cause you do such good work.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
And we get a lot of volunteers from our lesson
program as well.
We have I call them my barnkids.
They're not my children, butthey I mean.
If they could live at the barn,they would be there 24, seven.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
What ages of like of kids.
Take lessons All five.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
Five, I mean four to five.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
Up to 85.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Truly.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Kids at heart yes exactly, exactly yeah, we had a
lot of adults who have ridden askids who want to come back and
you know that's kind of cool tosee or a very cool story from
this year.
Speaker 4 (26:59):
We have an adult who had never ridden before.
He just started riding innovember and last or this month,
I guess, he went to ire Ireland, and did an entire horseback
riding vacation.
Oh wow.
So, he set that goal forhimself to learn how to ride,
walk, track, canter and jumpyeah, and learn how to jump and
he really committed himself.
(27:20):
It was really cool and seeinghis photos and videos from
Ireland were really cool, thatis a big commitment, oh my
goodness.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
When I was in college I thought, oh, I went.
I lived in Indianapolis.
I thought, oh, I want to drivethe carriages downtown
Indianapolis.
But I had never been aroundhorses and Mason's probably
laughing because I can't evenhardly get near them because
they're so big.
I didn't get past putting thebridle in the mouth, so that was
not a job for me but, I, wantedto so badly so I can't imagine
(27:50):
going to Ireland to learn.
Oh my goodness, that's quitequite something.
So, speaking of foreigncountries and far away things.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
How, uh, what's the farthest you've known of someone
who's traveled to and actuallydone one of the guided trail
rides or been to Redfern RidingCenter?
Speaker 4 (28:08):
We've had people from Australia.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
UAE last year, uae all over the world.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
Yeah, yeah and more and more every year.
We get more and more peoplefrom out of the country.
Speaker 4 (28:21):
I mean just lots of folks had people from Japan,
China, I mean just everywhere.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
That's good to know.
Mason and I do an internationalgroup travel show Not that they
came because of us, although Ilike to think they did.
So that's good to know that youknow the range of folks that
are coming.
And then I remember the lasttime Mason and I were out.
I remember asking people whereare you all from?
They weren't from out of thecountry, but all said chicago
(28:50):
yes, yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
Yeah, yes, we get so many visitors from the midwest
chicago wisconsin a lot of thatand then a lot of people who are
doing the bourbon trail, sothey want to add a horse back
riding piece, and that'ssomething that I'd really like
to get the word out about.
More, too, is you know people?
Who want to do horse-relatedactivities when they're doing
the Bourbon Trail Right and wedo have a partnership Before
(29:13):
they drink yes, before theydrink, Right.
Speaker 4 (29:15):
And we do have a partnership with one Bourbon
Tour company where, you know,they bring people out, they do
their ride and then they go onand they have their day.
Speaker 1 (29:23):
Oh, that's fantastic.
I love partnerships.
It benefits everybody.
That's amazing, wonderful.
Anything else you want to addabout your fabulous, wonderful
hidden gem?
Speaker 3 (29:36):
hidden wonder?
Speaker 1 (29:39):
We don't want it to be hidden, no, it's actually,
when you've got people cominginternationally to do your
guided trail rides, it'sdefinitely not hidden anymore
and you do such a good job.
It's so safe and we are sothrilled that you're in Shelby
County and Simpsonville, sothrilled.
Like we said, there's hardlyany.
I mean, there are very fewguided trail rides in the state
(30:01):
of Kentucky.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
We're glad that you are it?
Speaker 1 (30:06):
Yeah, so are we.
Well, thank you so much forbeing on the show with us.
Speaker 4 (30:09):
Thank you for having us Thank you for having us.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
Oh, we love you, guys have a great day you too,
thanks Bye.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
This has been Kentucky Hidden Wonders.
Thank you to Justine andLindsay for coming on the show
to talk about Redfern WritingCenter and thank you for
listening.
If you've made it this far,make sure you subscribe and
leave us a review.
It means the world to us.
We'll return with a brand newKentucky Hidden Wonders episode
in two weeks.
Bye everyone.
(30:43):
Kentucky Hidden Wonders is aShelby KY Tourism production.
Your hosts are Janet Marson andMason Warren.
To learn more about Shelby KYTourism and to start planning a
visit, head to visitshelbykycom.
Welcome to Kentucky Hidden Wonders.
I'm Jeanette Marson and I'mMason Warren.
Together, we're uncovering thesecrets, stories and hidden gems
of Shelby County, Kentucky.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
From unforgettable places to off-the-beaten-path
adventures.
Join us as we explore Kentuckytreasures and Shelby County's
best-kept secrets.
On the show today we haveJustine and Lindsay from Redfern
Riding Center.
Thank you for being here.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Thank you for having us.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Well, so before we get into what Redfern Riding
Center is and what you do thereand everything, tell us a little
bit about yourself.
Whoever wants to go first, justyou know.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Put your background?
What started your love ofhorses?
How'd you get started?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Well, my mom started my love of horses.
She grew up in New Zealand andshe grew up riding and so when
she moved to the United Statesshe got a horse eventually and
she started me riding when I wasthree and I always tease her
because she put me on a littlebit of a crazy horse and I fell
off and broke my arm.
I said that was my intro tohorses.
(01:08):
However, that didn't deter meat all.
Yeah and so.
So you've always had a horse Iguess Always had a horse.
Grew up competing, grew up inpony club Riding with my mom.
Yeah, kind of lived andbreathed it until I went to
college.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Fantastic Mom, yeah kind of lived and breathed it
until I went to college.
Fantastic, yeah, so I actuallygrew up in the Highlands in
Louisville, so very much a citygirl from the beginning.
However, there was a writingstable in a park near my house
and from the moment I learned toread, I would beg my mom to
call the number on the bannerthat said writing lessons in big
letters, and she would just putme off and ignore me and ignore
(01:45):
me, hoping that I forgot.
And finally, when I was sixyears old, she said fine, it's
just a phase.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
She's going to grow out of it.
And here I am, 28 years later,still riding.
Well, that's exciting, and thatmeans you guys know what you're
doing.
You've done it a long time andyou know horses, yes.
So how did Redfern RidingCenter get its start and how did
you all get involved in it?
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Well, I was working for the Humane Society for a
long time and I had gotten intohorses, but prior to that I'd
worked for myself and kind of mypassion has always been to be
an entrepreneur and abusinesswoman.
And so when the contract cameup from Shelby County to take
over Shelby Trails, I kind ofjumped on it because I saw an
(02:31):
opportunity to do what I loveadd to the community and work
for myself.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
And I'm so glad you did so.
Before we go any further, canone of you talk about where
Redfern Riding Center is andwhat it is, because some people
may just not know.
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
So we are located in Simpsonville, on Aiken Road,
about 15 minutes from downtownSimpsonville.
We are located on a county park.
The park itself has 465 acres.
It is open to horses and hikers, and Redfern Riding Center is
located within Shelby TrailsPark and we provide boarding
(03:14):
riding lessons, guided trailrides to the general public,
training, you name it.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Okay, so you've talked a little bit about that,
but the horseback riding programis just one of the things there
.
And so, focusing on that,because that is so special and
unique for this area, there'sreally only a handful of
horseback riding or trail ridesin the state.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Guided Guided trail rides yeah, and that surprises a
lot of people.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
They think Kentucky there's just like horses
everywhere.
Yeah, and there are to anextent, but not kind of the
guided hands-on experience likewhat you all offer.
And so talk a little bit aboutwhat that guided trail ride
program looks like at RedfernRiding Center.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Sure, well, part of what we offer and you know, like
you said it and like you said,this is quintessential horse,
country and people come forthoroughbreds.
But having a guided rideoperation is complicated.
You need really well-trainedhorses, you need a beautiful
place to take them, you need ahorse background, a safety
(04:19):
background.
So I think it is hard forpeople to do that and we're very
lucky that we can do that forthe community.
What makes us special, I guess,is that you know we can.
Our guided rides are kind offor for anybody.
So say, you come to Kentuckyand you know you want to do
something above and beyond, tosee the thoroughbreds or do a
(04:42):
farm tour, which is also reallycool but, you want to bring your
family to do something whereyou sit on a horse, but you
don't have experience.
Well, we have the horses for you, we have the guides, we take
you out, we make you safe andit's just a fun experience.
And, yeah, it's unique.
It's unique to this area.
People think, well, I'll go outwest and I'll you know.
I can ride in the Rockies or ordo whatever, but they don't
(05:04):
think I can ride in the, in thebluegrass and, and they can.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
I always uh say this is not to speak ill of you know
some of our more famousracetracks?
Uh in the state.
Uh, but you don't get thathands-on experience there.
It feels like a half mile awayfrom a horse at any given moment
, whereas with you all, withwhat you're doing, you're
literally on a horseback.
(05:28):
So that's a different, morehands-on experience for people
wanting that authentic Kentuckyexperience there.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Experience is the word definitely.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Well, and one of the things that I think really sets
us apart and that we are mostproud of is our program is very
safe.
If you look at our reviewsonline, everyone mentions how
safe it is and they're stillhaving fun.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
We're not compromising safety for fun, but
we're not compromising funeither, and you've mentioned
safety a couple of differenttimes, which is so good, because
I remember getting on a horseat other places, maybe not even
in Kentucky, and you've justnever been on one.
They sit you on one and itdoesn't feel as safe.
(06:09):
But go through your safety.
I mean you watch a video, Tellour viewers, our listeners, what
they can.
I mean it will make them feelbetter if they're bringing their
children or somebody that'snever been on a horse.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Yes, yeah, absolutely so.
We start off at the verybeginning.
When people register, they giveus their ages, their weights,
their names, their things likethat.
So before you even step footonto the property, you have a
horse assigned specifically toyou that we know is going to be
appropriate for you.
(06:43):
Watch a safety video beforehandthat goes over you know basic
instructions and then, um,everyone does wear helmets,
which is very important to us.
And once you get on the horse,even though you have watched the
video, our guides go over thesteering instructions, safety
(07:03):
instructions, answer anyquestions that you may have, and
then, while out on the trail,the guides the whole time.
The guide in the front will bebasically riding their horse
backwards the guides the wholetime.
the guide in the front will bebasically riding their horse
backwards keeping an eye on you.
So, and typically for largerrides, we have two guides, so
that you know, you have eyeballson you at all times.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
And for those listeners that are short like me
, getting on that can be aproblem, but you've got some
stairs and a platform where,literally, you're just like
stepping right over, so thatshouldn't be a concern for
people Not at all, and that'show people get off as well.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
They get off on the stairs, so that's another
element of safety and ease aswell.
You know, we do have a lot ofpeople with physical limitations
who come to ride with us, andthey'll reach out to us
beforehand concerned aboutgetting on and off the horse,
and we reassure them that we dohave the facilities for them.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Now your program goes way beyond just the guided
trail rides.
What are some other things thatyou're doing?
And you've added some thingslike agility, or I may I don't
know.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Cross country course.
Yeah, it's horse agility, it is.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
No, that's good, that's good, no, you can tell
we're not.
Yeah, that's okay.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
That's okay.
It is essentially horse agility, yeah yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
As far as Redfern Riding Center, we have a lesson
program.
So it's an English-based lessonprogram.
It's set up for again, anybodywe do kids, adults, beginner to
advanced Again verysafety-oriented.
We do you know arena work oryou work on the flat and you can
learn how to jump.
You can learn how to jumpoutside and everything, just
(08:42):
like our guided ride program, iskind of built on a.
You know, you start here andyou work your way up and you
really learn.
What we're proud of with thelesson program is it's you learn
fundamentals, you learnhorsemanship, how to walk a
horse properly, how to brush,all those things that you know
sometimes get missed in notother lesson programs, but
(09:03):
that's our, that's our focus isreally care.
So if you do decide you want ahorse, eventually you know
everything.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Yeah, we call it horsemanship from the ground up.
So every single lesson you arewith the instructor on the
ground, like Justine said,learning how to brush, learning
how to lead, learning how toturn your horse out safely.
You know just all of the thingsthat you would need to know to
own your own horse one day.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Gotcha.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
Amazing Anything else .
Speaker 3 (09:29):
We have borders, oh okay.
So we have people who bringtheir horses.
It's called full care board, sowe take care of their horse
from start to finish feed them,turn them out, give them grain,
make sure that they have water,that they're, you know, safe and
healthy, and then the borderscan just come out and they get
to do the fun part.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
They get to do the fun part.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Yeah, I always say, if I was a billionaire or a
millionaire, that I just want tobe a boarder and show up and
ride my horse and just ride andjust ride.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So also at the park, can't youjust bring?
If you own, like say, I ownedmy own horse I can bring it out,
Absolutely, absolutely.
And is there a cost for that?
Just for riding, yep.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
So there's two and that kind of dovetails into the
cross-country course that wejust built.
But there's two options.
You can either have a year passor a day pass, and that's for
either trail riding, if youdon't want to use the jumps, or
for cross-country, if you dowant to use the jumps.
And we try to make it reallyeasy.
People can do it online.
They just hit get my pass.
(10:29):
They can buy their year pass oror day pass, um, and then they
can come down to the barn or wewill come find you and we'll say
hey, have you been here before?
Um, kind of show them where thetrail heads start, and that
kind of stuff.
Um, in the last year we've beenreally lucky and we've gotten
some grant funding to do acouple of things.
One is more signage.
I think that was a problem forus, for well, you guys put signs
(10:51):
up, which was wonderful, butsigns within the park as well.
So we have a whole informationbooth and new trail maps and
we've GPS the trails.
So we really want to helppeople be able to independently
show up if we're not there andjust say, okay, I'm here.
I've never been here before.
I'm going to follow this trail.
Oh, that's fantastic.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
It's fantastic, yeah.
And then this summer we'regetting new trail markers out,
so once you're out on the trails, it's going to be a whole lot
easier to find your way aroundAbsolutely.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Oh, that's so good, yeah, so going back to the
guided trail rides for a second.
Uh, there's.
You offered the two differenttypes of guided trail rides,
correct?
And what are those?
Speaker 4 (11:30):
So we have an hour long ride we call it the nature
ride, and then we have a 90minute ride that we call the
adventure ride.
Both are appropriate forbeginners.
Um, we do tell people for theadventure ride if you think
you're going to be nervous, it'snot the best first ride because
, there are some bigger Hills,but again, it's still beginner
friendly and anyone of any levelcan ride.
(11:52):
We take people as young asseven, and I think our oldest
rider to date was 88.
So as long as you meet theminimum age requirement you are
welcome.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
No maximum, no maximum, no maximum age.
That's amazing and it's just sobeautiful it is the?
Probably either one I know I'veseen starting out in the open
field and going through the,through the woods.
Do they both kind of start thesame way, only they're just a
little short.
One is shorter yeah, um.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
So that is the nice thing about both of the rides is
you're going to see, um, moreor less the same terrain on each
ride, just one's a little bitlonger.
But you go through open fields,you go through the woods,
there's creek crossings, there'salways lots of wildlife, lots
of deer.
The deer are not scared of ourhorses and they'll let you get
(12:41):
pretty close.
It's really cool to be able tosee deer up close like that.
And then later on in the year Ithink around June is when he
comes by we have a great heronthat lives in the creek and I
mean he's massive, he's probablygot a 10-foot wingspan.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
Yeah, and he's been back year after year.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
But yeah, he's been there all eight years that I've
been here.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
But yeah, our adventure ride is a little bit
different in that, so we kind ofhave called this the.
The front side is the natureride and then there's a creek
that divides and then the backside is the adventure ride.
Um, and the adventure ride kindof goes to the far point of the
park and it's where most trailriders ride as well, so there's
(13:22):
a more flat section in the frontfor our nature ride and a lot
of families do that, because thetrails are a little bit wider
and if you've got back problemsit's less kind of going up and
down hills and then theadventure ride goes all the way
to the back.
So you do see a little bit morestuff, but all in all it's
(13:42):
gorgeous.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
It is gorgeous.
It really is.
Those rides are wonderful.
We're very relaxed.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
So you've talked a little bit about I guess the
best way to put it would be yourwildlife encounters on the
property.
But is there a moment or amemory that stands out to either
of you?
Not even necessarily about that, but just something funny, a
funny story that happened on atrail ride?
I mean, I have a story aboutthe time, but I won't scare
(14:08):
anyone by telling that one.
So, but anyway, go for it.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
Come on.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
You have to tell the turkey story.
I'll tell the turkey story.
Oh, there's a story.
It has a name.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Okay yes, so we have a lot of wild turkey at the park
.
Just a disclaimer this is theonly time that this has ever
happened In nine years.
In nine years, and it was myfirst year of working at the
park.
Do I have to make this soundeffects?
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Oh, do If you want to .
Speaker 1 (14:38):
You have said the word sound effects, so now they
must happen.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Okay, so I was taking a ride.
It was a young boy, his motherand his father.
It was so far a very uneventfulride.
We were about halfway throughthe ride and I turned forward
for a brief second to just makesure I was heading in the right
direction.
And from behind me I just hear.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
Oh my gosh, that was fabulous, that was perfect,
isn't that?
Speaker 4 (15:07):
good.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
We need to have a turkey calling contest.
Yes, definitely.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
And this poor boy.
There were turkeys chasing hispony and the boy did come off
unfortunately, but he handled itlike an absolute trooper.
I got him back on, Everythingwas great.
We continue down the trail.
Not even 10 minutes later,Again I hear and I had been
(15:34):
turned around backwards my horsespun around, I came off, the
little boy came off, and that'sit.
I said we're done.
And we all I put the boy back onhis horse but I walked him back
to the barn and, uh, myfavorite part about that was the
family went out to dinner, Iguess at Texas Roadhouse or
something after that and therehad been a taxidermy turkey in
(15:54):
the restaurant and they sent usa picture of the little boy
shaking his fist at the turkey.
That's so funny.
So it was an unfortunateexperience, a funny experience
looking back, but the boyhandled it really well and the
parents handled it really welland I think we all came away
with a really crazy story.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Disclaimer I know.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
There needs to be a disclaimer.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Disclaimer People, rarely, rarely rarely, rarely
ever fall off, and part of whatwe were doing was it was in the
height of summer and we decidedto do rides later and I think
this ride was at like sixo'clock it was like 630'clock,
it was like 6.30.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
Yeah, it was a late ride.
And what?
Speaker 3 (16:29):
happens later is the turkeys come out, and that's
what we learned, so weimmediately stopped doing later
rides.
Speaker 4 (16:35):
That is why we no longer do rides after 5 pm.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
Yeah, truly Truly it is.
It is yeah Because it's.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
And again.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
This was eight years ago and it has not happened
since and it is the only timeI've fallen off on a trail ride
is because of the turkeys.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Oh my gosh, but your turkey sound was fabulous, very
good, it was fabulous.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
I was looked behind me oh my gosh, I have a mental
picture of it all happening, but, um, you mentioned, uh, that
you don't do them after five.
So so what season do you do theguided trail rides?
And then, from what time towhat time?
What?
Kind of information about that.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Sure, we run from usually spring break.
Spring break we historicallyApril 15th, but we look at when
the schools go on spring break.
So this year it's a lot soonerbecause we really want kids to
be able to enjoy, you know,spring and we run all the way
through november 15th.
They do a little bit of huntingout there, so we stop before
(17:35):
they before and they do it onthe back side of the park.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
That's still oh, we like to play it safe.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Yeah, if there is going to be hunting on the
property, we aren't riding andit's pretty funny because we can
tell when hunting season comes,because all of the deer will go
.
Come on the front side of thepark and now we'll just be so
many deer.
And we're like yeah, you know,you know it's hunting season.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
They've gotten really smart, they know.
Oh, it's November.
I better head over the creek.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
I've always noticed that the deer disappear.
It's like they have that guideor something.
They're reading it, they knowthings, they know things.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
And our rides are 9, 11, 2, and 4.
So we do four rides a day, max10 people.
Usually we go up to about 12 inthe summer.
It just depends on how manyhorses we have and how busy we
get.
But Wednesday through SundayDid.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
I say that yes, wednesday through Sunday, but
you can never say it too often,so just to get it, get it in
there and set.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
And people make that, they reserve that online ahead
of time.
It's not just a show up type ofordeal.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
No, I wish, I wish it could be a show up.
We do do a lot of same daybookings, so, and every year as
we you know, the word gets outand more and more people learn
about us we can do that more.
I mean the ultimate goal.
It would be wonderful just tosay, walk in Um, but people are
pretty good about pre-bookingand that helps us staff.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
And how many horses we're going to use and that
stuff.
Honestly, one of the reasonsthat we can't always accommodate
walk-in bookings is becausepeople do book with us well in
advance and we fill up prettyquickly.
But we will accommodatewalk-ins when we have room.
Sure.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
And then your website is.
Speaker (19:17):
Redfernwritingcentercom .
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Perfect, I figured it would be, but you never know,
somebody might try and getcreative on it.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
I'm in front of KY in there, yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
So what's next for Redfern Writing Center?
What, what excitement is coming?
Your hopes and dreams for thefuture, Our hopes and dreams, I
mean, we've made.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
We've done a lot of things in the last year that
that have kind of set us up,like the cross country course,
which we worked with a volunteerfrom the parks who helped us
get to fundraise and we're ableto build this course and being
able to build this course andbeing able to build this course,
we can do events, so reallyexcited about being able to host
some horse related events.
(19:55):
We're also partnering with someschools to have schools come
out, do some educationalopportunities and field trips.
We're doing open how, like moreopen houses.
We really are just trying toget more people to the park in
general, not just.
Redfern Riding Center but ShelbyTrails Park and that's kind of
been a big push all along, notonly for the business but for
(20:17):
everything for Shelby County andI'm pretty proud of the things
that we've done in the last fewyears.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
You guys have done great and that's a good move.
With the kids coming fromschool, they bring home a flyer
and then suddenly you're havingriding lessons or guided trail
rides.
Speaker 4 (20:33):
Yeah, we're very excited.
Simpsonville Elementary isgoing to be coming out in May,
so we're excited to haveeveryone out.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Yeah, that'll be fun so at Shelby Trails Park, not
just Redfern Riding Center, butat the park itself.
Is it just horseback riding?
Speaker 3 (20:51):
Can people go hiking bring their dogs?
What does that look like?
Horses and hikers?
So it's in a trust and it canonly be horses and hikers, so
unfortunately, no bikes or ATVsor anything.
Yeah, part of what we did withredoing the trails was we're
trying to get more people tohike out there because it really
is a great place to hike.
It's not on people's radar.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Is it the same trails that the horses are going on
Like?
You might meet a guided trailride and you just step to the
side, I guess yes, 60, 40.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
And there are some trails that are hikers only.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Oh, okay, but I didn't know if I was hiking and
then I hear beating hoovesbehind me.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
I would be a wild turkey, or wild turkeys.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
But the beauty about coming out to the park to hike
is you get an extra 80 acresthat the horses don't have
access to.
There is an annex on one sideof the park that is for hikers
only, so if you are nervousabout meeting some horses, you
can just head on over there andyou get to see part of the park
that is for hikers only.
So you know, if you are nervousabout meeting some horses, you
can just head on over there andyou get to see part of the park
that we don't get to see becausewe're riding horses.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
But it's got beautiful wildflower.
I mean it's just gorgeous.
Oh really.
Yeah, it's really pretty, andthere's an archery range up
there as well.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
So yeah, oh, that's fantastic yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Yeah, and if you want to see horses from afar, it's a
good place to hike.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
So is there a charge for the archery?
I mean, if somebody was hikingand they go out with their
equipment, can they just do it?
They can just do it.
Oh, that's wonderful.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
Hikers are always free.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Oh, wonderful, Wonderful to know.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
However donations to the park are always appreciated,
always.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Do you have a place for donations?
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Like, as people are, is there like a box, or they
usually just come to the office.
We have people come and askabout things that they can
donate.
People have been very generousabout donating equipment or
their time.
Their time is wonderful.
We'll take that, so, yeah.
Or they can go to thefoundation Shelby County Parks
Foundation.
There you go.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
We have an open door policy in our office, you know.
That's why we don't have awhole lot of like just leave
your money boxes around, becausewe want people to come down to
the office and meet us.
We want to give them a map, wewant to show them around, we
want to answer their questionsright, and you probably have
horses of all personalities.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
I know you said you match people with the horse, so
probably more.
Some horses are more zippy, orI know I would probably want one
that was practically dead, justsleepy, just sleepy.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
Yes, so our least experienced horses.
This will be their third seasonwith us, so they are very well
seasoned.
Most of our horses have beenwith us for six or seven seasons
.
We have one who's been with ussince the beginning.
Oh wow, cricket.
He's our good kid horse.
He's a golden oldie.
He's a very special boy.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
You could put a baby on him.
He's amazing, oh that's great.
It's funny because we weretalking about this on the way
here and we always joke.
We don't rescue horses onpurpose, but we do get horses
from auctions quite often and wewere looking through some of
the pictures of thesetransformations that we've made
(24:00):
from these horses that were justemaciated and sad, scared,
scared and sad and, you know,scared and it's just.
It's pretty cool seeing thechanges in these horses
personalities and bodies and youknow these are older horses
that may not have been takencare of well and they're so fit
you know just just doing guidedrides and doing that walking and
(24:21):
good nutrition, it's kind ofcool.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
Oh, you're doing good work.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
It's really amazing.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
It's kind of cool.
Oh, you're doing good work.
It's really amazing.
I think that's my favorite partof the job.
That goes unseen and I'm finewith that, but I just I really
do enjoy trans.
They're seeing these horsestransform from these scared,
skinny creatures that we get tohorses that are well loved and
love their job right, yeah, well, that comes also from your
Humane Society background too.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
Yeah, that's so good.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
So this apologies, these two were not on the or
this question was not on thelist of prepared ones.
But how many horses do you havethat you're actually caring for
through Redfern Riding Center?
Speaker 4 (25:05):
Right now I think we're at 32.
Okay, so there are a lot ofhorses on the property.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 4 (25:11):
Later in the summer we're going to be getting some
more horses in, so we typicallyhave around 40 horses on the
property that we are caring fordaily.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
Yeah, and is it just you two, or do you have staff?
Speaker 3 (25:22):
additional, we do have staff.
We have staff who feed, we havestaff who clean the stables,
and then we have obviouslyguided ride folks that we hire
seasonally, yeah, um so so wehave quite a bit of help.
That being said, when I firststarted, you're looking at the
guys.
It was just the two of us um,and, and we, we do run the whole
(25:43):
thing, the two of us andsometimes you know, helping out
and managing the park andpromoting the park, yeah, PR, HR
, all of the R's.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Yeah.
Do you have people that want tovolunteer, that say, oh, I
don't want a job, but I'd loveto just help out?
Anybody like that.
Speaker 4 (26:03):
We do, we just quote unquote, hired a woman who is
going to volunteer on Wednesdays?
She's going to lead guidedtrail rides for us and she just
wants to volunteer her time andhang out with our horses and
meet people.
Oh, that's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Yeah, hopefully you'll get some more volunteers
and people that help you out,cause you do such good work.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
And we get a lot of volunteers from our lesson
program as well.
We have I call them my barnkids.
They're not my children, butthey I mean.
If they could live at the barn,they would be there 24, seven.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
What ages of like of kids.
Take lessons All five.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
Five, I mean four to five.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
Up to 85.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Truly.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Kids at heart yes exactly, exactly yeah, we had a
lot of adults who have ridden askids who want to come back and
you know that's kind of cool tosee or a very cool story from
this year.
Speaker 4 (26:59):
We have an adult who had never ridden before.
He just started riding innovember and last or this month,
I guess, he went to ire Ireland, and did an entire horseback
riding vacation.
Oh wow.
So, he set that goal forhimself to learn how to ride,
walk, track, canter and jumpyeah, and learn how to jump and
he really committed himself.
(27:20):
It was really cool and seeinghis photos and videos from
Ireland were really cool, thatis a big commitment, oh my
goodness.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
When I was in college I thought, oh, I went.
I lived in Indianapolis.
I thought, oh, I want to drivethe carriages downtown
Indianapolis.
But I had never been aroundhorses and Mason's probably
laughing because I can't evenhardly get near them because
they're so big.
I didn't get past putting thebridle in the mouth, so that was
not a job for me but, I, wantedto so badly so I can't imagine
(27:50):
going to Ireland to learn.
Oh my goodness, that's quitequite something.
So, speaking of foreigncountries and far away things.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
How, uh, what's the farthest you've known of someone
who's traveled to and actuallydone one of the guided trail
rides or been to Redfern RidingCenter?
Speaker 4 (28:08):
We've had people from Australia.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
UAE last year, uae all over the world.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
Yeah, yeah and more and more every year.
We get more and more peoplefrom out of the country.
Speaker 4 (28:21):
I mean just lots of folks had people from Japan,
China, I mean just everywhere.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
That's good to know.
Mason and I do an internationalgroup travel show Not that they
came because of us, although Ilike to think they did.
So that's good to know that youknow the range of folks that
are coming.
And then I remember the lasttime Mason and I were out.
I remember asking people whereare you all from?
They weren't from out of thecountry, but all said chicago
(28:50):
yes, yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
Yeah, yes, we get so many visitors from the midwest
chicago wisconsin a lot of thatand then a lot of people who are
doing the bourbon trail, sothey want to add a horse back
riding piece, and that'ssomething that I'd really like
to get the word out about.
More, too, is you know people?
Who want to do horse-relatedactivities when they're doing
the Bourbon Trail Right and wedo have a partnership Before
(29:13):
they drink yes, before theydrink, Right.
Speaker 4 (29:15):
And we do have a partnership with one Bourbon
Tour company where, you know,they bring people out, they do
their ride and then they go onand they have their day.
Speaker 1 (29:23):
Oh, that's fantastic.
I love partnerships.
It benefits everybody.
That's amazing, wonderful.
Anything else you want to addabout your fabulous, wonderful
hidden gem?
Speaker 3 (29:36):
hidden wonder?
Speaker 1 (29:39):
We don't want it to be hidden, no, it's actually,
when you've got people cominginternationally to do your
guided trail rides, it'sdefinitely not hidden anymore
and you do such a good job.
It's so safe and we are sothrilled that you're in Shelby
County and Simpsonville, sothrilled.
Like we said, there's hardlyany.
I mean, there are very fewguided trail rides in the state
(30:01):
of Kentucky.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
We're glad that you are it?
Speaker 1 (30:06):
Yeah, so are we.
Well, thank you so much forbeing on the show with us.
Speaker 4 (30:09):
Thank you for having us Thank you for having us.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
Oh, we love you, guys have a great day you too,
thanks Bye.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
This has been Kentucky Hidden Wonders.
Thank you to Justine andLindsay for coming on the show
to talk about Redfern WritingCenter and thank you for
listening.
If you've made it this far,make sure you subscribe and
leave us a review.
It means the world to us.
We'll return with a brand newKentucky Hidden Wonders episode
in two weeks.
Bye everyone.
(30:43):
Kentucky Hidden Wonders is aShelby KY Tourism production.
Your hosts are Janet Marson andMason Warren.
To learn more about Shelby KYTourism and to start planning a
visit, head to visitshelbykycom.
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