Page 39 - The Hunt - Spring 2020

It’s difficult to determine an “average” price for a horse. “A foxhunter may range anywhere from a few thousand dollars to $50,000.”
Ahorse is a bit more complicated than your typical family pet. “It may be three years in before a young rider gets their first one,” says Stephanie Dowling. “They should go to a riding school first, and they need to start with a ‘kind’ horse.”
With her husband, Ivan, Dowling owns and operates Grey Lake Stables, just north of the “Blow Horn” sign on Route 82 in Doe Run, Pa. They specialize in training (and selling) horses, not riders—and it’s important
that a first horse has had some training by the stable or former owners. “The rider learns from the horse who’s been in training,” says Dowling, whose stable accommodates 15 horses.
Dowling was living in Topanga, Calif., when she started riding lessons at age 12. At 15, she got her first horse. “She was an off-the-track thoroughbred who’d done shows—sort of an all-around horse,” Dowling recalls. “Her name was Noelle.”
The first thing potential owners must do is assess their own ability at the time and determine where they want to go with a new horse. Many are content with trail riding, while others want to join a hunt club and ride to the hounds. For the few young riders who plan to do competitive riding and jumping, many start
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