Stacy Westfall and Roxy at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games opening ceremonies. Photo: Leslie Potter
As part of my job here at Horse Illustrated, I do my best to keep up with horse industry news and events. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword. I like being able to do that, because let’s face it. If I had any other non-horsey office job, I’d probably be tempted to spend half my day reading about equestrian events anyway but would not have any work-related justification for it. But the flip side is that reading about these events all the time makes me want to leave my desk and attend every last one of them..
But, in reality, I don’t own a trailer and Snoopy hates road tripping anyway, so I don’t think he’d be down with that plan. So I stay here in Kentucky where fortunately, there are plenty of horse happenings, but it’s really not the same.
That’s my life. Compare it with Stacy Westfall’s life. It turns out she and her family shared a similar dream to mine. As one of the world’s most popular riders and horsemanship clinicians, Stacy was already doing a lot of traveling, but she and her husband, fellow trainer Jesse, maintained a home base at their farm in Ohio. Not anymore.
The Westfalls and their three sons have left the farm, packed up some horses and a motorhome and are on the road. They’ll be doing clinics and working with horses around the country, but outside of that, they also get to go trail riding in this country’s great forests and mountains. If I were them, I’d make sure to hit as many horse-friendly beaches as I could find, too. Their kids were homeschooled already, and if you’re going to go that route, why not also take the opportunity to let your kids see as much of the world firsthand as possible? It all seems so perfect.
You can read a bit more about this ongoing adventure over on Stacy’s blog. If you could uproot everything and live life on the road, where would you go?
Back to The Near Side
We love this idea , my granddaughter and I are going to travel the us states looking for a school where she can learn all there is about horses. She is 13 now and has been taking lessons at Rick Davis stables for a year. She would be there every day all day if she had transportation .her mother is a single parent and I still have a few more years to work and sell my home. We would live to follow your experiences. The very best to your new life .
I think it is a wonderful way for your children to meet new people,I would love to be right there with you.By the way you need a second driver ? You don’t have to pay me just being there and the experience would be great.Life is to short to just set around, I just retired and I am tired of sitting. I have a little money in the bank. Any way just thought I would ask, you take care now ,and be safe..Nancy
Wonderful way to see the country wish I could load up and hit the road with my horses.
Stacy Westfall is awesome. Would love to see her in the Athens ,Ga area
I think the Westfall family are correct in ” doing it Gods way” it is very difficult to keep tour faith, witness for God,make a living and maintain Christian Balance these days…hats off to them in all they accomplish!
Good question.