The annual Blessing of the Hounds is held on Thanksgiving Day at Grace Episcopal Church in Cismont VA.

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays, not only because it offers the chance to eat too much good food, but also because for many years it meant the Blessing of the Hounds and the following foxhunt. 

The Blessing of the Hounds is held at the historic Grace Episcopal Church in Cismont, VA.  The service starts at 9:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning and is open to the public.  How many church services have you been to with riders on horseback and a whole pack of foxhounds, and with a picturesque stone church in the background?  This is a must do event.

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Several Charlottesville horse farms sent entries to the Virginia Thoroughbred Celebration.

At many hunter-jumper shows we see an entry of predominately warmbloods.  However thoroughbreds can do this job very will too.  Entry in the Thoroughbred Celebration is limited to thoroughbreds.  One of the fun aspects of this show was the bio of each horse that was read when it entered the ring.  So many of the competitors had started their careers as racehorses, some very successful and then have gone on to a second life in the hunter -jumper ring. 

Below is a video of my daughter Baily and Shadowfax LLC’s entry Buddhaful.  This is Buddha’s very first horse show; in fact this special youngster has only been cantering courses for 3 weeks.  It looks like the start of a great show ring career.

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Last week I traveled to Springfield Mass. to watch my daughter compete in the New England Medal Finals.  All of the farms have banners and areas set up outside of their stalls.  It is particularly fun to see how these areas are decorated for Halloween and the fall season.  Below is a video of some of this years stall set ups.

Many show stables spend a large part of the year on the road and their tackroom setups are their home away from home.  Virginia has an A show almost every week of the year and a Charlottesville VA horse farm makes the perfect home base for your equine operation.

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There are many horse boarding opportunities in Charlottesville Virginia and Shadowfax LLC is one of the best choices.

Shadowfax has recently moved to a new facility and I thought I’d share some pictures of the new farm.

The upper barn has spacious airy stalls, tack room and wash stall. 

The horses on this side can watch what is going on in the ring.

The lower barn is so cute!

Imagine riding in the ring with gorgeous views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Charlottesville real estate market offers many choices for horse owners.  There is a good selection of various sizes and prices of horse properties.  Or if a farm is not what you are searching for I can show you homes and you can choose from the selection of local boarding facilities.

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River Rock Farm is a very special real estate offering for the horse enthusiast with 47.98 horse ready acres and frontage on the Rivanna River.

8 fields, 8 stall center aisle stable, round pen, trail riders paradise, river frontage, 3 bedroom 2bath cottage style home, large workshop w/bath and space for an apartment overhead. $745,000.

Take a tour.

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