Lucan’s Hearthstone Farm offers boarding facilities and much more for human and equine clients
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here’s a peace and tranquility pervading the river valley fields and pastures at Hearthstone Farm that visitors describe as “magical.” Gail Lamb, owner of the boarding and riding facility outside Lucan, feels it in the evenings when the staff has gone home and she goes out to the barn to tuck in the horses for the night. “It’s my favourite time,” Lamb says. “It’s quiet with just their soft nickering because they want their bedtime treat of beet pulp.” The horses feel the magic, too, she believes. It can take up to three weeks for a horse to be comfortable in a new environment, but they usually settle in in a matter of days at Hearthstone. Maybe it’s the love they feel from their landlord and her staff. Stable manager Casey Gardner has been the main caretaker at the barns for two years. She studied equine management at the University of Guelph, an educational pursuit that only strengthened her love of horses.
By Ellen Ashton-Haiste
Beth Watson, an equestrian coach, teaches riding skills. She also offers Equine Facilitated Learning, which she describes as “a journey of discovery” building on the human/horse relationship to promote personal awareness, self-reflection and growth. For Lamb, horses have been a lifelong passion. But she never dreamed she would end up with a boarding facility in her backyard. Growing up in Montreal’s west end, she would visit local stables, where $1 bought you an hour on horseback. She had hopes of becoming a veterinarian but instead studied architecture at McGill University. One of the first women to enter this field, she built a career that has garnered her accolades and honours. Just this year, the London Society of Architects recognized her contributions to the profession by launching a scholarship in her name. However, when Lamb and her family moved to London in the 1960s, she found her way back to the equine world. With her three children, she took riding lessons. Eventually some ponies and horses joined the family
ABOVE Nallu and Stormy in the pastures that are an integral part of the quality care horses receive at Hearthstone Farm. TOP RIGHT Owner Gail Lamb with her horse Miesha. MIDDLE RIGHT Stable manager Casey Gardiner is one of the staff members at Hearthstone Farm. BOTTOM RIGHT Horses, who receive quality care and training from Lamb and her staff, seem to acclimatize quickly at Hearthstone Farm. 58 Lifestyle July/August 2015