Friesian beauties were the highlight of Vermont trip

This past Saturday, hoping to catch uninterrupted views of the fall colors, which make this area of our country so special, my friend Jo Recchia and I joined T&A Tours for a daylong trip to Vermont. After locating our bus at the crowded commuter parking lot off Exit 10 on Interstate 91 (apparently a favorite meeting place for tour buses bound for many different destinations) we were off to an early morning start on a perfect sunny fall day.

In just under an hour, we entered Vermont and were immediately aware of the pleasant difference that Vermont’s “no billboards” laws make in being able to enjoy the gorgeous scenery.

Missing also, were the usual signs of civilization: CVS, Pizza Hut, Starbucks and Walmart. We passed widely scattered homes with vast stretches of land surrounding them on all sides. We learned that Montpelier, Vermont’s capital, has fewer than 10,000 people; less than half the population of my hometown of Branford.

First stop was Basketville, a large and well-stocked store with beautiful baskets of every conceivable size and description, from traditional Nantucket-type handbags to unique and colorful wares from Thailand and Africa. I purchased a stunning, small African basket-bowl for daughter Marianne’s new condo home and some apple chutney- and watermelon-flavored hard candy for housebound hubby.

Not much further en route, it was time for lunch at the Putney Inn, a welcoming landmark in southern Vermont for more than three generations. Deeded in 1752 to an English army captain, this simple, understated building later became a Catholic seminary. When the interstate highway was built in 1961, the priests sold the property, and the building underwent its last transformation and became the Putney Inn. The owners are proud that the great-grandchildren of some of the local farmers still provide the greens and fresh vegetables to the inn, which features local produce as well as free-range turkey and delicious hams.

Two of the longtime farming and apple-growing families in the area each have five sons, resulting in a popular local bumper sticker which proclaims, “Apples Make Boys!” The Putney Inn is not only famous for the excellent food, it also serves as a training ground for cooking interns from famous culinary schools such as the Culinary Institute of America and Johnson & Wales.

Our last stop in the tiny town of Townshend, Vt., was the surprise of the day. I knew that we were to visit a place that raised horses, but I was not prepared to see a veritable campus devoted to the breeding, training, selling and performance of a large collection of award-winning Friesian horses. These all-black, magnificent horses which the owner, Robert Labrie, his wife, Laurie, and son, Ben, breed and house in a series of European-style barns and on their extensive rolling property, have won top honors worldwide.

The Friesian breed was the horse of choice in the time of the knights of old: They were sturdy enough to carry a knight in full armor and also quick and smart so that they could be controlled through the seat and knees, leaving the knight’s hands free to fight the oncoming enemy. Many top Friesians are bred in Holland, but the Labrie family is proud that of only nine horses in North America to achieve the rare “Model Mare” status rating, two are from their Friesians of Majesty horse farm. We watched a show of horsemanship in the large performance arena and also visited the stalls to meet, pet and nuzzle the horses, trained from infancy to be people friendly.

Almost as interesting as the horses is the story of the owner, “Bob” as everyone calls him. Obviously passionate about his farm and his horses, I asked about his background.

He grew up on a dairy farm in Massachusetts where although there were many more cows, he much preferred the horses the family kept. A self-starter, Bob had a small driveway paving business as a teen-ager, which he grew into a construction business, eventually employing 65 workers. Ten years ago, he decided to retire, sold the business and his original intention was to have a few horses.

He fell in love with the Friesian breed, studied and became a certified breeder and now has a thriving business and 60 horses. In addition to the breeding and sales of his special horses, Friesians of Majesty horse farm offers riding lessons, special “weekend camps” and carriage or sleigh rides.

Information as well as performance schedules are at www.friesiansofmajesty.com or call (802) 365-7526. After spending almost three hours with the amazing Friesian horses, our bus headed back to Connecticut.

When I finally reached home well after 8:30, I felt tired, but also the exhilaration one feels when having had a complete vacation from the usual routine — a sort of, other world, change of pace.

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