Ride of a Lifetime
Susan Connell left a rough start in the dust to pursue her true passion, turning her love for horses into a rewarding job. And now she’s enjoying the...
PRINCETON » Autumn in New England is famous for its dazzling foliage painted with vibrant hues of red, orange, and yellow. The air is crisp, nature is alive, and it seems like the perfect time to take in the season by horseback.
Susan Connell, founder, and owner of Cornerstone Ranch is a passionate and dedicated person whose sole mission is to leave the world a little better than she found it and offer everyone a chance to connect with her stable of gentle horses.
“I take great pride in being able to connect the bond between people and horses through our services,” Connell said, “Because I genuinely believe that there are many wonderful life skills out there that only a horse can teach you.”
Though Connell grew up in an upper middle-income family that owned a horse farm, she said her life was not exactly the picture-perfect scene you would expect to see.
“When I turned 14, I left home and became a ward of the state shortly afterward,” she said. “This became the catalyst for me jumping to seven different foster homes, which undeniably took a toll on my overall well-being. As a way for me to break out of my own mind and clear intrusive thoughts, I began running as a healthy way to cope. And coming in at a close second was my rooted love for horses.”
While living in a foster home, Connell was set up with a job at a horse farm.
“The state’s work program knew I had a background involving horses, so they let me take on that role,” she said. “But my adventure geek side took over, and on day two of the job, I decided to take one of the horses out to the local convenience store to buy some soda.
There weren’t any saddles around, so I just threw myself whatever was handy on top and rode my trusted steed down a few main roads into town.”
Big mistake!
“Needless to say, my little stunt didn’t go over too well, and I was canned from that job and placed in a boring office one,” Connell said. “However, I still yearned for the opportunity to be mounted back on a horse riding free again. You bet I finally achieved that.”
Fast forward to the present, and you will see a successful woman who has been running her own 55-acre ranch occupying Princeton and Rutland for the last 20 years, with help from her three children, two of whom are still an active part of ranch operations.
With the season of autumn upon us, Connell said she loves this time of year.
“First and foremost, there are beautiful colors all around,” she said. “Once the happy shades of yellow and orange have exited the stage, the forest becomes more comparable to a glade. Now you can see the forest through trees.”
Connell said this makes riding a unique experience within the same season.
“Another good thing about fall is the vegetation is less abundant and the horses are less apt to try to stop for snacks,” Connell said. “We explain to people horses are vegetarians, which they are grateful for knowing once they see the rate of consumption.”
Trail rides are walking, and Connell said this has proven to be a much more relaxing experience for all involved.
“We go over a whole bunch of helpful information beforehand and offer assistance along the way,” she said. “The consistency helps the overall well-being and happiness of the horses and keeps riders on the same page.”
From trail rides, riding lessons, riding workshops, horsedrawn wagon rides, sleigh rides, birthday parties, group outings, to family outings, Connell is thrilled to offer it all, she said, “because I know firsthand how therapeutic horses genuinely are, and I want to share that with those ready to understand it.”
The ranch is beautiful all seasons, and winter is no exception.
“Horse drawn sleigh and wagon rides through the beautiful trails at the ranch during wintertime are a unique and fulfilling experience,” Connell said. “Our new Percheron horses, Frick and Frack are eager to meet new people and have made great strides with their training. They are a beautiful sight to see when pulling the sleighs and wagons.”
Percherons are native to France and they join Hercules and Dusty, a Hafflinger pair of horses at the ranch, who will also be pulling the sleighs and wagons. Hafflingers are native to Austria.
“From the high point of the horse drawn ride you can see all the way to Boston on a clear day,” Connell said. “The journey is reminiscent of our pioneer days and customers are forewarned they may have pickle cravings afterward.” Referring back to how our ancestors used to pack pickles on journeys to stave off scurvy from lack of vitamin C.
“The horses are sporting eight feet of authentic brass bells and kids are given bells to jingle along the way,” she said. “The experience is truly unique.”
Activities are held mostly outdoors and varied, so there is something for everyone.
“We see many more families at the ranch staying after rides; less hurried, enjoying the campfire and music,” Connell is happy to say. “We serve sandwiches, hot chocolate, hot and cold beverages and ice cream, desserts, snacks from our concession trolley — there is definitely a great vibe going and it’s heartwarming to see families outdoors having fun together.”
Connell added that since most activities are held outdoors, encompassing lots of space, it naturally makes social distancing easy to adhere to COVID-19 precautions.
Running a ranch has involved a lot of hard work and sleepless nights to get to where Connell is today.
“We have so many beautiful horses for visitors to enjoy, and tons of incredible employees and volunteers that all have helped shape Cornerstone Ranch to become the thriving place it is today,” she said. “I am wholeheartedly filled with happiness every single day to be living the life I have always dreamed of.”
Connell added that the special vibe is reflective of all the wonderful people from all walks of life who work, volunteer, visit and patronize.
“A combination of wonderful forces, each with their own gifts, talents, and strengths make the ranch a truly special and unique experience,” she said. “And let’s not forget the horses, horses, horses — they are wonderful, kind, and majestic creatures — unlike any other animal on earth with irresistible innocence and natural beauty that warm hearts and lift souls. We provide access within reach to happy places-intime for so many. It takes a ranch.”
Connell welcomes the community to come and experience them for yourself.
“Just don’t take my horses to the convenience store,” she said with a smile. “Deal?”