Sally Batton, Dartmouth College's Director of Riding, works in a place where memories and miracles are made. Her favorite story involves a10-year-old child who enrolled in the Farm's Challenge program for mentally challenged children and adults. Before participating in the program, he had trouble speaking to his parents and looking people directly in the eye. After his first lesson, he made eye contact with his parents for the first time, while correctly reciting the names of all the Farm's horses.
During his many years working at the Farm, long time Farm Manager Francis Isabelle has seen "students completely stressed out, jump on a horse and come back different people." Part of one alumnus's generous pledge to Dartmouth, the Morton Horse Farm provides current students and community members with an opportunity to relax and enjoy some carefree time away from the hustle and bustle of central campus activities.
The Morton Farm, located in Etna, New Hampshire, only 6.3 miles away from campus, offers visitors 180 acres of natural beauty with groomed trails, grazing pastures, horse barns and riding rinks, as well as a glimpse into local and Dartmouth history.
After graduation, William Morton '32, an economics major and All-American athlete, went on to found and later on sell his successful bond business to American Express, where he became the company president.
In 1969, he bought the land currently occupied by the Farm with the intention of turning the land into a cattle farm.
He bought the land from a family named Laramie and transformed their old dairy farm into a registered Charolais cattle farm. Today, the Farm contains one of the oldest buildings in Hanover, a farmhouse dating back to 1792.
According to Isabelle, the private family house on the property served as the Old Inn prior to the Laramies' purchase of the property.
In 1978, Morton donated the entire Farm to the College as part of his pledge to his alma mater. In addition, his gift included enough money to convert the Farm into a horse farm as well as to build the indoor riding rink where current students practice during the winter.
The cattle were donated for research to the Minor Institute at Cornell University and equipment was distributed to the Holderness School in Plymouth, N.H.
Morton Farm has close ties with that of the Dartmouth equestrian team, operating under the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) organization, and serves as the team's "home field," according to team co-captain Lindsay Clayton '04.
Prior to the acquisition of Morton Farm, the College was only able to offer its students informal opportunities to ride horses through the Boots and Saddles Club, founded in 1932 and affiliated with the Dartmouth Outing Club.
The riding sessions took place on Balch Hill, and the club sport was certainly not as organized as it is today.
Batton further explained that Dartmouth had no formal riding team and could not offer lessons to interested students as it does today. Nowadays, the equestrian and dressage teams hold practices and lessons at the Farm and host competitive horse shows there at least once a term.
With Batton's arrival to Morton 13 years ago, the number of activities and events held at the Farm has increased. Through the encouragement of Bob Hustek '51, Batton instituted the now very successful Challenge Program for mentally challenged children and adults, running from June to October each year.
In addition, the Farm hosts the Summer Horsemanship Clinic, to teach the necessities of horse care and riding; the Tiny Riders program; holds Foxchasing from August through November, where no foxes are actually hurt but simply chased on horseback; and offers polocrosse -- lacrosse on horseback -- as well as horse riding lessons, which may be used to fulfill Dartmouth's physical education requirement.
The Farm also offers trail rides through the fields during the fall, which help raise money and provide viewers with the chance to enjoy the fall foliage. Team member Ashley McCaughan '04 cites these rides among her "favorite farm memories."
In addition to opportunities provided for Dartmouth students, the Farm offers lessons for Community members as well as a place to board personal horses.
According to the Farm's extensive website, approximately one third of the 30 horses at the Farm are boarders.
Most of the horses, however, ranging from Thoroughbreds, Quarter horse, Dutch Warmblood, Morgan, Paint and Appaloosa to mix breeds, are school horses used for riding by Dartmouth and community members.
All the horses are donated to the College and these gifts are tax-deductible. Batton personally solicits such acts of generosity, which come from area professionals, alumni, show judges, and people who visit the Farm website, which Batton said serves as a good form of advertising.
The horses participate in IHSA open shows and barn shows taking place at the Farm and are cared for by the five barn staff members, as well as high school girls who work on the weekends, whom Clayton affectionately calls "barn rats." In addition, all riders learn to care for a horse and Equestrian team members perform show set-up, which includes grooming the horses, painting and setting up the jumps.
Co-captain Sara Glazer '04 explains that the Morton horses do not accompany the equestrian team to their away competitions to ensure a "level playing field" for all riders. In this way, "not the money and how much your horse costs, but rather how well you ride" determines your chances of winning, Glazer said.
In addition to the 20 members of the Equestrian Team, an average of 50 students a week visit the Farm, according to Batton.
During the Spring and Fall terms, Batton instructs approximately 70-80 students per week, and the Summer and Winter terms see 20-30 students visiting during the week.
Dartmouth students comprise most of the people taking advantage of the Farm and all that it has to offer.
Isabelle sees Morton Farm as "an added bonus" for Dartmouth and the surrounding communities. One of Batton's most rewarding experiences is working with children through the Challenge Program and "connecting what we do for fun with something therapeutic for the child."
Glazer describes Morton Farm as a "great way to see the pretty country that is New Hampshire where we live and that we don't get to see on campus."
Morton Farm has been "an integral part of my Dartmouth experience," says Clayton, and encourages everyone, beginner and experienced rider, to visit the Farm and experience all its beauty and possibilities for themselves.
