Peaceful Serenity at Chadbourne Farm

Everyone has a favorite trail riding spot, but sometimes even the most traveled hooves begin to itch with the urge to explore something new. Imagine that you’re loading your trailer for a trail riding vacation and enjoy a literary tour of trail riding and camping areas throughout the Carolinas and further west, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous.

Chadbourne Farm is “a riders paradise” says owner Sandra Chadbourne. Located near a 60,000 acre wildlife preserve in Hoffman, NC, horses can relax in the barn as their riders make themselves at home in Chadbourne’s charming farmhouse.

Sandra Chadbourne is a native of New England, having spent most of her life beside the lakes of Skowhegan, ME. Before relocating to North Carolina, Chadbourne owned and rented out cabins in Maine for 17 years. After deciding to sell them, she thought she would look for a farm, buy a few hundred acres, make some trails, and invite people to come ride in the summer. Like many New Enganders, Chadbourne spent her winters in the south, and after renting an apartment next door to the farm, fell in love with the farm and bought it. “It kind of fit in with what I wanted to do anyway,” said Chadbourne, who is now 72.

Besides sharing her farm with visitors and other riders, one of Chadbourne’s aspirations is to rent out two apartments located on her farm to other equestrian ladies, who like her, are single and enjoy being surrounded by the outdoors. Tenants would be able to bring their farm animals and other pets and could even garden if they wanted to.

Guests at Chadbourne Farm can take advantage of an unlimited stay, an eat-in kitchen, a dining room, a fireplace, a picnic area, and outdoor grills. Equine accommodations are available in the barn or in one of the many pastures or paddocks for guest’s horses. Chadbourne Farm also offers a round pen and an outdoor riding arena. “It’s a really wonderful place for riders,” says Chadbourne. The varying riding terrain, soft soil with no rocks or big hills, “nothing treacherous,” she says.

Having only been open since December, 2008, Chadbourne Farm has hosted local and international visitors. In Chadbourne’s guest book, previous guests sing her praises of horseback rides to local lakes, her southern cooking, and the kindness pouring out from her farm. One guest writes: “When I need to ‘run away’ with my horse- you’ll find me at Chadbourne Lodge.”
Guests are not required to do their own horse chores and Chadbourne generally does all of the farm work as well. It’s a lot of work, but for her the reasoning is simple: “Because I love it!”