This morning my wife mentioned a complication here in this neck of the woods. There’s not enough time to ride all the trails , she exclaimed.

Well, Hallelujah! If that’s not a horseback rider’s salvation, then what is ? Another question: How fortunate are we to be surrounded by landowners who allow us to ride the edges of their fields ?

All of these details are some of the ingredients that make Hunterdon County an equine mecca.

In New Jersey there are more horses per square mile than any state in the Union. I know not what the commensurate stat is for Hunterdon Co., but I have to believe that it sets the pace for the rest of the state.

By the way, have you ever come across equine-oriented areas in New York, Illinois, Kentucky, Virginia, California or wherever there are sprawling, well- kept horse farms ? How do you suppose real estate values fare in such areas ?

Hint: Horse presence tends to stabilize (no pun intended) or elevate those values.

There is a common, at times derisive notion that horse owners are “rich” folks. Well, guess again. Sometimes that’s true. Then there’s me; another one of those horse owners. Calling me rich is a little rich ! Remember, I grew up milking cows just like the next kid who was still kicking cow shit off his boots when he got off the bus.

And what if some nearby horse owner is rich ? Good for him. Good for her. Look what they’re doing for your real estate value.