The ‘EQUICENTER’ of the Northeast

North Salem is the Northeast’s equine epicenter…the ‘equicenter’!

While Bedford will always be regarded as the heart of horse country, and remains a place defined by elegant estates set aside the trails of the prestigious Bedford Riding Lanes Association…North Salem takes the ribbon as the new nexus of the serious saddle set! It’s one of all of America’s most authentic and vibrant equestrian communities! It’s the capital of klippetyklop! The best bet for the bit-and-bridle bunch!

A bit further north than Bedford but within B&NC Country’s borders, North Salem offers an even more undisturbed landscape of rolling hills, dirt roads, and large bodies of water. …And what stands out most about North Salem is the enormity of the equestrian properties!

It’s all about the land!

…With a total land mass of about 22 square miles or about 13,600 acres, and a total population of about 5,300, the population density of the entire town, including the busy hamlet of Croton Falls, is only about 250 people per square mile - compared with Bedford’s 460 people per square mile.

…And, more critically, North Salem includes a dozen properties with over 100 acres, another dozen properties with over 50 acres, and another 50 properties of between 10 and 50 acres! In total, over 40% of North Salem is held by fewer than 70 families.

…As one measure of what’s available in North Salem versus Bedford - and what a bargain North Salem still is, consider that Darlington Manor in North Salem, a spectacular English estate with pristine equestrian facilities and expansive paddocks set on 83 bucolic acres sold in 2025 for only $7.2M, while the 214-acre Sunnyfield Farms, the very recognizable stables everyone passes on South Bedford Road in Bedford and one of the few properties of its scale in the town, sold for $30M+!

Properties are vast, and North Salem’s zoning laws and governmental agencies favor large parcels and equestrian properties and operations. It’s all enough to attract top riders and trainers, equestrian enthusiasts seeking the equestrian lifestyle…and even families who just like looking at all the horses - who are looking for more privacy and pasture then they can get a couple exits south on 684.

A WHO’S WHO OF WORLD-CLASS EQUESTRIANS

At least six Olympic Equestrians call North Salem home!

Daniel Bluman - who has represented Columbia in 2 Olympic games and Israel in another, and has Grand Prix Wins at major events including the Rolex Grand Prix of Rome, the Hampton Classic Grand Prix, and the FTI Wellington Finale.

Nayel Nassar - Jennifer Gates’ husband, who represented Egypt in the 2021 Olympics and who’s a regular FEI Grand Prix Champion and a 3-time Winner of the HITS $1million Grand Prix.

McLain Ward - who has represented the United States competing in 6 Olympic Games and winning 2 Gold and 3 Silver medals.

Rodrigo Pessoa - who’s competed in 8 Olympic games -and won individual Gold in 2014 - and 13 FEI World Cup Finals.

Kent Farrington - who represented the United States at the 2016 Olympic Games and is consistently ranked as one of the top ten riders in the world.

Michael Page - who served as the Chef d’Équipe for the United States Olympic Equestrian team for the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, as well as the 1990 World Championships. A decorated competitor himself, Page won team gold and individual silver medals across multiple Olympics (1964, 1968) and Pan American Games.

…And world-class equestrian Georgina Bloomberg - B&NC MAG’s July/August ‘21 Cover Feature - lives in North Salem, too - at the farm she calls Gotham North!

…And Georgina’s friends and ‘neigh-bors’ around North Salem - who include a bounty of boldface buckaroos!

…And then there’s Darragh Kenny, whose Oakland Stables is just down the road in Darien. Kenny competed in the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020, and is a consistent force on the global Grand Prix circuit. At Oakland Stables, he leads a full-scale training program, committed to cultivating the next generation of riders. And when he’s not competing abroad, picturesque North Salem is one of his favorite places to go for a ride, and where he often competes amongst the best in the sport.

OLD SALEM FARM

Old Salem Farm, on the prestigious June Road, is one of the preeminent equestrian competition grounds on the show-jumping circuit, and hosts events which attract top riders from around the world.

First known as Salem View Farm and famous for being the place where locals Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward came to ride, in 1984 the property was acquired, upgraded, and renamed by investor Paul Greenwood. In 1994, the Hakims, a prominent Manhattan-based real estate family led by patriarch Kamran Hakim, acquired the property and embarked on a reported $30M in capital improvements to the facility, including new barns, expanded rings, guest amenities, and a world-class Grand Prix arena. Under the leadership of Scott Hakim, Old Salem Farm now sets the standard for hosting equestrian events and has achieved a reputation of excellence amongst professional and amateur equestrians alike. Scott manages to operate Old Salem Farm preserving a sense of the place’s heritage while fulfilling all the expectations of a modern competition venue.

It’s the site of the Annual Spring show each May - a multi-day event with dozens of participants, and large purses of prize money, and the American Gold Cup - a World Cup qualifying event for show jumping with international-level competition and a purse of almost a quarter-million dollars. Old Salem Farm also hosts Federation Equestre International competitions every May, August, and September, and over the years the farm has also hosted the United States Olympic Team Selection Trials.

…And when Old Salem Farms is galloping, it’s North Salem’s hospitality hub! On competition weekends the grounds hum with energy as riders, trainers, and owners blend with avid and amateur onlookers. Local families picnic on the hillside. Well-healed guests mingle under the hospitality tents, enjoying lavish spreads of food and drink.

The Hunt

The Hunt is very much at the core of North Salem’s equestrian identity. Established in 1924, Golden’s Bridge Hounds sustains as a cornerstone of North Salem’s spirited social and cultural ethos. More than just ceremonial, The Hunt is the basis of a year-round equestrian fellowship - and riders of all backgrounds are welcomed. The tradition is elegantly preserved, and warmly accessible for those just wishing to take in the festivities.

The early morning meets are absolutely iconic. Gathering at first light, the most established and awarded riders gleam in scarlet coats, whilst all others wear black. The entire posse trots off into the woods through a myriad of interconnected trails and a mix of private and public land, led by a pack of perfectly trained hounds. Each ride culminates in shared meals, barn gatherings, bonfires, or post-hunt parties that bring people together around a shared love of horses. It’s a tableau out of another century, yet beautifully alive today!

…And not to worry about the poor fox…The Hunt switched to coyote about a decade ago and, truth be told, more than ‘hunting’ the coyotes, The Hunt performs the function of ‘chasing’ some coyotes away from some of the local farmland, thereby protecting the local farms and domesticated animals.

BRIDLE TRAILS & BAXTER PRESERVE

Two organizations, the North Salem Bridle Trails Association and the North Salem Open Land Foundation, steward the network of more than 100 miles of some of the most beautiful riding trails in the United States and 1,500 acres of open space - with the mission of providing a living and breathing system of equestrian access that’s meant to be ridden, while preserving the rural countryside character of the surrounding area.

The North Salem Bridle Trails were established by the Masters of The Hunt about forty years ago, and take riders through preserves, private estates, into fields, and through the woods throughout North Salem.

The crown jewel of North Salem’s open space is the Baxter Preserve, which is a sweeping meadowed landscape where riders can trot through wildflowers, gallop across rolling fields, or enjoy a leisurely hack encircled by old stone walls, bucolic estates, and wind-shaped trees. Few places in the Northeast can still boast this kind of unbroken riding terrain. The tract of land is also known locally as ‘The Old Racetrack’ as it was originally established just after World War II by Carlo Paterno for steeplechase horse racing. Lore suggests it was only used for a single, official race. In 1978, members of the Goldens Bridge Hounds - colloquially referred to as ‘The Hunt’, Millicent Hearst (William Randolph Hearst’s wife), Ronald Stanton, Daniel McKeon, and Gene Colley, helped save the 114 acre undisturbed parcel from condo development, and transition the property to the North Salem Open Land Foundation, ensuring its preservation for equestrians, walkers, and nature enthusiasts alike.

BODACIOUS BARNS

On many of North Salem’s most prestigious estates, the barns are often even more impressive, and thoughtfully designed, than the owners’ own homes! In a town where horses are part of the landscape and the lifestyle, these aren’t just stables… they’re private sanctuaries for some of the most pampered residents around - the horses. In fact, it’s not unusual for the horses - many of them valued in the millions - to be living with more comfort, care, and luxury than the people down the hill.

Old Town Barns is widely regarded as the leading barn-builder in the region, responsible for many of North Salem’s most exceptional equestrian facilities. This family-run business plans, designs, and constructs custom horse barns, indoor arenas, training centers, living quarters, and pole barns with extraordinary craftsmanship and attention to detail. Working with the area’s most elite equestrian clients, Old Town Barns creates spaces that go far beyond the functional - delivering barns that are architectural masterpieces in their own right. From stables to riding arenas and auxiliary buildings, their work represents the very best of North Salem’s equestrian tradition.

In a region where equestrian culture can sometimes feel polished to the point of untouchable, North Salem offers the rarity of genuine horsemanship integrated into the fabric of civic life. In North Salem horses own the dirt roads, town meetings involve trail plans, and children grow up recognizing Grand Prix champions by the barn dog trotting behind them. The town’s rhythm syncs with hoofbeats. And horses are a way of being.

In North Salem…the guy getting the coffee standing next to you at Hayfields could be one of the billionaires from down the road with a hundred acre equestrian estate…or an Olympic Equestrian…or a groom who’s been up since dawn mucking stalls…and you might have to ask in order to tell the difference!

Equi-Center

Bedford & New Canaan Magazine

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Inns of Aurora

Bedford & New Canaan Magazine

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