Beyond the Stables: How Rolling Stone Creates Equine Oasis in Bethel

Aug 4 2022
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2:40 PM
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By: Yehuda Alter

Lowell Feldman grew up in postwar Brooklyn and Queens, surrounded by a mix of Holocaust survivors and immigrants from western Europe. It was an interesting time in Brooklyn in the 1950’s.

The fondest memories that Lowell retains are his childhood summers in the Catskill Mountains—better known as the Borscht Belt, where more than five hundred hotels dotted the landscape, and hundreds more bungalow colonies, known as kuch-alein’s.

They would escape the heat of the city for the rolling hills and fresh air of the country, and these fond memories stuck with Lowell as he grew older.

As an adult, he went into the healthcare industry, pursuing success in the big city…but he craved the serenity and the peace that the mountains afforded, and so he looked for a property where he could escape on weekends and vacations.

Lowell’s search brought him to the town of Bethel, New York, where he purchased a beautiful large ranch about eighteen years ago.

At that point, Lowell was the owner of three lovely horses which he kept on different ranches around Long Island. Once he purchased his own ranch he brought those horses to their new home.

“My first interaction with a horse had been when I was a little boy of eight,” he recalls. My parents had taken us on a road trip through Pennsylvania… and I had always loved them, and felt a calmness around horses.”

“I am a big believed in the bond between humans and horses,” Lowell says. “They are non-judgmental and they are sensitive to you, and having experience in the healthcare field, I knew that equine therapy is something I want to offer at the ranch."

"Thankfully, we succeeded in working with many children of special needs, autism, and anxiety… and the outcomes were wonderful.

“Before Covid, we had an orthodox Jewish special-needs camp come in here multiple times per week. It was the highlight of their summer, and really had a positive impact on the children,” Lowell said.

But horseback riding is something that anyone can enjoy.

Rolling Stone's Ranch is open year-round, offering scenic rides through the mountain trails, pastures, and hayfields. Riders can take an hour-long ride, and the staff works with each group to make sure that they’re riding on their level.

The staff at Rolling Stone Ranch work for month with each new horse to make sure they’re ready to be ridden by amateurs, ensuring that they’re well-trained and reliable.

As for the horses, Lowell says, “They’re very sensitive to people, and they can sense if the rider is nervous. They will adapt to the rider, according to his level.”

All this is in addition to the various other livestock prancing around on the ranch, where Lowell invites visitors to escape the chaos of the city for the beauty and the relaxation offered by nature.

To book a lesson or a trail ride you can reach out to 845-583-1100.