Somerset County will reopen and expand Lord Stirling Stable

BERNARDS – More horses will be returning to Lord Stirling Stable.

Under a new vision for Somerset County's Lord Stirling Park, the stable will be reopened, and facilities will be expanded under the county's "parks for all" goal while also supporting environmental and historic sites tourism.

“What began as the rebranding of the Lord Stirling Stable has evolved into a new vision for the entire Lord Stirling Park that includes equestrian, natural, and historic experiences,” said Tom Boccino, the county's supervising planner for preservation. “The plan outlines conceptually how all uses can be integrated into a single experience that highlights the valuable assets that exist in Somerset County – one park, many paths.”

The 1,015-acre Lord Stirling Park is home to the stable, the county's Environmental Education Center and the historic Boudinot-Southard Farmstead that dates to the Revolutionary War.

These attractions had previously operated independently, but the plan presented to the county commissioners on Tuesday proposes to connect them with trails and paths.

The plan also calls for integrated programming and community event spaces along Lord Stirling Road and at the farmstead.

The plan was developed by the Somerset County Park Commission's Lord Stirling Stable Advisory Group and the county's professional planners.

“Lord Stirling Park is a great, untapped resource for Somerset County residents and visitors, and I am extremely pleased with the work of the Park Commission, its expert advisory group, and the county planning staff for putting together this vision for its future,” said County Commissioner Paul Drake. "The integration of equestrian, environmental, historic, and event spaces at Lord Stirling Park is vital to ensuring that Somerset County truly delivers the promise of 'parks for all.'"

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This fall the park commission intends to purchase several horses to keep at the stable at Lord Stirling Park and begin reintroducing equestrian programming. Currently the stable offers pony rides for children, and before the end of the year plans to provide lead-line rides for beginners and limited trail riding for more experienced patrons.

The plan also calls for the expansion of the trail network so that the park is connected to the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Bernard Township's Southard Park and nearby neighborhoods.

The plan grew out of an advisory group started in spring 2021 to study the future of the Lord Stirling Stable after its programs stopped because of the pandemic.

The eight equestrian experts, longtime volunteers at the stable, were given the task of increasing community equipment and exploring funding and costs to ensure the stable's sustainable operation.

County planners recognized the task force's recommendations for rebranding the stable provided an opportunity to create a new vision for the entire park.

The Somerset County Park Foundation provided money for the task force to contract with two Rutgers experts – Dr. Karyn Malinowski, Extension Equine Specialist and founding director of the Rutgers Equine Science Center; and Dr. Robin Brumfield, Extension Farm Management Specialist in in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Economics, to lead the group.

“For all of us at the Park Commission this was a mission to have a sustainable, viable future for Lord Stirling Park,” said Somerset County Park Commission President D.J. Hunsinger. "These plans not only include the functioning and self-sustaining stable feature but going forward will grow the park into a larger, more encompassing resource that maintains the nature and personality residents and park patrons love."

The park commission's sale of 27 horses in May 2020 shortly after the pandemic sparked a public outcry. More than 4,000 signatures have been collected on an online petition asking the park commission to reopen the facility.

But according to the website of the Friends of the Lord Stirling Stable, a decision had been made prior to the pandemic to downsize the number of horses at the stable by about 10 based on a decline in ridership over the last couple of years.

After Gov. Phil Murphy issued an order closing golf courses early in the pandemic, the park commission decided to suspend programs at the stable for the rest of 2020 because of financial restraints and the safety of staff members and participants.

Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Lord Stirling Stable in Somerset County NJ to reopen