Gallery: Coffee & Horses

A Fifth Avenue Backyard On This Magic Summer Morning

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Today’s a day that you are not only grateful to be alive; but a day that you are glad that you decided to get up early!

Yes, today (Friday, August 19) a Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) benefactor’s Fifth Avenue backyard was the site of a gathering of friends – sipping coffee and enjoying the morning workouts, whilst backed up to the Oklahoma Training Track. Watching Saratoga Race Course’s afternoon heroes going through their routine always has a special pureness to it: No PA system blaring, no tote boards, TV monitors, nor crowd noises to distract you. Just a congenial informality where you say “Good morning!” to the exercise riders, and, more often than not, they say “Good morning!” back.

TRF’s Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving Kim Weir set up this morning’s gathering, and, in addition to being the “keeper of the gate,” had this perspective: “Today the happy herd of TRF volunteers and friends gathered once again for a joyful rendition of “TRF Coffee & Horses” in the fantastic Fifth Avenue backyard of Rich and Margaret White..

“Todays guests included out of town friends from Lexington KY, Brooklyn NY, Massachusetts and many hometown Saratoga friends. We were delighted to welcome our “cousins” in the work of Thoroughbred Aftercare and Sanctuary: Meg and Erin, from Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga. An extra special guest among our many friends was Cathy Jacobsen – retired superintendent from Wallkill Correctional Facility in Wallkill, NY, where the TRF’s flagship TRF Second Chances program has been saving horses and changing lives for nearly 40 years!”

Indeed, I had only visited for less than an hour, but I left feeling as rejuvenated as if I had been on a week-long cruise! A pleasure to share this gallery with you. TGIF!