Hasty Acres is an unabashedly old-fashioned stable, reminiscent of the days before the world of horse shows became “the horse industry.” You don’t have
to be a millionaire to enjoy a barn built about a century ago, an atmosphere imbued with a real feeling of family and most of all, Betty Higgins. As Higgins, the owner of Hasty Acres, prepares for her 85th birthday, the facility in the Kingston section of Franklin Township, Somerset County, marks its 50th anniversary. An open house set for April 18 at 11 a.m. will be a welcome event for those who would like to become part of its scene, as well as a celebration of continuity and loyalty in a tough business. The best example of that is the fact that some of the youngsters taking lessons there now are the grandchildren of riders who learned how to post and canter when the facility first opened to the public. The open house will be a special time for Higgins. “We have to give her something back for her 50 years,” explained her daughter, Linda Kulley. Hasty Acres, described by Higgins as “low-key” with its reasonable board and fees, is nothing like the slick show stables that dot the state. Yet as Kulley points out, it’s a good place for aspiring riders to start.
“Without a stable like my mom’s, they (the big stables) don’t have customers,” she said.