I am constantly finding areas of the country where horses are a central part of the lifestyle and economy, but Tryon, N.C., may be the most horse-centric area I have seen yet. We visited this week as a scouting trip for possible relocation. Immediately saw something I have never seen before. Went to the local supermarket for munchies supply and the first thing we saw by the cashiers was a stack of 50-pound bags of feed.? They were from a local feed mill, priced at $9.95. Of course I had to check out the nutrition label, which looked ok. Visited Biltmore estate in Ashville on Sunday, built in 1895 by William Vanderbilt, and the largest home in the US. The restaurant is in the converted stable area. We ate in a (beautifully refurbished) box stall. Later we got a fabulous view of the back of the estate by taking a carriage ride, courtesy of Shire draft horses Doc and Pat.
