Today we’d like to introduce you to Dedrick Gilchrist
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I got introduced to horses about 25 years ago, when my uncle bought 2 quarter horses. My cousin and I would clean the Stables in exchange for horse rides. I always dreamed of owning a horse when I was stable enough to afford one. I moved to Atlanta in 2004 and took a break from riding but my love for horses remained. In 2018, I had the opportunity to purchase my own horse. I bought Graycie. A Tennessee Walking horse Mare for $250. Yes, $250. I kept her in my hometown at my uncles place and only rode her maybe once a month. The pandemic happened and my wife and I decided to sell our house and purchase a farm to allow us to enjoy our horse. Horse people can never have just one horse. We ended up purchasing 20 chickens and 5 more horses. It’s true, you can never have just one horse. In 2023 we purchased a pony for our baby girl. After hosting birthday parties and doing pony rides for our family and friends, we were encouraged to share our farm and animals with others. We established Blu Barn Farm to introduce members of our community and the urban area to horses. We provide horses and ponies for birthday parties, festivals and events. We also offer farm tours, farm birthday parties and riding lessons. Pony parties are a labor of love. It’s truly been a blessing to share horses with many people that have never been next to a horse in person.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The scariest part has been starting. There’s a fine line between enjoying a hobby and making a business out of it. I try to stay focused on the horses and providing positive experiences to everyone we encounter. It’s been mostly smooth, with the main challenge being having to turn down excited parents and children when their preferred dates aren’t available.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Blu Barn Farm?
Blu Barn Farm is a family owned horse farm that specializes in providing positive experiences with horses at any event we attend. Our horses are well trained and our cowboys and cowgirls are well equipped to help everyone get over their fears and ride. We provide horses and ponies for festivals, birthday parties, picnics, family reunions and Photoshoots. Patrons may shoot at our Farm or we bring the animals to the location of choice. It’s never about the money, we simply love horses and enjoy every opportunity to expose others to these majestic animals.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love how the city has embraced the Black cowboy community. From downtown rides for Juneteenth to our annual New Years Day rides, it’s always love and admiration when we bring the horses out. Of course, I hate the traffic.
Pricing:
- Contact us for pricing
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blubarnfarm/profilecard/?igsh=aDZvYnE2NjB2NzA1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blubarnfarm?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Image Credits
@QualityLenz on the personal photo
