It may have seemed that Kick Start Stables LLC has been out to pasture for a while. It has. For the last year, property owners, Becky and Derek Abbott and Kick Start Stables Board of Directors, have been working assiduously, reorganizing the structure of the business to be built on Country Club Road, Boothbay.

Back in the saddle, property owners Becky and Derek Abbott are looking forward to breaking ground this spring. They will be conveying their interests to Boothbay Equestrian Center LLC, which will include a lease agreement with Kick Start Stables LLC.

The Boothbay Equestrian Center will be operated by Becky Abbott and will offer standard equine services, such various level riding lessons and long- and short-term boarding. In conjunction with these services, summer day camps will run from late June to August where kids will spend their days riding, caring and learning about farms and farm animals. A youth group will be formed where participants can be involved with the daily chores associated with a farm, the care of the animals, and learning the importance of volunteering in your community.

Kick Start Stables will operate with Boothbay Equestrian Center and will oversee the therapeutic services. Kick Start looks forward to providing a safe and positive environment to young people coping with emotional, physical and social challenges. Doors have already been opened, with entities such as the Special Olympics of Maine, the Wounded Warrior Project and, of course, our regional schools and churches.

Generous donations that are being sent to Kick Start Stables will continue to be utilized for therapy equipment, ongoing sponsorship programs and the purchase and care of therapy horses for the program.

As a 20-stall facility, including an indoor and outdoor arena on site, celebrated occasions such as birthday parties, weddings and fundraising events, will be welcome year round. The busy summer months will be filled with day camps, riding lessons, classroom time and other events. The facility and services offered will be another positive recreational activity for visitors of the region.

“While this has been a long and difficult process, I am confident that we are making the right decision for this location of the farm,” said Becky. “Putting things on hold has been stressful and having to wait to build your dream has been frustrating. But when starting a business, ensuring the best plan is in place is important to ensure the success of the farm, not just for me, but for the clients, horses and for the therapy services.”

To help Boothbay Equestrian Center and Kick Start Stables become a reality, contact Becky at beckyabbott@myfairpoint.net.