With spring well underway, I am still looking back at my favorite winter photos from 2025-2026. In this post I will share photos from Old Friends at Cabin Creek, the Thoroughbred retirement farm in Greenfield, NY where I volunteer. Click here to see my previous Old Friends posts.
The entrance to the farm looks festive with its Christmas decorations.
Strummer looks a picture covered in snow.
Diversify is the newest member of the herd, and he’s settled in just perfectly.
Red Down South enjoys a good roll in the snow.
Red and Bold Illusion keep warm.
Be Bullish blends right in with the fluffy white stuff.
Watchem Smokey, now 26, is the oldest Thoroughbred on the farm, but he still looks great!
Naughty New Yorker’s (aka Vito) dark coat contrasts beautifully with the white snow.
The barn is hard to see through a heavy snowfall.
The farm looks like a snow globe in winter!
Sadly, we lost Valiant Crusader this past winter. “Cru 2” was a 25-year-old son of Crusader Sword, who (the latter) occupied the same paddock as his son when he too was in retirement at the farm. Although the former never won a race, he won the hearts of volunteers and visitors alike with his calm and gentle demeanor. He typified the farm’s mission of providing dignified retirement to all Thorougbreds, and he received the same level of love and care as the Group 1 winner in the paddock next to him (A Shin Forward). We are so lucky to have had him in our presence for the time we did. Rest in peace, Cru! You are gone to us but not forgotten.
Slew’s Brew and This Hard Land, aka Frankie, relax in the snow.
Patrick, a quarter horse, is the oldest horse on the farm at nearly 39 years of age.
Preakness alum Like Now recently turned 23.
King Congie knows how to pose for the camera.
Congie hasn’t lost the will to run.
Rudy the barn panther enjoys a nap in the office.
Farm owner and manager JoAnn Pepper poses with Mr. Cowboy, who won at Saratoga for her and partners.
Vito shows how to shake it off!
JoAnn and volunteer Sherry Conners pose with Frankie.
At $3.4 million, A Shin Forward is the highest earner on the farm, but he doesn’t let it go to his head.
Mr. Cowboy poses for the camera.
In this photo you see King Congie in the foreground, then in the back to the right you see Watchem Smokey and Diversify. In the way, way back in between Smokey and Diversify, you can almost make out Bold Illusion.
Roaring Lion, aka Leo, sows his oats.
Leo in a calmer moment.
Doc N Roll heads towards the fence to see if he can snag a treat.
Bull looks great at 21.
Bo and Red come running to see me. I really enjoyed their enthusiasm, even if I do believe they were motivated by the prospect of a treat, which, unfortunately, I did not have.
To see more of my equine photography be sure to follow me on X, Instagram and Facebook. All photos in this post © Samantha Decker and may not be reused without permission.
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Horses and snow – two things I love!