One Unforgettable Horse. Countless Lasting Lessons

Woman with glasses and a brown cap giving a kiss to a white horse outdoors near a tree.

Sterling Stables carries the name of a small but memorable gelding named British Sterling, a 14.2-hand paint-Welsh. Affectionately known as Baby Boy, Brit had a way of meeting people where they were. He anticipated cues before they were asked, shifted easily between dressage, jumping, and trail work, and managed to be both mischievous and reassuring in the same moment. He’d nudge at jacket zippers, offer kisses for treats, and generally behaved like he knew he was the center of attention. What he taught wasn’t only horsemanship; it was persistence, patience, and what it feels like when a horse truly partners with you.

A white horse with its tongue out, wearing a pink blanket and a gray Santa hat decorated with silver sequins, in an indoor riding arena with a dirt floor and several people in the background.
From the perspective of a person riding a white horse with braided mane through a wooded trail. The horse is wearing purple ears, and the dense green foliage surrounds the trail, with trees and sunlight filtering through.
A white horse drinking water from a small stream in a wooded area.
A white horse with a green halter standing outside a wooden shed, tied to a nail on the shed's wall.
A smiling person with dark hair and a blue shirt takes a selfie with a white horse inside a barn.
Close-up of a white horse with a dark bridle, standing on sandy ground.
Woman riding a white horse with a saddle in an outdoor riding arena with trees in the background.

The Barn at Sterling Stables

Black and white aerial photograph of a rural farm with a house, barn, smaller shed, and surrounding fields with trees and cultivated land.

The barn at Sterling Stables itself carries a much longer story than the family records alone can show. Dates etched into the beams and concrete trace portions of the structure back to the 1890s, with signs of an early addition around 1924. Stephan and Mary Kern, great grandparents of Teresa, our Executive Director, purchased the property in 1949 after emigrating from Austria with their six children. Stephan worked for Pullman while tending dairy cows and rams on the farm.

In 1962 their son Harry and his wife Sara inherited the property. Harry served in the Army, then spent his career with PennDOT while keeping the farm active. Together they raised beef cattle, maintained large gardens, and raised their three children on the land. One of Harry and Sara’s children, Linda—Teresa’s mother—grew up steeped in barn life. In the 1970s she was a 4-H “horse girl,” riding regularly and helping care for a herd that at times topped thirty horses.

When Harry became ill in 1992, the barn gradually went quiet and has been largely unused since 1994.

While getting it ready again for horses, we uncovered dates, initials, and even footprints tucked into the beams, boards, and concrete. The images below capture some of those small markers of the barn’s long history.

1909- date unearthed under what is now one of the horse's stalls.

1909- date unearthed under what is now one of the horse's stalls.

Footprint

Footprint

A.W. Youker- believed to be the original builder of the barn, circa 1890s.

A.W. Youker- believed to be the original builder of the barn, circa 1890s.

Life at the barn Today!

A young girl dressed in pink, sitting on a horse with a black hat with pom-poms, is being assisted by two women. The scene has Christmas decorations, including two stockings labeled Buddy and Cody, hanging on a plaid backdrop.
A person riding a horse through an open farm field during sunset, with another person riding a horse farther ahead, and trees silhouetted against the colorful sky.
Two women riding saddled horses in a field, with a backdrop of leafless trees and a cloudy sky.
Young girl feeding a black horse with a yellow mane inside a stable.
A person wearing a purple hard hat and gray T-shirt sitting on a green chair holding a small black and white kitten indoors with wooden walls and tools in the background.
Two girls riding horses in a snow-covered outdoor riding arena, with a black metal fence and snow-laden trees in the background.
A woman riding a brown horse outdoors on a sunny day with a clear blue sky. She is wearing a black helmet, black riding attire, and is smiling at the camera. The horse has a purple saddle pad and a black bridle, and is standing near a green metal gate on a dirt path.
A white and black cat sitting inside a brown pet carrier, surrounded by various backpacks and bags, against a wooden wall background.
A young girl with glasses and long hair leaning over a purple bucket, touching water with her hand. A horse with a purple halter is sniffing the water from inside the bucket, with part of an adult person's hand holding the bucket.
A horse standing inside a wooden stable, facing a door with a sign that says "DALLAS." The stable has a rustic appearance with wood walls and ceiling.