By RITA FERRANDINO
Staff Writer

MILFORD-The Brass Ring Farm might fit the bill for those in the area looking for something new to try.

The horse farm is run by the Kolka family. Three years ago, they sold several buildings and some of their land. Their former home is now the Brooklyn Bridge Bed and Breakfast, and the Brass Ring Farm is located behind it. With the help of his two sons Bobby and Joseph, Robert Kolka has ten horses for pony rides and trips along trails he excavated. Jeremy Dresser, considered "one of us" by the family, works at the farm full time.

With a sweeping view of rolling hills along Route 28, the farm is the product of much effort. The horse ring took five days to build. The Kolka's have a sawmill and are using their own lumber to build a new home on their property. Robert Kolka's father owned the last creamery and dairy farm in Rockland County, and now, years later, Kolka is trying to find alternative uses for his farm and land.

"It's looking grim for dairy farmers," Kolka said. "I'm glad I'm not milking cows."

Shannon Kolka, Robert's daughter, lives in Los Angeles and is part owner of a corporate meeting planning company. She still recalls her first pony, a wild animal that threw her and her friends from his back.

"We only had him for a couple of weeks," she said.

Princess, the horse she grew up with, died last year and was replaced with Wrigley, who was skinny at first but has since been nursed back to robust health. The horses are in top condition, Kolka said, because the family spends so much time riding them and caring for them.

"I recently went riding on a beach. It's something I'd never done before. The horses were so poorly cared for that I felt bad riding them," said Kolka. "Ours are well taken care of."

Their family love of horses is apparent. The Kolka's begin each guided tour by training participants during a few laps around the ring. They teach people how to steer the horse, hold the reins and maintain control by way of correct posture. Some of the horses once belonged to people who took off for college or the Peace Corps, Shannon Kolka said, so they're very well-trained and calm.

"Beginning the tour this way allows people to get comfortable with the horses," Shannon Kolka said. "These are horses that enjoy being taken out on the trail."

Children under the age of ten can enjoy pony rides while the rest of the family takes a guided tour. Groups of up to eight can go out together. It costs $35 per person for roughly an hour of riding. They recently revamped an Amish buggy from 1910 and pretty soon they'll be offering carriage rides around the farm.

"Life is good up on the hill here," said Robert Kolka "Even on bad days, it isn't so bad."

For reservations call (607) 286-9355 or (703) 298-8450. Walk ins are welcome. For more information, the website is www.angelfire.com/ny5/brassringfarms.