EQUUS MEADOW INN is a genuine suburban oasis. Located at the end of George Road and along the eastern edge of Town ‘N Country Greenway Park, the Victorian-inspired bed-and-breakfast/ranch in the city is casually majestic and the perfect place to spend a peaceful summer weekend. Flanked on one side by the Carriage House Cottage-Suite, and on the other by a stable and corral, the inn is not your average hanging-out-with-strangers-type accommodation. While owner Sandy Roussé is in the process of adding a room on the third floor of the inn, at present she accepts guests to stay in the cottage one party at a time, making it a singularly private experience.

    The quaint space is tastefully decorated in Victorian, French and equestrian accents; throw rugs, embroidered doilies and freshly cut flowers emphasize the cottage’s cozy ambiance while two dressmaker’s dummies in Civil War-era costumes add a whimsical touch. Breakfast is served in the elegant formal dining room of the main house, or outside on the back veranda, which comes complete with rocking chairs, lace-adorned table and a porch swing, and looks out onto Equus Meadow Pond, a picturesque, spring-fed pool surrounded by huge oaks and wispy Egyptian papyrus reeds.

    This lovely retreat reflects the hard work and dedication of Roussé, her mother Milly and Sandy’s lifemate partner Ken Boyung, who – in addition to assisting Roussé with any necessary construction, cleanup and property maintenance – also gives horseback riding lessons and leads leisurely rides down nearby wooded trails. Lessons and trail rides are open to the public. Anyone can make a reservation, and because there are no group outings – you ride alone or with your party only – it’s more relaxed than if you were riding with folks you didn’t know.

   The horses are striking animals with gleaming coats and clear, alert eyes. They are mannerly, quick to respond to a subtle squeeze of the heels, and ready to stop whenever you are. Of course, the good behavior probably has something to do with the fact that they’re well-rested; Boyung limits the number of times a day that he takes out the five horses and pony so as to avoid straining them. The horses are attentive to Boyung’s voice, eager heads poking out of stalls to meet his roughly affectionate touch. He has stories about all of them – how this one was born, how that one was saved at auction, how another got a scar on its nose – and he tells them like a dad, unabashed and charmingly straightforward.

   Both Roussé and Boyung are self-confessed animals lovers. Aside from the equine population, there are chickens, guinea hens, cats, ducks and some escaped cockatiels, parakeets and love birds that have blissfully surrendered themselves to Roussé’s care. (Dogs aren’t welcome because they hunt and kill everything else; Roussé knows this from experience with the neighborhood hounds.)

   Equus Meadow Inn and all of its residents are truly unique; paying them a visit will surely make your day, if not your year.