Bobby’s Ranch is a commercial riding stable specializing in trail rides located in Westford, Massachusetts. Built on a dream in 1972 by Bob Haigh, who wanted to give his children something to do on summer vacation. He and his son built their first barn by hand. When he passed away in 2024, Bob Sr. had one final request: the cowboy wanted one last ride on his beloved horse Mariah.
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At 90, Bob Sr. had a long life. In his waning years, his favorite horse was Mariah. The name Mariah might be from the play “Oklahoma” and the song, “They Call the Wind Mariah.” The comparison to the wind seems appropriate with the family’s send-off message of “Ride like the wind.”
To give the cowboy his last ride, the family had Bob cremated. They loaded his ashes into a cloth and attached it to the back of a saddle. They released Mariah to run free around the ranch when it was time. As she ran, the ashes scattered out behind her. Bob Sr. became a part of the land he had cared for over the past 50-plus years. There could be no finer resting place. The video, which was shared (and cried over) by so many, was recorded by his great-granddaughter, Lizzie.
The family plans to keep operating Bobby’s Ranch. They’ve been there since building the first barn, and it’s grown quite a bit. Bob Sr. has left a legacy the family can be proud of. They will continue offering trail riding experiences, caring for their horses, adopting every stray animal in the vicinity, and maintaining retired horses at Hidden Acres Sanctuary. The cowboy got his last ride. All is right with the world.
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