Hunter/jumper training returns to backcountry Greenwich this October when Serenity Show Stable opens at 1016 Lake Avenue, the former Kelsey Farm property.

Owner Ruth Nicodemus and her husband Ted Grogan plan to move the stable from Redding to the 10-acre Round Hill site, according to an announcement by the Round Hill Association published Thursday, Sept. 10. Nicodemus founded Serenity Show Stable in 2014 and has coached riders in hunter, jumper and equitation disciplines for more than 30 years.

The move fills a gap that opened Aug. 1, when Kelsey Farm closed after 77 years as Greenwich's last commercial horse operation. As we reported at the time, the closure ended a tradition that began in 1949, when Elise "Sis" Kelsey brought home two ponies from Playland and started giving lessons.

"Ted and I looked at several properties over the years, but nothing drew us in like this farm … We fell in love with the history and character of the farm exactly like it is," Nicodemus said in the Round Hill Association announcement.

Nicodemus grew up riding in Westchester County, New York, and competed at the USEF Medal finals in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and the ASPCA Maclay Regional Finals, according to the stable's website. Her students have competed at events including the USEF Pony Finals, the Winter Equestrian Festival, and the Connecticut Hunter Jumper Association Finals.

Construction is already underway.

Crews are enlarging and reconfiguring the outdoor riding ring for training and jumping, and building additional stalls in the barn, the Round Hill Association said.

The couple also plans to relocate The Serenity Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Nicodemus founded in 2022. The program pairs survivors of trauma, anxiety and depression with horses and licensed therapists at no cost to participants, according to the organization's website. Grogan, who previously spent more than 25 years in commercial real estate, serves as executive director. The nonprofit holds several fundraisers each year to support its work.

Nicodemus and Grogan have said they want the farm to be "where Greenwich learns to ride" and plan to expand lesson offerings in the community. An exact opening date in October has not been announced. No public open house or welcome event is listed yet. Residents can follow updates at roundhillassn.org or serenityshowstable.com.