County Newcomers Establish Horse Farm on 120-Year-Old Property, Welcome Horse Owners, Veterans, Among Others for Relaxing Get Away

Two relative newcomers to Warren County, who arrived in 2018 initially to live closer to aging parents, are investing time and energy into their new home community. Once acclimated to their new environment, they purchased 37 acres off Guard Hill Road. They spent the next five years or so revitalizing the property, including gutting and rebuilding a century-old barn into a livable entertainment and greeting center and updating other parts of the property, including building stalls for renters seeking accommodations for their horses.

Dave Morris and his wife, Patricia “Tish” Weichman-Morris, are a couple into or approaching retirement but with totally different hobbies. She, who plans to retire from her U.S. Homeland Security branch chief job four years from now, relaxes with her three show horses. While he, already in “semi-retirement,” is following his sailboat hobby – one that entails occasional travels to Maryland and Florida, where he sails and competes on the Atlantic and the Chesapeake Bay waves.

Welcome to Irish Mist Farm, as the mist rises off the water – quite the backdrop for some Rest & Relaxation, whether you’re a horse owner, a veteran, or just someone looking for a pleasant change of pace and scenery. – Courtesy Photos Irish Mist Farm

Sailboats and horses? Not exactly in the same league, but each of them supports the other, and the revitalized property is now called Irish Mist Farm. It is named in honor of Tish’s grandfather, Patrick Harold O’Connor, an Irishman and avid horseman. Irish Mist Farm is populated not only by themselves but also by Tish’s show horses, two of them Arabians, Grace and Jackpot, aged 8 and 5, along with Snaps, a Hanoverian, with rental stalls for six more equine guests in development for pasture board this Spring. Where better for people or horses to roam than on this beautiful acreage that includes a large freshwater pond available to visitors for fishing and other water sports?

“We have welcomed many visitors so far who arrange a visit to see the horses – especially families with children,” Tish points out. Dave, a self-described military brat, also encourages military veterans to visit the farm for a little R&R.

The trio of Morris horses check out a visitor. Below, that visitor, Royal Examiner contributing writer Malcolm Barr Sr., spends a little quality time with the Morris horses at Irish Mist Farm.

While Tish grew up virtually on horseback, she rides side saddle, Dave admits he “never touched a horse” until way after he graduated Virginia Tech with an engineering degree — but now says “I love ’em!” Nevertheless, he delegates care of the animals to his wife while he continues to race his sailboat several hundred miles from his new home in Warren County. He admits to carrying a pocketful of carrots around with him while at home, as well as treats for the resident trio. “I love ’em!” he reiterated in a phone interview from where he was currently servicing his boat.

Tish, meanwhile, is busy making her mark on her new community, including her work on the board of directors of Belle Grove Plantation, membership in the Warren County Garden Club (her specialty is daffodils!) plus her continuing membership and activities with the National Side Saddle Association, and the Arabian Horses’ Association.

Dave and ‘Tish’ Morris are doing a little relaxing of their own.

For Tish, the 2086 Guard Hill Road farm is a dream come true. She, too, invites military vets to come to the farm for rest and relaxation, to fish if they wish, and to take part in the social activities organized in the 120-year-old building, a barn, now becoming famous for its wine tastings and other attractions that bring friendliness and comfort to visitors who go there.

Contact information: cappydave@msn.com or pweichmann@msn.com

(Malcolm Barr is a retired journalist – The Associated Press – who met the Morris couple at the Virginia Beer Museum on Chester Street, Front Royal. He, too, has an interest in horses – over a 21-year period, in partnership with others, he owned more than 100 Thoroughbred horses for racing and breeding, winning 132 races at mainly Eastern U.S. tracks).