With the opening of Travelda Farm, an equestrian center with 36 stalls and an indoor arena, the Burland family has tapped into one of the Lehigh Valley's fastest-growing agricultural niche markets.

The complex crowns a historic 47-acre property overlooking a trout stream in the quaint village of Pleasant Valley in Springfield Township, Bucks County.

When fully functional, Bill Burland said, it will support two main revenue streams: one from breeding Arabians, the other from horse boarding.

"It's a hobby that makes money," Burland, a retired telecommunications executive, said of breeding. Indeed, a top-notch Arabian can fetch tens of thousands of dollars.

Boarding, he explained, is the "enabler." In other words, the breeding side of the business will make use of the boarding side's facilities.

"You have to have scale," he said.

Evidence of the region's growing demand for horse-related products and services abounds.

Rodney Schlauch, owner of Germansville Feed & Farm Supply, said sales of horse feed have grown steadily in recent years, helping to offset declines in other areas.

"It's a major part of our business," he said.

Loren Keim , a real estate broker who specializes in equestrian properties, noted that the population of horses in eastern Pennsylvania has increased in recent years even as agricultural land has been consumed by development.

"As more land is taken up by houses, people need to find a place to put their horses," he said.

Statewide, the equine industry generates revenue of more than $1 billion a year, according to a 2003 study by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The study found that over the previous decade the population of horses in the state had grown 27 percent, to 216,000.

The Burlands moved from New Jersey to Pleasant Valley in 2001 for the very purpose of pursuing equestrian activities.

Bill Burland grew up raising show dogs, a hobby he continues today. But his primary interest shifted to horses after his two daughters became competitive equestrians.

"When the kids got into horses, it was a very easy transition," he said.

From the start, Travelda Farm was conceived as a family affair. Burland's oldest daughter, 25-year-old Kelly, who has a full-time job at a local real estate agency, has the title of breeding manager. His younger daughter, 19-year-old Katie, who is in college, helps to care for the horses on weekends.

The family also has hired a full-time barn manager and expects to employ three more people when the stable is fully occupied. (Since the stable opened on Jan. 19, half of the 36 stalls have been booked.)

At Travelda Farm, a horse stall rents for $650 a month, which covers feeding, basic care and access to the arena. That's on the high end of the range of rates in upper Bucks County; the Burlands are aiming for an upscale clientele.

The stable and arena are built of handsome board-and-batten wood siding. Amish craftsmen did the work.

The facility has numerous amenities, including an alarm system with panic buttons and wall-mounted speakers wired to a central music system. Each stall has its own fan.

The arena is 170 feet long and 80 feet wide. Its footing (the floor) is a layer of sand atop a sublevel of stone dust.

"Having this, we can train all winter long and be competitive in the spring," Burland said.

All told, Burland said, he and his wife, Lisa, have pumped $1 million into the project. That includes the cost of several brood mares.

"We've tried to do it the right way. I don't think we've cut any corners," he said.

sam.kennedy@mcall.com

610-820-6517

Travelda Farm

What: An equestrian center

Where: The village of Pleasant Valley in Springfield Township, Bucks County

Owners: The Burland family

Phone: 610-346-9635

Interesting fact: Bill Burland, who launched Travelda Farm with his wife and two daughters, is allergic to hay.