GRAY RIDGE FARM
WHERE TRADITION LIVES
Interview by Lindsay Hunter
Photography by Silvius James
Set against the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee, Gray Ridge Farm is a story of vision, tradition, and modern craftsmanship. Jocelyn McDonald, a lifelong equestrian with roots in both Virginia hunt country and Nashville, has brought her passion for horses and her natural eye for detail into every corner of the property. Together with her husband, Brandon, she imagined a space that would not only serve the daily needs of farm life but also reflect a lifetime of inspiration.
The barn quickly became the centerpiece—a structure that anchors the land while offering a glimpse into Jocelyn’s personal history. Inspired by the Breyer horse barn she played with as a child, the design balances functionality with a touch of whimsy, translating childhood dreams into real-world form. Inside, the tack room serves as the soul of the space: layered with family heirlooms, antiques collected over the years, and bold design choices that give it a distinctly personal character. The black-stained walls set an elegant stage for hunt prints, vintage finds, and the antique mantle inherited from her grandparents, making it a room that is as much about memory and heritage as it is about horses.
Gray Ridge Farm is more than a working property; it is a reflection of a lifestyle deeply rooted in tradition yet open to creativity. In every detail—from the layout of the pastures to the textures in the tack room—Jocelyn and Brandon have created a farm that feels both timeless and alive, a place where equestrian living is celebrated daily.
We sat down with Jocelyn to hear more about the inspiration behind Gray Ridge Farm, her memories growing up in Virginia, and what it has been like building a dream property in Tennessee.
Photo by Brandon McDonald
Tell me about the name of your farm.
We call our property “Gray Ridge Farm.” We are located in the rolling hills of middle Tennessee where the terrain varies from wide open green spaces to hills to rocky limestone ridges and deep forests. We have a little bit of everything here, and wanted to keep the name of our farm simple and descriptive of the actual earth and rocks, but also with a little nod to a gray fox family that lives in our woods.
You grew up riding horses in a seaside town in Virginia. What was it like growing up there, and how did that coastal upbringing shape who you are today?
Although I was born in Nashville, I mostly grew up in a tiny waterfront town on the Northern Neck Peninsula in Virginia called Irvington. The waterways there are part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and create many beautiful coves and inlets off of the Rappahannock River. My dad also grew up there, and our family used to own The Tides Inn resort on Carter’s Creek. I would absolutely call it a “charmed” childhood. My two younger brothers and I were lucky enough to walk the line between elegant events and amenities of a country inn, and the rural Virginia lifestyle of boating, fishing, gardening, raising ducks and chickens and playing out in the woods for hours on end. And of course, just like my mother, I was always a horse girl. We had a few horses at home with a little three-stall shed row barn. We took lessons together, did a little showing, a lot of trail riding, and eventually my mom met a guest at the Inn who introduced her to fox hunting. She capped once and was hooked, so naturally when I was about nine-years-old, she brought me along (once I swapped out my pony for one who did not like to buck me off) and I grew to love it too!
You spent a lot of time in Middleburg and grew up fox hunting. What drew you to that tradition, and what memories from those years still inspire you now?
In Virginia, I was so fortunate to ride with several different hunts, and even was a junior whip for a while. We were a far cry from Northern Virginia, but as soon as I discovered Middleburg via some other hunting friends, I could not keep myself away! In the early 2000’s my family sold the Tides Inn, and we moved to Brentwood, TN so my mom could be near her family while she attended Vanderbilt Nursing School. I started high school there and got my drivers license before we moved back to Virginia in 2005- I was hauling horses as soon as possible and driving back up to Middleburg as soon as I figured out how to map it! I eventually got into lower level eventing, and prioritized horse trials in that vicinity when I could. I was in love with the design, style, shops and layout of the town before I could even articulate what drew me there. Yes, it is horses, but I think the energy goes beyond that too. There is an old English style of organization and elegance that emulates from every town corner and back road. It’s pleasant and calming and inspiring all at once- I’d like to bottle it right up!
When you and your husband found this land in 2020, what made you feel, this is the place for your dream property?
I moved back to Nashville in 2011 after college, and eventually met my now husband, Brandon. He is a real estate investor and contractor and had recently purchased 25+ acres in Nashville just north of the city with a little farm house he was rehabbing. Originally from Colorado, Brandon is an avid outdoorsman and bow hunter, and was also interested in setting that property up for horses. I was sold! We lived at that farm together for about 8 years, building on it slowly, adding a small 2 stall barn and a little arena as well as cutting trails. It was quite the oasis in the city, and a truly special home set back in the woods, but the topography limited the number of animals we could easily keep as well as improvements we could make to the property. Additionally, as Nashville grew, the traffic did too, and we became increasingly curious about areas farther outside of the city. I had gotten back into fox hunting here in Tennessee, and was driving south to Lynnville once or twice a week, so land in that direction that would also have me closer to my family in Brentwood and Franklin became appealing. Brandon’s interest in archery and bow hunting was growing as well, and he loved the idea of a bigger, flatter property with a mix of fields and trees. I had gotten my real estate license some years earlier, and set us up on some searches within our parameters and acreage requirements. We were willing to rehab an existing house and/or barn if the farm fit the bill, but we both agreed that starting from scratch with a blank slate would be ideal. In the summer of 2020, thirty-five acres in an area we loved came on the market, and we drove down to see it that day. It was very wooded, and pretty overgrown, but we were both immediately struck by the beauty of the land, the variation of the meadows and the forest, the wildlife and the natural springs in some parts. The mostly flat parcel was perfect for laying out pasture and barn plans, but right about at the center, a slightly increased grade to the land presented the perfect future homesite overlooking the farm. We were both equally excited, put in an offer and closed on the land that fall.
Photo by Georgina Preston
You and your husband designed and built the barn yourselves—how did your combined skills as a realtor and contractor influence the way you approached both the function and beauty of the barn?
When we were beginning the planning and design of the barn, we knew it would be the heart and soul of the property, and we did not take the task lightly. As a Realtor and a life-long equestrian, I had culminated some ideas from the many barns and farms I had toured, lived on and used over the years, and I knew we needed a facility that, while beautiful, was absolutely functional. We intended to include a living space in the barn as well, giving us the opportunity to move to the property and really get to know it before ultimately building a house. Brandon being a builder and contractor is extremely experienced with designing layouts, planning for proper drainage and has a wealth of structural knowledge that really came in handy. Sun tracking and weather apps helped us learn about the way sunrises and sunsets, wind and weather would move in during different times of the day and throughout the year. That was very helpful in planning the orientation of the entire structure. We would have still hired out the build to an actual barn building company, but in 2021-2022, the farm and land market was booming here, and we struggled to find a builder that didn’t have a wait list many months to over a year out from being able to start. Ultimately we decided to take on the build ourselves, and use Brandon’s team of subcontractors and contacts for materials.
You’ve said that the barn was inspired by a Breyer horse barn you had as a child—can you tell me about that memory and how it shaped the vision for your dream property?
Though we handled the build ourselves, we did have the blue prints drawn up with a local barn builder called Summertown Metals. They did a fantastic job of bringing my design idea to life, which is so special to me as I based the overall look on a monitor-style Breyer barn I had as a little girl. I had quite the collection of model horses, fences, and equipment, and had set up an entire farm-scape in my bedroom. I supposed that’s where I first started dreaming up my ideal equestrian property, like so many little horse girls do. I even had doll house furniture arranged in the toy barn loft to create an apartment for my Breyer people. Getting to create that in real life has been nothing short of a dream come true, and I am grateful every day for the opportunity to build upon it.
The tack room started with an antique mantle you’d been holding onto for years. Can you share the story of how you acquired it and why it’s so meaningful to you?
Just as the barn is the heart of the farm, to me the tack room is that epicenter of the barn itself. I knew I wanted the space to be very usable, but also cozy and easy to spend time relaxing in after a ride or having a drink with friends. I had recently inherited an antique fireplace mantle from my grandparents in Virginia and felt strongly that I wanted to incorporate that into the room somehow. This piece is especially precious to me because I found it with my grandparents while visiting them in the Bahamas when I was a junior in college. It had been sitting on a trash pile outside of a house being renovated on the island, and I spotted it on a golf cart ride. It was strikingly intricate, but a beautifully simple light wood I thought was too pretty to see burned up, so I immediately went to tell my grandmother about it. She was just as excited as I was, and my grandfather drove us back in the get-a-way-golf-cart to “heist” it! (Don’t worry- we did ask the owners for permission, and they told us to pick our hearts out, because anything on that pile was going to be burned!) That mantle sat in their Bahamas house for a few more years until they sold it, and then it moved into their Virginia home where it remained until they had both passed away. At that point, it came to live with me, and instantly became the perfect focal point for the tack room. Not only does it evoke that perfect cozy, homey experience I was hoping for, but it represents a cherished memory of my grandparents. And even though they are gone, and I won’t get to show them what we have built, I feel like I have a little piece of them here with me. I treasure that right down to the ring stains from their drinks that once rested on the mantle top.
You’ve collected pieces for years—family heirlooms, gifts from friends, antiques. What was the process like bringing all these elements together “like a puzzle” to create this space?
I have been collecting equestrian art and decor for many years, which actually began when my family sold the hotel. There were so many beautiful old hunt prints that had hung there, and with the new owners changing the decor, my mom and I picked through a lot of it and kept those pieces in our home for years. Some of them hang in my tack room now, while other pieces I found at antique stores, estate sales and on eBay, Etsy and bespoke shops like Hart Equestrian. It’s a big mix of antiques, originals and reproductions, and I have so enjoyed adding to and moving the “puzzle pieces” around to enhance the mood. Some of the other most special pieces include a set of hunt prints and a matching card table my mother-in-law gifted me, a vintage fox candle stick that came from my maternal grandparents’ home in Brentwood, TN, and the gorgeous old wardrobe where I keep my tweeds and hunt jackets that a fox hunting friend gave me when she moved home to Kentucky. The two leather chairs in the center of the room are Ralph Lauren, sourced on Craigslist, believe it or not, and my dad found the zebra hyde pillows at a taxidermy shop in Texas. It’s quite special that the way the whole collection has grown, and I really take joy in building on it.
One of the boldest design choices you made was the black-stained plywood walls. How did you land on that decision, and what made it work so well for your space?
The decision to paint the walls black actually came to me in the early stages of planning while I was scrolling through equestrian design ideas on Pinterest. I saw a picture of someone’s bit collection hanging in a case against a black wall with a lighter wood trim that was very similar to the wood on my mantle. I found it to be so interesting and elegant, with just a hint of some gothic drama that I love. Additionally, my dad had given us the brilliant suggestion to use a high quality plywood on all of the walls so that we could hang saddles, tack, and virtually anything we wanted anywhere at any time. With the wood grain and the trim-work that Brandon added, the black paint we chose (Farrow and Ball “Off-Black”) absolutely ignited the textures, while still keeping the colors simple enough to design around. It’s funny that a black room feels so cozy and peaceful, but the art and warm elements like the brass saddle racks and the hunt scene wall paper in the half bath really seem to help lighten things up.
“Farmland and greenspace are disappearing at an alarming rate, and I really think that any passion that allows us to exist with animals and experience the outdoors mitigates that.”
-Jocelyn McDonald
You’ve included a little western corner and an antique wardrobe for your hunt coat collection—what inspired those details, and do they connect to different parts of your equestrian life?
Because I really can’t help but want it all, I dedicated a corner of the room to my western tack and cowboy decor. I’ve been primarily an English rider all of my life, but do dabble in the western world on occasion, and have learned a great deal from the horsemanship community in our area. One day, I hope to be much more proficient as a cowgirl (especially now that I have some pet cows), but until then I want to keep my gear safe, even when I’m not using it as much as the rest. Brandon and I each have a western saddle, and I have a few different headstalls for my horses, along with the proper boots and chaps. I hung two prints from my favorite western artist, Mark Maggiori, above the saddles, and also added an intricately carved cow skull. I tried to blend all of these elements over from the armoire that holds my hunting clothes so that it flowed from one thing to the next without being an abrupt change. The door to the outside of the barn then provides a natural divide between the western saddles and my more frequently used English tack.
What is daily life like here—raising your family above the barn, caring for the horses, the land, even the chickens?
Life on the farm is a lot of hard work, but it’s the best kind. I feel very satisfied at the end of most days after caring for the animals and compounding on whatever project Brandon and I have going. It’s become even more fulfilling now that we have a toddler we get to see grow up here. He’s a farm boy through and through, and loves to help feed the horses and cows, wrangle the chickens and walk the dogs in the woods with me. I can’t wait for the day we can ride together, and I’m sure there will be some other tack room updates at that point with some tiny boots and saddles. Until then, we continue to enjoy daily life above the barn where we can look out at all we have built so far. The next big ticket item in the works is building our forever house on the hill, which we are thrilled to have coming down the pipeline soon.
You’ve said you want to inspire people to care for their land and create their own special equestrian spaces. What does that lifestyle mean to you, and how do you hope to pass it on to your children?
I am so honored to have the opportunity to share about our farm and the place we are creating. I do hope it inspires others to create their own equestrian dream spaces, whether that is on a big or little farm, or simply a spot in their home, because I really believe an interest in this sport and this lifestyle is what will keep it alive for future generations. Farmland and greenspace is disappearing at an alarming rate, and I really think that any passion that allows us to exist with animals and experience the outdoors mitigates that. So to anyone who has this on his or her heart, or dreams of building a barn or just a special equestrian room- jump in and do it! Gather items that make you happy, pictures or pieces of tack from beloved horses, family heirlooms or childhood toys; because even if you decide to hire a professional designer to help you hone your vision, all of that can play a huge part in bringing your happy place to life.
Gray Ridge Farm is more than a property—it’s a reflection of heritage, family, and a lifelong love of horses. Jocelyn’s vision reminds us that even the smallest inspirations, like a childhood toy barn, can grow into spaces that embody both beauty and purpose.
Connect with Jocelyn McDonald on Instagram at @jocmaguire or by email at Jocsellsnashville@gmail.com.
Photography by Silviusjames.com