WESTPORT - At the end of a long private driveway off Horseneck Road, a rider suddenly appears on a thoroughbred horse. The horse is Applause, one of the leading hunters in the United States. The rider is Jane Tuckerman, the daughter of the legendary horse breeder Millicent Tuckerman.

"If you write about the farm, you must write about the horses," Jane Tuckerman said, and just by Applause's friendly greeting, it's easy to see why. Although Ms. Tuckerman teasingly called Applause "useless," he is quite confident, perhaps aware of his accolades and his heritage.

Little Sunswick Farm is just the latest in a handful of historic gentlemen's farms to come on the market along this pristine stretch of Horseneck Road. In at least two cases, the sale follows the death of a long-time and well-known owner.

Jane Tuckerman's grandmother, Millicent, who passed away last December, had owned Little Sunswick Farm with her husband since the 1940s.

Quansett Farm, owned by the Almy family, sold for about $6 million this spring. The Howland estate, tucked away down a long private road, sold for about $5 million following the death of its owner.

While the white Colonial house at Quansett Farm can be seen from the road, most of the other properties are accessed by long private roads. Several of the families host a fox hunt in the fall, with thoroughbred horses galloping past hundreds of acres in search of a wily fox.

Little Sunswick Farm's owner, Mrs. Tuckerman, passed away in December 2003 at the age of 94. In her lifetime she won many awards for her thoroughbred horses. She was also known as an enthusiastic beagler, horticulturist and sportswoman. For many years, she held the women's record for tuna caught with rod and reel.

Her husband, the late Bayard Tuckerman, Jr., was one of the founders of Suffolk Downs in East Boston. When ground broke for this racecourse in 1935, it became the state's first major racetrack. At the same time, the Eastern Racing Association was formed with Mr. Tuckerman as its president.

At its height, Little Sunswick Farm was home to 85 horses — you can almost hear the echoes of past glories. Mrs. Tuckerman was named New England Thoroughbred Breeder of the Year three times with her horse, Rise Jim, who, for many years, held the record for winning the most races in New England.

There are other echoes here as well. Realtor William Milbury said Bette Davis reportedly stayed as a guest at Little Sunswick Farm. He also said Mr. Tuckerman was a friend of Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor, who abdicated so he could marry Wallis Simpson.

Untouched landscape

Along with the 14-room antique Colonial with five fireplaces, the property includes a 14-stall barn, a small house from the 1600s, a gatehouse and many small outbuildings. It is for sale for about $10 million.

Much of the appeal of this estate comes from the untouched landscape surrounding it. The views past the stone walls to the Westport River are as pristine as the pastoral scenes depicted in paintings in the Whaling Museum.

Stone walls run the great length of these farms along Horseneck Road. Along this whole stretch, there is a magnificent view of Buzzards Bay. For those who love this gorgeous land leading down to the ocean, it is reassuring to know most of it cannot be developed because its owners have had the foresight to place it under Agricultural Preservation Restriction.

Each one of these treasured places is steeped in history. Quansett Farm's origins date back to a land grant from the King of England. Its large, white Colonial house was built in the 1700s. Thoroughbred horses can often been seen here. Fortunately, the family gave many acres of marshland to Mass Audubon, which has an office in a small house by the side of the road.

Like Little Sunswick Farm, the Howland property, which was sold following the death of its owner last year, is set far back from Horseneck Road. This property is marked by a rambling Cape overlooking 24 acres of meadows and river frontage.

But Little Sunswick Farm, which the Tuckermans bought in the 1940s, is much more extensive. Its 170 acres, which also are under Agricultural Preservation, include about a half-mile of frontage along the East Branch of the Westport River. The yellow main house sits on a knoll, while in the fields down below, a neighbor's black Angus cattle graze, with permission, in the Tuckermans' pasture.

Mr. Milbury, who has handled the sale of all of these properties, said of Little Sunswick Farm, "It is unparalleled to get this kind of privacy."

Not far from the house is a quaint entrance gate with a sign, "Mitty's Refuge," leading to a half-acre of gardens. Mrs. Tuckerman's love of horticulture led her to plant many specimen trees, which are now aging gracefully. Among the many plants in a large courtyard are holly trees, trumpet vine climbing up the walls and boxwoods.

While this might all sound very quiet and pristine, it is clear from the photographs by one of the fireplaces — including one of Mrs. Tuckerman with one of her horses — and from the sounds of family members gathering in the house, that a full, rich life was lived here. Mrs. Tuckerman had four daughters, two sons, 12 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

With so much of Westport and Dartmouth suddenly becoming developed, at least in small pockets, it is reassuring that these owners made sure their land could not be disturbed. One can only hope that another horse lover, with an appreciation for the history and beauty of this place, will become the next steward of Little Sunswick Farm.

By Peggy Aulisio

paulisio@eastbaynewspapers.com