Kathy2m
Well-Known Member
We went to the first annual Southern Ride and Drive last week end at Gloria Austins Florida Carriage museum and resort in Weirsdale Fl. just south of Ocala. Those of you down here in Florida who have always wanted to go to the National Drive this is the next best thing.
You drive in to beautiful fountains in the small lakes at the entrance. Plenty of room to park while you get your stall and room accomodations. You can stay right on the property, there are several different accomodations from a 1 room efficiency to a 4 bedroom lodge with swimming pool and fireplace. Some are attached right to the barn you have stalls in or within walking distance. We had a sm. cottage. 1 bedroom, living rm. with a pull out couch, full kitchen and dining area. 110.00 a night regular rate, they give you a 30 % discount. Because no one had rented the one closer to our barn they moved us into that one. It was a little bigger and they didnt charge us any more for it. We brought our food so we saved even more, having the kit. to prepare our meals.
They did safety checks, just like the ND, you had 400 ac. to drive on and hazards, cones and a dressage ring to use. You could take a lesson with several great clinicians. You could get a lesson with Glorias staff with your horse or theirs, even a pair or 4 in hand. I had a lesson with Barry Hunter (the cones king) and Scott Adcox for help with hazards. All I can say is wow, Abby and I had 2 great lessons, Scott helped me get Abby's hind up under herself and smoothing out my runs in the hazards. Barry incorporates cones and dressage, within 30 minutes he had us doing a ziz zag set for advanced with just closing my fingers. Abby and I are at training level, it was awesome. Not to mention I love to hear his British accent
. If I had more money to spend I would have had more lessons with others there.
Friday night was a wine and cheese meet and greet sponsored by one of the drivers there, Sat. night was a BBQ bonfire dinner for 14.00 that was excellent, the best double choc. fudge brownies I ever ate. We all sat under these beautiful grand oak trees on picnic tables conversing until well past dark. Every morning there was coffee and donuts/muffins at 7:30 to get your day started.
Then there was the driving...............you have what I call Bridle paths between all the paddocks to drive on, lots of paved roads if you prefer those and an old racetrack that for those of us here in Fl. where there are no hills to work our horses on you could go up and down the embankment where the track used to be. Wonderful work for Abbys stifle. There are beautiful statues of may things, like deer, cougars all the things Abbys thought were there just to scare her. Harvey (from Journeys End Carriage) told us to go out into the woods to drive its cooler there, we never made it that far this time just too many other things to do. The museum is incredible a ticket for it is included in your packet. Seminars were offered for various subjects. Sat. they offered a carriage parade, which we were in. Sunday a cones challenge, did that too.
What can I say about the staff, they were the BEST! Always ready to help with ANYTHING. All these were free. Sunday came too fast for me, it was a wonderful time with great people and made new friends.
Here is a link to the photographer who was there. My pictures are under Kathy Russell they are of the carriage parade, and cones challengeVisit My Website
You drive in to beautiful fountains in the small lakes at the entrance. Plenty of room to park while you get your stall and room accomodations. You can stay right on the property, there are several different accomodations from a 1 room efficiency to a 4 bedroom lodge with swimming pool and fireplace. Some are attached right to the barn you have stalls in or within walking distance. We had a sm. cottage. 1 bedroom, living rm. with a pull out couch, full kitchen and dining area. 110.00 a night regular rate, they give you a 30 % discount. Because no one had rented the one closer to our barn they moved us into that one. It was a little bigger and they didnt charge us any more for it. We brought our food so we saved even more, having the kit. to prepare our meals.
They did safety checks, just like the ND, you had 400 ac. to drive on and hazards, cones and a dressage ring to use. You could take a lesson with several great clinicians. You could get a lesson with Glorias staff with your horse or theirs, even a pair or 4 in hand. I had a lesson with Barry Hunter (the cones king) and Scott Adcox for help with hazards. All I can say is wow, Abby and I had 2 great lessons, Scott helped me get Abby's hind up under herself and smoothing out my runs in the hazards. Barry incorporates cones and dressage, within 30 minutes he had us doing a ziz zag set for advanced with just closing my fingers. Abby and I are at training level, it was awesome. Not to mention I love to hear his British accent
Friday night was a wine and cheese meet and greet sponsored by one of the drivers there, Sat. night was a BBQ bonfire dinner for 14.00 that was excellent, the best double choc. fudge brownies I ever ate. We all sat under these beautiful grand oak trees on picnic tables conversing until well past dark. Every morning there was coffee and donuts/muffins at 7:30 to get your day started.
Then there was the driving...............you have what I call Bridle paths between all the paddocks to drive on, lots of paved roads if you prefer those and an old racetrack that for those of us here in Fl. where there are no hills to work our horses on you could go up and down the embankment where the track used to be. Wonderful work for Abbys stifle. There are beautiful statues of may things, like deer, cougars all the things Abbys thought were there just to scare her. Harvey (from Journeys End Carriage) told us to go out into the woods to drive its cooler there, we never made it that far this time just too many other things to do. The museum is incredible a ticket for it is included in your packet. Seminars were offered for various subjects. Sat. they offered a carriage parade, which we were in. Sunday a cones challenge, did that too.
What can I say about the staff, they were the BEST! Always ready to help with ANYTHING. All these were free. Sunday came too fast for me, it was a wonderful time with great people and made new friends.
Here is a link to the photographer who was there. My pictures are under Kathy Russell they are of the carriage parade, and cones challengeVisit My Website
