ARENA Clean Up - Getting Ready for the Hay Trailer

Members gathered at the LARA arena on May 18th to clean up the grounds and trim some trees. One of the membership perks is we have a hay co-op... current members are given the opportunity to participate in the program. A local hay grower delivers 600 bales of hay each month to fill member's pre-orders. We get the hay at a discount price and have a good supply as long as the weather cooperates. Its hard to believe that we can use that much hay in a month!

Presently the list is full and we cannot add any new customers. If you want to be on the waiting list, please contact Lisa Buchanan.

4th Annual Poker Ride was Chilly Fun

Nearly 60 riders participated in the 4th annual Poker Ride at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center! WOW! Members and friends showed up in droves on the cold breezy Saturday morning to ride the 6.5 mile trail and try their luck to win the $100 prize. Much of the trail wound through the piney woods and there were some ditches and creek crossings to navigate. The adventuresome riders opted for the "Danger Trail" which included some steep hills and a narrow winding path. All in all the route was fun and different from the normal "EC Trails."

When the last of the riders were coming back from the ride, the bad weather rolled in. Winds whipped to 30 mph and the temperatures dropped. While the wind was blowing our lunch plates away and the raffle prized were going everywhere, a light rain began to fall to add icing to the cake! Despite ALL this, most everyone stuck around to find out who won the poker hand and who would go home with the many great raffle prizes. Denise Umphress was the big winner and walked away with $100 cash. The beautiful baskets donated by a generous member werre won by Claire Kenyon and Traci Woodard.  Other prizes included gift certificates, candles, tack, books, T-shirts and so many other goodies that it is hard to name them all!!! Thank you SO much to the business sponsors and to the members who donated services, time and good will to make this ride a memorable event.

Our next BIG event will be the fall obstacle challenge... between now and then there will be many more fun weekends with LARA! Stay in touch to find out what we have on the agenda!

4TH ANNUAL POKER RIDE FEBRUARY 16

LARA's fourth annual Poker Ride is almost here! Make plans to join us on February 16th at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center for fun, food and prizes. Entry fee is $20 for non-members and $15 for members. Riders will enjoy the trails behind the equestrian center while searching for five buckets placed along the trail. After visitng all five buckets the riders will be dealt a hand of cards and some lucky person will win $100 for the best hand. There will be raffle prizes, lunch will be available and we will have lots of fun. For more info, email twoodard@stellar.net

Fall Obstacle Challenge !



Katrina & Simon show 'em how its done!



Slight mis-communication!

There was a nice turn out for the fall obstacle challenge. Two judges helped speed the day along and riders enjoyed some new and exciting obstacles. Thank you to the Kenyon's for allowing us to use their beautiful ranch and thank you to the people who worked to make this a success.

We had several photographers there and we appreciate them donating their time and services so that we can have pictures of the event. John Smith's photos will be available only thru Nov 17th.. so be sure to view and use the ones you want FOR FREE! Randy Harris's pictures will be posted at www.claycountysounder.com and will be free to access and download.  Click HERE for pictures of the winners!

Here are the pictures that Randy took.

and here are the pictures that John took!

LARA shares a day of horses with Keystone Heights Elementary 4th Graders!

Several LARA members spent the morning of October 24th with the fourth graders of Keystone Heights Elementary. As part of the Black Stallion Literacy Program, Lisa Buchanan & Jewel, Lyndel Hale & Ralph, Suzy Forbes & Tiny, Karen Bridges & Taj and Mike Woodard & Rusty shared interesting facts about their horse and breed with the easger kids. Smiling faces and interesting questions made the event so worthwhile. Some of the kids got to get their picture taken on Rusty, and the other horses put their best hoof forward to show off their talents.


Thanks to Ernie Thomas for helping transport horses and Jill York for taking pictures. And a big thank you to all the kids and staff at KHE that made our club feel welcome! Click here to see the pictures from this event!

FALL OBSTACLE CHALLENGE IS COMING SOON!

This is one of the favorite events for both the club and participants. Please make plans to join us at Kenyon Ranch in Middleburg on November 3rd for our fall obstacle challenge. Lots have things have changed since the spring challenge.  There will be two courses - one for in-hand and one for riders. Each course will have separate judges to speed things along. Pre-entry has its benefits, as you will get to pick the time you want to compete.  Also - if you pre-pay you get a free lunch! Now how can you beat that deal?

Also different this time - we will have awards for SIX places in all divisions. Everyone always works so hard and we want to recognize your efforts beyond first and second place. New obstacles too! Bubbles, water, bridges, yabba dabba do... it's all fun and we want you to join us!

Of course there will be good food and give-aways plus a raffle drawing for a very nice hand-made saddle rack, compliments of Bill Muller.

The LARA arena is set up with a nice assortment of obstacles. Current paid members are welcome to come and practice any time. We have lights so you can come after work and ride til bedtime! For those of you who want an intense practice session, the Woodard's will have a course set up on Oct 28th from noon until 4PM. Cost is $20 per person to practice ($10 for kids!). Contact Traci Woodard to sign up (limited to 20 participants.) (twoodard@stellar.net)

RAVINES UPDATE

We are happy to learn that SJRWM has decided NOT to declare the Ravines as "surplus" land to be disposed of. Thanks to everyone who contacted local officials to let them know that we dont want to lose this valuable asset used by the local equestrian community! Get out therre and enjoy our natural resources!

URGENT ACTION REQUIRED - RAVINES

At our September club meeting we discussed the possible sale of The Black Creed Ravines Conservation area. Yes - this is the beautiful little park that most of us enjoy quite frequently. It provides a nice network of trails and roads with some beautiful views along Black Creek. The two trail heads provide parking and a staging area for some of our events.

SJRM is considering deeming the Ravines as "surplus" propery and disposing of it (by sale or trade). Please long on to their website to learn more and BE SURE TO COMPLETE THE ON LINE USE SURVEY!!!

www.floridaswater.com/landassessment

A decision will be made December 11th.. PLEASE MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WE DONT WANT TO LOSE THIS PARK!!!!

Jennings Long Branch Trail Scouting Trip #2

Another adventure was enjoyed at Jennings LBT. Thanks to Rachel for leading the way. This trip was more productive with an experienced guide! Several members and guests set out to explore the new riding area at Jennings Forest. About 30 minutes into the ride the group encountered a creek crossing which proved diffucult for quite a few horses. I am told that after approximately an hour of hard work, all of the horses crossed the creek. The crossing was high-lighted by Rusty's imitation of The Man from Snowy River as he plunged free-style down am 8 ft tall embankment, crossed the creek, and joined his horsey friends, while Mike stayed on the other side to help motivate horses. This is not Rusty's first riderless adventure, and I am sure it won't be the last. This is why you shouldnt miss our trail rides!

Riders enjoyed the trails for several hours and then headed back to the parking area. The bugs weren't bad and everyone made it back alive. Some riders and horses got drenched in a rain storm that popped up just as they got back to the trailers... what luck! We are looking forward to developing this trail system so riders can ride on well marked trails and not worry about getting lost and crossing creeks in the dark (that was adventure of Day #2 - Sunday!) Please click here to see pictures of the scouting trip!

LARA Kicks OFF Riding Season at the Ravines

Once again we had an excellent turn out for our kick off picnic and trail ride. Members and guests gathered at the parking area of the Ravines. Riders enjoyed several hours on the trail without too many bugs and the creek was just right for a little de-sensitizing. After a good ride we enjoyed burgers and dogs, and of course some tasty water melon! Thanks to everyone for supporting the event, both in voluteering and participating!

Click here to see event pictures!

Fall Vet Day

Dr. Nauman proved vet services to club members at our fall vet day. Members enjoy special savings when they join the group vet day. Click here for pictures of the day!

LARA Arena Clean Up

WOW!!! The arena and grounds look FANtastic! Thank you members who participated... the weeds are gone, trees trimmed, grass mowed, fence boards tightened, rocks picked up and arena surface was smoothed out. Clay electric installed two new lights, so if you are a current paid member, you can come and use the arena (and round pen)  in the evenings when it's not so hot.

After a few hours of working, we sat in the shade and enjoyed horse tales and watermelon. If this sounds like too much fun to miss, please plan on attending the next arena maintenance day on October 13th... there are lots of boards that need to be painted! Click here to see pictures of our August arena maintenance.

LARA Kicks off the New Year!

Our new calendar year begins August 1st... the kids have gone back to school and we are dreaming of cooler weather so we can get out and enjoy riding and not sweating and swatting bugs. There are big plans for the new year. We have removed items from the calendar that were not supported by the membership. More trail rides and camp outs are planned. The equestrian neighborhood has come to expect our two big fund raisers each year - so we are looking forward to the obstacle challenge and poker ride, as well as a new function that will support our Friends of FL State Forests program. By springtime we plan to have the Jennings Long Branch trail marking project well under way and even have a fund raiser planned which will be staged at the new trail head!

Please support our club. We have great prizes and snacks at the monthly meetings and of course good fellowship. Come and learn what's new with the club and hear about the plans for upcoming events. Be a part of the bustle. Your energy brings life to our club. Don't just pay your membership for free hot dogs!! Get busy and participate!

July 4th Parade in Keystone Heights

LARA members and their horses (and donkeys!) did a fantastic job in the July 4th parade.  The horses behaved like old pros and it was nice to give the parade watchers a chance to meet our horses up close and personal. I think everyone appreciated the good ole fashioned idea of horses in the parade. Thanks to Carole & Crystal for making the patriotic breast collars and thanks to Lisa for the flag motif saddle blankets.. We looked like professional parade marchers! Apparently the press noticed us too.. as there have been articles and pictures in Clay Today and Jacksonville.com. Thanks to everyone for the team work and patriotic spirit that made our outing so grand! Click here to see some of the pictures from the parade! And here is the link to the pictures on Jacksonville.com . Do ya think we are proud... here are more pictures! Here is the grand finale of pictures.. thanks for capturing the whole parade!

Annual LARA Picnic

The weather was BEAUTIFUL for our annual picnic at Jennings Live Oak. The temperature was not too hot and there was a nice breeze all day.. which allowed the riders to enjoy a nice stroll in the forest.

Back at the picnic pavillion, burgers and dogs hit the grill and everyone brought side dishes to share. We had several new friends join us to see what LARA is all about, and I think they got a good impression. Hope to see some new members soon!

Click here to see the picnic pictures!

Jennings Long Branch Trails Exploration

Members hit the trail recently with compass and canteen to explore the new area of Jennings Forest. The trail head is located off Hwy 217 on Long Branch Road in Middleburg. It is nicely laid out with adequate parking for about 6-8 rigs and there are picnic tables, but no water or restrooms. Future improvements will hopefully include these amenities, and the club is registered with the "Friends" program, which will allow any funds raised to be designated for our specific area, rather than just general use.

Previously we explored with the rangers by truck. This was the club's first mounted outing. It seems like it will offer a variety of scenery and distances for riders to enjoy. We look forward to future exploration and development at the Jennings Long Branch Trails.

Click here to see pictures of the exploration!

Independence Day Parade in Keystone

LARA will be participating in the July 4th parade in Keystone Heights. Numerous members have expressed interest in showing off their parade horses, so we look forward to having a good turn out. Please contact Lisa Buchanan if you would like to participate. Special celebration T-shirts will be worn for the event, so please let us know ASAP so your shirt can be ordered! Celebrate our Independence and come ride in the parade!

Year End Picnic at Jennings Live Oak Trail Head

Join us on Saturday June 16th at the Live Oak entrance of Jennings Forest. LARA will hold our annual summer picnic and get together from 10AM - 2PM. Club will provide burgers, dogs, drinks, plates and cutlery. If you want to join us, please bring a side dish to share with other members. Please email or call Lisa Buchanan to RSVP. This will allow us to purchase the correct amount of food. Picnic pavillion is reserved for us and you are welcome to bring your horses and ride. Hopefully the rain will take a break and the bugs will be napping that afternoon! We hope you will make plans to attend this club event!

LARA Year Coming to a Close!

It has been a busy and fun-filled year. Our fund raisers for the past year (obstacle challenge and poker ride) were very successful and generated new interest in our club. We always enjoy opening up our membership doors to new folks who can add to our unique mix of skills and personalities! Elections are coming up. Watch your email for ballots and a member survey. Please take the time to complete both of these items and return to Lisa Buchanan. We are in the planning stages for next year's events, so if you have any suggestions or requests, please share them so we can accommodate your wishes. There are several volunteer opportunities with the road side clean up program and the trail marking efforts for the new Long Branch Trail in Jennings. LARA is now a proud member of the "Friends of FL State Forests" program and we look forward to making our mark on the trails here in North Florida! Help us make the upcoming year even better than the last one! We need and want your participation and suggestions!

Long Branch Horse Trails in Jennings Forest

Finally - after a year and a half - we got to ride with Rangers Frank and Beth to see the proposed horse trails in Jennings Forest. The rangers have been working on this project as time allows... between forest fires, re-assignments, and other duties. We were pleased with the route that has been mapped out. Most of it is on seldom-used older roads along shady corridors. Several areas follow the creek and are very scenic, and there are even a few small hilly areas.

We are encouraged to ride the trails by horseback (our scouting trip was by truck!) and get a true feel for the route. In about a month, Frank will submit the proposed route to Tallahassee for review and hopefully approval. After that, we will beging officially marking the trail. There are 3 loops varying in length from 2 to 8 miles. The trail head is already established and can hold about 8 trailers. There are picnic tables and a kiosk in place, but no water or restroom. We look forward to getting things under way on this project so we can have a new place to ride!

click here for pictures of the outing!