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!

McCulley Spring Ride

Several LARA members enjoyed the Spring ride at McCulley Farms in March. This time of year, we never know what to expect... sometimes temps in the 30's and sometimes 80's. This year we sweated through several 85° days, topped off with lots of gnats and no-see-ums! Each night, rain threatened, but there was never more than a few drops, so the campfire was the center of activity. As always, it was a wonderful time and we appreciate the beauty of the McCulley Farm and the hospitality of the McCulley Family.

Click here to see pictures of the weekend!