This is way out, North on Dale Mabry, past Lutz Lake Fern Road. It is a quite large property, very…read morewell kept, quite lush & inviting. I was picking someone up, from their lesson & she swears by this stable. As a child I went to stables for many years, before finally getting my own horse. Just driving up, looking around & talking to a staffer, told a story. The grounds were great. Everthing, including barn appeared to be in good repair. Staffer was quite friendly & very knowledgeable. Horses out grazing were well nourished & groomed. What is it they say...happy horse, happy trails? My friend loves the patience & techniques she is being taught. She tells me how beautiful & serene the grounds are. They have horses for different levels of riders & as she progresses, all horses have been gentle, with good temperaments. Sounds like a perfect place for lessons or to go & enjoy your hobby of riding. I might just be back to give it a lope myself. What's a girl to do? Lush green pastures, beautiful horses, sounds like a great way to pass some me time.

Such a fun place to be! The instructors are kind, and challenge you to the best of your ability…read more Whether you are an advanced rider or just beginning , this is the stable to attend! I have absolutely loved walking on this beautiful property and being greeted with enthusiasm and smiles every time. Ruth Gimple Stable really has it all!

Lake Dan Preserve is a cool enough place to spend a bit of time. It gives us a glimpse of untamed…read moreFlorida and reminds us that before tourism and theme parks forever changed the landscape of the Sunshine State, Florida was wild and untamed. I enjoy seeking out these places when I am traveling for business. It is great to find these hidden gems. One of the great things about traveling for work are these discoveries. I seek them out and am better for finding them. I encourage you to check this place out and seek out these hidden gems whether in your travels or even right there in your community.

Lake Dan Preserve is hidden in the back of a neighborhood with no signs on Tarpon Springs Rd…read moreindicating it's existence. If I lived nearby I'd keep it that way because this Hillsborough county park was an unexpected find that I thought was a beaut. At first glance, a small parking lot, playground and pavilion isn't much. However, once on the hiking trail a nice boardwalk with benches goes over a large lake. I used a trail guide from a QR code that led me to a Hillsborough park website to help me navigate because most signs in the park are colored posts and colors on trees indicating the path the hiker is on. I didn't see any signs indicating where paths went or their distance once at the park When I visited Lake Dan Preserve, I went straight (over the bridge/boardwalk) and took the second left (the red trail) and a few feet down is a picturesque lake that would make a great back drop for photos or an amazing place to relax by a small pond. Turn right and go down the yellow trail and you can hike into neighbouring Lake Francis Preserve. I choose to vear off and hike the connecting blue trail. The blue trail goes down a gravel road into several large open pastures. I must've said this is gorgeous 15 times. A short time later the trail turns as the back side of Trinity starts to come into view in the distance. As the path continues, it leads to Lake Dan and a fishing pier. It's basically a shorter version of the park's entrance bridge looking out a vibrant and large lake. Birds, fish and some cows mooing in the distance makes the pier a nice place to relax. Although, I can't imagine hiking that distance to find it crowded. When I visited Lake Dan my car was the only one in the parking lot and I didn't see another person inside the park. I plan on visiting this preserve again as I thought some it's views we're nice enough to be back drops in movie scenes. It's wide open spaces and lack of people inside made it's trails an excellent place to enjoy a peaceful hike.

I've driven past Lake Francis Preserve many times and never knew it existed…read more After traveling down the main road, I parked in the open field parking lot and walked the rest of the way into the park through the pedestrian gate. Almost immediately after entering the park, I seen cows not far away from where I was standing. The rest of my walk consisted of me walking toward them (further into the park) and them turning around every few feet. Eventually we reached a large group of cows at the end of the road near a gate. At this point, most of the cows moved out of my way but a few bulls stared me down. I yelled at one that I thought was going to come toward me and it swung it's head and backed away. It turns out Lake Francis leases it's land to a cattle rancher and he/she left their gate open probably on purpose so the cows can roam freely. Essentially where all the cows ended up congregating and eat at is where hikers turn to continue on a primitive trail that connects to Lake Dan Preserve. I didn't see any signs indicating a turn and kept going straight over a fence and a wild boar saw me and took off into the woods, and snarled at me as I passed by. When I reached the cattle rancher's out post I realized I wasn't where I was supposed to be and ended up walking back. So you don't make the same mistake I did, click the QR code on the trail guide sign at the pedestrian gate when you walk into the park because signage is poorly marked after entry. The QR code populates a website that displays several trails, and explains how they differ by showing photos. The scenery of Lake Francis is very pretty but there isn't much to do besides stare at the cows and use the deteriorating road as a jogging path. Be mindful there isn't much shade and there lots or cow poop everywhere. When I return I'd like to hike the primitive trail that leads to Lake Dan Preserve to see what that's all about. If you haven't visited Lake Francis give it a try and experience this park for yourself and take in the quiet setting of it's pastures and animals. It's very different from other nearby parks and all the busyness of Tarpon Springs Road is non-existent.

I was excited when I found Lake Frances Nature Preserve as I hadn't noticed it before, so I decided…read moreto investigate it. What I found was a Horse park, mostly. The parking area is for trailer parking, and there is a 1.5 mile road, but no shade. You can hike, but be aware of the local wildlife as this is as primative as you'll get.

Best instructors, gentle horses. ideal to get youngsters started early. Very affordable as wellread more

Gypsy CaraVanners breeds Gypsy Vanner or Gypsy Cob Horses…read more All horses are registered with the GVHS. Stallion Services Available.

If you're looking for a great horseback riding experience, especially as a beginner, I recommend…read moreChoyce. We had Will as our guide and he was so kind and professional. He made sure we all understood what to do and guided us through the process without being overbearing. We were able to take in the gorgeous sites and just enjoy our time without having to worry about a thing! The only reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 is that the communication leading up to this event was a little rough. We had to reschedule a few times, due to storms and a couple in our party getting sick, and texts/calls were not answered in a timely manner. There was also some confusion about where to meet and what time and such. However, that did not derail the actual experience, which was lovely. I would recommend, just be aware that your communication attempts may go unanswered for a while.

Communication was superior when setting up the reservations and the day as it progressed…read more A very friendly and knowledgeable staff. They chose horses according to your abilities and acquainted you with them before riding. It was a scenic ride thru Green Swamp Wilderness and was enjoyed by all riders. We definitely would go again!!

My daughter has been to several WCM summer and winter camps and recently started regular lessons…read moreand participated in her first show, and we absolutely love it. The trainers are so knowledgeable, patient, and supportive, always putting safety first, but also get my daughter out of her comfort zone which has done so much for her confidence. Highly recommend!

West Coast Morgans is a great place for all things horse related! Riding, driving, camp, horse…read moreshows! The staff is outstanding, knowledgeable, relatable and fun to be around! The barn family at West Coast is supportive and tons of fun to hang out with at horse shows! You can't go wrong riding at West Coast Morgans !!

I started riding here when I was 10 years old and I am now about to be 20 and call this place my…read moresecond home. This barn and the people+animals here have helped me along every part of my journey from taking lessons as a timid young girl to competing at the World's Championship horse show in Louisville, Kentucky. It is an excellent place to begin your riding journey as there are people of all ages taking riding lessons for the very first time. Not only are the instructors amazing, but the barn family is made up of some of the best and kindest people I know who truly begin to feel like family. This is an excellent environment for you or your child to take lessons and makes moving up into the world of competition seamless if that is what you wish to do. Not to mention the barn and its surroundings are BEAUTIFUL! I would recommend Avalon a million times over.

I purchased a Living Social deal for a few horseback riding lessons for my daughter on a whim last…read moreAugust. She was just 4 at the time but loved horses and the website for Avalon said lessons start at age 5. I figured I would purchase the deal and use it after she turned 5, boy was I glad I purchased this deal! My daughter turned 5 in the first few weeks of December. We had our first lesson at Avalon just before Christmas. Lonna was my daughter's riding instructor for her first horseback riding lesson. Fun and engaging, Lonna made my daughter feel comfortable on top of the giant horse Evan she was riding. I might mention, my daughter is terrified of heights and Evan is impressively tall. Before riding Evan, my daughter was given the opportunity to groom a different horse with another riding instructor. She was shown how to brush, curry, and comb out the horses coat. She was also shown how to pick up and pick out the horses feet to get them ready to ride. After her first lesson she was hooked on horses and we signed up for a monthly lesson program. The staff, the facilities and the riding instruction is top notch. The Stables are always clean and the grounds are beautiful. The riding staff is trained in beginner to advanced riding techniques. They are welcoming, knowledgeable and friendly. We are happy to have found Avalon Stables for our daughter.

A Summer to Remember-5 Stars!…read more My child had the time of their life at the EYS summer camp! From start to finish, the experience was exceptional. The counselors were friendly and attentive, creating a safe and fun environment for all of the kids. The variety of activities kept them engaged and excited every day. We will definitely be coming back next year! Highly recommend!!!!!!

Scam! Signed up for summer camp for July 2026 and without any notice one week before we started but…read morehad already paid all dues upfront they said they were closing their doors via email after working hours. They have not returned any of my emails, they have not issued any refunds!