r.o. ranch equestrian park

We went on a moonlight horse ride at this park last week and it was great. The people who were in charge and did the right were very nice and the equestrian campground is nice and clean. Each site had two corrals for your horse and the sites were big enough for our 3 horse trailer and a tent. The sites are easy to get in and out of. There is a small obstacle course that we played in with the horses before the ride. Nothing fancy but fun. We were only there for the moonlight ride so I can't say much about the trails since it was dark,but what I could see looked good. We will be going back in a couple of weekends for the whole weekend.

September 20th the RO Ranch in Mayo, FL held a Harvest Moon Ride. My friend Jayne and her mare Sonata joined me and my Arabian mare Rain for a fun trail ride and campout. The ride started at 8PM, so we had plenty of time to set up our camp and settle the horses in their corrals. The campsites are terrific! They are spacious, and all pull throughs so no tight fitting sites that you have to back your rig into. The sites are also spread out, so you feel like you have your own little piece of the ranch just to yourselves and your horses. Each site comes with a fire ring, picnic table, and 2 horse corrals. You may also tie out your horses via high line, or high tie, and there is plenty of grass for the horses to enjoy a bit a grazing. The pipe corrals are 12x12 and loaded with sand, with a concrete footer on the outside perimeter, which prevents flooding and dirt from disappearing from the sites. All the sites are situated amongst trees, with some being in very secluded, private settings that are just beautiful. The bathhouse is very clean, well lit, and temperature controlled. The only thing that would make these sites absolutely perfect is if the horse corrals were bigger; maybe 12x24 or something like that. Jayne and I saddled up the horses early so we could play on the ranch's obstacle course, which is always fun. Little by little, riders started to gather at the visitor's center. As this was an organized ride, we had 2 trail bosses, Le-etta who rode one of the ranch's Appaloosa geldings, and "Chuck Wagon" who drove a mule vehicle ahead of the riders to insure safety. We had 25 riders show up and began our ride through the lovely woods, open grasslands, and swamp areas, which were magical looking with the moon reflecting in the dark waters. All the horses kept a very nice, brisk walk, so it wasn't like a lot of guided rides where you poke along. They are having another moon light ride in mid-October that we will definitely be going to that one, too! I highly recommend not only the organz

Stayed in the Panther Jim Lodge with two friends. We brought 3 horses with us and had an absolutely wonderful time! So many lovely SHADED trails to ride and lots of obstacles that were perfect for my very green Appaloosa. The house is super clean and comfy, and we thoroughly enjoyed the screened in porch and rockers out front. People at check-in were friendly and very helpful. I want to live in the lodge, it's that awesome! So glad something like this is close to home for me. I WILL be back!

Good grief, there's no way I can come up with one hundred words for all these. I am mainly just letting people coming in from out of town know of the 'good' things they can do while visiting this area.