Destin has a lot to offer, and although its beaches are world-famous and its seafood delicious, there are hundreds of hidden treasures in the surrounding area of Northwest Florida that yield for fun adventures, day trips and weekend getaways. This column which will be featured on Wednesdays, will follow the wanderings of reporter, Savannah Chastain, and explore the many opportunities in Destin’s surrounding area. I invite you to explore with me Beyond Destin.
When I was young I thought of horseback riding as and adventure of the Wild West. I thought of ranchers and slow-paced days in the sun and I secretly wished I could live on a farm just so I could take long galloping rides on a horse at night.
I never did own a horse or live on a farm, but when my husband and I ventured to Arnett’s Gulfside Trail Rides this weekend all of those nostalgic feelings I had as a kid came rushing back.
Arnett’s is just what you would expect of a horseback riding ranch. A large open barn with seven stalls along each side houses 15 Tennessee Walkers, a strong and lean horse bred especially for horseback riding. When not being ridden on the trails, the horses are allowed to roam in the pastures, two of which surround the barns. Three miniature horses and a miniature donkey also graze the pastures offering their friendly noses to visitors and hoping to find a juicy apple.
Owner Karen Arnett and her husband Tom live on the property and oversee the horseback riding, R.V. camping and events that are held on the ranch. Co-owner and business partner, Chris Findley takes the lead in most of the trail rides and today Chris was our guide, gearing up five horses for an hour-long trail ride through the Point Washington State Forest.
After a brief introductory lesson on how to hold the reigns correctly, guide the horses and ride in a saddle, I mounted a black horse named Jose Jose. As it turns out, Jose Jose or Ho Ho for short was the most good-natured and well behaved horse in the group. My husband’s horse however, a spirited three-year-old named Lucky had the tendency to munch grass and walk at his own pace leaving him behind the pack for most of the ride.
Once we headed out on the trail the horses instinctively formed a line and had no problem following the leader, (well except absent-minded Lucky who needed to be coaxed every so often). During the ride, Chris informed us of local plant life, the extensive forest property and facts about the horses and the trail-ride business.
It was a very relaxing ride, the wind blew through the pines causing a pleasant rushing water sound, and we learned that the ocean was less than a mile from the farm. Unfortunately, riding on the beach is not permitted in Walton County, so we stuck to the forest trails. Chris explained that customers call to request beach rides so often that he’d be a multi-millionaire if it were permitted.
We had a young birthday girl on our trip, so to make the ride more interesting Chris taught us all how to trot. Here is where I learned I am not a natural horse rider. Trotting is a jog-like gait for a horse so instead of the slow methodical walking we had been doing we started a faster and bouncier gait. The first time we tried trotting, I almost bounced right out of the saddle. My feet fell from the stirrups and I held onto the reigns so tightly that my horse stopped in its tracks. I then remembered our lesson in the beginning of the ride that pulling back on the reigns means halt; my poor confused horse!
The second time we tried the trot I did much better. Chris had given me some pointers and tightened my stirrups so I didn’t bobble quite as much, but I still found myself grabbing hold of the saddle horn to keep steady. I definitely need more practice.
When we arrived back at the farm we dismounted and explored the property. There was a little shop on the grounds called the Boot Shop which had a wonderful array of fancy cowboy boots, cowboy hats and western jewelry for sale. There was a new event barn that Karen dubbed the Tack Room that offered a spacious area for wedding receptions or gatherings with a clean yet rustic western motif. Also on the grounds was a smaller screened in pavilion available for birthday parties or smaller events.
For campsite, Arnett’s has 16 R.V. hook-ups, restrooms and showers and even wireless internet for guests. And of course, being a horse ranch, Arnett’s offers stalls for visitors traveling with horses upon reservation. So whether you are an experienced rider or a novice like me, giddy on up to Arnett’s and enjoy a leisurely afternoon ride in the Florida sun.
WANNA GO?
Arnett’s Gulfside Trail Rides is located at 613 County Hwy 393 South, in Santa Rosa Beach.
Trail rides are $50 per person for an hour long ride and short lesson. For more information visit https://sites.google.com/site/arnettgulfside/home or call 208-3114.