Outdoors

A true trail riding experience, Thouvenel Stables is located at the entrance of Margaritaville Lake Resort where you can take a 45-50 minute ride on horseback.

SD New Horizons specializes in training horses and riders. A popular service for Lake locals are the once-a-week lessons available at their facility.

rup and get on by themselves. She noted they have many first-time riders, as well as guests that have horseback riding on their bucket list.

“We meet so many great people and love making memories with them,” Karna said. The trail ride is 45-50 minutes long and most of it is through the shade in the timber, so it makes for a great ride even during hot summer months.

“When I started Thouvenel Stables the resort asked me if I could incorporate pony rides. So, I did and that’s been a big hit! We offer pony rides for ages three to six and those take place in our barn lot in the enclosed area. We lead the li’l cowgirls and cowboys around in the barn lot. It is such a neat transition to see our littles ride at ages three to six and on that last year of the pony ride be so excited that their next vacation they will be seven years old and be able to go out on the ‘big trail.’ We have first time customers, we have returning customers, we have friends that come to ride with us because they were married at the resort 20 years ago and rode horses then and want to ride again for their anniversary. Our guests are the best!”

She reiterated that when she opened the stables back in 2014, the resort was called Tan-Tar-A. Since then, her stables are now at the same location in Osage Beach, but the resort is now called Margaritaville Lake Resort. She explained that since the transition, her business has changed for the better.

“We have a lot more traffic from not only locals, but people vacationing to come stay at the resort. Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake of the Ozarks is so family oriented and the staff at the resort are so friendly,” she said.

After your ride, Landshark Bar & Grill is a great place to eat with a beautiful Lake view along with a License to Chill Bar & Grill plus Margaritaville Coffee Shop. There is a wide array of activities all in this one location. In addition to horseback riding, people can enjoy Master Mini Golf, Fin City Bowling, Jolly Mon Indoor Water Park, pontoon boat rentals, tennis and much more.

Thouvenel Stables has a great team this season, and they strive to make your ride an amazing experience. Their theme is “life is better on a horse.” Karna truly believes it is therapeutic. A teacher at Morgan County R-2 school and her career owning the stables works perfectly with her teaching profession. The stables are open weekends only in the spring season until Memorial Weekend and then they roll into seven days a week until mid-August, going back to weekends until September-October.

SD New Horizons Ranch, Linn Creek

Sarah Fields has been riding and around horses her whole life. She has a passion for not only training horses but helping horse and owner work together to form a strong working relationship. As the owner and operator of SD New Horizons Ranch in Linn Creek, she offers a top-notch boarding and training facility for all riders of all ages and skill levels to enjoy. She also hosts summer camps, and special events throughout the year.

One-time trail rides are not available but Sarah says she offers weekly, one-hour beginners lessons which are popular. The ranch currently has a wide variety of services from training horses for the public, working with problem horses, riding lessons for all ages and skill levels, horse boarding and also hosts the Lazy Lopers 4-H Club Horse Club. They feature shelters in every pasture, heated wash racks, no barbed wire fences but only white vinyl or electric tape fencing. Owners are on site 24/7 to watch horses boarded with them.

Sarah will be training under world-renowned horse trainer and clinician, Clinton Anderson, in Arkansas for seven weeks this summer. When she returns in August, she will offer weekend clinics, horse training, lessons and more thanks to her improved set of skills.

“Whether you are looking to start riding, improve your skills, get into the show ring, have a horse trained or a special family-friendly boarding atmosphere, we have you covered,” she said.

Missouri Forget Me Not Horse Rescue And Sanctuary, Unbridled Equestrian Center, Linn Creek

Connie Hendrix-Jones had been rescuing horses for about 15 years before she decided to turn it into a nonprofit. When the expenses and number of horses being brought to her became too much, with the help of Donna Ogle, they opened the Missouri Forget Me Not Horse Rescue and Sanctuary in Linn Creek in 2011.

Donna and Connie were aware of the many horses in the surrounding communities that were unwanted and in distress due to many different reasons, and there was no place for them to safely go. With the help of many loyal volunteers, they have been able to help over 800 horses throughout the years.

“We were always geared to helping horses that were abused, neglected, homeless and unwanted, so our commitment was to step in and take these horses, give them a healthy and better life, and adopt them to pre-approved homes whenever possible,” Connie said.

That goal has continued through the years with a horse population of around 180 at this time, including over 100 that are 20-plus years of age with various disabilities and unrideable.

“We have always been supported by donations and an occasional grant which allows us to continue doing what we love,” she said. “We are proud of the fact that we do not discriminate by age, health or breed. We are a true rescue and sanctuary.”

Several local businesses help support the cause including Kelly’s Port Marina which gives them a percentage of gas sales every Memorial Day weekend, helping sponsor three to four permanent residents at the facility.

The Unbridled Equestrian Center (UEC) is a facility that was donated about two years ago by a local resident who wanted to make a difference in the lives of these horses. The 34,000-square-foot facility has a number of 17 x 12-foot padded stalls with large turnouts in each stall. There is an indoor and outdoor riding arena for different events, and a grain storage area, large equipment workshop, and feed room for preparing various “recipes” for horses with special feeding requirements. The center also has a fullequipped kitchen, dining room, meeting room, viewing room, bathrooms and a large entry to showcase the facility.

“We are beyond blessed and grateful to be the recipient of this generosity, which also included an additional 42 acres, a new hay barn, new pipe fencing, new six-horse trailer, Chevrolet diesel truck, Kubota Trac Loader, manure spreaders, etc. All of this was a gift to us so we can continue to care for unwanted or injured horses.”

The organization still needs help to purchase feed, hay, medical supplies and pay for veterinary expenses and supplements to keep the horses in tip-top shape.

Still in the planning stages, a future program will be offered under the name “Hope Rides On.” This program is designed to assist and benefit children and adults with various disabilities.

The Forget Me Not Horse & Rescue Sanctuary provides homes to abused, neglected and unwanted horses. The public can schedule a visit to see the horses and tour the facility.

Old Family Farm Trail Rides, Macks Creek

Chris Jamison and her husband, Phil, are passionate about mustangs. They moved to the Jamison Family Farm in Macks Creek in April of 2013 which has been in his family for close to 160 years. After the move, they began looking for jobs and wondering how to feed their horses.

“We had 120 acres of rocks and trees, not much pasture and it came with nine horses, so feeding them was going to cost a lot. Someone living on the property when we moved in had been working at the Lake of the Ozarks State Park as a trail guide for Homestead Stables. He suggested that we could run a guided trail ride business here on our property and it would do very well,” Chris explained. “He knew the guided trail ride business, I had the horses, so we could both benefit from starting this business. We knew we would need to have more horses which was no problem as I have worked with the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro program as a volunteer for close to 30 years. I could adopt horses, train them and use them in the business. So, we adopted six more horses, spent the next two years cutting trails and training horses, and opened in March of 2015.”

Chris has always enjoyed horses in her life and became fascinated with the Wild Horse adoption program the BLM began in 1979. In 1991 her mom gave her a “You are approved to adopt” letter as her Christmas present.

“We adopted a six-year-old mare that was three months out of the wild and never been handled. I spent six months working with her before I rode her for the first time. I was so impressed with her and all she taught me that I got another one in 1994,” she said. “So, my journey began! I would adopt, train and then find homes for the horses so I could go get another one and do it all over again.”

Pony rides and several lengths of trail rides are available at Old Family Trail Rides, located just outside of Camdenton. A unique experience, visitors can ride one of the tamed Mustang horses acquired through the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro program.

Her family started attending all adoption events and volunteering and it was not long until they would meet them as they drove in to set up for the adoption and help with every aspect of the event. They became volunteer compliance officers and would do compliance checks on other adopters and their horses, report back on any complaints that needed checking into, and pick up horses that were being returned to the BLM. The BLM started a training and placement program where she could pick up a wild horse, get it gentle enough for others to handle, find an adopter for the horse, and get it adopted. The program ended up developing into what is now the Mustang Heritage Foundation’s Trainer Incentive Program (TIP). Chris has been a TIP trainer since 2008.

“Over the years I have worked with several hundred wild horses and found them homes,” she said. Chris and Phil received a Lifetime Achievement Award for 30 years of volunteering with the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program in 2018. They flew us to Washington, D.C. to receive the award.

At Old Family Farm in Macks Creek, they offer customers the opportunity to see some of the unique aspects of the Ozark hills from the back of a horse, some of which are America’s living legend, the “Wild Horse,” also known as mustangs. They currently have 10 mustangs that were born in the wild, several of them are still in training. Each ride includes set up and instruction, and a ride along the trails which includes up and down hills, weaving around trees, with a small spring fed creek to cross several times. They tell stories about the area and the farm itself plus point out features that are often seen in the Ozark hills.

The mustangs benefit from having a job they seem to enjoy, with lots of interaction with people. These horses are well cared for by the BLM once in captivity, so they are not “saving” them from a bad situation. However, they are making it so these horses and the ones she trains through the Trainer Incentive Program get adopted out to good homes, are out of BLM care so that other horses can be brought in from the wild.

Drought out west and wildfires that burn thousands of acres means many wild horses are in danger. The horses that get adopted make room for more to come in off the range to be cared for rather than face starvation or dying of thirst.

Chris reveres the people that have helped her get to where she is with her business. From her first trail guide who helped cut the trails, train the horses and teach her about guided trail rides (he has moved on with his life and is doing other things now) to her second trail guide who came in and helped get her through a tough year with two knee replacements and her husband’s heart attack. There’s always work to be done around the farm. Whether it’s kicking rocks off the trail, clearing trees off after a storm, building new stalls, or cleaning tack, many volunteers come to help so that others can enjoy.

Panther Creek Campground And Horse Trails, Tuscumbia

Growing up riding horses almost every day in the summer with friends, Melinda Burgoon always had a passion for horses.

“I never owned a horse of my own until after I was an adult and most of my children were in high school. So, I had a late start to actual horse ownership, but always had a love for horses,” she said. “I was very fortunate that I met the right circle of horse friends early into this chapter of my life, and God blessed me with great horses as well as great friends that I have met along the way.”

When Melinda and David brought their children to the Panther Creek Campground and Horse Trails in Tuscumbia in 2003 they became regulars. So when they got the opportunity to purchase the business in July of 2018 it was an easy decision.

David, a native of Kansas, had previously owned horses and ponies for his children when they were little. He enjoys quarter horses and team penning, and occasionally will go on a trail ride with Melinda which is a great way to spend time together, she says.

There are 4,000 acres of privately owned trails on a working cattle ranch, with over 100 miles of trail, more than 30 accessible by wagon. There are 100 sites with water and electric, and 200 stalls for all equine companions. Visitors can stay in one of the three cabins, enjoy the arena, two round pens, bathroom/ shower house and dump station, in addition to a 4,500-square-foot clubhouse with free Wi-Fi which is ideal for anniversaries, birthday parties and celebrations. There are no horses for rent to the general public, but for those already equipped the property offers a

unique experience. Often guests spend the morning riding trails and then the afternoon doing activities at Lake of the Ozarks.

“Our guests enjoy trail riding and camping on their own. We do have four scheduled rides each year where we include breakfast and dinner, for those that just want to get out with their friends, family, and equine, and not have to worry about packing and preparing meals,” she said. Other events throughout the year include a Spring and Fall Cattle Round-Up where guests from across Missouri and other parts of the country come to participate. A weeklong Midwest Mulefest is held the third week/weekend of September and an all-women’s retreat is in October called Rouge & Rogue. All clinicians and vendors are women and/or geared towards women.

Guests can also choose to float on Tavern Creek nearby after riding. The Osage River is just four miles from camp by horseback, six miles by road.

“Horseback riding in general is very therapeutic for most. These magnificent, majestic creatures can carry us into parts of the country that we would not see otherwise. We can see what man has made by car, but we can see what God has made by mule or horseback,” Melinda said. “We are family owned and operated and pride ourselves on customer service. We do our best to accommodate our guests with whatever they need to have the best experience possible. We have guests that have been coming here since Panther Creek first opened in 1999. We love them all. We appreciate them all.”

Melinda’s sister Donna Cornett, takes care of all things office and reservations. Her husband Monte, aka Wild Bill, helps with anything from wrangler to maintenance. He is also a professional photographer and available on-site. Melinda’s niece, Kandice, is here for the season and proving to be invaluable. They also have an on-site tack shop and C-store, as well as an EMT for most events. Their main season is April through November, depending on weather. They have many local guests who come to day ride.

“A day rider at the ranch has usage of the trails, the clubhouse for Wi-Fi, the bathrooms, as well as water hydrants, in addition to the arena and round pens,” she said.

Reservations are recommended as many guests roll over their campsites from year to year. During the week, the ranch is not as busy so lots of campsites are available.

MORE INFORMATION

• Thouvenel Stables: 494 TanTarA Drive, Osage Beach (Margaritaville Lake Resort) www.thouvenelstables.com, Thouvenel Stables on Facebook

Trail rides 45-50 minutes, $65/person; pony rides, $15.

• SD New Horizons Ranch: 1495 Franklin Drive, Linn Creek 573-317-7021,

SD New Horizons Ranch on Facebook

Riding lessons available, one-hour beginners private lesson each week is $160/month on horse provided.

• Missouri Forget Me Not Horse Rescue & Sanctuary, Linn Creek www.missouriforgetmenot.org or Missouri Forget Me Not Horse Rescue &

Sanctuary on Facebook

No trail rides offered, but a tour of the facility and interaction with the horses is available by calling Mindi at 573-525-1888. Birthday parties and small gatherings can also be booked.

• Old Family Farm Trail Rides: 256 Doc Ridgeway, Macks Creek

Old Family Farm Trail Rides on Facebook

A variety of trail and pony rides available. One-hour guided trail ride, $50/person with longer rides available; 15-minute pony rides, $15/child.

• Panther Creek Campground and Horse Trails, Tuscumbia www.panthercreektrailrides.com, 573-793-2372

Guests bring their horses. Go online to see all upcoming events.

More than 100 miles of trails are located at Panther Creek Campground and Horse Trails, a working cattle ranch and campground. Visitors bring their own horses and enjoy the property, often spending their afternoons doing various activities at Lake of the Ozarks.