We drove over to the Pruitt Trailhead and parked at Halpata Tastanaki Preserve.
The gate is locked and only authorized personnel are allowed in but the road surface makes for an easy trail to hike.
But look ahead! Do you see the storm in the distance?
Let's turn to the right and get 'off the beaten path'!
Today was a beautiful day and we saw a few people riding horses.
We asked this couple if the horses they were leading were in training but they said, "No, they just didn't want to get left behind." Everyone wanted to take a ride!
Another couple enjoying an afternoon ride.
The views were gorgeous as we walked.
And we saw lots of birds along the way.
Hermit Thrush
Robin
Flycatcher
This is the trail that beckons me. A tree lined trail that goes deeper into the woods.
But it's been a good day and the storm went away from us so we stayed dry.
And I took this photo from the side window, with hubby driving 55 mph down the highway.
Pretty spectacular to see so much beauty, even on the drive home.
We see horses just about every time we go anywhere here in North Central Florida. Do you see horses where you live?
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38 comments:
What a beautiful hike you and your husband took to see the horses and birds. I hope you have a happy Friday and weekend Diane.
...the one less travelled of course.
Beautiful photos. The skies are pretty and so are the horses and birds. What a lovely walk! Yes, we see horses. There are several horse farms for people to board their horses all around us. As we pull out of our subdivision there is one right across the street. Horses are so very beautiful!
There are some horses around here. Up the road is an old one in an enclosed area with two donkeys. It doesn't get ridden.
You get to take some nice walks there.
Great photos!
Beautiful horses!
Hello Diane,:=)
When I saw the Hermit Thrush, I inhaled deeply and expelled the air slowly saying
Woooow in almost a whisper. It's a beautiful capture Diane, and your robin is so different than ours and so lovely to look at. I often see horses when i'm out and about. There are two riding schools near to where I live, and my daughter and I visit regularly, but we just haven't had good weather to take good pictures, but I will share some horse photos when the weather improves. I'm glad you didn't get rain on your walk.
Enjoy your weekend,
I love that Hermit Thrush. :-) What a handsome bird.
I love that you see people out and about riding horses, I think that is so fun.
Carla
Love Hermit thrush. So cute and petite
I want to go on a trail ride! It's been a long time since I've done that. Yes, we do see lots of horses around here....we moved to this part of the state so the girls could be close to the barns...
Have a super weekend!
xo,
RJ
Yes, horses abound here in Marion County, as you well know. I have no desire to ride one but I do like to stroke their necks and speak kind things to them.
No, I don't often see horses in my town. Those are two cute couples out riding. Very cool. Did it make you want to go horseback riding?
Lovely photographs.
I do like the hermit thrush and always nice to see horses.
Enjoy your weekend.
All the best Jan
A beautiful day to be out on the trail, in spite of those ominous clouds. Glad you stayed dry. There are lots and lots of robins around here just now, too. We see horses when we head up out of town a little ways. There are several riding stables. Happy Weekend.
I love that they took the extra horses because they didn't want to be left behind.
I live in a rural area so I don't need to go far to see horses.
Wonderful sights to see! I love the horses, and yes, we do see horses here and there around here. Not as many as where you are, in the horse capital of the country, but still they are out here in the fields. I love to see them. Love your birds. It's been a busy winter for birds around here. I guess because it's been so cold up north. Thank you for sharing your hikes with us. I'd love to be out there too.
Great photos, as always. Thanks for taking us along on your hikes!! We get riders at Tenoroc most Mondays. Always fun to see them!
What a lovely walk you and your husband had.
Good to see the horses and the cloudy skies are really beautiful.
Greetings Irma
No horses here in South Florida on the beach! But we have lots of pelicans! Your photos are so lovely and a joy to look at! I find it amazing in Florida how dark the sky can get and impeding rain but still pass over or just rain for 10 minutes.
Love the beautiful horses, I am glad the two extra were able to go along on the ride. Great shots of the birds, I especially love the sweet Hermit Thrush.
Great hike, photos and post. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great weekend!
the perfect place to ride, the horses are so beautiful. our birds are back, they are everywhere, they have been missing from our yard. now we have an abundance. hawks, 2 types of owls, robins, sparrows, flickers, all over our yard this past week..
Hi Diane, I rarely see horses around home and it’s a bit of a drive to get out where they are common, so I enjoy seeing your adventure to get out to horse country. Lots of neat photos in this post! Great shot of the Robin … and I do have those here around home! 😊 Thanks for sharing your blog! John
So beautiful ❤️
A lovely hike. Everything is so dull & grey here right now. The only horses here in the city are police horses which always get a lot of attention & will gladly pose for photos when you see them.
so very pretty!! we see horses all the time. we have two different worlds here, the ocean close by and so many farms too!!
the flycatcher and thrush are birds i don't see here, both images are beautiful!! enjoy the weekend, it was 60 degrees here yesterday!!
I'm impressed by the ability to take photographs at 55mph Diane. Don't go breaking my jeep will you? Can't put a name to the flycatcher. Is it an Eastern Kingbird?
You are surrounded by beauty ~ nature, critters, feathered friends and such a delight to share ~ your photos are awesome!
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Beautiful photos, I love seeing horses. I do see some here but not many.
Such gorgeous skies!
That was a wonderful hike! Such beautiful views, birds and horses. Glad the storm fizzled.
Diane - lovely photo of the hermit thrush! Here in Montana, we see horses regularly. A couple of our neighbors have horses - one as a breeder and one focuses on rescuing "homeless" horses. Quite an endeavor!
You chose our favorite trail: "off the beaten path"!
What a lovely set of photographs! You've brought a whole new meaning to "high speed camera"!
Of course, the birds grabbed my interest. The flycatcher is an Eastern Phoebe and in a few weeks it, along with the Robin and Hermit Thrush will head north to nest.
One of our favorite drives is a bit north of us toward Ocala and then west through Williston to Fanning Springs. Gorgeous horse country!
Cool mornings ahead! Time to be outside!
I do like your header image. All the best!
Yes, I see horses every time I visit the creek. They are not that far from the road either, so I can take close-ups of them. That sweet little Robin. And what glorious skies these are. The clouds are so pretty. That third photo is simply beautiful. I would have to frame that. ; )
~Sheri
Me encantó tu paseo y me encantan los caballos. Sí por aquí se ven caballos y algún asno. Besos.
Such a lovely hike.
The photos are beautiful, Lorrie.
Hugs and blessings.
Love the Hermit Thrush and the Flycatcher.
We never see horses on our walks here in Florida! Not even very often on the farmyards we pass (lots of cows) but we do see beauty everywhere -- even along the freeways often. (Lots of horses to lo0k at on our rides and walks in Oregon however.)
so good to see riders on horses. When I was young I wanted a horse of my own. But living and workin in cities made it impossible
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