Christmas party - Dec. 13
Welcome to Altoona Trail Riders
Dedicated to preserving equestrian trails, participating in community service and promoting family fun.
september 2025
Thursday, September 4
Monthly meeting, 7PM, Altoona school.
Saturday, September 13
Day ride, Silver River State Park. Ride out at 9:30AM. RSVP required. Club will provide lunch, bring beverage and chair. Bring water for your horse. Restroom available. Mounting block available.
September 25 - 28
McCulley's Farms campout in Jasper, FL. Make your reservations to McCulleys, 386-938-1147.
october 2025
Thursday, October 2
Monthly meeting, Altoona School, 7PM. Refreshments will be served.
Saturday, October 4
Day ride - Sunnyhill West. Ride out at 9:30 AM. Bring water for your horses. There is a mounting block at the trail head. No toilet facilities.
Wednesday, October 15
Day ride at Karen Szabo's place. Ride out at 9:30 AM.
Saturday, October 25
Day ride at Rock Springs Preserve. Ride out at 9:30 AM. There is water for horses, restrooms.
november 2025
Thursday, November 6
Monthly meeting, 7 PM, Altoona School.
Refreshments will be served.
Saturday, November 8
Day ride - Sunnyhill South. Ride out at 9:30.
Saturday, November 15
Day ride - Twisted Oaks Stables. Ride out at 9:30.
Thursday, November 20
Day Ride - The PandoRosa. Breakfast ride. Breakfast at 8:45. Ride out at 10:00 AM.
december 2025
Thursday, December 4
Monthly meeting, Altoona School, 7PM.
Saturday, December 6
Reindeer Games at Fiddler's Green Ranch. Registraion at 9:00 AM. Games start at 9:30.
Saturday, December 13
Christmas party - Grand Oaks Resort. From 12 - 4 PM.
Wednesday, December 17
Day ride - Sawgrass Island Preserve. Ride out at 10 AM.
About Us
Come ride with us!
We have monthly day rides and campouts with horses. We have monthly meetings on the first Thursday of the month at 7PM at the Altoona School, SR 19, Altoona. Visitors are always welcomed.
The Trails we Ride
We ride many different trails in the north Central Florida area including the Ocala National Forest, the Florida Greenway Trails, Sunnyhill Trails, Ocklawaha Prairie and state forests, parks and preserves.
Join Us On The Trail
Visitors are welcome to come ride with us and will have to pay a day membership fee of $10. ATR enforces Nicole's Law - an approved helmet is required for those 16 and under when riding horses on public lands.
Current newsletter
Message from your president :
Altoona Trail Riders Newsletter November 2025
OFFICERS DIRECTORS
Michelle McWilliams, President
Ron Smith, Vice President/Trail Boss Paige Chassie, Treasurer
Renee Lewis, Secretary
Directors: John Dalziel, Jerry Harrington, Libby McDermott, Karen Szabo
Message from your President:
We had a fantastic ride at Rock Springs Run today. The weather was perfect and the horses put up with all our Halloween shenanigans without too much fuss. Well maybe not the whole ride. That last 1/4 mile was a bit sketchy for some. It may not have been one of our longest rides due to lack of trail markers and the fact that none of us could find a map to follow but it sure was a great day to be in the saddle. Of course we had yummy treats after the ride. Big shout out to Sherry Orr for getting us back to the trailhead without issue. October was a great month! I hope everyone is checking out all the great photos members are posting to Facebook. I noticed today when getting my horse ready for the ride that he was already sporting a bit of his winter coat. I wonder if that means we are in for a colder winter since my guys don't usually get their winter coats until mid to late December? And in case you didn't catch that YES!!! I was saddling Rambo to ride for the first time in months!!!! Now Rambo had a few rides with the group thanks to Jane Richardson but today he took a very newly healed (8weeks) rider for a perfectly wonderful ride! Even more wonderful news NO Chemo for me!!! Radiation should start the first week of November but the doctor assured me Friday that as long as I feel ok and take it easy I should have no trouble riding through my radiation treatments. SO all around excellent news!!! Now I will be able to keep track of all activities on the trail for those year end awards!
DON"T FORGET GUN HUNTING SEASON STARTS ON NOVEMBER 8TH. Please give the hunters their time in the woods. We get to use it year round and they do help open some of the trails we use. Try to ride more during the week or later in the day on weekends. As well as avoiding the woods during the first and last weekend of hunting season.
Check out the calendar as we have some really fun rides coming up. Someone might go home with a Thanksgiving turkey or a giant tacky Christmas Ornament. I was recently asked why there were no campouts in November and December. When setting up the calendar Ron and I discussed the attendance numbers for last year's rides. We did have a campout in November last year at Doe Lake which had only 7 campers. We just felt that the holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas, makes life a bit too hectic to try to get to everything you want to do with family and friends so we wanted to take some of the pressure off by just having day rides. That way you might be able to catch a ride and then attend another holiday function later in the day. Win - Win for all.
Just a few housekeeping items to be looking out for in the next few months. You will notice many upcoming rides require an RSVP. This let's us know how many are coming if there is food involved as well as plan for prizes but mainly if an issue were to arise and we had to make any last minute changes we know who to contact. Sometimes parking can be an issue so we need to know how many to accommodate for certain places. So just remember to click that "Going" button on the Facebook Event Tab on our page or let Trailboss Ron Smith know you are coming. Ron said he'd be happy to help members locate the RSVP button on our Facebook page if necessary. Check out the information for the upcoming ATR Christmas Party too. We have a price listed ($31.75 per person includes tax & tip) and full details on the menu selections. Members must make a menu selection by November 30th to ensure the kitchen can have all items available for our Dec 13th date. Your last day to PAY will be at the Dec 4th meeting. You may also mail a check with your menu selection to our PO Box 1225 Altoona, FL 32702. I asked on Facebook what members wanted to do for the gift exchange and they decided to do a $10 Gift Card exchange. So bring a $10 gift card from a place you love to eat, shop or a great horse vendor to exchange. There will be a game played so put those gift cards in a small non descript envelope. That way no one will know which one belongs to them.
Calendar:
NOV :
Thursday Nov. 6th- ATR Monthly Meeting at the Altoona School at 7pm. Address: 42630 FL-19, Altoona, FL 32702. Refreshments provided. Guest speaker Kelsey Griffing with Sport Horse Alchemist. Check out her website sporthorsealchemist.com. Social time 7PM, meeting at 7:15PM.
Saturday Nov. 8th - Start of General Gun Hunting Season in the Ocala Forest.
Saturday Nov. 8th - Day Ride at Sunnyhill South. Ride out at 9:30. Bring your lunch to enjoy at the Trailhead after the ride. Directions: Go west on CR 42 from SR 19 for11 mi. Trailhead is across from Buck N Doe’s grocery store. Turn left into parking lot at the caution light.
Saturday Nov. 8th - Camp Boggy Creek Family Weekend (Not an ATR Event). Volunteers needed to help campers ride horses in the arena. Contact Danielle at 407-529-4538 or email ddoornew@gmail.com to volunteer.
Saturday Nov. 15th - Day Ride at Twisted Oaks Stables. This is going to be a fun one!! Turkey Trot Ride. You MUST RSVP for this ride. The trail will be marked for members to ride at their own pace. Find envelopes on the trail to win prizes. Must bring envelopes back to start to collect prize! Bring your lunch to eat after the ride. Directions: 43600 SR 19 Altoona, FL 32702. 1 mile from the Altoona School. Head north on SR 19 go 1 mile. Entrance on the left.
Thursday Nov. 20th - Day Ride at The PandoRosa Ranch. This is a breakfast ride. Breakfast at 8:45 am, ride out at 10 am. You MUST RSVP to this ride. Bring a chair and your beverage of choice. Hang around after the ride to snack on leftovers from breakfast. Directions: 18108 Demko Road, Altoona, FL 32702. Head north on SR 19 go 0.4 miles. Turn left onto Demko Rd go 0.7 miles. Turn left into open field for parking. There will be a team there to help with parking.
DEC :
Thursday Dec. 4th - ATR Monthly Meeting at the Altoona School at 7pm. Address: 42630 FL-19, Altoona, FL 32702. Refreshments provided. Social time 7PM, meeting at 7:15PM. If you still need to pay for your Christmas Party RSVP don't forget to do so at this meeting. We will draw for electric campsite for the Jan. 8th Campout at Serenity Farms. If you can't attend meeting but wish to be in the drawing be sure to give TrailBoss Ron Smith your name. We will have a Cookie Competition and an Ugly Sweater Contest. If you want to participate in the cookie competition bring 1 dozen HOMEMADE cookies to the meeting. For the Ugly Sweater Contest wear your best HOMEMADE ugly sweater/ T-shirt. All are welcome. BRING YOUR COMPLETED MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION if you have not already mailed it is.
Saturday Dec. 6th - Reindeer Games at Fiddlers Green RV Ranch. This is a Club favorite so don't miss it. John Daziel is hard at work creating all the fun games. Registration starts at 9:00 am. Games will start promptly at 9:30am. You make your own team of 4 riders or join one when you get there. Directions: 42725 W. Altoona Rd, Altoona, FL 32702. 0.2 miles from Altoona School. Almost directly across the road from Altoona School. Go north on SR 19 a short ways to the first road to the left-W. Altoona Rd. Turn left and follow it around to the main entrance to Fiddlers on the right. Additional parking behind Altoona Methodist Church. Please pick up all manure before leaving parking area.
Saturday Dec. 13th - ATR Christmas Party at Grand Oaks. Price $31.75 per person. You MUST RSVP by NOV 30th. & PAY BY DEC. 4th meeting. Bring a $10 Gift Card to participate in the gift exchange. It can be to any place, not just horse related places. Great food and tons of Holiday Fun! Pick one option from the list below when RSVPing to attend the party. All selections must be given to the kitchen 2 weeks (Nov 30th) prior to Dec 13th event. There will be extras or ability to change your choice after the Nov 30th cut off date. Choose wisely. Although you won't be unhappy with any of these selections.
Menu options :
SMOTHERED CHICKEN
Served w/ garlic mashed potatoes & vegetable
PORK RIBEYE
Seasoned and served w/ garlic mashed potatoes & vegetable
SIRLOIN STEAK
Seasoned and served w/ garlic mashed potatoes & vegetable
COBB SALAD
Fresh mixed greens, w/grilled chicken, bacon, egg, avocado, tomato & bleu cheese crumbles
Directions: 3000 Marion County Road Weirsdale, Fl 32195. 22 miles from Altoona. Turn right onto CR 42W (16 miles) Turn left onto SE 155th Ave (2.1 miles) Turn left onto Marion County Road (0.5 miles) Turn right onto Grays Airport Road (0.5 miles) Turn right onto Griffin Ave (0.5 miles) Turn left to stay on Griffin Ave (0.8 miles) Turn right onto Four In Hand (0.4 miles) Turn left onto Phaeton Way (0.2 miles) Turn right onto Carriage House Way (0.1 miles) Turn left (0.2 miles) Turn right (150ft) to parking area. Walk following signs to the Bistro entrance.
Wednesday Dec. 17th - Day Ride at Sawgrass Island Preserve. First ride starts at 10 am. Christmas ride so decorate those horses and show your Christmas Cheer!! I heard there might have been some ruckus at the North Pole after the Reindeer Games so be sure to come out and solve the mystery. There might be prizes. Ride individually or on a team. More details to come. Directions: 11931 Sawgrass Island Road, Umatilla, FL 32784. From Altoona, go west on CR 42 for 7 miles to SE Highway 450. Turn left onto 450 and go less than 1 mile to stay straight on the road onto SE 237th Court which turns into Thomas Boat Landing Road. Continue 1.2 miles on Thomas Boat Landing Road to Sawgrass Island Road on the left. Turn left and follow the dirt road through the gate. Parking is on the right thru the gate.
JAN :
Thursday Jan. 1st - ATR Monthly Meeting at the Altoona School at 7pm. Address: 42630 FL-19, Altoona, FL 32702. Refreshments provided. Social time 7PM, meeting at 7:15PM.