We feel blessed to be in BEAUTIFUL Ocala, Florida!
With the warm climate, our horses never need to be walking around with snow on their backs. The pastures almost always have green grass so grazing is a favorite horse activity. This location is perfect for raising Gypsy Vanner horses.
Florida has always captivated us. With the long history, the climate, and incredible horse activity we've continually had this place in the back of our minds. When we found the Ocala area, Horse Capital of the World, there was no turning back. Time to go cross country!
Seeing this property for the first time really made us feel like we found something special. Lush green pastures, a private setting and fresh warm air made an unbeatable combination! What a beautiful place to live!
With a total of 20 acres our horses enjoy plenty of pasture year round with lots of space.
None of our horses get stuck with mud or dirt. Since we keep the horses in small herds, we try to make sure each horse has plenty of room to roam.
Our Stallion Pride has his family with him year round. Yes that includes the babies! When they are weaned
we let the foals stay with Pride and other foals their age. You can read more on that here At "A Stallions Life". Pride loves this grouping and tends to put his personality
on the foals. This is important to us! He lets them jump all over him and really does enjoy their company. The mares go into a group of their own for a while. The Mares then come back when the weanling's get too old to stay with Pride. If the mares are open, we decide if Pride will be with them that year. If not they go in with another small herd. But Pride is never alone. He is a happy well adjusted boy!
We have been very lucky to have these wonderful horses with us the past several years. They have truly saved us.
Our Oregon home burned to the ground in 2006. It was horrible. Anyone who has watched their house
slowly burn to the ground knows this feeling. It makes you sick and it makes you crumble. All of us fell apart.
We went through the horror of watching our home slowly and sadly disappear into ashes. It was a log home and it burned so
hot that the fire department couldn't go in. They ended up sucking water from our pond (Koi fish and all) and
trying to control the fire. Our nasty rescue goose was adding to the turmoil by attacking the poor fireman! As
one of the firemen shook the goose off his leg he still stood there with his hose and saved our office (detached)
as well as our barn.
The fire department was unbelievable! We will be forever grateful to them.
The amazing part of it all was the peace that our horses gave all of us as we all
hung onto our horses and cried - and they just stood there and let us! They seemed to know
that somehow this was a time to stand solidly and quietly for their humans.
They didn't freak out. They were so calm. They made us believe that somehow we would be OK. Is that crazy?
The fire was a tragic loss but we have
moved forward and now try to take one day at a time with our wonderful horses, dogs, and family.
We have become very grateful for every little thing and to make the best of every single day. And most importantly live in the moment.
We try to appreciate everything as it comes to us and ignore the nastiness of the world. We are a very strong family and feel we are truly blessed.
Jeff and I have a philosophy and it is to treat people with kindness and respect. And to live life being ethical. It is important to us. We believe that good things happen to us because of this. I guess that is where the saying "what goes around comes around" fits in. Maybe that is why none of us got hurt in the fire.
Jeff and I are happily both at the same place when it comes to the love of our horses!
They grab your heart and they don't let go. Going from never wanting to own a horse
to knowing now that our lives could NEVER be without these wonderful calming horses
has been a wonderful experience. At this point in our lives we know that with or
without a house we could live in the barn as long as we were all with our horses.
We are getting to the point now where we want to use every horse we have on our property.
So hopefully in the next few years we will have our herd set and will be driving and riding and showing!
And living a wonderful life with our horses!
These horses have done more for us, than we will ever be able to write on this website.
We owe each and every one of our horses the best possible life they could ever have.
We are just normal (well somewhat) people who are far from perfect. But we wouldn't change one thing
in our lives good or bad as it has made us who we are today. We are always here. We want to help if we can and listen if you need us to listen. We are not and never will be vindictive or nasty with people.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this long winded note! Hopefully you
know a little bit about us and feel comfortable calling us or e-mailing us.
We always answer our e-mails quickly! In fact I am always on the computer or
have it beep when an e-mail comes through.
We have posted pictures of the people in our lives that come over and visit and spend time with our
horses. There are so many that I can't post them all here! But I do update pictures regularly.
Our horses really enjoy human interaction! So we get lots of pictures!
They don't know life any other way!
Our door is always open for visitors. We truly love to meet people that love Horses and Dogs!
We do have a few!
Jeff and Debra Gakstatter
