story by
Liesel Schmidt
|
photos by
Jennifer Kollar- Sundal
W
hen you live at the beach, craving a bit of
the country life can seem like it would take
miles of travel and hours of time in the
car—or on a plane—to satisfy. But bordering
the beachside community of scenic Highway 30A, 30A
HorseFarm at Arnett’s Gulfside is a horse ranch that lies on 20
acres of picturesque and pastoral land adjoining the 13,800-
acre Point Washington State Forest of Florida’s Emerald
Coast—which means that the
smell of horse manure, hay, and
good-old-fashioned farmland
can be yours for the asking,
without ever straying far from
the shoreline.
Since opening her stables in
2011, owner Karen Arnett and
her team of equally-impassioned
equine experts have been making
it their mission to provide
families who live, work, play, and
vacation in the Destin area and
its surrounding communities with an unforgettable experience
not typically found in coastal towns. “The goal here has always
been to create a place for people to come and enjoy something
different at the beach, and the community response we have
received has been amazing,” says Event and Social Media
Coordinator Jennifer Sundal.
And little wonder is there in that enthusiastic response, as
Arnett’s offers a wide range of services, experiences, activities,
and even community events—all
of which take advantage of the
sprawling landscape and its many
attributes, from event spaces
like the Tackroom to the well-
populated farm and the trails that
border the property, fairly begging
for explorations on horseback. Not
that you’ll necessarily beat a trail to
the trails too quickly, as Frank the
miniature donkey might distract
you on your way. “Frank is one
of people’s favorite things to see
46 | VIPDestinMagazine.com
ADVENTURE
Barn Meets Beach
46-47 AdventureOut - 30A Horse Farm at Arnett's.indd 1
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