Haywire Ranch SWFL

08/01/2025

Every year we share and put this information out! Please remain aware. The height of season starts now and goes through October.

Make sure you have all your plans in place!

🌀 Hurricane Season Information for Equine Evacuees

Each year, World Equestrian Center – Ocala supports the equine community by offering stalls to horses evacuating from storm-affected areas. While we hope for a calm season, we remain prepared to assist if the need arises.

This year, we’ve introduced a new process to help us respond quickly and efficiently during severe weather events.

🔗 Going forward, all hurricane and severe weather stall requests must be submitted through our official request form at hurricanestalls.wec.net.

📅 The form will only be activated if and when a storm poses a credible threat to Florida.

⚠️ Please note: Stall availability is not guaranteed and will be prioritized based on the storm’s projected impact zones.

For more details about our severe weather response process, visit hurricanestalls.wec.net, and follow the WEC – Ocala page for real-time updates.

07/19/2025

At the UF Healthy Horses Conference today they asked to pass this on... a research project about Hurricane Preparation and challenges for Florida Equestrians.

Here's the link: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dio29UgzVrPvIOy?Q_CHL=qr

The purpose of this study is to conduct a preliminary investigation addressing hurricane preparedness awareness, practices, and needs among Florida horse owners. These answers will demonstrate areas where organizations such as UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) and the Florida State Agricultural Response Team (Florida SART) can help equine owners more effectively prepare for hurricanes. The results of this study can be used to strengthen hurricane preparedness and response measures within the Florida equestrian community.

This survey should take approximately 10-15 minutes. Some questions will be multiple choice, select all that apply, ranking, and others will be short answer. This survey will be anonymous. The survey will also include optional demographic questions. You are free to leave the survey at any time. By clicking "I consent", you acknowledge that you are 18 years or older and have decided to participate

04/30/2025

What motivates you?

This man right here is why we reopened after Hurricane Ian. We were tired…Wore out…. Busy with other companies….. Busy with damages to our homes and our childrens homes….BUT:

We got a call to take on a retired boy who is well known in the area as his owner had moved off Pine Island and wanted him off before the hurricane season kicked in full force last year.

The differences in Rave at 26 years old as of April, from August of last year are incredible!

We will always take pride and joy in the care and comfort of all our boarders here retired or not for the rest of their days (PHOTOS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER 😍). It’s amazing what a little bit of peace, calm, and a whole lot of love from everyone can do!

04/09/2025

I’m fairly sure 90’s first carried child is giving her a taste of her own medicine 🤣

Everyone meet TJ, he is 7 days old today and got his first outdoor experience 😍

(And yes she is the SNAP BACK QUEEN!)

03/14/2025

Sunny Coast Veterinary has been around for many years and is now offering 24 hour emergency calls. Those in my barn have surely met Dr Connick working with my retired horses! We are blessed they are less than a mile from the farm too!

The vet shortage is at an all-time high but we wanted to inform our clients that we take all emergencies, both from non-clients and current or past clients.

03/13/2025

Please read and pay attention!!

10/05/2024

For anyone evacuating: This is WECs new hotel. It is open. It is pet friendly. They did waive the weight or count limit this past storm and did very well accomodating everyone.

If you cannot afford the hotel please book an extra stall for yourselves at the barn. Please make sure your vets have issued statements of health/coggins/and their required vaccines! They were random checking during haul in for Helene!
This is the link for their requirements: worldequestriancenter.com/preparing-for-hurricane-season-horse-health-documentation-required-for-world-equestrian-center-ocala/

Resevervation requests go to (and give them some grace to respond with your stall numbers): https://bit.ly/3TWupRN?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0gP5t8nw3Ghghaw56viQsd4uegz93zKjrQTvd_JihCbjzLrsX9I18b_jo_aem_1N1z9L3ywD9QOGOWHxoplw

[email protected]

We see many people hunker down with cots/airbeds/dog crates/ in a clean empty stall.

Bring a radio, phone chargers, wall plugs, BOARD GAMES, cards etc. to stay occupied.

STAY SAFE!

When planning where to stay at World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida, The Riding Academy Hotel is a top choice on-site and just minutes from the action at WEC.

09/11/2024

I CANNOT express how absolutely tickled I am for this photo!! Bless this sweet old man he has battled sleep deprivation for a VERY long time (YEARS). His owner is incredible and has done every kind of vetting and protocol possible to try to get him to sleep. He just wouldn’t give in.

I told her I had a plan the day he arrived and hoped it would work. Just this week we had a call together and I said we have major PROGRESS. He is sleeping outside LAYING DOWN! He is calm and content and trusts his space and is fully sleeping and no longer having episodes when in the barn. Even if it’s several days due to weather his body has gotten strong enough and rested enough not to collapse when he’s sleeping standing.

I warned her he may NEVER lay down in the stall because he doesn’t trust the space. He may just take time. Who knows.

BUT I GOT THIS PHOTO TODAY 😍😍😍😍😍

He voluntarily laid and slept in his stall for the first time in so long she cannot remember😭

If you want to know WHY we reopened: this is why! We got our rest, got our chance to refocus on other priorities, but at the end of the day this brings us the utmost pride!

Rock on Rave! 25 years and getting stronger not weaker!! I’m glad you really did decide this was HOME!

08/16/2024

I LOVE that my new boarders and old boarders can contact me just to discuss: get opinions; formulate plans; schedule things or goals at 9 pm at night!

I love that they respect that I may be 3.5 hours away and trust my opinion on scenarios and options for their horses.

Trust is so important! Confidence is so important! Team planning for their success together and with us is so important!

I may not ride the disciplines anymore. I may not be there on site as much anymore. BUT I value every horse and rider on my property. I value their horses first (all of them appreciate that lol); their opinions and concepts next; and their futures together at the end of the day.

From feeding programs per horse to farrier discussions to trainers: they are not uncomfortable coming to me.

Tonight was a great night and I can go to bed content knowing we are doing great things with great people and great horses!

08/14/2024

Last for this week: Welcome home Chance! We hope that you are happy to be all settled in and with the herd you’ve known for years!

08/12/2024

Welcome home Febe, the most gorgeous moving filly, and our longtime friend Sherry Bartgis! We are so happy to be a part of the journey with you!

08/12/2024

Welcome home Wes! Our barn is finally gaining some geldings 😂 we have been a mare barn for several years and by the end of these residents we will be ALMOST even!