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Retirement Home For Horses at Mill Creek Farm

Retirement Home For Horses at Mill Creek Farm

Retirement Home For Horses at Mill Creek Farm
5
Saturday
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles66 reviews
Excellent
62
Very good
3
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
1

Kathy B
13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 • Friends
One of my favorite places in Florida. A blessing to see so many people visiting and interacting with these horses. It's a beautiful farm and so well maintained. Easy walking and it is obvious that the animals there are very well cared for. I highly recommend a visit. Bring a bag of carrots. It will touch your heart!
Written November 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gary N
Fort Myers38 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2014 • Couples
From the moment we arrived and were greeted at the entrance to the pastures by a SUPER greeter who explained the history of the Retirement Home, the specifics of certain horses, we were so pleased we decided to make the trip from our home in Ft. Myers. This charity, non-profit, is well done! The horses , donkeys and roaming elderly dogs will steal your hearts, and do bring a minimum of 2-5 lb. bags of carrots to feed those animals which are permitted to have carrots (most, just one was clearly marked not to feed since he has a choking problem), though Jane & I went through 3 bags and could have easily used a 4th bag at the lower pastures. It was wonderful to meet a couple who are sponsoring a horse that was found chained at Lake Okeechobee, purposely done by someone who should also be chained and left, to be eaten by alligators. The horse was discovered, brought to Mill Creek and this couple visit her weekly, brush, bathe, feed, massage and nurture her....wonderful folks. Take Exit 399, proceed westerly to the traffic light at Rt. 235, turn northerly, follow the road as it goes over I-75, then look for the green sign on your right for Mill Creek. Don't forget to donate! Be well! Wonderful for children of all ages....
Written March 23, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

rootieD
Miami, Fl USA4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2013 • Family
Retirement Home for Horses is truly a wonderful sanctuary for the most unwanted of horses.
The horses that arrive at Mill Creek Farm are old (over 20) and have been rescued by law enforcement agencies or SPCAs. They arrive starved and in ill health.
The mission of this farm is to allow these horses a retirement in a beautiful pastures with vet care and constant attention.
The horses are never ridden or worked again .
The farm is open every Saturday from 11a-3p. Please bring lots of carrots though. I ran out by the time I reached the first 4 pastures!
Written November 23, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Don N
Raleigh, NC2,657 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2015 • Family
Finally visited Mill Creek Farm the home of the Retirement Home for Horses with my daughters. Even though it was an extremely hot day we greatly enjoyed it. The farm has over 130 horses that are retired they can never be worked or ridden again. Each horse has it's own story. Please note the farm is only open to the public on Saturdays from 11 to 3.

We brought 5 pounds of carrots and someone gave us another pound or two. That wasn't enough. We bought another 5 pounds of carrots which are available on-site. And we used all those! We probably visited about half or more of the horses. There is a lot of walking involved and there are shaded areas but most are unshaded. So bring water and sunscreen. The horses are very well kept and include blind horses which have to sniff out the carrots. There are a several horses that bite but they wear halters so they can be identified. This place is totally non-profit and relies on volunteers and donor contributions.

Many of the horses are very enthusiastic about getting their carrots and actually trot to the fence. Some allow you to pet them. There are many fields and some are way in the back with a lot of walking. We visited a couple of them were a lot of people had not been and boy were they hungry so keep that in mind horses in the back areas don't get as many carrots. Staff is very friendly and explains the rules when you go in. The admission as other says is two carrots but take at least 5 pounds with you. There are bathroom facilities on site with horse related decor.

Place is easy to find. Exit 399 off I-75 head north towards High Springs (not Alachua) and you will see Santa Fe High School on your right. Turn there that is route 235A. Go several miles and cross I-75 again and the entrance is a short distance past that on the right. Many of the fields back up to the interstate. If you love horses this is your place.
Written August 15, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gators89
Gainesville, FL365 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2014 • Family
Our family loves going to the Retirement Home for Horses at Mill Creek! We've been visiting this farm for many years. The farm is open to the public on Saturdays. Our daughters (22, 20, 12) have grown up going to the farm. Fall and Spring are wonderful times to visit, because the weather is cooler and there is usually a nice breeze.

Two years ago we celebrated part of our youngest daughter's 10th birthday at the farm. It was a cowgirl/horse theme and we drove the guests to the farm, fed the horses, and took pictures. We all wore colorful bandanas, and everyone had their own bag of carrots to feed the horses. They had so much fun! Little girls and horses, what could be better?

The farm admission is free, but they do accept monetary donations. Visitors are encouraged to bring carrots or apples to feed the horses and donkeys. Over 100 horses are housed in different paddocks and visitors can take a leisurely walk down the path as they feed and pet the horses. There are a few benches strategically placed along the path for visitors to sit and relax. There are signs posted at various pastures dedicated to special horses who once lived there, but have died. There is a special field, across from the barn, where blind horses live. These horses love carrots and enjoy being petted, just as the sighted horses do. Inside the barn/farmhouse are clean public restrooms.

Volunteers are welcome and college students can earn community service hours. Contact the farm for more information. This is a wonderful farm to visit and a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
Written October 14, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sharon S
Palm Bay, FL70 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2014 • Friends
I regularly visit my aunt in Gainesville and was searching for something to do and found this. I was a student at UF, but had never heard of it (what a travesty!) Anyway, there are more than 100 horses here who are either retired from a police force or from abuse situations, etc. They are all so friendly and loving. We brought two giant bags of carrots from Publix and could have given out more if we would have had them. We were able to give at least one to every horse this way though. There are even a few blind horses at the front, and it was fun feeding and interacting with them. The admission is only two carrots, but I bet you will want to donate after seeing this lovely place. Please, go check it out. You will not regret it.
Written August 25, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

l w
71 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2014 • Family
visiting mill creek has been on my to do list since we moved down here. i finally went and will be going again- soon. the place is just fantastic. they have over 120 horses living our their lives in a beautiful location. every pasture has a picture and short history of the horses. many have had lives as police mounts only to fall into abuse situations. it was sad to read but wonderful to see them happy and healthy again.
make sure you bring a banana for the old man zac. he's not allowed carrots.
there is no entrance fee other than- 2 carrots, if you can though make a cash donation. it's definitely a worthy cause.
they have bathrooms in the barn. the walkways are mainly grass/dirt with gentle hills. there's not much shade though so it can be a bit rough in the FL summer. make sure to bring a drink. the horses were all very friendly.
Written August 17, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ticketme
Amelia Island, FL109 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2014 • Couples
This is the nicest horse retirement facility I have ever been to. The fencing, shelters, and general upkeep is well done. It is a beautiful, serene location with well-kept horses who will now have a safe and healthy retirement. It is lovely for children and there are not a lot of gory stories at their eye-level to upset them. Please -ask a volunteer to show your children the correct way to feed carrots, as I saw numerous children doing it unsafely. There are picnic tables all over so bring your lunch and enjoy one of the most tranquil settings you will ever see. You might also be a little humbled at what two retired people have accomplished here.
Written February 17, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

time_traveler99
Las Vegas, NV183 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2013 • Solo
A beautiful farm with retired, abused or abandoned horses. Take I-75 to exit #399 then go north on 441, turn right immediately after Santa Fe High School, then it is two more right turns by following signs. The farm backs up against I-75. GPS will give you wrong directions.
This is a wonderful attraction for all ages! They have carrots you can buy there or bring your own. Also there is one horse who does not have teeth, bring him a banana. He cannot eat carrots because of his dental issue. They don't sell bananas there. Some horses are skinny, this is because they are either a new arrival or they're just elderly and get skinny in old age like humans. They are happy here though you can just sense it and feel it.
It will bring tears to your eyes how much these gentle giants appreciate your visit. They love to be petted and talked to. It is best to go right when they open to the public at 11am on Saturday so eat a big breakfast and bring a bottle of water for yourself and wear comfortable walking shoes. There are benches to rest or just watch these amazing animals. If you go at 2pm it tends to get pretty crowded, so 11 is ideal, plus the horses haven't had all those carrots yet :) The horses are well behaved and not aggressive at all. Bring kids, elderly, anyone will love this. I saw some mentally challenged adults there and it really brought them a lot of joy feeding and interacting with the horses.
Consider giving a donation, this is a charitable organization. You can write it off on your taxes too.
I drove 2 hours each way just to go here. It was well worth the drive.

Visited December 2013
Written December 21, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JennyC2012
Gainesville, FL2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2012 • Couples
Wonderful place which cares for rescued horses, most of which are over 20 years old. Also have several retired police and military horses. 265 acres of rolling pastures where the horses look extremely happy.

We were more than happy to make a donation as they operate entirely on donations and receive no state funding (even for the police or military horses!).

Make sure you take plenty of carrots as there are over 130 horses!!
Written September 14, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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RETIREMENT HOME FOR HORSES AT MILL CREEK FARM (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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