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Myakka City farm rescues horses, while preserving history

By Ella Malmgren
Published  March 18, 2023 1:16pm EDT
Wild Nature
FOX 13 News

Myakka City farm is making a difference for a rare breed of horses

Myakka City farm rescues horses while protecting the past

MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. - Tucked away in a quiet section of Myakka City, a farm is doing their part to protect rescue horses and history. 

Myakka Trail Rides has 23 horses, 70% of which came from rescue situations. But on top of providing a safe landing for rescue horses, the farm has a passion for preserving the rare Akhal-Teke horse breed. 

The breed is one of the oldest in history, potentially dating back to 3,000 years ago in Central Asia. Only about 7,000 Akhal-Tekes are left in the world, with about 400 in the United States.

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They’re an incredibly strong breed, and can withstand long trail rides. The farm promotes the breed by letting visitors ride them on trail rides, and informing them of their history.

"I dedicate my life to genetic diversity, and trying to preserve this breed for the future generations," said Dasha Cole, owner of Myakka Trail Rides. "It’s a very difficult task, it’s also very expensive because most of these horses are from outside America."

Cole says the breed thrives in Florida, due to its environment being similar to that of Central Asia. 

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And Myakka City seems to be the perfect area for the small business. According to Cole, the town is made up of caring, resilient people, which was especially evident after Hurricane Ian. She said the town rallied around each other, and she appreciated the community’s support of their business. 

The hurricane ripped off their barn roof, but luckily the farm didn’t lose any horses. 

Discernible from the name, Myakka Trail Rides offers horse rides throughout the farm, but also offers ATV rides. Through these services, the farm is able to financially support their rescues. 

To have a farm of this size, it takes a lot of work and money. People interested in sponsoring a specific rescue horse can do so on their website, and volunteers are welcome. For for more information click here.