SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Beki Herrbach starts most days at Hidden Palms Ranch relaxing under the trees, shaded from the Florida sun while prepping gentle giants for a day on the trails.

For Herrbach, being around horses has been a lifelong passion. She started riding at a young age, along with her sister, and received her very own horse at the tender age of 10. 

“We had friends that had a ranch," Herrbach said. "So it was easy to have access to a place to go riding, and we both just loved it so much.” 

It was a passion she continued from childhood into adulthood at one of her first jobs. Growing up in the area, she worked at the Arabian Nights Dinner Show riding horses at just 19.

After she married, Herrbach and her husband bought the ranch in Sanford, first as a spot they could care for their own horses but later realizing they wanted to share this little slice of heaven with others. 

Six years ago, Hidden Palms Ranch was born.

The ranch offers guided trail rides with a dedicated staff and a team of nine horses. The trails meander through the lush foliage of the Sanford area, and you can take a variety of rides because they're out on the trails six days a week and four times a day. 

Herrbach and her team's dedication to showing off the beauty of the area and the loving nature of their horses gives them pride, and they said they hope they'll continue to be able to do so for many years. 

“They're my family and that's what I want people to get the feeling of when they come out here — that they are riding with a friend," Herrbach said. "You know, we try to keep it family-oriented, small and intimate so everyone feels like they're having a unique experience when they come out here.” 

Hidden Palms Ranch is open six days from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is closed on Mondays.