Herrmann's Royal Lipizzan Stallions hosts special Halloween event

The plastic skeletons sitting at various spots around the ranch Oct. 10 at Herrmann's Royal Lipizzan Stallions in Myakka City probably would have enjoyed a good horror show.

They would have gotten one, too, if Rebecca McCullough, the ranch's owner, surrendered to the various calamities heaped upon her.

McCullough had scheduled a day of work Oct. 10 setting up the "Haunted Nights" Halloween tour that is scheduled to begin Oct. 14. However, that work day had to be postponed.

Standing a few hundred yards from her home, which was flooded by Hurricane Ian after its roof was ripped off, McCullough was standing in a covered area, her 5-year-old mare Raven hooked up to an IV. The evening before, Raven came down with a serious case of colic.

Colic involves abdominal pain, which often can be caused by a blockage in the gastrointestinal tract. McCullough spent all night at Raven's side, making sure she stood the entire time so she wouldn't rip out the IV.

Although McCullough wasn't sure what caused the colic, she said it sometimes can be caused by stress or a change in routine. Raven has experienced both in the past week.

Hurricane Ian obviously supplied lots of stress, along with the physical damage it caused. More than 30 trees went down all over the 10-acre ranch, and many of those took down portions of fence. One huge pine still blocks the main driveway.

Of the two main pastures and two paddock areas, only one pasture currently is in use. The others had gaping hopes in the fence.

The one serviceable pasture could only be used because huge trees blocked the holes in the fence.

With only one pasture, McCullough has had to alternate her horses' time there, and thus the change in routine.

Despite the adversity, McCullough was looking forward to her first "Haunted Nights," which she has started as a way to bring some additional revenue for Herrmann's Royal Lipizzan Stallions, which has 12 stallions and six mares on the ranch.

McCullough has run the ranch since her mom, Gabby Herrmann, died in March 2021. She has experimented with ways to bring in extra income to keep a family tradition alive that started in Myakka City in 1962.

She said her mom never was a big fan of Halloween and never liked the idea the decorating the ranch with skeletons and scary props. McCullough, on the other hand, had all kinds of Halloween decorations and props she would put around her house every year.

Her neighbor, Jolene Bryant, has been volunteering around the ranch and she shares a love of Halloween with McCullough. She decided to give McCullough a push toward hosting the event.

Bryant, who makes cow whips, dog leashes and reins by hand, said her mind simply embraces Halloween events.

"I think, 'What can we put in a witch's room' or 'I bet Dracula would have something like this.'"

Bryant was at the ranch Oct. 10 helping out in any way she could.

"Everything was right on track (for the Halloween event) before the hurricane, which now has slowed us down," she said. "But we have rallied."

A stand of trees fell on an area that was originally scheduled to be part of the "Haunted Nights" walking tour, so that had to be detoured. McCullough had planned to charge a $10 admission fee for the tour, which will highlight infamous Florida haunting such as the Flagler train as it tries to survive the Labor Day hurricane of 1935, the doomed flight 401, and the little girls who haunt the St. Augustine Lighthouse.

Bryant would have been working on a new course, but then Raven became ill.

"Life stops when you have a horse you can't turn loose," she said.

Her mother, Shirley Bryant, was holding on to Raven as she took the IV. Shirley Bryant grew up with Gabby Herrmann.

"I just love horses," she said.

Jolene Bryant said that although they are tired, the Halloween event set-up would be all ready for the Oct. 14 opening night.

She noted that the storm even provided lots of wood for a fire ring at the event.

McCullough said a Halloween event just made sense to her.

"There used to be something like this at the elementary school 20 years ago," she said. "In New England, anyone who has a 5-acre plot puts on something like this."

She thanked the community for helping out the ranch and noted that donations have helped her buy new sections of fence. She will rebuild the fence herself with the help of volunteers. She said anyone who would like to donate some time with heavy equipment would be much appreciated.

She is hoping "Haunted Nights becomes a yearly event, without the hurricane.

"We will get our feet wet," she said. "And we have to see how the horses respond. There will be a lot of loud music."