At the Thunderbird Riding Stables, located 15 miles east of I-35 on State Highway 9, just south of Norman you can slip into simpler life where you can forget your worries and enjoy the smell of new mown hay; the sound of cowboy boots stomping across a wood plank porch; the creak of the saddle as you rock to and fro down the trail. With over 500 acres of lush wooded trails, beautiful lake side views and wild flower pastures, the horse stables offers "open riding," which means you are not guided! The riding stables are open year round, weather permitting, but closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.