Sue Ransom is calling all users and friends of Rails -N- Trails Stables in North Hall to help her take part Saturday in an "extreme barn makeover."

Ransom, along with stable owner Dori Bishop, have identified areas on the property at 3883 Wiley Road that need some serious - and in some cases, long overdue - attention.

And for those not as familiar with Rails -N- Trails, the stables share space with Bishop's other business, Pony Perfect Party, where families have been celebrating children's birthdays since 1994. Bishop also takes Pony Perfect on the road, providing pony rides and a petting zoo.

Hundreds of North Hall children have called the barn home through the years, with some taking riding lessons throughout elementary school and others taking that knowledge with them into high school, college and beyond.

"Ever since I've been coming up here to Dori's, it's very obvious that she is the one who gives and gives and gives and doesn't have enough time to get done some obvious things that she needs to get done for herself or her barn," said Ransom, who has been riding at Rails -N- Trails for five years.

She compiled a list of the stables' users and e-mailed an announcement last month.

"It is now time for ‘Friends of Dori' and ‘The Barn' to give a few minutes back," Ransom wrote in the e-mail.

"Many of you started with Dori or know many who did. They have moved on to other pastures. It is time to come back where you started and (help clean up)."

Ransom said talk of a cleanup isn't new.

"Several times over the years, since I've come here, we've talked about getting a group of people together and having a day to just devote entirely to taking care of the barn and everything around the barn," she said.

But the effort kept getting put off, as boarders would come to the property, ride their horses and otherwise absorb themselves in the country feel and smells of the 60-acre site that sits just west of Clarks Bridge Road.

The sentiment was "like if we get a few things done, fine, but we're going to give all our time and attention to the horses," she said.

"The little extra time you do have, you might pick up a Coke can and throw it in the trash can."

Litter cleanup is just one line on a long list of chores pegged for Saturday's event, which is set for 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Other tasks include swatting away spider webs scattered along the rafters of the aging red barn, where much of the work will focus. Workers also can clean up piles of debris, trim trees, remove weeds and organize a playground.

While some business operators might be offended at such a gesture, Bishop is elated.

"Sue kept saying, ‘Let's do this,' and I'd say, ‘Well, OK. Get it together, because I don't have time to get that together,' " she said.

Bishop, however, is something of a self-described packrat.

"What's funny ... is things she's always commented about that she wanted to clean up, I'm like, ‘What's wrong with that? That's stuff I might need sometime,' " she said, laughing.

"I don't tend to throw things away because the way I look at it is, if something breaks I can get a part off another piece, and I do. I know where stuff is - believe it or not. I know where all my junk is."

Bishop's family moved to the property in 1976 and her parents still live there. She was 12 at the time.

"That's when my life began because I got to get a horse," she said.

Bishop's favorite horse is her second horse, a palomino quarter horse named "Pal" that is now 31 years old.

She competed on the equestrian team at the University of Georgia. She also earned a teaching degree while at UGA and went on to teach for three years at Enota Elementary School in Gainesville.

A fellow teacher, knowing Bishop's love for horses, asked her if she could bring a pony to her child's birthday party. She agreed.

After that, "I just decided I'm going to do pony parties and I'm not going to go back to teaching," said Bishop, 43. "... It's evolved into a really big, awesome family of people."

She has other animals on the property, including goats, sheep, pigs, donkeys, chickens, rabbits, cats, dogs and a pet turkey.

Bishop has about 10 ponies on the property - all hers - and about 30 horses, two-thirds of which she is boarding for others.

She said she has pondered how long she'll stay in the business, which keeps her on the move days, nights and weekends.

"I watched the Olympics and saw the 60-something man jumping those jumps for our team, so hey, that means I can ride forever," Bishop said. "I don't want to do anything else - this is my passion."

For now, though, she is looking forward to Saturday.

"I'm excited, really, as long as I get to walk around and make sure nobody throws away anything I don't want to get thrown away," she said, laughing.