Farm Policies & FAQs

 Because of the nature of our work here, our customers have a right to privacy and confidentiality.  Please be considerate of others when on the farm. Remember, horses are large prey animals.  This cannot be trained out of them. For safety reasons, please keep younger children close by and have them refrain from running around and yelling, which only serves to distract horse and rider.  Please refrain from wondering around the property unless expected and/or escorted by staff.

BASIC SAFETY
There are electric fences all around that are usually on, so use caution.  While touching an electric fence isn’t necessarily fatal, it doesn’t feel very good.  Please refrain from hand feeding the horses or playing with their mouths/noses.  Some horses cannot tell the difference between a finger and a carrot.  Please do not allow children to play on the mounting ramp, or play with other equipment. 

DOGS
Unfortunately, dogs are not welcome to visit the farm.  Please leave them at home.  Waiting in the car is also not allowed.  This upsets the farm dog, Brodie, and can be alarming for horses walking by.

HOURS
We don’t have general open-to-the-public hours as we’re always teaching lessons.   If you would like to make an appointment to visit the farm or take lessons, please don’t hesitate to call so that we can give you our undivided attention.

HELMETS
Mounted riders will wear an approved ASTM helmet, with chin strap.  If you don’t have one, we can provide one.

ENTERING THE RING
When there are horses in the ring, they are attentive to the rider.  Please use caution when entering the ring from the shop and the back door, so as to not spook the horse. 

WEIGHT LIMITS
Due to the size and strength of our current horses, we must enforce a weight limit to ensure horse health and rider safety.  Currently, our weight limit is 200 pounds.  Riding is a physical activity which requires the horse to balance a rider on his/her back.  It isn't only about weight, but also muscle tone; a heavy person who is athletic is easier for a horse to carry then a lighter person who flops around and doesn’t move with the horse. Additionally, it is more difficult for a horse to carry a beginner than an experienced rider who sits in balance. (Imagine the work load of a lopsided, floppy backpack versus a balanced pack that moves with you). If you are an experienced rider over the weight limit, please ask if there might be a suitable horse available.

PARKING
Live so that others may live; Park so that others may park.  Under the best of circumstances, please park out back along the fence line (in a way that allows adequate parking for others) and enter through the back door. When the back door is closed, it is because there is a lesson going on, it’s very windy and cold, or all of the above. We will open the door at the end of every lesson for folks to pass through.  Please park so that you don’t block the driveway, it makes the driveway unsafe to pass through with horses.  

24 HOUR CANCELLATION
Due to the nature of our work, and the number of volunteers we must coordinate for each lesson, it is imperative that we get a 24 hour cancellation notice for all lessons.  A less than 24 hour notice is subject to “charge as usual” and will count as time ridden.  We understand there are times beyond your control- which is why we give you a “freebie” in prepaid series- for events such as illness, car breakdowns, etc. We value our volunteers’ time and the hard work our horses do.  Should you be late for your lesson, the rider may be able to finish out his/her time without extension.  Any and all no shows will be subject to full charge as well. 
There are times when we must cancel a lesson, and we will do so with as much advanced notice as possible, and reschedule it in a timely manner.  It may be because we do not have adequate volunteer coverage, a horse may have an injury, or the weather may pose some threat to safety.  You will not be charged for a cancellation on our part and we apologize in advance for any inconvenience to you.

CANCELLATION DUE TO WEATHER
We will cancel lessons when it is below 20 degrees.  It’s just not fun or safe for horse and rider when it’s that cold. We may also cancel lessons during a huge thunderstorm or downpour, or if the temperatures are in the 90’s.  We will make every effort to contact you regarding the cancelled lesson in a timely fashion.  However, should you be concerned about the weather- don’t hesitate to call.  We will leave a message on the machines.   

 

FAQ's

What does a lesson look like?

Lessons are designed according to the abilities of the rider.  As part of their lesson, riders assist in grooming, saddling, and leading their horse to the ring.  Riders learn to mount and dismount using safety precautions at all times.  They learn to ask the horse to walk and trot using both their voice and their bodies.  Emergency dismounts are taught early on to all riders. 

 How often and how long should a student ride?

Most riders come weekly.  We start all riders with a 1/2 hour intake which costs $25.  This allows us to assess the riders ability and place him/her in an appropriate class.

 How much does a lesson cost?

Lessons cost between $25 and $45, depending on if it's group, private, half hour or an hour.

 How old does a rider have to be?

Currently our youngest rider at the farm is three.  We have two smaller ponies for youngsters under 48” tall.  (This is not to imply that you can only ride a pony if you’re under 48” tall).

 Does the rider have to wear any special shoes or a helmet?

Whenever possible, riders should where some sort of heavier boot .  Sneakers are not prohibited, but should be avoided whenever possible. Also, there tends to be manure and mud at the farm, so shoes that can get dirty would be best.

All riders wear ASTM/SEI approved riding helmets for all equestrian activities.  We have helmets for riders who do not their own.

  Can I observe the lesson?

Families may observe the lesson, as long as siblings are well-supervised by the family.   All who observe the program are asked to follow posted rules. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding confidentiality.

 Can we feed the horses?

For everyone's safety, please do no hand feed the horses unless you have been given explicit permission to do so.  Horses can easily forget that fingers are not carrots.  There is a correct way to feed horses.  Additionally, while only one treat from you isn't much, another treat from the following three riders can give him/her a belly ache.  Thank you.