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Please read! 

Here are some common question we are asked:  

            Yes, weather permitting!  Best time to ride is April - November.  Spring is great, but can be rainy- so watch the weather reports (if you believe them!!).  Summer is nice, but can be hot.  Mornings or evenings are the best times to ride during the summer.  Fall is wonderful, can be cool.  Winter, we don't ride if there is ice. 

            Depends on the time of year.  Be prepared for the weather!  Spring/Fall, you might need a jacket, gloves and hat if it's cool out.  Summer, bring bottled water/drinks.  Sunscreen, bug spray are a good idea also.  Don't forget the cameras!  We have bags you can put on your saddle to carry your gear! 

            You know your child the best, so please consider the comfort level of your child.  Horses are large animals and can sometimes intimidate young children.  It is hard to put an age limit on younger riders, as some are fearless and others are very apprehensive.  Please consider this when scheduling a ride.  Your child will be responsible for actually steering and controlling the horse!  I would hate for a young rider to have a traumatic experience.  I actually had a 12 year old have a panic attack once while ridding  on horse back!!  It really depends on the individual and better to be safe than sorry!

         Here's an example of a call we get all the time--  You have 2 teenagers wanting to ride with one or both parents / guardian, and also have an 8 year old. 

------The safest way to approach this, is have 2 guides and ride only 1 hour.  One guide lead the young rider, to insure a safe ride with no problems.  Another guide to keep an eye on the other riders to insure no control problems.  The ride would be at a walk only, no trotting at all.  This way the youngest rider has a safe, enjoyable ride, and realizes that it's ok .  As he or she gets older, they would ride again and be able to ride alone most likely. (the first time is the scariest!)  My worst fear is for a little rider to have a problem while on horse back, get scared, and never want to be around horses again. 

------Another way to deal with this is leave the 8 year old here at the farm, we can have a horse saddled and ride in the round pen and around the farm while the rest of the riders are out.  Also play with the dogs, rabbits, and other animals around here.  But again, we still have to pay someone to watch and ride with the youngster. 

             This is a tough one, with no easy answer.  Best advice I can give is know your physical limits and abilities.  You will have to mount and dismount the horse, we do have a step to help.  While riding you will also have to balance yourself, it's not like sitting in a chair!!  I've seen some guys 6' 7"(or taller) and weigh probably 275 ride fine.  However, if you are 4' and weigh 275, not so fine.  The truth is some riders who maybe not be height and weight  proportionate may have a hard time riding.  If you have a question, just ask when you call; we are friendly and honest!!

                Another tough one.  Depends on the riding level of the riders.  We have great horses, but some are not for beginner riders.  As I mentioned, it is very important to be honest about everyone's riding ability when scheduling rides.  Riding Grandpa's pony when you were 5 does not count as riding experience!   We can take out 1-7 riders at a time.  But not all of those horses are for beginners!  If you have a group larger than that, we may have to do 2 rides.   Safety is always the key!

            This may seem silly, but we've seen it all!  I recommend - jeans, shoes/boots, and a light weight top, t-shirt or tank top for Summer riding.  You can ride in shorts, but probably not a good idea.  No flip flops, heels or sandals.  You'll want a sturdy shoe/boot that covers your feet and toes.   Probably best if your shoes/boots aren't extremely wide, but have a good sole to provide good support in the stirrups while riding.  Also, you may not want to wear your Sunday's best clothes!  I'm not saying get out the old rags, but don't wear anything you don't mind getting a little dirty!

                As long as you want to ride!  I recommend  starting with 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  It may not seem long, but your butt and thighs will say otherwise!   We can ride longer, but I do not recommend this for first time riders or children.

            Always!  But this is one of those, do as I say, not as I do!!  Safety is the key!  If you want to wear one, we do have a few helmets here.  Bike helmets would work just as good if you would like to bring your own.  We always recommend the children wear helmets.

            Prices vary depending on how long you ride, how many riders, how many guides are needed.  It's best to call!

                Just about any time!  We only do 1 or 2 rides a day, the horses need time off too!!  We can ride just about anytime of the week or weekend.  It is best to call and schedule an appointment, 2 days a head of time is recommended.  On rare cases, you maybe able to call and ride the same day.  When you schedule a ride, please don't forget to leave your home number and a cell number.  Weather is always a factor, we may have to call your cell phone to move ride times around if it starts to rain.

                If something comes up and you have to cancel please call us!  We understand life can throw you curve balls, it happens to us all the time!  Just call as soon as possible, that way maybe we can schedule someone else to ride.  Especially if it's a weekend we would appreciate a few days notice, if possible, that way we can make other appointments. 

                If it is raining or bad weather the day of your ride, we might have to cancel or reschedule.  If you are visiting from out of town, we will do everything possible to get the ride rescheduled.  It's important when you schedule a ride, to leave a cell number or hotel number so we can keep in communication with you!           

            Absolutely not!  No riding young children with adult riders.  Just imagine if for some reason you can not control your horse, what is going to happen with your child?  Do you drive your car with your child sitting on your lap in a traffic jam???

                Maybe.  That depends on the rest of your group.  Imagine, 4 riders out with 1 guide.  2 riders want to run/trot, the others don't.  It will be very hard for the riders to keep their horses back while the others run away.  You would either need 2 guides or just walk the whole time.  We can not allow riders to run/trot with out the accompaniment of a guide.  To many things could happen!  Also, can not leave riders unattended.   If everyone in your group is willing to try a trot, then that's great!  Away we go!  We are not the boring head to tail place, you can ride at your own speed.  Keep in mind, it's harder than it looks and a bit uncomfortable!  John Wayne makes it look really easy! 

                We accept - Cash, Postal Money Orders, In state checks, Euros, Canadian dollars, Russian Rubles, the Pound Sterling, Cincinnati Reds Tickets, any valid Gift Card that is close to us, Xavier Basketball tickets, Dog food. All at current exchange rates!  =) Funny, huh!!  At this time we are not set up to take credit cards.  No longer accept Paypal. 

                Tips are always appreciated, but that is totally up to you!  Some people do, some don't. 

            Just a little north of Madison, Indiana.  About an hour South West of Cincinnati.  2 hours Southeast from Indianapolis.  About 1 hour 15 minutes Northeast from Louisville.  About 5 1/2 - 6 hours Southeast from Chicago. 

                All kinds of stuff!  Lots of arts and crafts!  Antique shops, wineries, unique gift shops, nature shops, coffee houses, golf courses, bed & breakfasts, near by Casinos, the Ohio River, Clifty Falls State Park, Versailles State Park, and good food!  Lots of hotels/motels.  Nightlife, I guess it depends on what you like, but there are a few great taverns with great food and music.

                It's a small community, friendly people with a quite atmosphere.  Madison has a lot of festivals Spring-Fall.  There are art and craft shows, Blues festivals, Chili Cook offs, Rib-fest, Madison Regatta, and many more!  Check out the Madison Area Website and Visitor Bureau page for more information.     Click here for Madison websites   Keep in mind, if you are coming to visit during one of the festivals, hotels/motels may be booked, call ahead!  The Madison Visitors Bureau has a great calendar of all the fun things to do around here!  It's a great resource.