Safety Considerations

Safety is an important consideration in all our riding programs. We provide experienced guides, riding instructions, and riding helmets at no additional charge. Ages 6 and up can ride at our farm and will get a horse of their own.

Weight Restrictions

We want to make horseback riding available and accessible to everyone, so we have at least 12 draft horses (similar to the Budweiser Clydsdales who pull the beer wagon) to accommodate larger riders. We can take riders weighing up to 350 lbs because our draft horses are very large boned and weigh 2,000 to 2,500 pounds themselves. They are gentle giants and very well mannered. You can see one of our Clydesdales in the picture to the left. We have mounting blocks, and we will assist you in mounting and dismounting as we do all our riders.

Our draft horses eat more than twice the amount of a regular size horse, and the shoeing expense is more than double, as the shoes are more expensive and a forge must be used to heat the shoes so that they can be shaped to fit the horse's hoof. Due to the added expense of buying and maintaining the draft horses, we charge an additional $20/person for anyone who needs to ride one, i.e. anyone weighing over 200 lbs. Please be honest when making your reservations, as we will have scales accessible to verify the riders' weights at check-in to ensure that we don't compromise the health of our horses and the safety of our riders. While we recognize that a person's weight may be a sensitive subject, we have an overwhelming commitment to preserve the backbones of our buisness - literally and figuratively.

Age Restrictions

We have a variety of rides that children ages two and up can participate in. They can ride on their own when they are six years old and up. If they are younger than six, they can do the 1-hour trail ride along with the rest of the family, but they will ride double with one of DBF's experienced guides. Sometimes six year-olds are fearful of riding on their own on such a big animal, so we give them the option of riding on their own or riding with a guide. However, if your six year-old prefers to ride with a guide, you will need to indicate that on the reservation request. Otherwise, we will assume they are riding on their own. Little girls are provided with female guides. Children ride in front of the guide as it's safer than having them ride behind the guide in a buddy seat, and it allows them to see and participate along with the rest of the family, but their guide controls their horse for them. We use big, oversized saddles so that both the guide and the child can be comfortable. Children are never permitted to ride double with a parent because of safety concerns. In addition to our regular rate, there is a $20 fee to help us offset the cost of the guide dedicated to providing your young child with a safe riding experience.

Another option for children under the age of six is a "pony ride" - a hand-led mini trail ride through the woods on horseback.

And there's no upper age restriction either. You're never too old to ride. If you have the desire, we will help you up onto your horse and help ensure that you have a safe ride.

So get taken for a ride at Dead Broke Farm, and let your horseback riding adventures begin!