FAQ

No. All of the horses at Kay’s Acres are professionally trained and beginner friendly. Most of our riders have little or no riding experience. The horses know their jobs well and always enjoy taking first time riders. Also, the rides are walk only for the safety of horse and rider.

We can take up to 8 “rental” horses along with a guide. For larger parties we are required to go out in separate groups to abide by Virginia state law.

The entire experience is usually an hour and a half – two hours. This includes interactions with horses upon arrival, an arena orientation and safety brief, as well as visiting with our petting zoo animals. If you are late and there are others scheduled at the same riding time, unfortunately we cannot wait for your group to arrive.

We recommend long pants and closed toed shoes.

No. Under no circumstances may the horses be run. Not only is it dangerous to the horse, but also the riders around you. For your safety, riders found to intentionally run their horse will be asked to dismount and return to the barn.

Our weight limit is 300 LBS. We do understand that taller individuals sometimes weigh more than that, therefore we try to be as flexible as possible. Factors considered include ground condition, workload for the animal, and terrain ridden. Please feel free to call with any questions or concerns regarding the weight limit.

Children must be four years old or under AND be able to fit comfortably IN the saddle with the adult. We will make exceptions for five year olds under fifty pounds. Generally, the adult needs to weigh around 165 LBS or less, with their height proportional to their weight in order for the children to have enough room. Not all of the horses are accepting of double riders. So, if you will have little ones in your group riding tandem, make sure to call further ahead of your desired riding date for your reservation. This way we can be sure to have our “double horses” available.

Yes. Reservations are paid for and booked in advance for all Kay’s Acres services.

We accept all major credit cards to hold your reservation.

If we end up having poor weather during the time you are scheduled to ride we will either wait it out or try very hard to reschedule. A lot of times it is just a passing shower and we can still get out on the trail… just a few minutes behind schedule. Also, if you have reservations PLAN ON COMING unless we call you. We will ALWAYS let you know if we will need to cancel due to bad weather. If you don’t hear from us then you should still plan on being there for your ride. If we cancel because of weather, we will simply reschedule your ride or event for a later date.

We always send out an experienced friendly guide with our groups.

Yes, we invite you to take as many pictures as you would like in our petting zoo and western town area. We ask that while on your horse, your hands and attention are available for your ride. If you wish to have pictures on the trail you may purchase a photopack of 7-10 photos for $20. Your guide will take pictures throughout your ride with their latest-model mobile device. Photos will be available at the completion of your ride.

No food is permitted to be fed to our animals. However, treats such as carrots are available for purchase on the farm. This allows us to safely monitor quality and quantity of our animals’ food intake.

Yes, gratuities are welcome and appreciated.

We can accommodate riders as young as two years old on a tandem ride. Rates are charged per rider, not per horse. There is an additional $5 fee for all riders under the age of 16 due to an increase in liability.

January-March restroom facilities are unavailable due to winterizing. Royal Farms on Holland Rd. provides as an excellent pitstop for restroom use as well as enjoying your favorite snack here on the farm. Picnic tables on our farm are available throughout the entire year.

Kay’s Acres does accommodate rides for customers requiring additional mobility assistance and are able; however, please note that we do not have available any special equipment, thus the rider would need to support most of their own weight by remaining somewhat balanced in the saddle. If that can be achieved, we would then implement the use of side walkers at the discretion of our safety team. We also highly recommend clearing activities such as horseback riding with your health care provider.