Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long have you been in business?
A: Party Animals Pony Rides has been in business since 1991(16 years). We have
many repeat clients and we're happy to provide references.

Q: What services do you provide?
A: We bring 1 pony with a saddle and 1 pony with a cart for most parties. We can be
flexible depending on your needs, though experience over these many years has
shown us this formula works best for most parties.

Q: Do you require a deposit
A: Yes. We require a non refundable $50 deposit to hold the date and time you
request. If you have an family emergency or extremely bad weather your deposit can
be applied to another date for up to one year.

Q: Is an hour enough?
A: Yes, for private parties, generally speaking an hour is plenty of time for all the
children to take several rides. Public events will need more time and very large
private parties might require an extra half hour.

Q: Are the ponies friendly?
A: Absolutely. They are extremely gentle and adore children. All of our ponies are
professionals. They have been doing this job for a very long time.

Q: Do you clean up after the ponies?
A: Yes. Ponies aren't able to be housebroken. We expect "accidents" and we clean
up all manure.

Q: Will the ponies damage our lawn?
A: No. They will graze on your grass but they will do no permanent damage.

Q: Can we feed the ponies?
A: We no longer allow hand feeding the ponies. A child's hand is too small and can
inadvertently slip into the ponies mouth resulting in what could seem like a bite. It's
best to pet and hug ponies without food. Hand feeding can also lead to bad behavior
on the part of the pony. We don't want our ponies associating children with food.

Q: Do you dress in costume or decorate the ponies?
A: We do NOT dress up, however we do have ribbons for the ponies manes and tails.
If you wish to have the ponies "dressed" for your party please let us know when we
arrive. The other option is to have the children decorate the ponies during the party.
Kids love to brush the ponies and put ribbons in the ponies manes and tails.

Q: Will the ponies work the entire hour?
A: The pony with the saddle will give a full hour of rides. The pony with the cart is
working much harder. Depending on weather and terrain we will give you as much
time as we can. Usually he makes the full hour with little trouble. We monitor his
condition constantly and if he does have to stop a few minutes early the children will
then have the opportunity to brush, decorate and generally adore him for the last few
minutes of the party. Brushing, decorating and hugging provide great photo
opportunities!

Q: Do you have a weight limit?
A: We have a maximum weight limit of 85-90 lbs on the ponies back and no maximum
weight limit for the cart (within reason). There are situations in which we do have to
limit how many adults ride in the cart. We use a miniature horse or very small pony
and if he is going to work for a full hour, trotting most of that time, some consideration
for the amount of weight he's pulling has to be shown.

Q: Will you bring a bigger pony for larger children?
A: No. Our weight limit is designed with the safety of the riders in mind. We allow the
weight we feel we can lift  or assist onto the pony's back and keep stabilized during
each ride. If we brought a larger pony we would be lifting heavier children even
higher off the ground and we are not comfortable doing so. We bring the pony with
the cart so no child has to be excluded from participating. We ask parents to be
accurate as possible about the child's weight and explain the situation to the child
ahead of time so that we don't risk hurting any child's feelings. We love working with
children and want every child to have a great time. Please understand our limits are
for the safety of your children.

Q: Why do you bring a pony with a cart?
A: As stated above it allows children over the mounted weight limit to participate. In
addition it allows children who might be a little scared to sit on the pony to get in the
cart and ride comfortably seated. Even better it allows a child to afraid to go alone the
chance to ride in an adult's lap. Normally one ride in the lap of a parent will give the
child enough confidence to then ride alone and often times try the mounted pony as
well. The cart is a big hit with kids even if it's not the picture many people have in
their mind of what a 'pony ride' should be. You and your children will love the cart!

Q: How much room do you need?
A: We need a piece of grass big enough for the saddle pony to walk back and forth
and turn around easily. We can always do the cart rides in the road if you live on a
quiet enough street. For the cart pony to fit in your backyard we need the grass to be
short (preferably not St. Augustine) and enough room for the pony to make a turn
without having to pivot the cart around using his shoulder. These guys do prefer to be
where they can see each other. It's not an absolute but it's much easier if they can be
"together" or near enough to see each other. If your own property isn't big enough
consider a nearby park or common area.

Q: If my child is mentally or physically challenged can he or she ride?
A: We have to determine that at the time we meet your child. We are NOT set up or
qualified to handle children with severe disabilities. If the child can sit without
assistance or is small enough to ride safely in an adult's lap they can ride on the cart.
If they are unable to assist themselves while being mounted size will determine
whether or not we feel comfortable trying to provide a ride to your child. Please
understand we reserve the right to refuse any child if for any reason we feel their
safety is at risk. We do the best we can determining a child's ability to participate. We
really do wish to give every child a ride, but it's not always possible.

We hope FAQ page answers any questions you might have. If you need further
assistance please call us at 352-528-5301.

We want you and your children to remember our ponies for a lifetime. Ponies at a
birthday party are fun! When planning your child's party, remember, stay relaxed,
don't over schedule the children and let them enjoy the ponies in their own way at
their own pace.
Please feel free to call with any questions.
352-528-5301
We realize no webpage can cover every possible situation. These are a few of the the most
frequently asked questions to help you decide if our services are right for your event.