What time are your rides?
This will vary depending on the seasons through the year. You can see our available slots and book your ride right here on our website.
Please click on Book Now to see our current ride schedule and book your next adventure with us!
How long is the ride?
You will be on the horse for an hour, which will include a brief, but power-packed safety and ridding lesson.
How old do you have to be?
All riders must be at least 13 years old, at least 4ft tall, and children of any age cannot double ride (tandem) with anyone. Children 15 years old and under must be accompanied by their guardian on the ride. 16 years old and older may ride unattended by their guardian, but their legal guardian must be present to sign the paper waiver.
Please do not be deceptive of the childs age. The age limit is in place for safety. This puts the child, the horses, our staff, and our riders at risk. It also goes against our insurance limits. You will also forfeit your booking and will not be eligible for refund or rebooking.
Do you have a weight limit?
We can not allow riders in excess of 240 pounds as this can cause injuries to our horses. If you over that limit, please do not be deceitful and sign up as you will be denied a ride and will not be entitled to a refund or rebooking.
We rather not have to embarrass anyone by denying the ride if you are over our weight limit. We may ask you to stand on our weight scale if we feel you are close to or over the limit, to protect our horses. Please don’t make us do that.
The Americans with Disabilities Act
Here are the ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA for ALL participants:
This Adventure is a very physical outdoor activity!
ALL Riders of the horses MUST:
- be at least 13 years old and no less than 4 ft tall (to reach the stirrups)
- be accompanied, on the ride, by their legal guardian if they are under the age of 16
- be under the weight of 240lbs
- be able to mount and dismount on their own (we can provide a step to assist)
- be able to physically hold themselves on the horse without assistance
- be able to physically control the horse with the reigns, after receiving riding lesson and safety brief
- be able to see and hear riding lesson and safety brief
- be able to understand (in English) and implement instructions that are provided to them.
- Wear close toed shoes (i.e.: Sneakers, boots, but not sandals or crocks or slip on type shoes)
- Wear a provided helmet (you may wear a ball cap, bandanna, or scarf to protect your hair under the helmet)
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and Chapter 760, Part I, Florida Statutes, the “Florida Civil Rights Act”:
- Happy Trails will not partake in the act of making unfair or prejudicial distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong, such as race, gender, age, religion, or sexual orientation. Due to safety and hazard risks of riding and being near horses Happy Trails will provide rides on horseback to anyone who meets our basic requirements that are currently posted on our website indicating requirements to attend rides with safety for all attendants to the ride. We will post signage on the property indicating these as well.
- Anyone can access the property as it is wheelchair accessible and there is not much of an incline/decline for those with walking issues, but they will not be able to get near or be involved with the horses for safety concerns. We are not able offer special programs for those with advanced mental or physical limitations. Happy Trails is not certified to provide a Para-Equestrian or disabled therapeutic type of program.
- Service and Support Animals will not be allowed to accompany any rider for this adventure due to liability and safety issues.
- Those who meet the basic requirements may partake in this adventure due to high safety risks.
Do you have a concern or question regarding access and inclusion?
Happy Trails will handle any complaint, concern, or question with legitimacy and delicateness. Each complaint or concern, that may come in, will be unique in their situation. We will help them understand the guidelines for this adventure and patiently explain why avoiding the above requirements for this ride would be a danger to them, the staff, other riders, and the horses. We are not able to make special accommodations in most situations due to safety risks but we will see if we can come to a manageable resolve for all parties involved as we want everyone to know the wonder of horses to the best of their capability.
What if I want to ride alone (no other customers?
Because it takes so much to get the horses prepared and to drive the horses to the meeting place, we have found it not monetarily worth doing a solo ride (for one person).
You may book a solo (single) ride where there are other bookings made that show there are seats left or you purchase a Private ride. If you find a spot that is fully booked showing no seats left, you may contact us to see if we can add you in that ride as well.
Are we allowed to Tip the staff?
Absolutely! Showing gratitude towards another’s efforts toward making your adventure custom to you and creating a lasting memory, is greatly appreciated. Tipping is bad for cows but its great for cowgirls!
Can we take pictures?
Yes! Feel free to take as many pictures as you’d like. We will stop for your to take photos, however, we cannot stop too many times unless you are the only group on that ride. Most people take pictures as we ride. We do not take photos of the rides or riders on staff cameras for customers, but we can take some for you with your camera if you ask us to capture a few for you.
What should I wear?
Wear a happy face and close-toed shoes.
Happy Trails also recommends:
- wearing long pants
- wearing secure and tight bra or sports bra for ladies
- wearing briefs or an athletic supporter for men
- wearing sunscreen and bug spray
- wearing hair style suitable for a helmet as to not interfere with safety (you may also wear a bandana to protect hair under helmet)
- wearing sunglasses
- drinking water prior and post riding to prevent dehydration and muscle cramps
- having a phone case that can be connected to the body in the event phone slips from hand
- wearing a securable close to the body pouch to keep keys and wallets in (i.e.: fanny pack)
- dress appropriate for the weather (i.e.: if its cold outside, it may be colder on the beach)
Don’t say we didn’t warn you!!! 🙂
Do we have to wear a helmet?
Yes! Safety is always first. Wearing the helmet and wearing it correctly is a huge must. We provide helmets for all our riders that we keep clean between riders. We will also instruct you how to properly wear them so they do not slide out of correct position, according to OSHA standards.
You may wear a ball cap, bandanna, or scarf to protect your hair under the helmet.
You may wear your own helmet but it must be worn according to our guidelines.
Can we canter or gallop?
Unfortunately, no. All of our horses are required to wear “manure bags.” When a horse canters or gallops, they launch with all four legs. When they do this, the poop bag will swing and then swat them behind their hind legs. The horses do not like that and will kick at it. For a rider, this will feel like bucking, which is why we don’t allow either of these gaits.
Can we trot?
We are the only riding service on Amelia Island with all gaited Tennessee Walking Horses. These horses do not trot. Their gaits progress from a flat walk to a running walk. While other horses have to trot to keep pace, ours do not. They’re often called the “Cadillac” of horses because of their smooth gaits.
What else should I know?
You cannot be under the influence of alcohol or drugs when you arrive. This does not happen often, but if you do this, we have the right to and will deny you the ride and we will not refund you.
What if it rains (or other inclement weather)?
In the event of bad weather, and we deem it to be hazardous to ride, we will contact you and give you the option to reschedule/rebook your ride or receive a refund.
What if we arrive late?
We require that all riders arrive 20 to 15 minutes early to sign waivers, get situated with helmets, and prepare you for the ride. If you show up late and the ride has already started with those who were on time, or your lateness would interfere with the other riders and with the next ride after yours, you will not be able to attend nor will you eligible for a refund or be able to rebook for another time. It takes five hours of work for us to put on a one-hour ride. Please plan ahead and arrive early and prepared! If you are running late, you may call us to see if we are able to wait (most times we cannot wait).
What if we have to cancel?
We have a 48-hour refund policy. All you have to do is email us with the last name you are booked under along with the date and time of your ride no later than the 48 hours from the date of your booking, and we will cancel your ride.
You can request us to reschedule/rebook your ride to another date or you may request a full refund, as long as it’s 48 hours before booked ride date. If you do not give us 48 hours’ notice, we will not have enough time to fill the spot we had saved for you and you will not be eligible for a refund or rescheduling.