FW pony ride height maximum/ petting zoo moved from FW

[AndriaRose]

Just got back from an exhaustingly wonderful 2night stay at AKV. It was just DGD(7) and I, both nights at MNSSHP, no parks. Day 1 was off the plane, check in, off to the party by 5pm. Day 2 was to be morning at FW with pony rides and petting zoo, back to AKV for a swim before heading to the party at 4.

I checked with mommy and made sure DGD was under the 80 pound weight limit (easily and with room to spare), only to discover there that they have a height maximum, which she was slightly over. I think the max was 48 inches. I tried to console her with a trip to the petting zoo - which has moved. Its no longer at FW.

The trip was great, I would love to do it again. I just wanted to share this update info on the pony rides and petting zoo. It was hard for DGD to stand there and look at the ponies she couldn't pet or ride, and I really wish I'd had better pre-planning info.

 

[Girlie1]

Where did they move the petting zoo to?

 

[vicki_c]

Where did they move the petting zoo to?

I thought they got rid of the petting zoo YEARS ago - I thought others have even said some of the animals went to AK (not sure if that makes any sense or not) and that would have been a long time ago.

 

[spiceycat]

boy think I would get mad

if she is under their weight issue - then just don't understand the height.

and since she is only 7 - not old enough to ride the horses. that is just unfair.

 

[kristenrice]

We had the same problem in April. We took a morning off from the parks and had been promising a pony ride for the DD's for months. DD6 (now 7) is very tall of her age so she was 1/2" too tall to ride. She broke down in tears when she found out. The CM felt terrible too. I told him (and DD) that those are the rules and we all have to follow them. The CM said that there was one rule he would be willing to bend for her...he handed her a brush and let her go back and groom the pony. Then, he let her lead the pony as DD4 rode it around the trail. (I was with them too.) This seemed to make her feel a little better, but we made it up to her with a surprise trip to the marina. We casually mentioned our pony experience to the CM at the marina and he "dusted" us with 45-minute rentals when we only paid for 30. We had a ball and it more than made up for the missed pony ride.

But, I agree, 48" is a little ridiculous. Since they can't ride the big horses until age 9, there is going to be a gap where they are unable to ride. Most kids between 7-9 years old are at least 48" tall. Oh, the other thing that made DD6 feel better was when I reminded her that if she was short enough to ride the pony, she'd be too short to ride the RRC at DHS. She got over the pony ride very quickly after that!

 

[AndriaRose]

I understand rules having to be followed, so I didn't fuss about it. (Even though I personally don't ever remember our ponies checking out how tall we were as kids )

I was unhappy with myself for making promises to DGD I couldn't keep. Which is why I wanted to mention it on the boards. So many ideas for activities are gotten by reading the DISboards, which is where I got the ideas. I'm just hoping my note will help someone else who's thinking about it as an activity have more up-to-date information.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

The rules are really for the ponies best interest. I am kind of shocked they let her lead the pony around, I know those ponies are so so well trained, but they are still living creatures and who knows what could have happened.

Longer legs swinging around could cause the pony to bolt (again, probably not these ponies, but you still never know), and as for weight, I'm kind of surprised they have the weight set at 80. Daughters trainer doesnt want anyone above 120lbs on the backs of her show jumpers!!

Those big western saddles weigh a lot before you put a child on top!

Do you give the kids helmets to wear? What about on the trail rides?

 

[spiceycat]

Do you give the kids helmets to wear? What about on the trail rides?

on the trail rides never seem a helmet. these horses are tame. the biggest problem and while the child must be 9 - is these guys will try to eat the grass at all times.

the trainers don't want them too - and if you let your horse eat at will - they will come up behind you and hit the horse - which is the only time these guy run at all.

they don't buck and the weight limit is 250 for the big horses.