Party Changes for Summer

Summer is Here. . . . .I know the Calendar says it starts on June 21st. 

Beginning in May we will only be doing 2 parties per day. 

Usually we go back to 3 or 4 per day sometime around October.

Please think of our animals and try to book your party early in the

morning or late in the afternoon so it's cooler.

On days that it is really hot and the humidity is high and you have booked the petting zoo, the rabbit may not come to the party.  The heat is hard on her

with all that fur.  As long as there is shade the other animals are okay with it.
We have a 12 x 12 canopy that we can put up so the animals have some shade.

During the hottest months, June, July and August we sometimes bring a fan and an extension cord with us for the petting zoo animals.  We will need the use of an electrical outlet.  With the fan, at least it will keep the air circulating so that it will not be quite so bad on the animals.  Our main concern is that

none of the animals get to hot or get dehydrated.  All of the animals get all

the Gatorade they want during the summer when working at parties.

If we are doing horse and pony rides out in the sun with no shade to walk in then one horse or pony at a time will get a gatorade break for a few minutes.
We have to make sure they get plenty of  fluids so they do not dehydrate.
We make sure that you get the full time for riding that you are paying for.

Your understanding during the hot months is very much appreciated.

  Reminders

FREE stuff - just let us know when you book your party

unicorns

horse shoes

steer roping

Feeding the horses and ponies

carrots

apples cut into quarters

Feeding the ducks and goats

fruit loop cereal

Our goal is to provide you with the Best Party, the Best Service and the Best Price in the Polk County Area.

Insurance Info

Let us know when booking your party if you need a Certificate of Insurance, there is no charge for this.  If you need added as an "Additional Insured" we

need a few days notice and the charge is $40.

This is the reason we do Parties. . . . . .

We did a party last weekend for this huge hotel in Clearwater.  We took the Horses and the Petting Zoo.  They neglected to tell us that there was no "outdoor" area to speak of.  The entire place was done in Italian Marble.  We could not even get our truck and trailer in because of the archways.

We parked in a parking lot for a church on the next street and walked everything over.  Lee and Billy took the cages with the rabbit and duck and me, Storm and Shelby took Cash, Damian and Mouse.  We hit the first obstacle at the entry.  Cash was to tall and hit his head on the archway.  When we went through the archway there was a 4 tier fountain that was about 15' around.  There was an Olympic size pool and all the way around was different things to do.  We had to walk the horses through the center of the bar, go down the steps and then down a sidewalk with people everywhere.

I was so proud of my horses, they were real champs.  The only grass area they had was about 60' around and that is where we set up.  We were there for about 4 hours.  I don't think there was anyone there that wasn't from another Country.

I saw a lady pushing a wheelchair with an older lady in it.  She was staying well away from where everyone was lined up to ride the horses.  The lady in the wheelchair had a severe stroke and one side was paralyzed and she had arthritus in the other hand.  She could barely talk, one or two words at a time.  I squatted down to her level and asked her if she had horses when she was a girl.  She smiled and said, "one, his name was Danny."  I pointed to my horses and asked her if she would like to go see them.

I walked Mouse over to her and then Damian, I didn't take Cash as I didn't want her to be scared of his size.  She petted Mouse and Damian and then pointed to Cash and said, "he like my Danny."  When Storm go finished with the ride she was giving I had her bring Cash over.  The lady was all smiles as she petted him.  Cash was such a good boy, he lowered his head so she could reach him.

The lady pushing the chair took pictures and sent them to me.  I also took the rabbit over to her and let her hold it. 

Seeing the smile from this lady is what makes it all worthwhile.  I think it's even more special when it's an older person than when it's the kids.  She patted me on the arm when the animals left and said, "god bless you."   God has blessed me by allowing me to give someone the special gift of remembering their own loved animals when they were younger.  This lady made my day a brighter place.

What We Do At Your Pony Party

Pretty Pony Parties

Visit our Website

What you can expect at your party to insure the safety of everyone.  

We are Registered with the State of Florida, Licensed in Polk County, USDA Licensed and
we carry a $2,000,000 Insurance Policy.  Let us know if you need a Certificate of Insurance
(no charge) or if you need to be listed as an "additional insured" there is a charge of $40.

Animals are just like us, sometimes they have an "off" day where they just want to be left alone.  If we see one of our animals who acts "standoffish" and doesn't really want to be held, we will remove that animal and put it back in the trailer.  

Horse & Pony Rides

The horses and ponies used for parties are first used for trail rides and parades.  We ride the horses in eight to ten Christmas Parades and several other parades throughout the year.  Most of the time, if a horse can do parades they will make excellent party horses.  We also spend time de-sensitizing them to things they may see at parties, balloons, swingsets,  hanging banners and more.  We sneak up on them and try to scare them with different objects, we throw things toward them and do other stupid stuff to try and upset them.  We even crawl under them . Once they are okay with anything we do, they stand still and don't try to run, rear or get crazy, then they are ready to do a party.

At the party we have an adult leading the horse/pony and an adult walking beside any child under the age of  seven or eight.  With special needs kids there is always someone walking next to them.  In the case of an emergency the walker will get the child off the horse.  We do not use straps to secure your child to the saddle and we do not use the automatic "hot walkers".  Since we started Pretty Pony Parties we have never had to quickly get a child off a horse and we have never had anyone injured at a party.  We also walk them around the party when we get there, just in case you have anything they have never seen before, we make sure they are okay with everything around them before anyone gets to ride.

Hugging Zoo

All of the animals that we have are our pets.  They are loved on everyday, fed twice a day, bathed when needed, given shots and wormers as needed and they are healthy and happy.  When animals can be held by anyone it's because they have been handled with love and care.  All of our animals can be fed by hand, held and petted and they will never offer to bite. 

Hugging Zoo animals are 2 pygmy goats, pot-belly pig, rabbit, duck, 21" tall horse and a ball python.  Let us know if you want the snake.  All of the Hugging Zoo animals love to eat Fruit Loop cereal.

Face Painting

We use only Professional Face Paint and cosmetic grade polyester glitter. Mehron face paints are manufactured in the US using only FDA listed materials safe to use on the face and skin.  Their products are not tested on animals.  Washes off with soap and water.

Please note, for the health and safety of all the children we will not do face painting or glimmer body art if they have a runny nose, open sore or cut on their face.  We will be happy to do it on an arm or leg.

On children under the age of 5 we do not paint on the eyelids or directly underneath the eye.  The face paint will not harm them but if they should move we could get the paint in their eyes or touch the eye with the brush.

Glimmer Body Art
 Glimmer Body Art Glitter Tattoos are non-latex, hypoallergenic and meet all FDA cosmetic grade safety standards.  They are waterproof and last up to 7 days.  Remove with baby oil or alcohol or an exfoliating scrub.

Paint the Pony
Kid's get water based non-toxic paint and brushes to paint designs on the pony.  It's amazing, but the pony and the horses love this (I guess they think they are being groomed).   I put the photos on the website of the pony and the artwork.  The kids love to do this.

Decorate the Pony
Each guest will get several bows and stick-on jewels.  The Birthday Child get to decorate the face and forelock.  The guests then get to put their bows and jewels on the pony.  You get a really wild looking pony when they are all done.  Photos of the pony will go on the website.

Clown
Our Clown is not scary to most kids.  I don't use full makeup and I dress really funny.  When you get the Clown to do Face Painting we also have a 2nd Face Painter that will do any kids that are afraid of the Clown.

Photography
You get over 100 professional photos.  The photos are mailed to you on DVD within 5 days and they are all high resolution and are suitable for printing in any size.  Photos will not have the copyright stamp on them.

Feather Hair Extensions
Each guest can choose from 10 to 15 different colors.  Each guest will get one extension.  The Birthday Child gets 2.  Feather Hair Extensions last for months in your hair.  They can be washed, curling ironed, straightened and colored.  Easy to remove if needed.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
This is a girls only party and is limited to 8 girls.  The girls will each get a Feather Hair Extension, Theatrical Make-up and their Nails done.  We take both still photos and video that we will mail to you on a DVD.  Girls can go through our boxes and play Dress-Up.  We have regular costumes, belly dancing outfits, evening gowns and lots of other choices.  They have a box of accessories with gloves, glasses, wigs, pom-poms, hats, capes and more.  If your child likes to play dress-up then this party is for you. 

We supply Hand Sanitizer at every party, each staff member has it on them at all times. Medical records are also with us at all times.  Please ask us if you would like to see them.

Pretty Pony Parties does everything we possibly can to see that everyone has an enjoyable time with our animals.  We do expect the children to show respect to our animals and to be gentle with them.  Any children that are trying to hurt any animal will be told one time to "be gentle with them" after that they will not be allowed to interact with them. 

Florida Equine Laws

Insurance is NOT REQUIRED by the State of Florida to have horse and/or pony rides at your home. 
From the Allen Financial Insurance Group, Kenneth C Sandoe, attorney at law.
A homeowner’s policy generally covers horse accidents which are non-business related. For example, if you take a number of guests on a trail ride or wagon ride and an accident occurs, this should be covered under your typical homeowner’s policy.    We are Licensed and Insured.

You can read the entire statute here.  Read the entire Florida Statute  I'm only touching on the important things in the statutes that a person should be aware of.  
Summary:   This Florida statute provides that an equine activity sponsor, an equine professional, or any other person shall not be liable for an injury to or the death of a participant resulting from the inherent risks of equine activities. 

(1) "Engages in an equine activity" means riding, training, assisting in veterinary treatment of, driving, or being a passenger upon an equine, whether mounted or unmounted, visiting or touring or utilizing an equine facility as part of an organized event or activity.

(4) "Equine activity sponsor" means an individual, group, club, partnership, or corporation, whether or not the sponsor is operating for profit or nonprofit, which sponsors, organizes, or provides the facilities for an equine activity.

(5) "Equine professional" means a person engaged for compensation:

(6) "Inherent risks of equine activities" means those dangers or conditions which are an integral part of equine activities, including, but not limited to:
(a) The propensity of equines to behave in ways that may result in injury, harm, or death to persons on or around them.
(b) The unpredictability of an equine's reaction to such things as sounds, sudden movement, and unfamiliar objects, persons, or other animals.
(c) Certain hazards such as surface and subsurface conditions.
(d) Collisions with other equines or objects.
(e) The potential of a participant to act in a negligent manner that may contribute to injury to the participant or others, such as failing to maintain control over the animal or not acting within his or her ability.

(7) "Participant" means any person, whether amateur or professional, who engages in or any equine that participates in an equine activity, whether or not a fee is paid to participate in the equine activity.

(1) Every equine activity sponsor and equine professional shall:
(b) Give the participant a written document which the participant shall sign with the warning notice specified in subsection (2) clearly printed on it. Said written document may be used in lieu of posting the warning on the site of the equine activity sponsor's or equine professional's facility, and shall be given to any participant in an equine event not on the location of the equine activity sponsor's or equine professional's facility.

Nicole's Law (Helmets)

2) A child who is younger than 16 years of age must wear a helmet that meets the current applicable standards of the American Society of Testing and Materials for protective headgear used in horseback riding and that is properly fitted and fastened securely upon the child's head by a strap when the child is riding an equine upon:

a) A public roadway or right-of-way;

(b) A public equestrian trail, public recreational trail, public park or preserve, or public school site; or
(c) Any other publicly owned or controlled property

4) A parent or guardian of a child younger than 16 years of age may not authorize or knowingly permit the child to violate this section.



(6) This section does not apply to a child younger than 16 years of age who is riding an equine when the child is:
(a) Practicing for, riding to or from, or competing or performing in shows or events, including, but not limited to, rodeos and parades, where helmets are not historically a part of the show or event;

(b) Riding on privately owned land even if the land is occasionally separated by a public road or right-of-way that must be crossed.