Come Ride Horses in Kentucky!

Riding First Farm Inn horses isn’t limited to B&B guests. Anyone over 12 years old and under 200 pounds who is willing to follow directions and sit up straight can call 859-586-0199 (between 8 and 8) to make a reservation. The nicer the weather, the busier we are.

Learning to ride horses at First Farm Inn means communicating with your new equine partner in ways he can understand.  Unlike traditional “trail rides,” at First Farm Inn we actually direct and communicate with the horse.  Horseback riding also means learning to balance so your horse can trust you.  Since horses have the second longest memory in the mammal kingdom, after elephants, understanding their history helps you understand them. Here are short bios of our riding horses.

Buster Brown

Buster Brown is a Percheron-Thoroughbred cross, chocolate brown with a star, 16.3 hh and foaled in 1999.

His mother was taken away when he was four days old to nurse a Thoroughbred, but he was lucky enough to be sold to a “nurse-mare foal” rescue and bottle fed. His training began at two with a local woman who gave him great care until medical problems forced her to sell him to us in 2011. Our vet has known him since then!  He thinks he’s a kitten and loves treats.

A well-trained and talented dressage horse, Buster is better with a quiet rider who won’t inadvertently cue him too strongly, confusing him or pushing to move too quickly. His very round back requires a well-balanced rider who instinctively will adjust the saddle if it is even slightly off-center. Buster has fallen madly in love with Bunny mule and she with him. 

Hank

Hank, a handsome 16 hh bay Quarter Horse gelding, came to us in July 2023 from guests who got engaged here 14 years ago.  When their children’s needs began consuming Hank’s time, Angela contacted us, knowing how First Farm horses are cared for.  Born 3-25-01, Poco Mack Hank is a very nice guy, used to kids, dogs and goats literally underfoot.  Trained in dressage, he has fabulous manners, is sensitive and easy to ride with the slow lopy canter and comfortable jog Quarter Horses are known for. Foaled in Illinois, he moved to Lawrenceburg, IN then to Cincinnati before joining us.  Riders who sit quietly will enjoy him. Like most of our well-trained horses, kicking or banging your legs will suddenly and dramatically increase his speed.

Domino 

Likely foaled about 2018, 15.3 hh Domino’s heritage probably includes “Rocky Mountain” or “Kentucky Mountain” horses, known for their small stature and very smooth gaits. On March 2, 2021, we drove to the very Western end of the Commonwealth and bought him from a woman who likely wore him out and drugged him before we got there. The most expensive horse I’ve ever bought, Domino reared and bucked when I rode him in the arena later that week.

Dental work and a month at a horsey boot camp gave him better manners. Like most youngsters, Domino’s impatient and wants to move all the time.  Stopping and standing are his least-favorite activities.  His long floppy lip is constantly playing.  A rider who can cope with his playful antics will enjoy his super-smooth gaits.

Chloe

A very friendly and easy-going girl, Chloe is a 14 hh 2013 Haflinger mare, trained to drive and ride, likely by the Amish in Southern Indiana. She moved to Northern Ohio for a disabled woman who decided she’d prefer a gaited horse to compact little Chloe.  An opinionated girl, Chloe will persistently attempt to convince you to go her way, but will give in and listen to an insistent and consistent rider.  She joined us in March 2023. She loves to demonstrate her trick — smiling big for any kind of a treat!

Bunny the Molly Mule

In December 2022, we found Bunny, a 15.2 solid bay molly (female) mule foaled in 2012 or 13, with a Kentucky horse trader.  A friend and former neighbor who switched to mules after importing European show horses coached us via phone when we looked at her.

Bunny was Amish-trained to drive and ride. Likely she’s pulled a lot more heavy loads than had riders.  Gaining her trust took time and she can be wary of people who act threateningly.  She loves face massages and is ok with having her giant ears played with! Her gaits are very comfortable, although she’s learning to canter well — not something she did in harness.

Bunny is a cross between a draft mare (likely a Percheron since she has no white points) and a donkey. Mules are one of the most commonly used working animals in the world. In the 1980s, the US military used 10,000 mules as pack animals in the Middle East. They are hardier and have more stamina than horses, eat less and live longer. A mule’s hybrid intelligence also means that they are more cautious and aware of danger, making them safer to ride when crossing dangerous terrain. Their skin is less sensitive and more resilient to sun and rain. Their average lifespan is 30-40 years, though some live to 50.  Their hooves less likely to split and crack.  They can whinny and bray as well as make other noises.

Big Ben

Ben is a 16.2 hh Spotted Draft, bred in Washington to be part of an 8-horse hitch.  At 1,600 lbs., the 2015 gelding was too small to match.  In 2022, he moved to Kentucky to become a trail horse for a new rider whose partner rides a full Percheron.  While Ben is extremely kind and well-mannered, his size, sensitivity and forward gaits were intimidating.  He has settled into our routine comfortably and is lots of fun for a confident, quiet rider who likes XL-sized horses!  Like Buster, he’s very round so good balance is important for his rider.