30-minute Family Horse Ride & Farmyard Encounter Package

Riders must be at least 6, and children under 10 ride with a parent or guardian who is also riding. Instructors lead younger children on foot so the whole group stays together.

Meet at the Adventure Centre shed on the grounds of Hunter Valley Resort, at the corner of Hermitage Road and Mistletoe Lane, Pokolbin. Drive straight in, follow the signs to The Farm past the tennis court, and arrive 30 minutes before your ride with your online waiver already completed.

Yes, there's a strict 110 kg weight limit for the welfare of the horses, and riders who appear to be over 100 kg will be weighed at check in. Horse riding also isn't suitable during pregnancy or after recent surgery or injury.

Enclosed shoes are a must, and long pants make the ride more comfortable. Helmets are supplied and fitted for you, and bags, phones and cameras stay off the horse for safety; the team takes complimentary photos when time allows and AirDrops them after the ride, or posts them to the HVH Client Photos Facebook page within 72 hours.

Rides go ahead in light to medium rain, and oilskin riding jackets are available to hire. In torrential rain or when the temperature tops 38 degrees, the ride may be cancelled or postponed and you'll be offered a full refund, a credit voucher or a new date. If you choose to cancel on the day because of the weather, the full fare applies.

Cancel with 72 hours' notice or more and there's no charge. Between 72 and 48 hours, 25% of the fare applies, between 48 and 24 hours it's 50%, and with less than 24 hours' notice, on the day or for a no show, the full fare is charged.

After your ride, collect a farm map and a complimentary bag of animal feed from the Adventure Centre shed, then explore The Farm at your own pace and meet sheep, goats, cows, donkeys, pigs, llamas, alpacas and more.