JERSEY SHORE - Woodland View Adventures Family Farm is more than just a place for horses to reside.
Located on more than 150 acres of land at 719 Canoe Run Road, there are a variety of activities for those new to horses, those who have loved horses for years and those who want to avoid horses.
Horse riding lessons are available for those just beginning. Owner Shane Newvine recommends parents wait until a child is about six years old to start training. Learning how to ride a horse is easier when the person is younger, but lessons are available for any age.
"You get used to it and learn (when the child is younger)," Newvine said.
At 6 years old, children have more semblance of control of the horse. Younger than that and their attention span might not be long enough and they might not be big enough to ride a horse.
For those who consider themselves a moderate to advanced rider, lessons to improve the skills already acquired can be taken.
In addition to the lessons, horses can live in provided stalls that are full service. Stable hands feed and clean the horses there.
To make sure the horses do not get rusty, an indoor arena was installed for their use year-round in any kind of weather.
More growth is planned for the stables to allow for more horses, but plans kept getting delayed last year with the large amount of rain the area received.
"The rain considerably held us up," Newvine said.
The farm also is a place for businesses to take their employees for team-building activities. The coworkers have to help each other and work together to solve problems.
In addition to the trail rides, which can be an hour or two hours long, with or without a rider's own horse, there are dinner rides and sunset snack breaks. On the dinner rides, the riders take the trail up to the top of the mountain and a campfire is built to prepare dinners like steaks.
Erin Dunleavy, marketing and public relations, said she wants to bring more couples to the farm. On top of the mountain, people can propose with nature all around them. She wants to bring more people celebrating their anniversaries to the farm also.
Woodland View Adventures Family Farm soon will host its first wedding.
In addition to engagements, weddings and anniversaries, people of all ages can have their birthday parties there.
This summer, Newvine and Dunleavy will test the waters by starting a summer day camp.
"It's a day camp to get our feet wet and see how it goes," Dunleavy said.
The farm has been in Newvine's family for four generations. His great-grandfather and grandfather used the property to farm. His father turned into horse stables. Now Newvine is trying to expand it to attract more interest.
"It's more appealing to the population," he said.
