#29: Christmas Wagon Ride

On Friday, December 28, my husband and I went to Acquibob Farm in Chesapeake for a Christmas wagon ride.  It's located off Tyre Neck Road in Western Branch.  We made the mistake of turning onto Saunders Lane and stopping at the first house.  We were warmly greeted and even got half-way inside their house before we realized that we had totally crashed some one's retirement party!  After wishing them "congratulations," we quietly made our exit and continued down the long dirt and gravel road to the farm. The road was lined with Christmas lights and I knew we had reached the right spot when I saw the stables.

 When we got to the large barn, we were greeted by Judy and Curtis who informed us that it would take about 10 minutes to hitch up the horses.  They wanted to see if we actually came (because they've had no-shows) before they got the horses all ready.  We waited in the large barn and this is my husband's "I-can't-believe-you-dragged-me-out-here" face. 

 

At first, he wasn't as excited as I was to go on this adventure.   Truth be told, I think he was nervous about the horses.  You see, my Jersey boy husband has never touched a horse before.  He had no idea what to expect with this "wagon ride."  I didn't either, but that's part of the fun! (And yes, he's wearing a Virginia Tech hat with a University of Virginia hoodie). 

 While we waited in the barn, I saw this sign.  I didn't know they were doing a coat drive too.  If I had, I would have brought some extra coats to donate. 

This is the barn where we waited for the horses.  You can see the wagon in the middle of the picture.  Yes, I should have zoomed in.  I can only hope that my photography skills will improve the more I write this blog. 

Judy and Curtis got the horses hitched up and we were just amazed at the size of the horses.  Simba and Prince are Belgian horses and weigh 2000 pounds each.  When I first saw them, they reminded me of Clydesdale horses, but not nearly that big.

The wagon ride was not what I expected.  I thought the farm and the field would be all decorated with Christmas lights.  The only lights and decor I saw was on the stables and on the road leading up to the farm.  However, what we experienced was so cool!

We got in the wagon and Judy drove us around the field.  We were lucky to have a moonlit ride and saw all the cows and horses on the farm.  As we were coming back to the barn, we saw a mama cow and her "newly born" calf.  Judy and Curtis told us that the calf had been born in the last 3-4 hours! Riding in the wagon under the stars and being out in nature, reminded me just how lucky we are to live in Chesapeake. 

When we returned to the barn, we thanked Judy, Curtis, Simba, and Prince.  Here's documentation of my husband's first horse-petting experience:

He's so excited that he's even thinking about taking horse riding lessons!  If we do, I'll be sure to document it here on the blog.

If you'd like to take a wagon ride at Acquibob Farm, here are some helpful hints:
1.  Call ahead to reserve your day/time.  (Note: I won't post their contact information here.  You can Google it)

2.  Dress accordingly for the weather.  It was less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit when we went.  I wore shirt, jeans, tennis shoes, coat, scarf, gloves, and 2 layers of socks.  I'd recommend wearing long underwear if you have any.  

3.  Pay for your ride in cash.  I don't know if they take other forms of payment, but cash is always best in these situations.

4.  In my opinion, these rides aren't for toddlers/little kids.  It seems like they would get tired, bored, cold, or some combination thereof.  However, you know your kids best, so make your own decision. 

5.  They offer 2 types of Christmas wagon rides--on the farm and through the surrounding neighborhoods--ask about each one when you make your reservation.

6.  They will be offering rides around Valentine's Day (day and evening) and tractor-pulled hayrides in the fall, so if you can't make it out to the farm by the end of the year, you've got options!

Final Review: Acquibob's Christmas wagon rides are a great way to escape from the holiday craziness.  Take a break with your family, your sweetie, or just yourself and enjoy the outdoors for a bit!