Looking for a party with a difference? Mini Mates Miniature Horse Farm offers a great opportunity for your children to get up close and personal with a horse in a non-threatening way that will no doubt leave them with a lasting memory.
Mini horse riding
We were lucky enough to be invited to a 4th birthday party at Mini Mates recently and it was a fabulous event. My own 4 year old daughter has a track record of hysteria whenever she gets close to any living animal so it wouldn't have been my first choice of a party venue. Luckily Miss 4's devotion to her friend out weighed her fear of animals so we set off to Burbank in search of the stud farm.
It was easy to find and parking was also plentiful when you turn down the pretty driveway leading to the stables. The children gathered in the shade and were given brightly coloured cycle hats to put on before getting a brief chat about the horses.
The horses are ideal for an introductory ride for children of this age. They are so solid, patient and well behaved that even my little phobic princess was enticed to get in the saddle. Each child was offered several turns of the paddock on a leading rein with three horses circling at one time. This kept the children busy and meant very little waiting between rides.
The stables
After dismounting a couple of games involving buckets, wheelbarrows and straw kept the parents in fits as our urban urchins demonstrated their complete lack of coordination and commonsense when trying to race wheelbarrows. The kids had a blast but I wouldn't be hiring any of them as stable hands just yet.
After the races there was time for a tour of the quaint stables which have been kitted out with brightly coloured buckets and wheelbarrows to appeal to their audience and an opportunity to feed the horses. Surprisingly most of the girls were brave enough to give it a try, except one, of course.
The party was rounded off with BYO picnic party food and cake on the terrace with a beautiful rural view of chickens roaming the farm grounds. It was an idyllic day that my daughter still talks about and has her 7 year old brother green with envy so perhaps it's one to note for his next birthday party.
Unfortunately they don't have a website, but you can give them a call on: (07) 3349 1910.
