A NEW petting farm has opened its doors to families using a booking system, to offer them a ‘quiet time in a calm environment.’
Waterford Stables, located in Bettws, Newport, opened its doors two weeks ago, around July 18 to serve the local community.
Dani and Matthew Johnson, owners of Waterford Stables, said they moved to Newport three years ago and have been busy with renovations and finding animals to house in their stables.
Dani Johnson, 36, said: “The experience is really exciting, we viewed the house in the summer of 2021 and loved the house instantly. But, it needed a lot of work.
“I’ve always been into animals, starting horse riding when I was 6.”
When asked why Dani and Matthew set up shop in Newport, Dani said: “My husband is from Merthyr but I’m from Germany.
“What we realised is how many people get excited to see horses and goats, and they let us know that there is a need for this kind of thing. To be able to interact with the animals on a personal level and offer that personal experience.
“We know a community farm nearby closed, so we saw a need for this.”
What kind of animals do they have?
Dani confirmed that Waterford Stables has two ponies (a Dartmoor Pony and a Welsh Section C), three goats, two piglets and two rabbits.
Dani said one of the goats was injured and disabled, so the farmer was going to get rid of her. So we adopted her to save her from the butchers.
Dani said she has always loved animals and was 16 when she began to do dressage. While she has said the ponies aren’t fit for dressage, she is going through training alongside her full-time job so that they can invest in a “proper dressage horse” in the future.
She added: “I am currently getting my riding instructor qualifications to hopefully open a riding school with pony classes in 2025.“
Booking system
Waterford Stables operates on a booking system, making it different from similar farms and petting zoos.
When asked about this, Dani said: “We aimed to give people the chance of being the only family there at one time, for that personal experience. This is particularly great for those who may be scared of animals, with no additional pressure of having others around them to compete for the animals’ affection.
“We’re all about quiet time in a calm environment.”
The co-owner also said they are looking into making the petting farm work for people with disabilities or learning difficulties, to work out the logistics.
Age suitability
Waterford Stables petting farm will offer the best experience to children and young people between the ages of 18 months to 18 years.
Those under the age of 18 would need to be accompanied by an adult.
Prices
£5 per child (18 months+)
£3.50 per adult (18+)
These prices are for a 45-minute session with only one family / group of visitors at a time.
While it may seem unusual for adult tickets to be cheaper than children’s tickets, Dani said adults are the ones accompanying the kids.
“As they are not the main audience, they may have limited interaction, so it wouldn’t be fair to charge more for them,” said Dani.
Discounted packages are available, depending on group size. Time with the animals can also be booked for special occasions such as birthdays or pony parties.
Those interested can go onto the Waterford Stables website to book a slot or find more information: https://waterfordstables.com/
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