Carriage rides a continuing tradition

Quickly becoming an annual holiday tradition at Black Butte Ranch, the fourth year of horse-drawn carriage rides, provided by Chafin Farm, got off to a festive start last Saturday, with cold temperatures and snow adding to the holiday atmosphere. Rides will be available at the Ranch through January 1.

"This is the third season that Chafin Farm has been bringing their beautiful surrey carriage drawn by the striking Belgian Draft team to Black Butte Ranch," said Kendal Daiger, director of sales and marketing. "And we are thrilled to provide guests the opportunity to rediscover this holiday tradition."

Located in Sweet Home, Oregon, Chafin Farm has been in the business of providing horse-drawn carriage rides of all varieties for over 15 years. With 20 wagons and carriages, and 13 draft horses, Chafin Farm is able to provide rides for just about any event, including the Pendleton Roundup, the Portland Rose Festival Parade, countless weddings and even the occasional funeral.

"We have had horses all our lives," said LaDonna Chafin. "When our daughter got married we hired a carriage company out of Portland to come down. Larry, my husband, said 'I want to do that' so we got a couple of Belgians and we were off. We've done so many weddings, now people with 10-year-olds come up and say we did their wedding."

The "Belgians" Chafin refers to are Belgian draft horses. Often confused for Clydesdales, Belgians are known for their gentle, yet powerful, charm, and their striking looks; with thick muscular necks and shoulders, sandy-colored manes, and feathering on their legs. They make great wagon horses due to their gentle nature and their slow, steady trots.

Cam Visconty of Vancouver, Washington, said, "The ride was excellent, I had a great time, the horses were awesome, the driver was awesome, it was a great time."

Six-year-old Azalia Visconty was equally impressed with the ride, "It was so much fun and the horses are really pretty!"

Rides begin each morning at 11 a.m., ending at 2:30 p.m. and start at the Lodge. The $9-per-person fee includes a hot cocoa, a tall coffee, or a hot spiced cider to take the chill off. The leisurely trip moves along the road to the welcome center and back, and takes about 20-25 minutes.

Reservations can be made at the Black Butte Ranch Welcome Center by calling 541-595-1252. Any remaining tickets for each day's rides can be purchased at the lodge. The Ranch recommends checking in 10 minutes prior to each ride, dressed for the weather. Children under the age of 5 can ride free, providing they sit on mom or dad's lap.

For more information on Chafin Farm visit www.chafinfarm.com or call 541-367-6346, or toll free 877-554-6340.