Ready to show your horsepower? Hoofin’ It For Horses is back on Saturday, September 19, 2026 at Castle Rock Farm in Afton. We’ll have hikes for everyone! Bringing the kids? There’s an adventure hike for them at 10:00am. Want to start off the morning learning all about the birds of Castle Rock Farm? Sign up for the 9:00am bird watching hike. Want to explore the farm’s beautiful trees? Set out at 2:00pm.

Enjoy a FREE public Open House from 9:00am to 2:00pm before or after your hike. See the wonderful progress at the farm. Meet and learn about our 4-legged friends and browse the tack sale.

Don't miss this fun way that you can help horses and donkeys in need!

Hike Descriptions:

9AM Bird Watching Hike

Walk the fields and woods of Castle Rock Farm and experience the bird life. The rural nature and varied habitats of the farm make it a haven for many bird species, including familiar birds like Northern Cardinals and Blue Jays, as well as less commonly seen birds like Pileated Woodpeckers, Belted Kingfishers, Indigo Buntings, and Brown Thrashers. Early fall migration will be under way in September, opening up the possibility to see birds such as warblers that are migrating to their wintering grounds further south.

Your guide, Lisa, is a nature lover, life-long bird enthusiast, and amateur nature photographer skilled in identifying many bird songs and calls. Lisa is a member of the Piedmont Virginia Bird Club, Charlottesville Camera Club, and a regular volunteer at Castle Rock Farm. Come with binoculars and sturdy walking shoes and be prepared to participate for 60 to 90 minutes.

9:30AM & 11AM Horse Meet-and-Greet and optional Woodland Walk

Put your best hoof forward on this hike to meet the horses of Castle Rock Farm. Our guides, Keena, Wendy, and Colleen, have extensive knowledge of Hope's Legacy Equine Rescue and the equines we serve -- they can't wait to introduce you to the rescue's horses and donkeys! Explore the farm learning all about the rescue, stopping along the way to say hi to the farm's lovable critters. The meet-and-greet will last approximately 60 to 75 minutes. Want to see more of the farm? Continue on with Wendy to enjoy our woodland trails that extend through the farm's natural areas. This optional extension adds 30 to 45 minutes of additional hiking time.

10AM Kids Adventure Hike

Adventures are AWESOME at Castle Rock Farm. Does your child love horses or exploring outside? Grab the family and sign up for this hike featuring scavenger hunts, picture word puzzles, a potato spoon race, and even a touch and run race. Learn about the farm's horses and donkeys in between fun-filled activities all with a purpose - helping the rescued animals at Hope's Legacy. Your guide, Sarah, is HLER's Program Coordinator and manages all of our children's programming in addition to adult programs. All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. This hike is pay-what-you-will to accommodate families of all sizes. This hike will last approximately 60 to 90 minutes.

12:30PM Yoga & Meditation Hike

Castle Rock Farm is the perfect spot to enjoy outdoor yoga and meditation. We will start with a gentle yoga practice before a silent nature walk along one of the trails where we will be focusing on "awe and wonder," noticing the extraordinary within the ordinary of all that the earth has to share. We will also sit amid the trees for a meditation, focusing on all our senses before walking back down for a short discussion of our experience together.

A former yoga teacher and a lover of nature, Courtenay spends the majority of her time outside in the garden or planting and tending to natives when not working. She spent some time at a nature retreat this summer on Iona, a small island in the Hebrides Islands of Scotland, where noticing awe and wonder was the theme. Courtenay can't wait to share what she learned on this retreat with everyone on the hike. Please bring your own mat, water bottle, and a hat.

2:00PM Tree Identification Walk

Join us for a tree identification walk with Emily (a Charlottesville Area Tree Steward and Central Blue Ridge Master Naturalist). You won't find any horse-chestnuts here (which is just as well, they're toxic to horses), but with fruit ripening on the branches and the first hints of fall color, there'll be plenty to catch the eye. We'll wander around pastures and take a woodland trail on an easy-to-moderate afternoon walk, meeting the horses on our way and getting to know the trees that call this farm home.

If you are already a tree enthusiast, please bring your favorite tree ID book, hand lens, and/or binoculars as aids. Please dress according to the weather conditions. We will not be walking fast but recommend wearing hiking boots or sneakers, and bring water and food, if necessary.

Your guide, Emily, has been fascinated by trees since childhood, a fascination that sharpened into a love of Virginia's tree diversity after she moved to the Central Blue Ridge Mountains outside Charlottesville. She now shares that curiosity by teaching tree ID and botany. You can often find her on a trail with her dog, a hand lens, and a field guide.

Contact the host of Hoofin It for Horses