It is part of the American dream to have a pony at your child's birthday - a true indicator of status. But as Pony Up's motto suggests, having a pony party may be "cheaper than you think - and more fun than you can imagine."

A true family-owned and operated business, Pony Up started as a way for Tamara and Rick Dumont to provide ponies for their six children - Colton, 14, Tyler, 12, twins Corina and Sandra, both 10, Hunter, 8, and Cambria, 6 - and also teach them a good work ethic.

The Dumonts started out buying a couple of ponies, Chex and Fritz, for their children a few years ago and housed them on their property in Newcastle. When the veterinarian and farrier both commented on the gentle nature of the ponies, the family started taking them to parties for friends and family.

In the past few years, the Dumonts have acquired eight additional ponies, plus they have a number of other animals used for the small petting zoo they offer.

"We have eight working ponies," says Tamara. "We have a potbellied pig, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, geese, bunnies and a donkey (as part of the petting zoo)."

Both Rick and Tamara work the parties, but the kids work as well and make minimum wage.

"The younger ones help out with the petting zoo, so even Cambria has a job - she handles the hand sanitizer," says Tamara. "Center for Disease Control likes us to have hand sanitizer available, but we take it one step further where she is always standing there and she makes sure every kid that goes out (gets a squirt)."

Not all of the kids go to all of the parties, but mom and dad do and most Saturdays they have six parties scheduled back to back.

Colton is often in charge of leading the ponies and twins Corina and Sandra say they are often in charge of the petting zoo, which requires a 10-foot by 10-foot space. Pony Up provides all the fencing and, more importantly, the clean up.

"Oftentimes the customers want us to put (the waste) in the garden area, but we always make sure everything is cleaned up," says Tamara.

Their most popular party - a full hour of riding with two ponies and a petting zoo to distract the rest of the kids - is only $275. Tamara says there are no hidden costs, no set up or delivery, no clean-up fees, just a straight $275.

Prices start at $150 for an hour with one pony or $200 per hour for the petting zoo, but they have a number of party packages, including the Dream Event, which is four hours with four ponies and a petting zoo for $900.

They have even done a number of schools and fundraising events. School field trips usually concentrate on the petting zoo and hearing about the animals, their care and the products that come from them, like sheep's wool and goose down. Pony Up is also working on acquiring a milk cow, so they can add milking to the demonstrations.

"The schools really like it because it is less liability for them," says Tamara. "It's cheaper for them, they don't have to transport the children back and forth."

She also says that the kids really like having her kids show them proper handling of the animals. Since the Dumont clan is homeschooled year-round, they can flex their school time around events. It is a win-win for both sets of kids. The Dumont children get to develop leadership skills and the attending children are more open to asking questions.

"Animals are a great learning tool and somehow older children teaching younger children works," says Tamara. "My kids have often taught the kids just at a birthday party about the different animals."

Tamara says a number of schools and churches have also hired their services for fundraisers as well. The establishment pays the hourly rate and then charges for rides.

"You can make a lot of money for a school that way," says Tamara.

Although customers must handle any permit requirements if they are having the party in a park or other public property, Pony Up is fully insured and licensed with the USDA. They have done thousands of parties in the past few years and never had an accident or lost an animal.

A Pony Up party starts out with the arrival and set up. Tamara says they let the ponies get a feel for the area, whether it is a backyard, driveway or cul de sac. Once everything is set up and ready and the ponies have their safety chains and saddles on, party time begins.

First, each partygoer is given a short ride. Tamara says this way, someone who isn't sure they are going to like it isn't standing in line the whole time and the die-hard pony fans are able to get back in line for a second, longer ride.

"You give them a short one first and then they all calm down and realize they are all going to get their turn," says Tamara, who adds that all the rides are hand-guided.

Tamara attributes the gentleness of the Pony Up ponies to the care and love they are given.

"They are just like big dogs, they love to be brushed and talked to and taken care of. Each kid has an assigned pony, some have two, and they ride them and keep them tame," says Tamara. "Our ponies like being around kids."

That care and love doesn't come cheap and although Pony Up is a family business, Tamara says it is more like a hobby that pays for itself. Between high-quality feed and regular veterinarian and hoof care, keeping the ponies can get expensive.

Once the party is over Pony Up packs up, cleans up and it's on to the next party.

"Our bread and butter is the weekend birthday party," says Tamara, but it's clear that she and the kids would have it no other way.