After researching for months, we finally found what SEEMED like the perfect "beginner-friendly" horse. Upon arrival at A Step Above Stables, the horse looked potentially injured, though I thought maybe it was just resting its hind leg. Until, during the demo canter, it started to buck. They called it on that horse and we agreed to look at another horse the seller had. This one didn't seem to have immediate riding problems--though they didn't demo it in a ring, which might have revealed deeper issues. This second horse would be $1000 more than our original budget of $15,000 -- he said he was going to sell it for $17,000 but was going to "meet us in the middle" to be fair. I (wrongly) assumed this horse would have the same training as the other, given they were supposedly trained by the same people and similar in price. We were also told there was a lot of interest from other buyers and to get started right away to secure this horse. We placed a $2,000 deposit that same day, with the balance due (and paid) on Monday. The seller sent a video showing the horse not spooking at a leaf blower or chainsaw sounds, so we felt somewhat reassured about its temperament. But from there, things started to get shaky: We asked for the bill of sale, coggins, and vaccine records before the horse was delivered. The seller promised to send them with the horse; instead, only the coggins arrived. He eventually sent the bill of sale via messenger--but it wasn't completely filled out. We were told the vet records would have to wait until Monday because the vet office was closed. Delivery day came and the horse was delivered to the boarding facility (a 3 hour drive from the seller) without a halter. The hauler nearly let the horse loose on the property. Thankfully, our boarder intervened. But it was obvious that something as basic as haltering this horse was a serious challenge, which is likely why the horse wasn't haltered before being put on the trailer. The horse then turned its hind toward our boarder--a classic sign of aggression or discomfort. She alerted us right away of everything going on and documented things every step of the way. After she finally managed to calm the horse, she took photos of its condition. She noted Conformation issues, A noticeable problem with one leg, a scar near the joint on the same leg We immediately contacted the seller, who claimed he was unaware of any injury and told us to inform him of the vet's findings. Only at this point did he hint at an "exchange-only guarantee," something he never mentioned earlier, even when I had outright asked about his guarantee and he had said, "We guarantee all horses for 30 days." NOT "We allow exchanges for 30 days." When the farrier and vet visited, they confirmed: The scar on the back leg was an old, unattended injury that would affect the horse's ability to be ridden safely at more than a walk. The coggins form failed to disclose the scar, which should have been noted per the form's requirements. The "vet" whose name was on the vaccine records turned out to be mostly a dog/cat vet. They said they'd only administer vaccines if the horse was brought in, which never happened. The seller apparently buys vaccines from that vet and administers them himself--yet made it sound like the vet was personally involved. We later learned the vet had expressed concerns about this horse to the seller, and the seller's response was, "That will be the buyer's problem." Once we asked for any or all of our money back, he ghosted us. In all honesty, I own my part in this: I didn't know what I didn't know. That's exactly how I got taken advantage of. I was initially swayed by positive reviews--but later realized those were mostly for the trail riding service this seller operates, not for his horse sales. Enough negative reviews exist about his selling practices to show that this is a pattern. And lastly, I did not sign anything stating I was purchasing this horse "as is"--so we do have legal grounds to pursue. read more

A Step Above Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Blairsville, Georgia

I recently bought a horse from Curtis Teague at A Step Above Stables and am very happy with my purchase. I went and tried the horse in person and he was exactly what I wanted in a young horse. Curtis held him for a week for me until I returned back home and then had him delivered safe and sound. He is settling nicely in with my herd and has maintained the same chill demeanor each day. I can't wait to see what adventures we can do together! I think Curtis runs a great operation. read more

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Went to meet Curtis at A Step Above Stables and was surprised because I wasn't expecting so many horses. I didn't actually realize it was a working farm, and he was more than gracious with his time. I didn't purchase a horse at this time, and was glad I wasn't pressured... Because I was definitely tempted lol. read more

A Step Above Stables - A horse at a Step Above Stables. - Horseback Riding Near Me - Blairsville, Georgia

This place has beautiful horses on Facebook and I've been watching them for a long time. When I inquired about a couple I was interested in, he was quick to call and tell me about several horses that were available, which I appreciated. But he wanted a decision on a $15,000 -$16,000 (sight unseen) horse by the end of the day because he had "other people coming to look" the next day. When I got uncomfortable buying a horse (which I consider a lifelong commitment ) so quickly and without getting to interact with it, his tone changed quite a bit. If you are comfortable with a quick decision, and buying without interacting, maybe it will work, but if you expect some patience on a big decision, it might not be your place. read more

A Step Above Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Blairsville, Georgia

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I've been looking at A Step Above Stables for a long time. I've bought horses from people that weren't what they said and not safe for me. I finally decided to contact Curtis and see what he had available for me. I told him what I was looking for and he had the perfect horse for me! I went to ride him and I fell in love with Sweet Tea immediately! I got him home and rode him on the trails in a loose rein and he never once tried to bolt in the open field. I will never go anywhere else for another horse. Also Curtis had other horses out for me to try just in case I didn't want Sweet Tea. When space is available at my barn we're going back to get another one for my husband. Just can't say enough about Curtis and his team. Thank you for listening to me!! read more

A Step Above Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Blairsville, Georgia

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I just bought a horse from Step Above and could not be happier with the entire process. Curtis and his staff were very professional and helpful in finding me the horse I needed. Every question I asked was answered with honesty. The guarantee that he will find you the right horse goes a long way in making the process comfortable. Tommy, the horse I bought, is everything they said he was, he is one great trail horse! read more

A Step Above Stables is everything you're looking for! FINALLY good AND honest horse people! You do not have to worry about a horse being drugged, false advertising, etc with Curtis and his team. Their videos speak volumes and I haven't found any other place that goes through all the work they do for these horses. I bought an 8 year old registered bay roan QH gelding unseen that is an absolute dream. Curtis took his time with me on the phone and paired me with the exact horse I was looking for. They arranged delivery for me and when he was dropped off his hooves looked incredible. He has the smoothest lope and nothing spooks my boy! Curtis is the only person I'm willing to buy a horse from because not only is he trustworthy, but he backs up his claim that he will find a horse that fits you best. read more

Shocking conditions. Horses had no water, including a mare and foAl. They gave them small buckets of water once we asked. The wash rack had manure piled. The horses feet were several weeks untrimmed. Curtis was abrupt and unprofessional. His two employees were very , very nice. read more

Curtis, Kim, and Brandon are great people to work with. My husband was looking for a good ranch horse that would also be a good trail horse. Curtis and his team went above and beyond in finding a great red roan gelding with a good handle- that is also excellent on the trail. While we were picking up the red roan (we call him JW) I watched as Kim and Brandon showed another horse to a customer. They showed the same amount of attention to this buyer as they did us - clearly wanting to make sure they were matched with a horse that was a good fit. A week or so later Curtis even called my husband to make sure JW was working out and assured us we could call anytime if we needed anything at all. This kind of customer service and support is rarely seen today in any business - much less the horse business. Yes- we highly recommend Curtis and his team to anyone looking for a great horse at a fair price. read more

Zero stars is too many! We purchased a "kid safe, bombproof" mare this year from A Step Above Stables. We spoke extensively with Curtis, explained that we have an 8 year old and a 6 year old looking for a new horse to ride, and explained our needs in a new horse. When she arrived, she needed weight, had mud scald, & was aged by our vet & dentist as 20+ (not 14 y/o as we were told). She spooked at EVERYTHING & was NOT KID SAFE! The owner was more than willing to trade, but refused to give us our money back. In his words, "If I just gave everyone who wasn't happy their money back, I would have gone out of business 20 years ago!" There was a $3500 price difference that we needed to pay to "upgrade" to get the new horse. Reluctantly, we traded and paid to have the new "kid safe" horse shipped. When he came in, he was skin & bones (we had been told he was a little underweight, but we were truly shocked at his condition). We had him X-ray'd by our vet & she found that he had a 5 degree rotation to his front coffin bones and said he looked like an old hag. She informed us that she had 3 other clients who purchased from A Step Above Stables and called the owner a "scammer!" None of her clients were happy. She advised us to never deal with this horse trader again. The owner offered to give us a small portion of money back or we could trade again for another horse. He wasn't concerned with the rotation and said that he would gladly take him back, mark up his price (after he gained weight), & resell him to someone else! Unfortunately, he is also NOT kid safe and is extremely green! Not at all what the seller told us! I reached out again to see what our options are... once again, the seller is willing to trade, if we pay shipping, return the small portion of $$ we received due to his health (totally fine) & pay ANOTHER 2-3k for the "kid-safe" horse that we want! Our original budget was 8k, but we are now over 14k in and still don't have a horse worth keeping and safe for my 8 & 6 year olds to ride. Don't waste your time or $$ buying from this crook. If either horse had been "kid-safe" as listed, we wouldn't be posting this review. The exchange policy is a joke, you have to keep paying more money for what you were SUPPOSED to get in the first place! read more

It took a couple of tries but then Curtis nailed the perfect horse for me! He was always courteous and great to deal with. Very communicative. I ADORE my new horse! Highly recommend A Step Above! read more

buyer beware!!!!! go somewhere else! do not trust a word he says. 30 day guarantee is a scam.

Great family operated business. Our leader was calm & made us feel comfortable & at ease. We were given directions on the reins & how to steer the horse. Our leader asked if we wanted to trot & if we were comfortable. The trails were shaded. Great one hour ride. read more

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Absolutely fantastic operation run by outstanding and polite folks. My family and I drove down from Washington DC and were really surprised by the friendship and hospitality we received. If you're looking for an horse riding adventure 15 minutes outside Murphy than this is the place! read more

A Step Above Stables - Beautiful horses!!! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Blairsville, Georgia

A group of us went for the 4th to Blairsville. Thought we would try some trail riding. We found A Step Above and gave them a call. We were able to all get in the next day. Wow, what a great time. It was just long enough for the ones that really wanted to be there and short enough for the newbies. I got the feeling that this is a family business and the animals seemed to be well taken care of. I would have liked to see them water the horses before the next ride, but since we were the last ones to go, they probably didn't have to wait too long for some H20. We would love to go again! read more

This is an awesome place to ride. Our guide was fabulous. My son has never ride a horse before and was comfortable and out in the perfect horse for him. Highly recommend this facility. They took pictures of us at the end and we got to snap our own selfies. read more

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My boyfriend and I went for a trail ride at A Step Above Stables after trying to get ahold of a couple of other places closer to our cabin for the better part of a week. Step Above answered on the first call. We had a nice time! My boyfriend had never been on a horse before and he enjoyed it. Great for beginners like us! All of the staff were incredibly friendly and personable. read more

A Step Above Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Blairsville, Georgia

A spur of the moment trip that was really AWESOME & so well worth it! We had a group of 4 with different riding skills, but THANKS to Jeremy our guide, each of us left with a big smile & lots of laughs & memories to share! We will certainly share our experience, recommend Jeremy to others & look forward to coming back again! Thanks :) read more

Great ride for a group of girls 8-10 years old. Friendly and clean. Some kids were a little fearful but they did a great job watching those girls and helped them feel at ease. Pretty property for a one hour ride! read more

A Step Above Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Blairsville, Georgia

Great place did start 20 min late from our scheduled time. Owner explained group before us started late. I still will go back. read more

A Step Above Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Blairsville, Georgia

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Our second year here and we will continue to come back year after year. It was a great experience for me and my family. Our guide was awesome and made the ride more enjoyable. If you're looking for somewhere to get out and enjoy the beautiful scenery with your entire family then you have found the right place. read more

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We went to A Step Above for the thanksgiving holiday with my 8 year old daughter. We had a great time riding on the trail. The guides were experts and made the ride enjoyable. We are amateur horse riders, but they made us feel safe on our horse ride. We had a great time and got to see the baby goats too! We highly recommend this place. read more

I had been watching A Step Above Stables Facebook page for a long time, dreaming of owning my dream horse. My husband finally agreed for me to invest in a little more and get what I really wanted. All my prior horses were rescues and had some type of issue. I contacted Curtis about one he had posted on his website, she had already been sold so he showed me another one he had available. I jumped the gun and purchased him. Needless to say, he was not the horse for me. He reared on me three times and even after having my trainer work with him, he was still rearing. I again contacted Curtis and explained the situation. Some people just don't click with a horse no matter how much you try. He had great ground manners and a puppy dog personality but just wasn't the right one for me. Curtis stood on his word and GUARANTEED ME that he would find my dream horse. This time I made a list of what I wanted my dream horse to be. Although it might have taken a little longer than what I wanted, Curtis found me my dream horse. He is everything I was looking for and then some. I would recommend A Step Above Stables for anyone looking for their dream horse. read more

Receptionist was extremely rude on the phone. I called and wanted to book a 2 hour ride that day or even later in the week. She made it extra obvious she didn't want my business that they only cater to groups not individuals. I told her I didn't mind joining a group she responded with we don't do that. Went to Trac Rock stables and they were absolutely awesome. Felt so good to canter and trot again. Super friendly and welcoming! read more

I am going to write this from a factual point of view instead of emotional as I feel that will be more helpful for others. In late May/early June we were looking for a good trail horse that was able to go barefoot as we do our own hoof trimming. We were sent videos of a horse being ridden in many situations and being very desensitized and we were told his feet were in good shape and while currently shod he would be fine to go barefoot. A transporter was already headed our way with other horses that week so we decided to have him transported to us. When he arrived, he was VERY underweight and had extensive muscle atrophy. He was clearly lame in the right hind. After discussing his condition with Curtis, we were told he had eaten moldy chicken feed shortly before being sent to us and that was why he lost so much weight. This was not at all disclosed prior to him being sent to us. He was not anywhere near the condition he was in in the videos we were sent and there was no mention of any issues with him before we had paid in full. Due to his condition and lameness, as well as complete unwillingness to have his hind legs lifted without kicking, we had our vet out to examine him. He found a bacterial/fungal infection in all 4 limbs, 3/5 lameness in the R hind that could not further be examined as he continued to attempt to kick anyone that tried to lift his hind legs, crepitus in the L front knee with positive flexion test, poor hoof conformation with underrun heels and negative palmar angles with possible navicular issues and was definitely not able to be taken barefoot in this condition. On top of this, this horse immediately started to buck with any weight in the saddle. So he was sent to us recently ill, underweight, significantly under muscled, feet in horrible shape, lame, and not rideable. Based on this we requested a refund and were refused. We were told we could drive the horse back and exchange for another and that was the only option even though the horse we were sent was not at all what we were promised. We did drive him back and were shown several other horses, all of which were underweight, significantly past due for hoof trims (some with one thrown shoe) and had different physical issues. As he was still completely unwilling to discuss refunding out money, we took the horse we deemed to be in the best condition of those presented to us (I'm sure we weren't shown the best as he already had our money). This horse was underweight, many weeks past due for a hoof trim, had some sway back and a significant hunter's bump, but was friendly, wasn't lame, and rode well. We were told (and our coggins paperwork showed) that he was 11 years old. Once we had him home and our vet examined him, he was aged at 19 years old. He was very far past due for teeth floating and hoof trimming. We spent at least 5 times what a 19 year old horse with poor spinal alignment should be sold for. I strongly recommend if you are still considering a horse from this facility, either visit the horse in person yourself to examine it before making a deposit or even better, have a local vet sent to the facility to perform a PPE before driving to pick up or having them shipped. Do know that these horses to not come with any vet exam or records other than coggins (no vaccine records, teeth have not been floated even if it is very much needed, hooves have not been anywhere near well maintained, and they have not been examined for injuries or lameness at all). You should also ask for current pictures of the horse untacked to ensure it is still in the condition it was in for the videos you are sent. There very well may be some good horses that come out of here because they spent very little time actually at the facility, but it seems that very little is done to maintain any horse that stays for an extended period of time. If anyone is interested in further proof of my statements made here, I have extensive pictures, videos, and vet reports for everything. My hope is for others to avoid the stress and significant financial drain that we went through in this experience because I trusted the other reviews I saw about this facility and the reputation of the facility, and it was absolutely a huge mistake on my part. read more

We had a wonderful time on our 1 hour trail ride at A Step Above Stables. The horses were saddled and waiting for us to arrive. The stables, horses, and property were all beautiful and the owner and staff were very welcoming. There were 5 in our party ~ my wife and I and our three children ages 8, 6, and 2. Our 2 yr old rode on the horse with me and the others each had their own horse. I never take the time to write reviews but this place was fantastic and I want any other family visiting the blue ridge area who's considering a horseback ride for a day trip to know they will have a great family adventure at A Step Above Stables. read more

Really great trail, saw a bunch of critters on the way to the mountain, definitely will come back for the 2 hour ride!

Curtis did exactly what he said he was going to do. Was always available for questions and photos. Would definitely buy a horse from him again. I found the perfect horse for me. Thanks Curtis read more

A Step Above Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Blairsville, Georgia

Our family was visiting Blairsville and we brought our 9 and 12-y/o sons to go horseback riding. Kim was our guide and she was very helpful! We went off-road and experienced some muddy and snowy trails due to recent weather in the area. Kim ensured our horses took the best path. It was awesome and we would highly recommend it to everyone thinking of going horseback riding! Well worth the time and money!!! Thank you guys! read more

I would never try to do horseback rides at this guy.The most rude person ever seen.Does not know how to treat a potential client. Do yourself a favor and avoid interact with this kind of person.Low class. read more

This is a great place to ride horseback. The owners and staff are very accommodating and really make sure you have a great time. Jeremy did an excellent job as our guide and made riding a very pleasurable experience. read more

Thank you so much for a wonderful family adventure!!! Your team gave us the best 8th Birthday and Spring Break ever....you made all of our first time riding the best. We cant wait to be repeat riders with you. Thank you for sharing your family with us well as teaching us about the horses and goats...I can not possible say enough on how much this is a top notch family facitlity read more

They took great care of my family who are all beginner riders. We had three kids in our party and the staff did a fantastic job with instructing them on safety and how to ride. Our ride was supervised by two guides and was a beautiful trail ride up and down the mountain. I recommend anyone coming to the area interested in a ride come and visit them. read more

I had a great time on the two hour tour. The guide was very fun and interactive and we got to trot, gallop and canter. It's well worth the $60 a person for the two hour tour. Brandon was our guide and he was so much fun! I can't wait to come back!! It's a family owned stable and the owner was very hospitable. Anyone there was happy to answer any questions you might have. Everyone under the age of 18 must wear a helmet and they provide helmets and saddles for you. Everyone was si read more

We had a great time! We had children from the ages of 5-14 who all greatly enjoyed the experience. Our tour guide, Brandon was delightful. From the moment we arrived we felt like family with the owner and one of his guides. They are kind, knowledge and class acts. read more

Amazing for family and friends so much fun. The owners are amazing and accommodated all levels of riders. Friendly family service. We went for the hour walk trot. There were 7 in our group. The guide really enjoyed his job and was fun and polite. The owners and trainer ask lots of questions and made sure that we had a great experience. read more

A perfect place to take your little ones for their first horseback ride! To begin with the safety precautions they took were very much appreciated for these grandparents. Our grandsons, 3 and 5 had a wonderful, and memorable first experience thanks to the young lady who works there. She was so very sweet with them both and went above and beyond answering all the questions a 3 and 5 year old might ask on their 1st horseback ride, from questions regarding unicorns to asking if they could please take a pony home with them. Her patience and willingness to see their 1st experience through their eyes was more than we could of asked for. Thank you "A Step Above Stables" for the wonderful memories. Anola C. read more

The guys were very professional. At the end it started to rain, they allowed us to wait out the storm with no pressure to leave. The trails were maintained well. Horses were kind to us and each other. read more

Had a wonderful time today with my girlfriend. Guide was patient and nice. Owner was friendly and welcoming. We will definitely be returning! read more

My boyfriend and I went on the hour trail ride. It was an awesome time! The staff was very friendly and welcoming. We will definitely be returning for the two hour trail ride some time in the near future! read more