Had a phenomenal experience on the trails! As an avid horseman, the guides were very informative…read moreand professional + dedicated to their work and these horses. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND the 2 hour or 3 hour ride. It's an experience like no other. I did the 2hr ride and the time went by at a perfect pace. I met some cool people too! I would 100% ride their trail again!

My partner got us this experience for my birthday. It was his first time and had been a long time…read morefor me and it was AMAZING. We felt super safe with the guides, the horses are all beautiful and you can tell they are well taken care of. The views were insaaaaaaane. We can't wait to do it again

Really disappointing experience. It was wonderful in the sense that we love horses and got to ride…read morefor the first time in a long time and see some amazing views. However, the guides made us feel like we were the biggest burden choosing the 3 hour ride, and we had booked online the previous day, so it's not like we showed up the day of to book this. I don't know if they were just feeling overworked from being busy (4th of July week) or what. When we stopped at the mine, one of the other guides asked our female guide if she was having fun, and she very loudly said no. I didn't get either of our guides names because they didn't introduce themselves. The other guide was just ok. His English was broken and he talked more than the girl, but still made us feel like us going on this ride was the biggest pain. The two guides texted the entire time and made us feel like they were talking about us the way one would text and then look back to the other and laugh. The girl guide was straight up rude. I tried asking a question and she responded with attitude. Not only that, but we paid for 3 hours and they took us back early. We paid almost $300 to have a shortened ride.... We started the ride at 1, spent time at the mine, and then were off the horses by 3:40 (which should have been 4 o'clock). DO not tip before your ride. Please make sure you have a better experience like everyone else seemed to have, because I would have been really upset tipping before the ride only to end up with this experience. We love traveling to North Carolina for the people and the hospitality. This place did not have that and we were both very disappointed. They made us feel like we were the biggest inconvenience so the entire experience felt awkward and uncomfortable. I wish we could have had different guides and a ride that actually lasted 3 hours, but due to our experience, I cannot recommend this place. Very very disappointing, as I love horses and it has been years since being in the saddle.

Riding a horse was on my bucket list and I am so glad I chose this place. The horses were well…read morecared for and the guides were nice and informative. We chose to do the 1 hour ride (Im a complete beginner in every sense of the word!) and it was a perfect distance. They had a platform thing for ease in mounting and discounting and the horses were calm and gentle. I felt safe and secure at all times. We will be going back!! Thank you so much!!

Absolute class, great food surrounded by people who care. We had the steak, it was cooked to…read moreperfection. Magical place and cannot wait to go back.

Loved our stay here. Recently underwent renovations and joined the luxury chain Relais and Chateau…read more We stayed in the Haywood cabin which was perfect for our group of 5. Two king bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, porches, living area with pull out couch, and fireplace. Modern decor and comfy touches throughout like the heated floors in the bathroom. We also had an amazing view of the mountains. We had the pleasure of trying all the menus at Switchback Restaurant - breakfast, brunch, and dinner. Food was local and tasty. Vibe was lodge chic. Took advantage of the hiking trails as well. Did the Salamander Falls and Meadow trails. Great scenery and went right past the pasture with horses, which were so sweet. Most importantly, the staff were all incredible. Everyone was pleasant and accommodating. They made it so easy to communicate requests both before and during our stay. Thanks for a great time!

We had a great experience on the Fern Forrest Trail. Joshua was our guide and was very informative…read moreand attentive. The safety video we watched prior to the ride was the most information I've ever gotten before a trail ride. I learned a lot. The horses are very well tempered even for a beginner. I took my 10 year old and he had a great time. The people here are very kind and experienced. Great experience and we will come back!

Just returned from a wonderful Fourth of July weekend in Franklin, NC with family and friends…read more Horseback riding was the grand finale before we made our way back to the Virgin Islands. Unfortunately, the trip wasn't without its bumps -- literally. On our very first day, one of our family members took a fall during the electric bike tour and was injured, which prevented her from participating in the rest of the scheduled activities -- including horseback riding. We were especially disappointed that the horseback riding company showed little to no empathy and refused to issue a refund, despite the circumstances being clearly explained. It was disheartening to experience that kind of rigidity during what was meant to be a joyful time. A heads-up to future riders: If you book with this company, make sure you have zero mishaps () -- or better yet, do what a few of the other couples we met did and book the same day. Wish we had done the same, instead of booking in advance and being locked in. Otherwise, Franklin was lovely, and the memories we made will still be cherished.

Today me and a friend took our girls on a trail ride. We had the best time in the National Park…read more The instructor was very friendly, and patient with the girls. He took his time with us and plus the whole thing was affordable. Great job so glade I found your business when I was looking up places for a trail ride. Will be back soon and on time. God Bless your business

Saddle Up did not disappoint. Pawpaw and Rebel were amazing horses. Michael, owner/trail leader,…read morewas amazing as well, supper nice guy. This was the only place I found that offered a 2 hour ride. We had a great time and will be back. Scenery was beautiful, and loved crossing the river. Found Saddle up to be more affordable than other places we checked out. Highly recommend. Michael, bring your wife to "The Pretty Place Chapel"!!! You both will love it.

We stayed here for a week and loved listening to the rushing creek and watching the stars at night…read morefrom the hot tub. It was a perfect place for our family to vacation and we really enjoyed exploring all of the sights along the Blue Ridge Parkway. We even got Elk Slobbered by a very loving, yet large mammal. We fell in love with the area and specifically with this exceptionally cute and private cabin. So much so that we found out it was for sale and bought it two weeks ago. It has been a great experience adding our personal touch to make it the cabin of our dreams. My wife and daughter and I hope you will love it as much as we have. It is truly a remarkable location and convenient to so many of the wonderful things that this section of the country offers for relaxation and recreation.

Willow Pond Stables has a two bedroom ranch style home available on Airbnb for you to vacation in…read more My family and I were in town for a wedding this past weekend, and we chose to stay here for two nights. The home is exactly what we needed. Clean, open, and with all of the amenities that you would expect from your own home. On the property there are horses, a rabbit, a barn cat, a pond for fishing (full of carp and sunfish), and clear open skies. I woke up at 4:30am on Saturday morning to take a picture of the comet that was visible prior to sunrise, and it was beautiful. There are several rules posted in the house on the fridge, most of which are common sense, so please respect the property and the animals, which are mostly being boarded here. Wifi is available and there was a hot tub out back which we enjoyed each night under the stars. I would definitely stay here again.

What a wonderful experience. Everyone is so kind and helpful. We had a great guide and very relaxed…read morehorses to ride. We chose the 1 hour tour and enjoyed all the beauty around us. Will definitely do again

beautiful scenery on the ride but the ride guide was horrible, very inattentive and not at all…read morehelpful during the ride.

This is the real thing! We rode for 3 hours. Our guide/owner was laid back, informative and really…read morewanted us to have a great experience. We went through a beautiful trail and saw amazing Mountain View's. It was difficult to find and there is absolutely no cell phone service but once you do find your meeting place...the fun begins! We were beginners and it was definitely a great time and worth every penny!

This was an awesome ride. We took the 1 1/2 hour ride thru woods. Kelly was so good first time in a…read morelong time riding for me and husband. She was patience and very kind. We so enjoyed it and will be back. I highly recommend this place and have already told people to come. It not your everyday ride in single file place where the horse are just wore out. This is truly ride you horse and enjoy the view of the mountains.

Top of the list horse farms for boarding. Top of the list for great lessons for the beginning,…read moreintermediate or advanced equestrian. Great value in private lessons. Well cared for lesson horses. Really serious about Covid-19 containment, so this facility has it all. Highly recommend.

My daughter asked for a horse experience for her 9th birthday, and I reached out to several local…read morestables to ask about bringing a small group of her friends for instruction and experience grooming and riding (all beginners). I was not asking for a "party experience" - just a group lesson. Pegasus Hill Farm was the only stable that responded immediately and positively. They worked with my schedule and were prompt, honest, and professional in all communication with me. They even offered the use of their picnic tables and/or field for us to bring a picnic/cake if we desired. As the day approached, the weather was looking iffy, and the stable doesn't have their covered arena built yet. They offered to change the date or change up the experience to grooming and painting a horse if I could bring non-toxic paint. Horse painting! A new one for me. The day of the lesson, the staff at Pegasus Hill welcomed us even though we arrived 30 minutes early. They were very kind and hands-on with our group, and got the kids started with the grooming and painting. Several of the kids were able to get a short ride led by a staff member before the rain started. The staff were so kind and professional, even when some of the paint didn't totally wash off of the horse (stay away from hot pink/red!). And Megan even took the remaining two kids for a short ride after the rain stopped, though our scheduled time was nearly up when I asked. I am very excited that my girl is going to one of their camps this summer. All the horses seemed content and healthy, the stables are new - bright and airy, and the the staff are so generous and kind. The stable is located in a very picturesque area with great views of the surrounding mountains, yet it was a short easy drive from I-26. I feel very confident in their attention to safety and comfort for the kids. What a great experience!