We had a great time! Everyone was so welcoming and encouraging. Weather your a beginner or have…read morebeen riding horses for years this was a perfect experience! We loved the view and our horses were great!

I waited to write this review because I wanted to give the business an opportunity to address our…read moreexperience first. I reached out to them directly, explained everything that happened, and even requested a partial refund. I gave them over a week to respond, and they never even bothered to acknowledge my message. No response, no apology, nothing. The fact that I tried to handle this privately before leaving a public review and they couldn't even respond says a lot. My boyfriend and I drove TWO HOURS to come here specifically to ride horses for his birthday, paid over $200, and then drove two hours back home. What was supposed to be a fun birthday experience ended up being extremely disappointing. We booked the 4 PM ride, and the horses seemed completely exhausted by that point. They were moving extremely slowly and sluggishly. My horse was literally falling asleep underneath me whenever we stopped. There was also a lot of stopping and waiting for other riders to catch up, so a good portion of the experience was spent just sitting there on horses that already seemed worn out. The girl riding directly in front of me was nervous, and her horse tried to bite her more than FIVE times. Eventually, she became uncomfortable enough that she decided to switch horses. When we went back toward the barn to switch, things got even worse. The horses immediately tried to go into their stalls and clearly did not want to continue. They were difficult to steer away from the stalls, wouldn't listen, and were bucking when we tried to pull them back and steer them away. At that point, I didn't just feel disappointed with the experience. I genuinely felt bad for the horses. They seemed DONE for the day and ready to rest. There was also very little assistance from the staff. We were basically told there weren't enough of them to help everyone and that we needed to be patient. One of the staff members actually told us, "These horses are ridden all day by people who don't know how to ride and we don't have time to retrain them." That comment really stuck with me because it seemed to explain exactly what we were experiencing. If these horses are being ridden all day, then the number of rides needs to be reduced or there need to be enough horses available to properly rotate them and give them time to rest. Someone paying for a 4 PM ride should not receive a completely different experience from someone who books at 9 or 10 AM simply because the horses have already been ridden all day. By the end of the ride, neither of us was enjoying ourselves. We were frustrated, uncomfortable, and honestly just ready to get off the horses. We drove four hours round trip and spent over $200 for an experience that left us disappointed and feeling sorry for the animals. Looking back, I probably should have taken the hint when this was the only stable we could find with Saturday availability. I understand this is a business and they need to make money, but there needs to be a balance between scheduling rides and making sure the horses are properly rested and customers are receiving the experience they're paying for. If the horses are this exhausted by the 4 PM session, fewer rides need to be scheduled throughout the day. I purposely waited before posting this because I wanted to give the company a fair opportunity to address my concerns privately. After more than a week without so much as a response, I've decided to share our experience so others can make an informed decision before spending their money or making a long drive like we did. Unfortunately, we will not be returning.

Fantastic mountain trail with a good company. There was no rush through the path and great…read moreconversation

Pisgah Forest Riding Stables was an incredible experience. Our guide Gloria was wonderful and…read morehelpful. Gloria gave us enough space on the guided tour to make us feel like we were one with the horses and nature but at the same time was right there to provide assistance and to guide us along the path. It was our first time horseback riding and the staff provided a fun and safe experience. If you're in Asheville, it's worth the drive out to Pisgah National Forest to go horseback riding. Also, it's a great location because after your ride there are tons of awesome hiking trails and waterfalls in the Pisgah National Forest. 10/10 Thanks to Lazy Daisy and Merle the Mule!!

Service was good, and staff were super welcoming and kind. It was very simple and easy to go and…read morethey had a loading area to get on and off the horse which made it easy. They put effort into pairing horses who were extra chill with new riders. Price was reasonable and definitely worth it. Just did an hour ride, but for a beginner that was good cause your legs get a bit sore in a saddle if you aren't used to it. Loved it!

We had an amazing experience at the stables today. You have to meet Jackie while you're there. He's…read morea hoot. Everybody who works there is extremely friendly and helpful. My husband rode a draft horse named Johnny, and it was spectacular. I don't remember my horse's name, but he was a really good horse. The horses were very well cared for and beautiful. They all seemed happy and were very gentle - they knew what they were doing on the trail which makes you feel more confident. The scenery when you're riding is absolutely spectacular. Be sure to stop along the way and ask your guide to take pictures of you. Safety first, but if you can get videos while you're up at the top of some of the hills, worth all of it. Highly recommend this place, we will definitely come back. In my opinion, the price is completely reasonable. We took the one hour ride, and it was worth every penny and more.

My folks retired in Johnson City. I live in LA with my wife and 2 kids, 13 and 9. The 13 year old…read more(girl) wanted to ride horses in the country side. My dad found this place, and we went for a two our ride in Cherokee. I have ridden before, but not in decades. My wife has ridden a few times, her sister had never ridden. So with that set up, here is our experience. They were ready for us at our reserved time, signed us up quick, and got us to the start location. Horses were healthy and easy going, good for beginners. Ride was nice. Guide was friendly. Some extra things we wanted to do were accommodated. In short: they do what they promise, professionally. Highly recommended.

Having an incredible time at Elk Mountain! Miss Robyn's love and care for her horses truly shines…read more-- and you can feel how much they love her back. Make sure to experience the Blue Ridge Mountains: ride scenic trails, watch the stars by a campfire ! #ElkMoutainRidingCompany

Sam was our guide today for a 2-hour family ride. He was calm, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and…read morewe could not have asked for a better experience! The horses are obviously loved and extremely well cared for, and the views over the countryside and towards the mountains were incredible. Riding through groves of Christmas trees and over babbling streams will remain one of the highlights of our vacation!

This woman feeds her prized horses moldy hay. They don't get a lot of human attention, except when…read moreriding. I was thrown twice in one day. I still suffer from back problems because of it. I used to believe in Kathy Kimble. Then I lived with her and saw reality. I will always be grateful to her for the help she did provide. She'll mess you up. Good luck.

We had a fantastic time at Mustang Alley! Kathy is so knowledgeable about horses, and has devoted…read moreher life to rescuing horses that have been found to be abused, neglected, and/or starved. She takes them in, and gives them lots of love, food, shelter, and encouragement. Once they're well, she adopts many of them out to good homes. She keeps some of them for trail riding, and she offers that at the super reasonable rate of $25/hour per rider. She welcomes large groups as well. You can feel good knowing all the money you spend there goes directly to the care of horses at this nonprofit. Our guide was so sweet and patient, and the whole atmosphere is just healthy and positive. Kathy also welcomes volunteers, and is always in need of donations of time and resources. We rode today for 2 hours along some of the prettiest trails in the Cherokee National Forest. Our horses were very gentle, and seemed to know instinctively what we needed. I was amazed at the serenity of the forest- it was an emerald haven next to the beautiful mountains of East Tennessee. This is the PERFECT PLACE to spend an afternoon with the family. Next time we go, we'll spend the whole day and help out on the farm, feeding, grooming, shoveling, or whatever needs to be done, and then we'll ride. Mustang Alley is truly an inspirational place where good and important work is happening daily, and you're sure to leave with a peaceful smile. NOTE: This nonprofit is CASH ONLY, and you need to TIP your trail guide, as they are volunteers!!

We went up in October for some leaf peeping and the views on horseback did not disappoint. This…read moregroup is so welcoming and friendly! Will be going back again!

We had the best time. Large party of 10z we have the best guides, fun, entertaining and…read moreknowledgeable! Plus we had some good singing along the way! I would recommend to anyone. Trails are in the mountains, up and down various terrains!

Love it. Super friendly and clean. Thank you Nick and Mr. Jason. We definitely will come back.read more

From the owner: Hello if you love horses then we're the place you're looking for! We offer pony rides for the…read morelittle ones and guided horseback trail rides for anyone 6 years or older. We also have horse boarding available and we're a fun venue for that special party or celebration!

Everything was perfect. We got rained out the first day and…read moreBrad, our guide, quickly arranged to meet us the next morning. The horses were beautiful, cared for, and very mannerly! I couldn't recommend this company more!!

I am giving this guided horseback ride a poor rating because of what happened during the ride and,…read morejust as importantly, how the situation was handled afterward. At the beginning of the ride, my horse got too close to my son's horse, and his horse tried to nip at mine. I made sure to stay back and mentioned to Brad that his horse seemed territorial. Brad agreed and said that the horse could be territorial. As the ride continued, Brad fell back, leaving me in front and my son behind me. We rode that way for approximately 20-30 minutes. Later, Brad moved back to the front and held onto my son's horse so I could get in front of my son, with my son following behind me. We rode in that formation for at least another 30-45 minutes without any problems. My son's horse was approximately 5-6 feet behind me, and I was riding on the opposite side of the trail. Then, without warning, my son's horse took off, charged toward me, and bit my leg. The bite tore my jeans all the way down to my ankle. Brad asked if I was okay, and I told him I was, but that it hurt very badly. My biggest concern is this: if you know a horse can be territorial and aggressive toward another horse, why would you put an inexperienced rider on that horse? I am extremely thankful that it was me who was bitten and not my son. What has upset me just as much as the incident itself is what happened afterward. Brad never called to check on me, never followed up to see how I was doing, and never offered any type of refund or compensation. I would have expected at the very least a phone call to check on my condition and acknowledge what happened. This incident ruined the rest of my vacation that week. The lack of concern afterward made the situation even worse. His actions after the incident are a major reason for my poor rating. It left me feeling that the money was more important than the safety and well-being of his customers. I hope this review helps other riders understand what happened so they can make an informed decision about whether this is the right horseback riding experience for them.

Such a great couple, reservations are done via text and trouble free. The weekday ride allowed my…read morewife and I to take turns and the mix of side by sides (talon/zforce 800) was really neat to experience. The base of the operation allowed for a very friendly atmosphere of low pressure and lots of time to adjust as needed to the different machines. Trails were challenging but not intimidating. Provided lunch was so good and a huge surprise. Overall the experience was so good we may invest in our own side by side, highly recommended.

Awesome ride in the mountains. Scott and Dyan are excellent guides. You can really tell they love…read morewhat they do. We had so much fun we booked a fall ride. Can't wait to do it again!