The experince my family and myself had was one of the most memorable there is. Today while on our ride we had two very knowledgeable and caring guides that took the time to chat with us. While our son was getting a little anxious due to the new experience they calmed and reassured him. By the time we finished he was all smiles and asking for a longer ride. Curtis and his team was fun, knowledgeable, and caring. You can’t ask for a better time when you are making some of the best memories ever. Thank you Curtis and A Step Above Stables Team. We will be back.
Went up to Blairsville for a weekend getaway with a couple of girlfriends and decided to try out A Step Above Stables for our trail ride. We had such an amazing time and everyone there was so friendly. We enjoyed it so much that we came back a couple of days after our first ride. Horses are all beautiful and well taken care of. Will be returning!
I recently had an opportunity to go on a beautiful trail ride at A Step Above Stables with my sister who was visiting from out of town. We chose to do the one hour ride since we were unsure of our skills and both of us being over 70 were very cautious. It turned out to be one of the best days of our entire vacation. The horses were beautiful and very well trained and behaved and the trail wasn't too challenging for us at all. We were so fortunate to have beautiful weather too! The farm is really nice and so is the staff. Our horses were saddled and ready to go and they gave us a couple of instructions and a boost into the saddle and away we went. They also have ponies there for little children to ride and that does not require a reservation. The cost is very reasonable too. All in all, it was a wonderful day and now I can scratch "riding horses in the mountains" off my bucket list! I do feel like I want to go back now for a longer ride with my husband and am very excited to share the experience with him.
Took my family there and everyone was very helpful. Ages ranged 12 to 74. Our twelve year old was a little anxious but our guide was wonderful. He made sure we were comfortable on our horses. He used his discretion and cut the ride a few minutes short in order to keep our daughter comfortable (Thank you). As nice as the ride was he made it even better by answering questions and telling us stories.
Thanks again for the wonderful adventure! My daughter is really excited to try it again.
You all made her day!!!
My boyfriend and are went on a lovely trail ride.
I am an experienced rider but it was his first time on horseback. The owner was very helpful in directing us to the stables and greeted us warmly. The staff were all very friendly and both Curtis( the owner) and CB ( the guide for the trail) were very helpful and reassuring to my boyfriend. There was good instruction for him and respect for me as a comfortable rider. Because of his newbie status- we did the one hour walk- trot trail ride.
The ride was pretty.
At the end, CB offered to take our pictures and then we were on our way. I would recommend this stable without hesitation.
We had a wonderful time and the ride was a good value compared to what was available in the area. We also went on a Sunday when another local stable was closed. The people there were super friendly, each person was matched up with a horse that matched their size, ability, and temperament. Our group of 6 was treated as a private party and we were able to enjoy an extended ride through the beautiful mountain trails. Our guide was very social and informative, riding sideways half the time to face my wife, who was second in line to chat. This was appreciated as I was concerned about her being nervous, but my fears were groundless. My wife, as well as the rest of us, were in very good hands. Highly recommend these friendly, and down to earth folks!
Have enjoyed the trail rides several times and want to go back again. Step Above is very well maintained and horses are gentle and healthy. Everyone is friendly and helpful- and often quite funny.
In addition, Curtis and his team stand behind every horse they sell and do their best to match horse and rider.
Highly recommended from a horsewoman with over 30 years experience. Try them and you'll agree.
Our family had an amazing time on the trail ride. We had 6 in our group and it was a completely private ride. The guides were superior and help ease any nerves anyone had. It was calming and we saw tons of wildlife including fawns. Easy to access and find by GPS. No problems with any horse, all were extremely friendly and tame. Awesome job, keep up the good work! We will definitely be back soon for a river ride!
Enjoyable trail ride with a friendly guide. The mountain trail was beautiful! The horses were great! We have been on few trail rides and have always had issues with at least one horse in the group. The guides sized up our riders and set us up perfectly. The horses were awesome. Daniel did a great job entertaining us and getting us all to "canter". We would definitely go again. Thanks so much for making this adventure smooth and fun!
Went here today to as part of our anniversary adult weekend away! We drove 1 hour and 20 minutes to get here from Tallulah falls Georgia and it was worth every minute. We had a blast. We are inexperienced riders and they put us on great horses and took it at a pace we were comfortable with. Our guide who I can't remember his name was patient, funny, and seemed to k ow the horses quite well. The horses were very well taken care. They appeared happy, clean, healthy, and not overworked. No matter if you are coming from NC or GA this is definitely a must do! We can not wait to come back and next time we are bringing the kiddos.
We drove from Blue Ridge to Blairsville to horseback ride because we didn't make a reservation in advance in town. We called the stable shortly after 11a.m. on a Sunday and by 1 p.m., all five of us were riding. Everyone at the stable was friendly and accommodating. Brandon and Danny were our guides and we had a wonderful experience. They are a pleasure and I highly recommend them.
Had a blast getting to ride with my friends! We had a large group but they were able to accommodate us. We had a group of mixed experience levels but everyone left feeling great! Would definitely go back again!
My friend and I made the trip up to see Curtis this weekend to look at potential horses to buy . Curtis is very friendly and extremely helpful. His horses are some of the best mannered I have ever seen . While we were there , there were several large groups going on trail rides and Curtis and his staff made sure every rider had an awesome time! I am currently getting a large group together to go on one of his trail rides. While I didn't purchase a horse from him this weekend , I am most definitely interested! I will for sure go back to Curtis and refer him to anyone I know looking to purchase a horse!
I normally do not involve myself in online drama, but was compelled to respond to some slanderous statements made about this establishment. I visited A Step Above Stables in July with the intent to purchase two horses. I flew from Ohio to Georgia, based on the reputation of this establishment and specifically, the return policy. Curtis was beyond friendly from the beginning and I can honestly say that for about 6 weeks I spoke with him more than I spoke with my own brother. He was attentive, receptive and courteous as he tried to find the perfect horses for me. He asked intelligent questions and was very upfront with me regarding his perceived appropriateness of some horses he had for sale. Upon visiting Blairsville, everywhere we went, the moment I mentioned buying a horse, everyone immediately knew I was there to see Curtis and had nothing but good things to say about him – and I assure you I asked. I was never misled, and in fact, he actually steered me AWAY from several horses I was interested in because he knew that they would NOT work out for me. He is not simply trying to sell horses and understands that happy customers are return customers. He honored his return policy without question when one of the mares I chose didn’t work out and within 2 weeks she had been returned to Georgia. He is currently looking for the ideal replacement for me. Trail horses are going to show some wear and tear in their hooves, but by no means were ANY of the horses I saw or rode lame. All that was required was a quick filing by the farrier and my mare was just fine. I know there are many “horse traders” out there and I’ve previously been taken by one, but in my heart of hearts, I would not put Curtis in that category. It is unfortunate that expectations may not have been met completely, but I assure you that if you are unhappy with a selection from A Step Above, they will be happy to take the horse back and find one that is a better fit. How can that practice be profitable for a horse trader? If the only priority was to sell horses, it would not make much sense to offer to take them back.
A visit to "A Step above Stables" will give you a trail riding experience like no other; if you have not visited, you need to.
I might add, that they are also a full service equine facility. In addition to trail riding, they offer a wide variety of services; instructions in riding techniques, boarding, breeding, showing and sales.
Curtis sells well over 100 "Quality" horses per year and takes pride in matching your wants in a horse, with an unheard of guarantee, of satisfaction with your purchase; I personally have purchased (5) horses and elated with each!