Smoky Mountain Ranch

Please if you are considering boarding your horse here be warned that you will be completely responsible for the care of your horse, you will need to feed, turnout and water your horse because the owner will leave town regularly and leave your horse in the care of someone that doesn't know anything about horses and is only capable of throwing some hay and grain in your horses bucket and apparently can't even fill up a water trough. And you better have a back up plan because if you have any complaints about the care of your horse the owner will kick you out with no notice even though the board agreement states that 30 days notice is required. And if you love animals be prepared to buy food for and feed the three cats at the barn because they don't.

You know, I thought long and hard before writing this review as it isn't very complimentary. The barn itself has potential to be a better than average place to board your horse(s) if it weren't for the owner and her boyfriend. I hope I am able to write this without it sounding like sour grapes but you'll have to be the judge.

Here is a list of issues that the barn will need to overcome if it is to compete with other horse boarding facilities that make money.

1. Do not force the boarder to use the owner’s boyfriend to shoe their horse. Give the boarder the option of bringing in their own farrier. At this point, if the boarder doesn’t use the boyfriend, the boarder must trailer their horse off the property. I have a horse with special shoeing needs that the boyfriend was not qualified to address. I was not told upon entering the barn that this rule existed, nor was it explained to others who came after me.
2. When paying for services, then services are to be rendered: (a) shavings supplied in sufficient amount in a timely fashion, (b) repair water in bath bay/grooming area/restroom facility (pipe broke, flooded restroom and a large stall next to the bay with a horse standing in cold water all night); to date pipe is still not fixed (3 months), (c) horses watered twice a day, which wasn't always been the case when owner feeds, and (d) dispense correct amount of hay and any medicine and/or supplements required for the horse.
3. If hay is taken by the owner from a boarder’s supply it should be discussed with the boarder before or at least after the hay has been borrowed if the owner is unable to contact the boarder at the time and replenish “like” hay in a reasonable period of time to boarder’s supply.
4. If you are going to offer help and say you will do something when it comes to the health of a horse you must do the right thing and follow through.
5. This owner is not accountable for the care of their own horses; therefore, why should they be accountable for your horse.

Last but certainly not least: If owners want to run a good and profitable business they need to consider very carefully their actions with future boarders as well as Post Rules & Regulations in a conspicuous location for all to read and follow.

The choice to board there is yours, I’m just giving those looking at $110/month as a great stall rent to think carefully about the horse you love and want the best for.

Smoky Mountain Ranch is a wonderful place with wonderful people. The day I stepped out of my truck in search of a stallion to breed our mare, Chessa , I felt at home. I was greeted with laughter of children playing, a sound our Chessa loves. I was even more convinced that our mare would be well cared for as I walked down the barn hall, felt the at home feeling, and saw Cindy and Alex during their daily stall cleaning and at that time in the stall with Mare and new colt. Bob welcomed me and introduced me to Titan. When Titan allowed me to pet him and even enter his stall and walk around him, I was convinced that I wanted to bring Chessa to this ranch to be breed. Bob led Titan to the ring and Titan showed out as we tried to take cell phone pictures. My wife and son were excited when I sent two of the best pictures. After that first day, we have grown to love Alex, Bob, and Cindy. They took excellent care of Chessa during her stay and breeding. We brought her a day or two after she came out of heat, so we left her to bask in the attention and new found friends until her cycle returned and her interest in Titan improved. We can't wait to see what Titan and Chessa will produce. I would recommend Smoky Mountain Ranch to anyone.