Tryon Western Adventures
- UNDER 14 WITH PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN
Tryon Western Adventures presented by SCF Western offers incredible trail riding experiences Thursday through Saturday.
Location
Tryon International
25 International Boulevard Mill Spring, NC 28756 United StatesAbout this event
- Free venue parking
Please meet at the General Store located at Tryon International Equestrian Center (25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC, 28756), 30 minutes prior to your reservation time. You will sign a waiver and then board a shuttle bus to take you to the location of your trail ride.
Please take care to dress appropriately for the ride and for any potential inclement weather. Please note that this includes wearing long pants and close toed shoes. Please always listen to your trail guide as they will be the one responsible for keeping this adventure as fun and safe as possible.
ATTN! WINE ADD-ON INFO: Guests that have purchased the ADD-ON Wine Tasting will be dropped off at the Overmountain Vineyards directly after finishing their trail ride and picked up approximately an hour afterwards.
List of Do’s and Don’ts for a Safe and Enjoyable Ride:
Do:
-All Participants must sign a waiver.
-All Participants must wear a helmet at all times
-Dress for the weather. Jackets with zippers are easiest to add or shed when riding.
-Wear jeans or pants for the most comfortable experience in the saddle, to prevent pinching or chafing.
-Wear closed-toe shoes.
-Listen to your guides’ instructions at all times
-Communicate with your group about hazards on the trail, instructions from the guides ahead, and more.
-Warn other riders if you will be passing them from behind
-Actively participate in the ride. YOU must tell your horse where to go and at what pace.
-Leave room between yourself and the horse in front of you. Some horses do not like their personal space to be crowded.
-Stick to the marked trail.
-Lift low hanging branches up over your head, rather than pushing them forward, to ensure they don’t snap back at the horse behind you.
-Use your body position to help maintain your horse’s balance while traveling uphill (tilt your body slightly forward) and downhill (lean upper body back, push feet forward in your stirrups so legs are in front of the cinch/girth).
-Keep calm. If you have a problem or feel uncomfortable, speak up and ask for help!
-Trail rides may be closed without warning due to inclement weather, including heat or storms, for the safety of horses and riders alike.
Do Not:
-Leave the group or cause your horse to speed up beyond the pace determined by the guide(s).
-Panic. If something goes wrong, screaming, jerking or kicking at your horse will escalate the situation.
-Let go of your reins at any time. The reins are your steering wheel and brakes.
-Jerk on the reins, kick forcefully, or hit your horse. Gentle communication is all it takes to get your horse to respond to commands. If needed, you can slowly increase the pressure of your aids. Once the horse responds, immediately
-RELEASE the pressure of the cue to let the horse know they “answered the question” correctly.
-Smoke or drink while on horseback
-Take off your helmet once mounted
-Litter on the trail. If you packed it in, pack it out.
Weight Limit: 275 lbs.
Frequently asked questions
There are numerous trails throughout the Tryon Resort’s 1,600 acre property. However, all group rides will accommodate the least experienced rider for safety. No rider is “left behind!”
We are currently offering 1-hour riding experiences. Contact westernadventures@tryon.com to inquire about booking a longer or private trail ride experience outside our regularly-scheduled 1-hour time slots.
Yes, one or more of our professional trail guides will lead and be available to assist throughout the entire duration of the ride. Unguided trail rides are not permitted.
A helmet must be worn at all times while on the horse, for your safety, regardless of age or experience.
If you have an ASTM/SEI certified helmet newer than two years old, you are welcome to bring your own equestrian riding helmet. Bike helmets are not permitted. If you bring your own helmet, it is subject to inspection.
Horses are living, breathing prey animals and they react to the environment around them. Our trail horses are well trained and familiar with many of the situations that typically arise on the trail, but riding a horse involves risk. Please always consult your trail guides!
You are welcome to bring light snacks, sunscreen, and any other essential items with you on the shuttle ride, and these items may be left at the trailhead tack room for safekeeping or carried on your person. We recommend only carrying with you what is essential.
Wear close-toed shoes and weather appropriate clothes, with layers that can be removed or added throughout the ride as needed (jackets or vests with full zippers are easiest). Shorts are not recommended, particularly for longer rides. Apply sunscreen and/or bug spray and please hydrate.
No equestrian experience is needed in order to ride our horses, as our horses are well trained and safe for all levels of riders. Inexperienced riders will be carefully paired with the appropriate horses, and guides will provide instruction for a successful ride before the group leaves the trailhead
The General Store, located in the heart of Legends Plaza near the main TIEC parking lot, is where your shuttle will collect you for your Tryon Western Adventure to begin! You’ll be shuttled to the trailhead and back again once your trail ride has completed.
Up to 10 riders can attend each trail ride session. Groups larger than 10 people are asked to book two separate sessions.
Based on your reservation details, our staff will select the appropriate horse for you in order to ensure the best possible pairing and to make sure all horses have an optimum work schedule (with plenty of time off!). You are welcome to request a favorite horse, but at no guarantee we can fulfill it
Trail rides are subject to be canceled and rescheduled at a later date for the safety of all riders and horses. Cancelations made by the Tryon Western Adventures team for weather will not result in a cancelation fee.
Trail rides can be refunded 7 days before your trail ride date on Eventbrite, where you made your purchase. Eventbrite does not refund their fees that are added on to ticket sales.
275 lbs. Each horse in our program is able to accommodate passengers of varying weights, and this information is important for our guides to have in advance in order to best match horse and rider. Weight limits are non-negotiable for the safety and well-being of horses and riders alike.
We are unable to accommodate service animals on the trails themselves, and service animals may not be carried on the horses. Service animals ARE allowed everywhere else on our premises.
For individuals booking a ride, your trail experience may be combined with other riders to best fill the schedule. Private rides are available by special request as capacity allows.
No; due to insurance and facility logistics, at this time outside horses are not permitted on the Tryon Western Adventure trails. While this may become possible in the future, Tryon Resort property is currently limited to TIEC competitors’ horses and the Tryon Western Adventures program horses.
The youngest riders permitted are 10 years old without riding experience and 8 years old with riding experience. Contact tickets@tryon.com with questions.