Sunburst Stables — Local services in Clayton

My husband and I took a vacation to Helen this summer to get away from life and enjoy the mountain air. We had previously gone horseback riding during our previous trip to Georgia in. 2019 at a different stable and really enjoyed it. We knew we had to make horseback riding an activity during this trip as well. This stable was one of several suggestions at the Air B&B we were staying at for the week so after looking through the options we decided on this location.

There are some good things and not so good things about this stable. Scheduling was very easy and the cost was very affordable. The horses were lovely and the pre-ride instructions were very helpful. When we were mounted on our horses there were several staff available to make the process as quick as possible; however, dismount was done ONE horse at a time. There were at least 6 of us on horses and my husband and I were the last two in line to dismount. We had no real issue with being on the horses longer than anyone else except for the fact that the horses were VERY restless at the end of the ride and they were ready for their treats for finishing their tasks. We tried to keep the horses calm and stay where we were told prior to dismounting, but this was met with agitation from our horses and the staff kindly berated US for pulling back on their reigns too much causing their agitation. This was probably the most unnecessary aspect of the whole experience that docked this establishment a star. I don't appreciate being left alone with a very large agitated animal that I'm not trained to soothe while one staff dismounts each person and stables each horse in turn. That's ridiculous.

Lastly, I'm so glad we chose the hour long right because the terrain was absolutely too treacherous for any longer of a ride. You're going downhill on some very sketchy paths quite a bit and with no skills, are expected to stay on your horse and not fall off. Nobody did fall, thankfully, but that effort came with a ton of discomfort for us in the end. I do realize we were in the mountains, but that path was not ideal for beginners. Not in my opinion anyways.

The overall experience was still wonderful and without the couple of negatives we experienced, I would still say you should check this place out. My husband and I will, however, seek out a different stable the next time we find ourselves vacationing in or...

My daughter and I both had horses that were not fully trained for trail rides. My horse was behind our guide and kept trying to bolt ahead of the guide. I keep pulling back on the reins, to stop him. On his last attempt to get in front of the guide horse, I pulled back on the reins and he kicked up and tried to throw me. Thank goodness I am an experienced rider as that could have gone very badly for someone else. The guide called down to the stable for advice and ended up switching horses with me. She said the stirups on this saddle could not be adjusted any shorter. I’m 5’2” and the stirups were now too long for me. I could not comfortably put my feet in the stirups to get a good seat on the new horse. The new reins were also now too short and I had to lean forward to keep from them pulling back too far. Between the stirrups being too long and the reins too short, it made for an uncomfortable ride. My daughter’s horse stopped about every 15 minutes and would refused to move. Kicking it did nothing. The guide gave her a stick, but having to use it as a crop every 15 minutes made for an unpleasant ride. Her horse would also wander way off the trail and would refuse to get back on the trail behind the other horses. This happened repeatedly. My daughter had to duck under limbs and was pushed into several trees. That horse “Tonto” should not be available for riders. The guide was very frustrated and it appeared to be at us (my daughter and I). We have both ridden multiple times, and the issue was with the horses not with us. I was nearly thrown through no fault of my own, and my daughter’s whole ride was spent trying to get her horse to move or get it back on the trail. At one point the guide gave me a stick as well even though my horse was perfect. He slowed down going down hill and I let him set his pace to find his own footing in down hill. We caught up immediately when he was back on even surface, so I’m not sure why she thought I needed a stick. I also couldn’t hold the stick because I had to lean so far forward because of the short reins and stirrups that were too long. After the ride, we gave our guide a $20. tip and she barely...

Wonderful place! Lots of activities so you cannot get bored and I had a great time!

I bought the 2 hour mountain ride package for horse back riding. The tour guide, Tucker, was great! The horses were very well trained and had no issues with them. Also, they are all in great health and appear to be taken care of very well. They have acres of pastures to roam and aren't stuck in stalls or small areas. You can also wear a helmet for safety, which is great!

The mountain tour was very beautiful! It is 7 to 9 miles.

While I enjoyed it, I will say I did not have enough experience to enjoy this ride properly. Sitting in a saddle for two hours really takes a toll on your body, especially if you don't ride regularly, which I dont. You really are trekking up the side of a mountain on steep trails. There are no real 'trails' here so your horse is stepping over rocks and roots, etc. You can also trot and canter on your horse, which is a different experience itself. So, for experienced riders, I highly recommend this.

For not so experienced riders, purchase the one hour trek first and see how you like it. If you're uncomfortable with horses, nature, heights, etc, please try the one hour trail first.

I was incredibly stupid and kept my phone with me, thinking this would be a slow walk on a normal trail. I lost my phone and had to get a new one, but thanks to the very observant and kind Sunburst team, they found it on another horse ride tour, and called me and returned it to me. So thank you all very much for doing something you didn't have to do and I will know better next time! For those of you looking to try this out, lock your phone up or make sure you have a zippable pocket in a Hoodie so the phone can't drop out.

Also, thank you to the very kind team member that checked up on me to make sure I was OK after I lost my phone. Your empathy is deeply appreciated!

Highly...