French Broad River Outpost Ranch
French Broad River Outpost Ranch
4.2
Info
Rispetta le linee guida per il benessere animale
Suggerisci modifiche per migliorare il profilo.
Migliora questo profiloCos'è il premio Travellers' Choice?
Tripadvisor attribuisce un premio Travellers' Choice agli alloggi, alle attrazioni e ai ristoranti che ottengono recensioni molto positive dai viaggiatori in modo costante e si classificano nel 10% delle migliori strutture su Tripadvisor.
Il fatturato incide sulla disposizione delle esperienze su questa pagina: scopri di più.
I modi migliori per scoprire le attrazioni nelle vicinanze
In questo momento sei in viaggio?
Aiutaci a trovare le esperienze disponibili per te.
La zona
Indirizzo
Contatta direttamente
Il meglio nelle vicinanze
I ristoranti e le attrazioni vengono classificati in base al rapporto tra le recensioni degli utenti e la vicinanza a questa località.
Ristoranti
1 nel raggio di 5 km
Contribuisci anche tu
Eseguiamo controlli sulle recensioni.
In che modo Tripadvisor gestisce le recensioni
Prima della pubblicazione, ogni recensione di Tripadvisor viene esaminata dal sistema di monitoraggio automatico che raccoglie informazioni rispondendo alle seguenti domande: come, cosa, dove e quando. Se il sistema rileva un elemento che potrebbe non rispettare le linee guida della community, la recensione non viene pubblicata.
Se il sistema dovesse rilevare un problema, la recensione potrebbe essere rifiutata automaticamente, inviata al recensore per la conferma o esaminata manualmente dal team di esperti di contenuti, al lavoro 24 ore su 24, 7 giorni su 7, per mantenere la qualità delle recensioni sul nostro sito.
Il nostro team verifica ogni recensione pubblicata sul sito segnalata dalla community per mancata conformità alle linee guida della community.
Scopri di più sulla moderazione delle recensioni.
4.2
36 recensioni
Eccellente
26
Molto buono
2
Nella media
3
Scarso
0
Pessimo
5
Traveling
32 contributi
giu 2024 • Amici
If you would like to disconnect with very little cell service, no tv and a totally country setting then this is the place for you. Bring a hairdryer if you use one. Hot water and air conditioning worked very well. We had a fun week with good company and good food in a rustic setting. Shaun and Joann are a hard working pair who do much to make your visit comfortable. There are games, pool table, air hockey and movie cds for entertaining. The rooms are cleaned daily and the kitchen is clean. The horses are cared for and the riding is on beautiful trails. The pace is slow enough for all ages and care is taken to match you with a horse that will work for you. The wranglers are young but truly willing to help you in every way. Recommend for those that are looking for something really different. A white water rafting trip and river tubing on a beautiful river is also included. We had fun!
Scritta in data 15 giugno 2024
Questa recensione rappresenta l'opinione personale di un utente di Tripadvisor e non di Tripadvisor LLC. Le recensioni vengono sottoposte a verifica da Tripadvisor.
Thanks for your review we are glad you had a good time!
Scritta in data 30 giugno 2024
Questa risposta rappresenta l'opinione personale del rappresentante della struttura e non di Tripadvisor LLC.
Kurt
1 contributo
lug 2023
WARNING: Please read ALL reviews before booking your non-refundable experience. I, unfortunately, did not and feel that I wasted over $1,700.00 for my son and I to come in on Wednesday night at check-in at 4pm and then must check-out by 11am on Saturday, just to ride twice on Thursday (we each had only ridden three times before coming to the ranch); and then, on Friday, when we did not feel comfortable with our riding skills to go out on the cattle drive, subsequently we were left with no other formal options despite having paid a very hefty fee for the experience. There may be more to do if you are there all week; however, the short version was definitely not worth $250 per person per day + fees. On a positive note, the lodge staff and cook were kind, and it was nice to meet Shawn's sister who was helping out along with their dad (Retired USAF MSgt); however, there were so many negatives regarding this visit that I feel compelled to strongly recommend booking elsewhere for a ranch experience. Though I think Shawn (the owner) saves horses and cares for his horses, I will end by saying that I was not impressed with the owner and viewed Shawn to be a person who is a "legend (only) in his own mind". PEACE!
Scritta in data 13 agosto 2023
Questa recensione rappresenta l'opinione personale di un utente di Tripadvisor e non di Tripadvisor LLC. Le recensioni vengono sottoposte a verifica da Tripadvisor.
Well Kurt I've been busy and hadn't noticed your review until today. I've certainly never considered myself a legend, in my mind or anyone else's. It amazes me how people attack me personally. I took several cruises and it never occurred to me to write something negative about the Captain of the ship whenever something wasn't quite right. I reckon at a smaller place like a Dude Ranch it must be ok to do so.
So in reality you're blaming me and the ranch that you chose not to ride on Friday which is the big cattle drive because you had only ridden 3 times before your arrival? Just to be factual we have had kids go as young as 6 years old that had never ridden before they arrived. This ranch unlike most other ranches attempts to improve your riding ability your first day in the corral. The typical scene elsewhere is you are put on a saddled horse, you ride it and then dismount and that is the experience.
So to put it quite bluntly it's not our fault you and your son opted out of riding on Friday. It's not like we sprung the big cattle drive on you after you arrived and left you no options. If you read the itinerary you already knew that was the ride that day before you ever forked over your hard earned cash. So it you booked a sky diving adventure and couldn't bring yourself to jump out of the plane, that would be the pilot and the helpers fault?
It seems all the logic in the world has gone into the gutter!
In closing I'm sorry you didn't have a good time. It is always my intention for everyone to have fun while riding horses at our ranch. Once again your review proves you can't satisfy the public 100% because it's just downright impossible to do.
Scritta in data 18 settembre 2023
Questa risposta rappresenta l'opinione personale del rappresentante della struttura e non di Tripadvisor LLC.
Krista R
6 contributi
giu 2023 • Famiglia
My family visited the ranch early June 2023. Unfortunately we did not complete our stay due to safety concerns. Upon arriving we were met by amazing wranglers and staff and a beautiful facility that was well kept. However when we saw the horses we were broken hearted and terrified for their well-being. They were severely underweight, had diarrhea that would spray out when they passed gas, and green snot dripping from their nose and eyes. We decided to keep an open mind and stayed. We have been blessed to be horse owners ourselves and we have always ridden in an arena or neighborhood trails so the idea of mountain riding appealed to us. Upon watching the instruction video we became uneasy about his strange riding and handling practices. However, every horse owner is a little different and have different views. When we spoke with Shawn he poked fun at how we rode English and how we "rode wrong". During our first ride he had some problems catching his horse and I even told him the animal seemed as if it did not want ridden. He simply said he knew his animals and it was just hard to catch. As we mounted and were given laughable instructions on how to ride Shawn began to mount his horse. The horse began bucking like a rodeo horse and Shawn broke his collarbone. Fast forward to the next ride we went on an elderly woman fell from her horse and injured due to the saddle being loosened under Shawn's direction. My own daughter was yelled at by Shawn on the "cattle drive" for not controlling her horse. The fact is that the horse was not properly trained and was fearful so it was following the animal infront of it. I am very confident that if I had not been an experienced rider, I myself, would have been thrown from my horse who was also fearful during this event. The tubing trip was unsafe due to faulty safety equipment. The life jackets were unclean and torn. The rafts were well used and not updated. My daughter's actually lost all air during the trip. The poor wranglers went above and beyond to make us feel valued and respected however they were not treated the same. It was no strange thing to hear management degrading them over the radio's for all to hear. One wrangler was also found crying not once, but twice after being scolled by management. The last ride we went on was enough for us when my daughter fell off after the horse was spooked. The stirrup broke, which was no one's fault, and we know very well that horses spook often. But seeing as how something happened every ride or every activity we felt it was no longer worth the risk. In conclusion if you have horse experience you will be told you are wrong, if you have no horse experience you will be poorly taught. You will see animals that need to be rescued. And you will encounter broken wranglers who deserve better. This facility has the potential to be a HUGE money maker, but until it's managed properly it will be what management is.
Scritta in data 22 luglio 2023
Questa recensione rappresenta l'opinione personale di un utente di Tripadvisor e non di Tripadvisor LLC. Le recensioni vengono sottoposte a verifica da Tripadvisor.
HI, Thanks for your review. You posted pictures of 3 of my 5 horses that need to gain weight out of my 50 horses to back up your emotional heart felt feeling for my horses well being. So you didn't mention the other 45 of them at all. What did they look like? Did you post the horse your husband rode, "Charlie" who is very fat? did you post the horse your oldest daughter rode, "Akeelah" who is very fat? Did you post a pic of "Foxy" who your rode who is in perfect weight? Nope you didn't mention those guys and the fact that the majority of my horses are all well kept. So am I just starving some of my horses on purpose or because I am a demon of some kind? No I don't think that is the truth since we feed our horses 3 times a day with grain and twice a day with hay. Could it be that out of a herd of horses sometimes a few of them might get a sickness or might be what is called "hard" keepers? Since you lay claim to being a horse owner surely you know such things. Of course you didn't mention them though as it would not fit your statement of "all" of their well being. I keep my horses from the time of arrival until they finally reach the day they need to go to Heaven. Sometimes that day comes and they are still in perfect weight status and sometimes they get skinnier because they lose their back teeth or other things are attacking them like cushings disease or intestinal problems or they get over 30 years old. I just don't get out the gun and shoot them just so you know when they drop some weight. I work hard at trying to find something that will let them live longer. Most of the time I'm successful sometimes it just isn't in the cards. You in your review though try to make it appear as though all of my horses are waiting to die which is not truthful. Trip Advisor wont let me post pictures or your story would lose value.
Since we rescued several horses in May that were headed to be destroyed and my horses generally don't come in contact with any sicknesses since we are isolated, we did get a respiratory sickness from the new horses. So just like Covid you just have to fight thru it and not every horse got that either. Just so you know too the State of Tennessee came in to check my ranch just a week after you left and we got a passing grade. Sure is a coincidence!
I do teach a different way of riding which is mostly successful. The riders that listen and learn can sometimes trot in balance without holding the horn or using the stirrups their first day of riding. Are they perfect? No but that is a rare achievement if you really know the horse industry as some riders take years to trot in balance. My system though doesn't always work for the "experts" that say hey I'm an advance rider. Often they have been thru the regular system, manage to stay on the horse most of the time, and don't want to learn anything new. That obviously would apply to your family. You and your husband were decent riders but your eldest daughter was not. I'm not saying that as an insult I'm saying that because it's true. According to your posting though it was the horse's fault who has been here for 15 years. She has taken riders from zero to a 1000 times per interview of the guest. Your daughter told me she had ridden 100 times so they seemed like it would be a good match. I realized though after the short cattle drive that she would be better suited with what I call a "dead head" or a horse that can be ridden by anybody especially those that are either zero times riding or have had a lot of trouble in the past. I offered "Toga" for her to ride but she wanted to stick with Akeelah so I let her. The last day you were here when she fell off was due to your husband taking off in a fast trot because he wanted to but your daughter behind him also trotted but she has no balance honestly, so she fell off even though you say it's because the horse spooked. Either way when she panicked she pushed so hard in the right stirrup it tore the leather completely off the saddle. I wish I would have made the horse change the day before like I wanted because Toga rarely will trot.
I can't quite figure out how you say that under my direction a lady fell off due to me loosening her saddle. When that ride was out which was the ranch cattle drive, I was in Knoxville getting x-rays of my collarbone which I will address in a moment. So exactly how did I make that happen from 1.5 hours away? My wife tightened that girth for that ride and after I got back and heard a guest fell off I went down to check the saddle. Someone had taken off the girth on the wrong side so the tie side was still as it was during the ride. We put the tail end of the girth strap up thru the slot so we can see that someone tightened it after the rider mounts. It was still in the slot which means the girth was tightened. What usually causes saddles to "move" is that 80% of riders use their stirrups as the ground, either by design or instinctual behavior. That is a problem that is universal but yet you wont agree because you most likely over tighten you girth on your own horses and keep your heels down as the is the standard. That process automatically keeps pressure in the stirrups and moves the saddle as I discovered in 2002. You can laugh all you want but hundreds of guests that used to have knees hurt after they rode say otherwise when they keep their toes up instead.
So yes I got a broken collarbone on Monday as the first ride was going out. The horse was one of the rescue Arabs we got trying to save his life. He had been ridden about 25 times in the round pen and trails by us and appeared to be totally broken. I was told by one of the wranglers that he had spooked on her last ride. So that is why I was going to ride him to see what he was doing. Apparently the fact that I wear spurs caused the rodeo event. I don't know this horses full life story because he has just been here a short time about 3 months now but I intend to work the fear out of him so he can have a better life. Most likely he had some abuse from a cowboy with spurs, not me. Like you said anything can happen with horses and that was not a good day for me.
We buy about 25 tubes a year. Sometimes one of them can pop even as they are in the water the first time. Sometimes while out there the plug that is inserted in the air fill valve hits something in the river and releases the air no matter what age the tube is. I don't know what happened to your daughters tube but that is why everyone has to wear a personal flotation device.
So in closing I know you didn't have the ideal time and I'm sorry you didn't but the majority of guests do have a great time and are safe doing it. I find it interesting that you say if it was only managed properly it could be great. The same people have been running it for 30 years and our safety record is outstanding compared to most places that are similar. Possibly the employment crisis will get better and we wont have to cover every single base but that is how it is at the present time.
Scritta in data 25 luglio 2023
Questa risposta rappresenta l'opinione personale del rappresentante della struttura e non di Tripadvisor LLC.
GC
7 contributi
giu 2023
There are two accounts for this business. “French Broad Outpost Ranch” and “French Broad River Outpost Ranch” and I was concerned about the negative reviews on both accounts. After visiting this ranch last month, I can attest they are accurate. Unfortunately, Shawn’s responses to those reviews are argumentative and lack accountability.
During our visit last month, here are just a few of the things that went wrong and how I imagine Shawn will respond because it is how he has responded to other similar reviews.
1 - Several activities were cancelled “due to weather” though weather was pleasant. Shawn will say he’s not in control of the weather. This much is true. He will say there was too much mud in the corral for activities and this is FALSE. We went on several trail rides in the rain and through the mud. Yet activities were cancelled under clear skies and a dry corral. Also, there was no backup plan for cancelled activities so when you pay for your reservation, expecting to do team penning, a dinner ride, or the children’s rodeo, you might not get your money’s worth. To be fair, you might get lucky and have all activities, but it is a gamble so just be aware of that.
2 - The cook quit on the second day we were there. Shawn will say he was a horrible employee like he says about all the employees he berates (see all negative reviews). This employee was not horrible. He was professional, kind, and interactive. As guests, we witnessed this cook being yelled at and berated by Shawn the night before when the donkeys got loose. Shawn called for the cook to help catch the donkeys and the way he was treated during the donkey chase was disgraceful. He was a cook, not a wrangler. (Though the wranglers were treated poorly as well.)
3 - Two guests left early because they feared for their safety. At the time of our visit, the most seasoned employee had been there only three weeks and the others from a few days to a week. This concerned the couple. Then, when Shawn announced to all of us over breakfast that the cook had quit, he went into a tirade about the demise of our country. He said he can’t find any good employees and told us we should all be watching the underground news to prepare for our ruin. He said that Trump is still the president and Biden is just an actor. It was after this bizarre rant that the couple chose to leave.
4 - A horse lay dying. As guests, we all had empathy for the loss of a horse and the way Shawn and JoAnn handled this situation made it worse. It was inhumane. The horse was very old. It was skin and bones. It hadn’t eaten or drank water in days and was suffering. It was during lunch that Shawn called for all wranglers. The vet arrived and we figured they would put the horse down. An emotional event. To help out, the guests cleaned up after lunch. We washed the dishes, put away the food, and cleaned the kitchen. Only to find out they did not put the horse down. They made that poor horse suffer for two more days! It was horrible to watch.
5 - Health Issues: The life vests for our tubing and rafting trips were covered with mold and mildew. Absolutely disgusting! (Oh, and our raft had a leak) Also, there was no running water for two nights. In fact, Shawn shut off the water pump one night and didn’t turn it back on until 6:30 am so we were unable to flush toilets all night. When the water did come back on it was brown. Shawn will blame the leak in the pool and the company that was supposed to fix it. (The pool leak had been fixed before the second night with no water.) As for the moldy vests, he'll blame the demise of our country and his horrible employees.
In closing, these were only a few of the things which happened on our visit. But the foremost reason I’m giving this ranch a one-star rating is because of the way Shawn and JoAnn treat their employees and guests. They are rude. They yell. They degrade people. They take no accountability for their own actions.
JoAnn publicly humiliated employees and guests on a daily basis. It was awful to witness and listen to as she yelled at her employees over the radio.
The negative reviews are consistent in the way Shawn and JoAnn treat their employees. And with each negative review the names of employees are different because they cannot retain them.
Shawn and JoAnn, you should visit a real dude ranch out west. They retain employees who return every year because they are treated with dignity and respect. You should look at the reviews for Lost Valley Ranch in Colorado and take note of how the owner responds to the one or two negative reviews he has gotten. He responds with respect and accountability. It’s the same way he treats his employees and that’s how he retains them. This is just one example. There are many others you can reference.
Bottom line, the one common denominator between all the employees you have been unable to retain is you. You treat them horribly. Take accountability. Change your ways.
During our visit last month, here are just a few of the things that went wrong and how I imagine Shawn will respond because it is how he has responded to other similar reviews.
1 - Several activities were cancelled “due to weather” though weather was pleasant. Shawn will say he’s not in control of the weather. This much is true. He will say there was too much mud in the corral for activities and this is FALSE. We went on several trail rides in the rain and through the mud. Yet activities were cancelled under clear skies and a dry corral. Also, there was no backup plan for cancelled activities so when you pay for your reservation, expecting to do team penning, a dinner ride, or the children’s rodeo, you might not get your money’s worth. To be fair, you might get lucky and have all activities, but it is a gamble so just be aware of that.
2 - The cook quit on the second day we were there. Shawn will say he was a horrible employee like he says about all the employees he berates (see all negative reviews). This employee was not horrible. He was professional, kind, and interactive. As guests, we witnessed this cook being yelled at and berated by Shawn the night before when the donkeys got loose. Shawn called for the cook to help catch the donkeys and the way he was treated during the donkey chase was disgraceful. He was a cook, not a wrangler. (Though the wranglers were treated poorly as well.)
3 - Two guests left early because they feared for their safety. At the time of our visit, the most seasoned employee had been there only three weeks and the others from a few days to a week. This concerned the couple. Then, when Shawn announced to all of us over breakfast that the cook had quit, he went into a tirade about the demise of our country. He said he can’t find any good employees and told us we should all be watching the underground news to prepare for our ruin. He said that Trump is still the president and Biden is just an actor. It was after this bizarre rant that the couple chose to leave.
4 - A horse lay dying. As guests, we all had empathy for the loss of a horse and the way Shawn and JoAnn handled this situation made it worse. It was inhumane. The horse was very old. It was skin and bones. It hadn’t eaten or drank water in days and was suffering. It was during lunch that Shawn called for all wranglers. The vet arrived and we figured they would put the horse down. An emotional event. To help out, the guests cleaned up after lunch. We washed the dishes, put away the food, and cleaned the kitchen. Only to find out they did not put the horse down. They made that poor horse suffer for two more days! It was horrible to watch.
5 - Health Issues: The life vests for our tubing and rafting trips were covered with mold and mildew. Absolutely disgusting! (Oh, and our raft had a leak) Also, there was no running water for two nights. In fact, Shawn shut off the water pump one night and didn’t turn it back on until 6:30 am so we were unable to flush toilets all night. When the water did come back on it was brown. Shawn will blame the leak in the pool and the company that was supposed to fix it. (The pool leak had been fixed before the second night with no water.) As for the moldy vests, he'll blame the demise of our country and his horrible employees.
In closing, these were only a few of the things which happened on our visit. But the foremost reason I’m giving this ranch a one-star rating is because of the way Shawn and JoAnn treat their employees and guests. They are rude. They yell. They degrade people. They take no accountability for their own actions.
JoAnn publicly humiliated employees and guests on a daily basis. It was awful to witness and listen to as she yelled at her employees over the radio.
The negative reviews are consistent in the way Shawn and JoAnn treat their employees. And with each negative review the names of employees are different because they cannot retain them.
Shawn and JoAnn, you should visit a real dude ranch out west. They retain employees who return every year because they are treated with dignity and respect. You should look at the reviews for Lost Valley Ranch in Colorado and take note of how the owner responds to the one or two negative reviews he has gotten. He responds with respect and accountability. It’s the same way he treats his employees and that’s how he retains them. This is just one example. There are many others you can reference.
Bottom line, the one common denominator between all the employees you have been unable to retain is you. You treat them horribly. Take accountability. Change your ways.
Scritta in data 9 luglio 2023
Questa recensione rappresenta l'opinione personale di un utente di Tripadvisor e non di Tripadvisor LLC. Le recensioni vengono sottoposte a verifica da Tripadvisor.
I guess there are just folks that feel like they are protectors of humanity and their "judgement" is 100% accurate because it's their judgement. I am going to answer everyone of your points so there is once again 2 points of view.
1. Yes 4 events were cancelled during your week. Three of those events require dry ground for SAFETY! Since you obviously know more than me you might not care about safety but I do! In Team Penning you have to have a dry surface so in case guests trot or even canter in the arena chasing a cow they can't turn hard which might be required in this activity and the horse slips and lands on the guests legs. That might not matter to you but it does to me! Also cancelled was the supper ride. This event is on top of the mountain and the main thing you have to check during inclement weather is the possibility of heavy rain and/or lightning. We had light rain but ask yourself a question, is it 'FUN" to sit and eat in the rain, even light rain? So I cancelled that trip for that reason. I also cancelled the "games" in the corral for the same reason. We did the gun shooting and the kids painting of pioneer games but once again the corral was not fully dry. I have had people fall and hurt themselves even with dry ground doing the 3 legged race but doing it in a semi-dry or wet situation whatever you want to call it is not safe. The kids rodeo was also cancelled because of rain. I was even going to try Saturday morning to do the rodeo but it rained again. In your mind you think it's worth having some kids horse trotting in an event slip and the child gets hurt on the wet surface because you paid for it. I am glad I don't think like you do! Once again though since you know more than me about this ranch and how to run it I'll leave it up to the public to decide.
2. The cook quit because he was on the firing block and he knew it. Why do I have to explain to the whole world what you could not see or know behind closed doors? This cook did not follow 90% of our company policies that he signed an agreement to do. He wanted to do everything his way and his way is not professional. You're entitled to your opinion but you are simply stating things as facts because you only have 1 agenda and you don't care about truth only what you perceive to be truth!
3. In today's world most businesses are having trouble finding staff members especially people that have experience. You seem to imply that only my ranch is suffering from this unique catastrophe and it's all me and my wife's doing because we are just so wrong etc etc. The couple that left, the young lady had been here twice before with her family when she was younger. I am sorry they felt unsafe according to you but since they didn't bring anything up to me I can't even address it. I can say though that my newly hired "head" wrangler that I had to fire after only 6 days had something to do with it. After this guy was fired for basically "trying" to run everything down with his mouth and not doing his job, the ranch right before ours that he worked at contacted me. He did similar things at their place although they aren't a guest ranch more of a boarding stable. So there is way more to that story than anyone knows.
4. Yes one of our beloved animals died while you were here. Once again though you know more than I or our veterinarian of 26 years so maybe I will call you next time I need a vet! This horse arrived at our ranch in 2004 so she had been here a long time. Three years ago she stopped eating and so this same Vet came out and did tests so we could figure out what was wrong. His tests said her liver enzymes were thru the roof and he said I don't expect her to live. So we went into action reading about liver problems and anything else we could find to try and help her. We ordered hundreds of dollars of medicines but nothing seemed to help, right away. We gave her the meds the vet supplied but one day I took a gamble and gave her some apple cider vinegar. Within 30 minutes she started to eat again. We got lucky and blessed that this horse not only lived but made back into the string for riding. SO, when she started having issues again we tried basically same stuff but it wasn't working as good. We are not so stupid not to realize when a horse is not doing good BUT I have always tried to do everything humanly possible to give life a chance. Unfortunately she didn't make it BUT the Vet was in agreement to try to give her one last chance when he came out. Your comment that she wasn't eating or drinking is not accurate either but I am willing to bet you relied on my fired head wrangler and everything he said as Gospel! I have proof from his last place he worked before mine he is a Pathological Liar! Once again though since you must have practiced horse medicine you know more than all of us. I would hate to be in your family as you would most likely have Dr. Kevorkian on speed dial.
5. I agree with you about my life jackets that they needed a good bleaching which they now have gotten. I like how you try to pre-think everything I am going to say. You must really believe you are a physic or a savant of people's thoughts. I did cut off 1 valve at 10 pm to try and let the spring system recover and cut it back on at 630am. It's possible there was water shortage during that midnight hour time period as you say. Since you might have never had a spring system occasionally you can get "dingy" water if a surge of water comes thru the pipes. This is what I can say about water: when you finally learn what has been in the city water you are going to cry! I'll take my spring water any day of the week! I'm curious but just how do you know when the leak at the bath house was fixed? Once again you're inaccurate but you write on here like you know all of the facts.
So just for the record: I have had 2 employees that worked here for 11 years each and 1 of them still lives on the ranch. (She must be crazy to stay here) I have had 7 employees work here 2 years, dozens work here for about a year and I have had some work here for 1 day and some never showed up to work at all. I'll admit after weeks of trying to have back room private discussions explaining how to do things correctly by company policy I eventually lose my patience with "some" employees. I guess I am the only employer that does that? NOT! You just happened to visit a place that has their employees socialize with the guests and eat meals with them as I am attempting to give the public an old Cowboy Western feel as much as possible. Just so you know a ton of ranches do NOT allow that out West! The wranglers get up early, feed the horses, eat privately, saddle up and the only time you get around them is on the rides. Even during activities there would be a manager or and owner there to make sure an "employee" isn't secretly trying to destroy the very place they work. It is a risk doing it this way for us as a "poor" employee that either doesn't care or can't do a good job because of lack of upbringing will be the first to start downgrading everything they can because they are under constant correction. They should just quit if they don't like the place they work but they would rather destroy it.
So you and I are obviously in a Mexican Standoff. You believe my wife and I are biggest jerks to own and operate a business and it's all 100% our fault. That is an amazing theory to say the least, but you're entitled to think and say whatever you want. Luckily I am able to respond to stuff with facts so the vacationing public can decide for themselves. I have only had 4 days off in 5 years so either I am a lunatic crazy person just trying to ruin everyone's expectations or I put in a lot of work doing the best I can every single day. I like how you changed your name this time and even did a 2nd post so it looked like you were doing reviews before. What a joke! You just wanted to have the last word, again, but I am most willing to put my side of the story out there every time.
We had a tough week when you were here I'll admit BUT my wife and I did not cause it. I didn't pray for rain so some events could not occur, I was going to fire my head cook and if my sister could have made it on Sunday you would have never even met him. I did have the bath house plumbing repaired the week before because I noticed it leaking BUT after it was fixed I didn't even have the slightest thought it could be leaking again. Even when I found out, I radioed all employees I discovered the leak and that the bath house was cut off and YET one of my employees turned that valve back on a few hours later so he could wash his hands. Don't you get it by now? No matter what you say most of our younger generation is ILL prepared for life much less a job. They lack home training by their own parents maybe because those same parents are working 3 jobs to pay the bills. Regardless of the reasons our country is in trouble and that is a simple undeniable fact! I love what I do and I do it daylight to dark 7 days a week. Maybe that is making me cranky but I am still an honest hard working American doing the best I can!
p.s. I asked Trip Advisor over 10 years ago to merge the 2 accounts since there is just 1 ranch and they refused, just for the record!
Scritta in data 12 luglio 2023
Questa risposta rappresenta l'opinione personale del rappresentante della struttura e non di Tripadvisor LLC.
Bill F
2 contributi
giu 2023 • Famiglia
We just returned from a week at the French Broad Outpost Ranch. I generally don’t write reviews of any kind, but it was such a disaster that I feel compelled to warn prospective guests. It’s difficult to decide where to start - well, maybe not - I’ll start with the cook quitting on the second day we were there. We all suspected he quit because he was ordered to help chase two donkeys that escaped the night before. He was yelled at and berated by Shawn in the process. The following morning when Shawn, the owner, came to announce to the entire group of guests that the cook had quit, he took no accountability yet went into a tantrum, stating that Trump is still our standing president and if you don’t believe that you’re a left winged conspirator. At that point everyone was on edge and it was all downhill from there. It was obvious that the ranch was woefully understaffed and managed with a brutal and caustic approach. Consequently two guests departed early stating their concern for their safety.
To keep the story short, let me present some specific items:
On two separate occasions the well went dry and we were without running water (no showers, no sinks, no flushable toilets) for more than twelve hours.
The life jackets provided on our tubing and rafting trips were filthy and ridden with mold and mildew.
Approximately half the activities were cancelled due to light rain and a dying horse. The loss of the horse was a tragedy for all involved but was needlessly prolonged for two days.
Not to be totally negative, the ranch has real potential but only under different management. The ranch itself is a beautiful setting and the facilities were clean and comfortable. The wranglers were incredibly overworked and under appreciated by Shawn and Jo Ann. Yet the wranglers maintained positive attitudes while showing dedication to the ranch, especially the guests.
My conclusion is that the owners are in the wrong business and unless that changes you should consider a different vacation destination.
To keep the story short, let me present some specific items:
On two separate occasions the well went dry and we were without running water (no showers, no sinks, no flushable toilets) for more than twelve hours.
The life jackets provided on our tubing and rafting trips were filthy and ridden with mold and mildew.
Approximately half the activities were cancelled due to light rain and a dying horse. The loss of the horse was a tragedy for all involved but was needlessly prolonged for two days.
Not to be totally negative, the ranch has real potential but only under different management. The ranch itself is a beautiful setting and the facilities were clean and comfortable. The wranglers were incredibly overworked and under appreciated by Shawn and Jo Ann. Yet the wranglers maintained positive attitudes while showing dedication to the ranch, especially the guests.
My conclusion is that the owners are in the wrong business and unless that changes you should consider a different vacation destination.
Scritta in data 27 giugno 2023
Questa recensione rappresenta l'opinione personale di un utente di Tripadvisor e non di Tripadvisor LLC. Le recensioni vengono sottoposte a verifica da Tripadvisor.
Well Bill I guess I touched a nerve on several people that now are character attacks mirrored back to me. I'm ok with that but let's get your facts corrected at least. My comment about Trump was made on Monday night not that it matters except that you remembered several things not exactly as they occurred. What I said by the way, is Trump is still our President and Biden is an actor and you'll probably call me a conspiracy theorist. I never said LEFT WING one time! Another correction is there was never a 12 hour period much less 2 of them that folks were without water. The reason I can verify that is the kitchen is on the same water supply as all of our rooms and there was NEVER any 12 hour period when there was no water. That is an absolute exaggeration, why I don't know but it ain't true! Since there was a leak that re-occurred at the pool bath house unknown to me at first that had been repaired by a professional plumber the week before, our spring system did get low and we suffered some outages. There might have been an hour or so when water was low 2 or 3 times as the spring recovered and caused some outage but our spring is really strong. Even at my own house right below the lodge and on the same water system, and we are last on the food water chain, my house never lost water for more than 2 hours.
I'll admit right here that the life jackets could use a good scrubbing but with limited employees it's nearly impossible to get to everything you want done. You can say what you want about me, but I have worked everyday since last September without a day off and now during your week I was working as hard as anyone and I have a week old surgically repaired collarbone. So to say this place would be great with new management, please locate a millionaire that can hire 10 people and I will take a day off. Every week this summer we have had guests from previous years come back to the ranch. None of the people you met that work here, were here before so why are these people coming back? Because when they came the first or 2nd time before this time they had the best vacation of their lives. Why? Because at that time I could find employees that had a work ethic, that also worked hard and helped make this place what it has always been, a great vacation destination. So you blame me for running it in the ground? That is what is happening in our country. The majority of kids today don't have work ethics yet you want to lay all the blame on the people that are working 3 peoples jobs trying to keep their businesses at the same level they were before. That is nearly impossible! How is it that because I expect my employees to work as hard as me, that is somehow a sin? Have you ever run your own business? If you have was it in the last 3 years since covid? If you haven't you have no idea what businesses are facing.
As far as the cook he was on the firing block from the previous week when he totally ignored taking care of a gluten free repeat guest. I was waiting on my sister to arrive to take over his duties but he must have been smart enough to see the writing on the wall so he quit before I could fire him. What do businesses do when an employee fails to do their job properly? They get reprimanded or fired. I had already reprimanded this cook as much as I could stand. So implying he left because of something the ranch was doing is misleading. He was also the highest paid employee I have ever had on payroll, YET he was a failure in almost every way.
As far as activities being cancelled we lost the ones that needed dry ground to do: team penning, kids rodeo and pioneer games. You can blame me for that but just so you know I don't control the weather.
NO event was cancelled because of our sick horse. Your emphasis on "dragging" out my horses death makes me want to throw up! Things happen in life and death that are completely beyond anyone's control and your insensitivity and the way your describe it are disgusting to say the least!
So I am sorry you didn't have a great time as I work hard every single week to give that to my guests as I have for nearly 30 years. I can't do everything though anymore and without competent, hard working employees it's hard to get everything done as it is suppose to be done. I'll keep trying as hard as my body will let me but our country is in trouble and we have only ourselves to blame!
Scritta in data 27 giugno 2023
Questa risposta rappresenta l'opinione personale del rappresentante della struttura e non di Tripadvisor LLC.
Betty K
2 contributi
set 2022
Just returned from a most fabulous time at The French Broad Outpost Dude Ranch. My sister Jeanne Brown and I attended the Women's Week adventure. Words can not express just how much fun we all had. Shawn, Joanne, Debbie, Riley, Robert and rest of staff went so far above our expectations, we can't thank you enough. If you are looking for a true western adventure and all the riding and eating etc, you will not be disappointed. Oh yes, the horses and cattle were excellent. Thank you again French Broad Ranch for making this bucket list item a memorable, exciting, One of the BEST Vacations ever! I miss Mariah (my horse for the week!) Oh yes, fyi: you're never to old to ride, Me 68, Jeanne 72.
Scritta in data 21 settembre 2022
Questa recensione rappresenta l'opinione personale di un utente di Tripadvisor e non di Tripadvisor LLC. Le recensioni vengono sottoposte a verifica da Tripadvisor.
nanski3
Granbury, TX66 contributi
ago 2022
My husband & I met our son & his family at French Broad Outpost. It was a wonderful week in beautiful surroundings.
Our room was comfortable, but a bit dark. It was furnished with lots of western decor, & rustic furniture. There were lots of books, if you didn’t want to participate in whatever activity was going on.
There was plenty to keep the kids occupied. A favorite thing was to feed carrots to the donkeys & horses. The wranglers were very patient with my grandchildren, Safety was always a top priority's when we were around the horses.
The afternoon spent tubing on the river was a real respite from the heat of the day. The rafting trip was not so great. It was a hot, sweaty float down the river. If we were to go back, I would skip it.
One night there was bluegrass music, and the next night, a square dance. I was skeptical, but really enjoyed it. The musicians came early to have dinner with us on those evenings.
Meals were served family style in the dining room. There was always plenty of food, & it was always tasty. I liked that the wranglers always had meals with the guests. That provided an opportunity to learn more about the ranch.
The atmosphere is such that strangers quickly become friends. This is a wonderful place for a family gathering, or just for a couple needing to « unplug ».
Our room was comfortable, but a bit dark. It was furnished with lots of western decor, & rustic furniture. There were lots of books, if you didn’t want to participate in whatever activity was going on.
There was plenty to keep the kids occupied. A favorite thing was to feed carrots to the donkeys & horses. The wranglers were very patient with my grandchildren, Safety was always a top priority's when we were around the horses.
The afternoon spent tubing on the river was a real respite from the heat of the day. The rafting trip was not so great. It was a hot, sweaty float down the river. If we were to go back, I would skip it.
One night there was bluegrass music, and the next night, a square dance. I was skeptical, but really enjoyed it. The musicians came early to have dinner with us on those evenings.
Meals were served family style in the dining room. There was always plenty of food, & it was always tasty. I liked that the wranglers always had meals with the guests. That provided an opportunity to learn more about the ranch.
The atmosphere is such that strangers quickly become friends. This is a wonderful place for a family gathering, or just for a couple needing to « unplug ».
Scritta in data 24 agosto 2022
Questa recensione rappresenta l'opinione personale di un utente di Tripadvisor e non di Tripadvisor LLC. Le recensioni vengono sottoposte a verifica da Tripadvisor.
Stefan Iovanescu
2 contributi
ago 2020
My family and I had a great time at the French Broad Ranch. It is located in a very beautiful area with a view of the mountains and a river nearby, along with beautiful stretched out fields and trails that you will go through with your horses. The construction of the ranch is straight out of an old western movie, even including a saloon where you will go to see and hear bluegrass and country musicians on Fridays. Activities range from, horseback riding, to cattle drives and rafting, along with many more that keep you busy and having fun.The rooms were very clean with a rustic western touch, and when you wake up in the morning you are greeted with a nice sunrise, and view of the Smoky Mountains. The food was very good and the staff was very helpful and kind. The owners Shawn and Jo Ann work very hard to keep you happy and help you get the best out of your vacation. Shawn is a great horseback riding teacher and does an amazing job at explaining how you should handle your horse. Leaving the ranch we are all confident in our horseback riding abilities and can see a big difference from when we first arrived to when we left. We would recommend this ranch to anybody who wants to have a vacation or great time in Tennessee. Thank you to Shawn, Jo Ann and the staff for a wonderful time! ~From Dan, Mimi, Stefan, & Diana
Scritta in data 16 agosto 2020
Questa recensione rappresenta l'opinione personale di un utente di Tripadvisor e non di Tripadvisor LLC. Le recensioni vengono sottoposte a verifica da Tripadvisor.
Dana H
6 contributi
lug 2020 • Famiglia
I can’t say enough about how wonderful this trip was for my family. Sean and Jo Ann, the owners of the ranch, are so involved in every aspect of this week long adventure. It is so evident how much they care about not only their animals, but also about their guests. We are not “horse people” but my family of 5 genuinely grew to love our horses that we adopted for the week. Every part of this getaway was an adventure, from the trail rides, to the tubing in the French Broad River. Sean and Jo Ann, and the rest of the staff, foster a family atmosphere amongst their guests and we got to know some really kind people during our stay. It is so much fun to get out for the day, get really dirty, and return to a room that is immaculate to get cleaned up for the evening fun. I couldn’t recommend this getaway enough.
Scritta in data 25 luglio 2020
Questa recensione rappresenta l'opinione personale di un utente di Tripadvisor e non di Tripadvisor LLC. Le recensioni vengono sottoposte a verifica da Tripadvisor.
Tracy P
Roanoke, VA27 contributi
set 2019 • Amici
This family run ranch in Tennessee offered a unique experience. If you're looking to be immersed from step one, this is your kind of ranch. From fetching your horse out in a pasture, to grooming and tacking up, to a group lesson day 2, you're completely involved. The horses were perfect angels. With the first ladies week ever, there was alot of fun with areas of opportunity for future ladies weeks.
Scritta in data 10 dicembre 2019
Questa recensione rappresenta l'opinione personale di un utente di Tripadvisor e non di Tripadvisor LLC. Le recensioni vengono sottoposte a verifica da Tripadvisor.
What activities do you have for a child that is 5 years old?
Scritta in data 29 giugno 2017
I think you may have to contact them directly for that age. My youngest was 8 and fully participated in all activities.
Scritta in data 29 giugno 2017
Frederick O
Troy, New York
Hello, I am interested in coming out for a week on my birthday. Nov. 7. What are your rates and are you open at that time?
Scritta in data 1 luglio 2015
You will have an excellent time. The horses are friendly,the food delicious and the staff incredible, including the owner, Shawn
Scritta in data 15 settembre 2016
Annieoakley50
Grand Rapids, Michigan
I am comming with 9 grandchildren and their parents. We wood like to be close to the pools but also have a great view.We will have 3 separate units Where is the beast place for us. Kids ages 3 a 13.
Anne from Michigan
Scritta in data 2 marzo 2015
1-4 di 4 risultati mostrati
Il fatturato incide sulla disposizione delle esperienze su questa pagina: scopri di più.
*Si esaurisce facilmente: sulla base dei dati di prenotazione di Viator e delle informazioni del fornitore per gli ultimi 30 giorni, questa esperienza potrebbe esaurirsi su Viator, una società Tripadvisor.
È il tuo profilo Tripadvisor?
Siete proprietari o gestori di questa struttura? Richiedete gratuitamente il profilo per tenerlo aggiornato, rispondere alle recensioni e tanto altro ancora.
Richiedi il profilo