Horse boarding for Johnson City, Bristol and Tri-Cities owners

The drive, honestly

Be realistic about the distance before anything else. River Creek is about 40 minutes from Johnson City and about 40–45 minutes from Bristol, and each route runs through Kingsport and then out US-11W. Owners in Blountville (about 30 minutes) and Gate City, VA (about 30 minutes) are a little closer.

A drive that length changes how you use a barn. It suits owners who ride on planned days rather than dropping by twice a day, and it works best when the daily care is covered by the board you choose.

• Johnson City: about 40 minutes, I-26 to Kingsport, then US-11W
• Bristol: about 40–45 minutes, I-81 to Kingsport, then US-11W
• Blountville: about 30 minutes, through Kingsport, then US-11W
• Gate City, VA: about 30 minutes, US-23 south to Kingsport, then US-11W

What the drive gets you

The trails start at the barn. Boarders ride out onto 12+ miles of creek-side, meadow and ridge trails, on routes such as Lanternwood Ramble, Fox Hollow, Meadowlark Way, Barnside Bend, without loading a trailer or driving to a trailhead.

For schooling there is a 100×200 ft outdoor arena and a round pen. The whole property is 86 acres along the river with mountain views, a lower-key Hawkins County setting to keep a horse.

Pick a board type that fits the distance

Full board includes a private stall, scheduled feedings, daily turnout, daily stall cleaning and automatic stall fly spray, so the daily chores are part of the board and your trips out are for riding. Pasture board includes 24/7 pasture access with a run-in shelter, maintained water and twice-daily feedings, which suits horses that do well living out.

Self-care board includes a private stall and use of the facilities for hands-on owners. It is built for hands-on owners who do their own daily care, so weigh a round trip from Johnson City or Bristol every day before choosing it.

Founding boarding rates currently start at $300/month for the first 3 months (full board $600/month, pasture board $300/month, self-care board $450/month), and only a limited number of founding places are offered.

Test the drive with a tour

Book a free barn tour for a weekday evening or a Saturday, and drive the route at the hour you would usually ride. Barn hours are Monday–Saturday 8am–9pm, Sunday 2pm–7pm, and a tour takes about 45 minutes.

On the tour, walk the stalls and pastures, look at the arena and the trails, and meet the herd. Every horse on the property meets the same standard: a current negative Coggins test; geldings and mares only — no stallions; no pregnant mares; a signed liability waiver.