Come stay the night and bring your four-legged friends with you!
Written by Tammy Martell
As owner and developer of Bed & Barn Farms, my goal is always to make overnight travels with your horses convenient and hassle-free. The horse hotel idea developed out of my own frustrations traveling the show circuit with my daughter Jamie.
Being in the horse world, you know the challenges you face when searching for just the right accommodations for you and your horse. Non-horse travelers can find a place anywhere, anytime by simply pulling out their smart phones and searching for a hotel. It’s not so easy when you’re towing a trailer with horses! I always dreaded the exhausting process of finding a stable, unloading my horses, caring for them and then traveling another 20 or 30 minutes to check in and unload at MY hotel. I thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if there was a place I could just check in with my horse and stay at that same location?” Viola’! The Bed & Barn Farms concept was born!
In 2009, I turned this horse hotel concept into a reality. I purchased a 34 acre farm in Forest City, NC and opened a horse hotel with an on-site tack, merchandise and antique store. Bed & Barn Farms is the perfect location, being equally spaced an hour from Charlotte and Asheville, thirty minutes to FENCE, and only minutes to the Tryon International Equestrian Center.
I created Bed & Barn Farms with all the amenities I would want in a horse hotel. There’s plenty of turn around room for even the largest horse trailer. The unloading area is easily accessible for you and your horses. My spacious four-stall barn is connected directly to the three-bedroom apartment where you will stay — so you don’t have a 20 minute drive before you can unwind at your hotel room. The apartment generously sleeps eight and includes two and a half baths, as well as a fully equipped kitchen for longer stays. In addition to a relaxing and convenient experience for the rider, I’ve included amenities for the horse as well. Bed & Barn Farms offers you large paddocks, a full size dressage arena with jumps available along with 17 acres of wooded trails. Your horse will wonder why you ever stayed anywhere else.
Aside from the ideal horse destination, Bed & Barn Farms is an excellent clinic venue. After hosting several clinics, it seemed visitors always needed halters, bridles, tie straps or clothing before their trip was finished. To meet this need I added TAM’S – Tack*Antique*Merchandise Store. TAM’S is unique in that I stock both English and Western tack along with English apparel. Some of the latest brand additions are Uvex helmets, FreeJump stirrups and For Horses – Italian apparel. At TAM’S you’ll find an eclectic array of merchandise. I’ve partnered with five local jewelry makers to offer one-of-a-kind equestrian-themed pieces for yourself or just the perfect gift. When you visit TAM’S you’ll find very unique equestrian-themed stained glass, painted glassware, hand-carved wooden bowls and iron work made from horse shoes. My stock is continually updated, with new creations arriving monthly. In addition to artisan pieces, I carry an interesting variety of antiques. Looking for that old cart-wheel coffee table you saw on Pinterest? It’s here! In fact, you would be amazed at what TAM’S offers for both the local and out of town shopper. So, keep TAMs in mind when you’re looking for a special gift for a horse-lover or just a unique addition to your home. To see our current stock, visit us online at www.tamstackstore.com. 
Make you and your horse’s next out of town trip relaxing and hassle-free, by calling 828-248-4463 to find out more information along with my reasonable rates. Want to see our property and full list of amenities and equestrian concierge services? Visit us online at www.bedandbarnnc.com.
