Briar Patch Stables would like  to introduce Mary Beth Drake.  Mary Beth is the Barn Manager and riding instructor.  Mary Beth fell in love with horses as a little girl.  Since then she has practiced a variety of riding disciplines, most recently pleasure and trail riding.  She first worked for Briar Patch when she was 12 years old.  She lives in Mills River with her husband of 19 years Dustin, 18 year old daughter Emilie and 10 year old son Kannon.  She is an army veteran serving as a Medic while stationed at Ft. Lewis, Washington.  She holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Management and Technology in Arlington, Va.  Mary Beth has a passion for teaching and sharing the love of horses with riders of all ages and skill levels.  She especially enjoys working one on one with boarders and their horses and provides exercise riding when needed.  She is happy to be back at Briar Patch and is committed to providing a healthy, happy environment for our horses. 

Have loved horses with a passion that has grown with time, from the first  horse I saw.  Took lessons, and rode at Estaire Berkeley's riding academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where I got my first horse at 8.  Spent all my summers in Hendersonville with my grandmother, and rode my uncles TWHs every day she would take me.  Also caught a donkey on Davis Mountain and rode her every day.  Learned a lot from"Jenny Pearl". About 35 years ago I decided to raise American Saddlebreds. Enjoyed raising and training the babies, but found it too heartbreaking to sell them.  Decided to open the barn to a few boarders, and now enjoy them and a few of my own.  Love to trail ride and camp with horses and friends!