Beautiful Views At Magna Vista Farm

2012/08/01

Magna Vista Farm is named for its beautiful views of the Holston Mountains, a ridge in upper east Tennessee and southwest Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains part of the Appalachian Mountains. The farm is located at 585 Thomas Road, Bristol, TN, about two miles from the South Holston Lake that is backed up by South Holston Dam. Part of the farm is actually in Virginia. It was deeded to the Thomas family for services rendered during the Revolutionary War. The farm is still owned by the Thomas family, and the eighth generation still farms here.

The fourteen-room farmhouse was built in 1878 and is available as a Bed and Breakfast. It has four bedrooms, three baths, and has been updated with Internet hookup and cable TV. Each of the large guest rooms contains a double bed and a single bed.  Country cooking is provided upon request.  Primitive campsites are also available for guests. Singing around the campfire is a popular nighttime activity at the B & B!

Historically, the farm has raised sheep, cattle, tobacco, and corn, and is now a full service horse boarding facility. The chestnut lumber barn, built in the 1920s, has been carefully preserved and contains seven large stalls for lease. Several paddocks are available for guests’ horses turnout. In 2010 new fencing was added for pasture rotation, as was a watering system with five troughs and a storage tank.

Training at Magna Vista Farm specializes in natural horsemanship and natural hoof trimming.  Lorie Thomas Fleenor, farm manager, graduated with a pre-veterinarian degree from Virginia Intermont College, which also has a highly acclaimed equestrian program.  Lorie’s goal is “to bring horse and rider into a harmonious relationship using natural horsemanship.”  The farm offers trail rides, an out-door arena, round pen, cross country jumps, and riding lessons. 
 “With our 470-acre farm and adjoining property, our boarders and guests can ride six miles of prepared trails through fields, streams, and forests, or take a casual ride through the pastures,” said Clara Thomas, owner of Magna Vista Farm. The climax of the wooded trail is an overview of the Holston Valley and the distant South Holston Mountains.
 “All styles of riding are welcome, but we cater to the avid trail rider and cross-country rider,” said Lorie.  Magna Vista Farm has hosted Tennessee Valley Hunt foxhunts, Pony Club and 4-H Horse Club events, and trail rides with The American Competitive Trail Horse Association. The farm also provides foxhunting, trail riding, 4-H, and Pony Club clinics, as well as training programs for other riding disciplines.

To learn more, visit our website at www.magnavistafarm.com

Go Back »