My name is Maggie Austin. I was born and raised in Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. By the time I was 5 years old, I had my first horse and the love for horses never stopped. I worked my way through middle and high school cleaning barns to earn my keep and any chance that I had to be in the saddle, I was! I went off to college in Virginia at Tidewater Community College, facing the fact that maybe the horse world would be a hobby instead of a living. I got into my second year, last class of a radiologist technician degree, thinking I would like that career because of photography - but found out quickly human anatomy was boring to me! I had always dreamed of owning a guided touring business with horses on the beach since I had grown up doing that as a 10 year old for a local business here called equine adventures. Everyone would tell me “make horses a hobby so your love never stops for them, don’t make it a business.” But I fought that deep down in my soul. As life sorta carried me through a series of events, I went on to get my associates in social science to which I have never used but at least have a piece of paper, I guess! I told myself I would accomplish my dream of working out in Wyoming back in 2017. I worked as a wrangler for a beautiful dude ranch called Lost Creek Ranch for a season. On my third to last guided week there, I met two ladies that chose to have me as their guide for that week. During that week, I drew close to them and they asked me what my dreams were to which I replied “to have my own guided trail riding business back at home someday.” As that week came to an end, they offered me a job, not at home, but out in Aiken, South Carolina at Stable View. I sorta laughed it off at first but went online the night they gave me their card and my jaw dropped. Anyone that knows Stable View, knows it’s a massive, beautiful facility for eventing. They asked me to come and start a guided trail business for them. So when I left Wyoming, I went to South Carolina and began my job there. Things went well for a while but I received a phone call from home that my parents had purchased a piece of property and they thought in the future I may be able to do guided rides through the woods off of this property. So, on a break I had from work, I took off and came home to see the property which is where I not only have my business now, I also reside. My parents sold me the back half of the property as things sorta were falling through in South Carolina and I decided to come home and start building what I have now. My trail didn’t work out with the park service so I quickly figured out that people would have to ride a short distance on the roadway to get to the beach so in order to do what I wanted, I needed people who had experience with horses to be able to ride this trek to the beach. As I grew up traveling with horses and staying places, my mind kicked started what I have now- which is a horse Airbnb where people can come and stay on site in one of our three cabins and also bring their horse to ride the beach! I started my business in September of 2021. Things have been smooth sailing and growing every step of the way. 2025 was my biggest year yet, having over 350 horses on my books. And going to 2026, I have that number already on the books, hoping each year will continue to grow. Support the show
