Top 5 Best Equine-Friendly Photoshoot Locations in Tennessee

It can be a bit overwhelming for equestrians wanting to trailer your best friends somewhere new for your photoshoot. Unfortunately, not very many places are horse friendly these days, and offer the ideal scenery needed. I did the research for you, and I found my favorite places for horse-friendly photoshoots where you won't have to worry about a thing (except looking good and having fun of course!). Below you will find my top five favorite locations for equine photoshoots, along with a few bonuses.

1. The Park at Harlinsdale Farm

Franklin, TN

Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin is a great place to trailer your horse for your photoshoot. With open fields, a big white barn, and a cute little pond, it offers lots of photo opportunities for those both on and off of a horse's back. The trail itself is only three miles and has lots of open field space, making it perfect for photoshoots. It is also conveniently located about 30 minutes from Nashville and in the heart of Franklin.

Photo taken at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm by Laken Equine Photography

2. Cherokee National Forest

Cleveland, TN

This national forest bordering North Carolina includes several horse-friendly trails throughout the Appalachian Mountains. The riding trails provide many opportunities to capture mountain scenery in your photoshoot and can give off that western mountain vibe very well if that is the style you are looking for.

Cherokee National Forest by Laken Equine Photography

3. Panther Creek State Park

Morristown, TN

This park has a horse-friendly part of the lake that allows your horses to cool off- which doubles as an awesome spot for great photoshoot opportunities!

4. Natchez Trace

Primm Springs and Lexington, TN

The Stables at Natchez Trace State Park also offer great photoshoot opportunities for equestrians in middle TN, along all of the trails located throughout the state park. They also offer the opportunity to camp or board your horse for the night if needed, which means it also could make for a great weekend adventure to go along with your exciting photoshoot experience!

5. Your Own property/boarding! I know this one is pretty obvious but keep reading! Even if the area your horse lives, whether that be on your land or someone else's, isn't "special or pretty", it is usually the perfect place to take photos. Don't underestimate the ability of your photographer to work around all the obstacles of shooting at your home or boarding facility! A simple field with wooded area in the background is just enough to create beautiful images. Always communicate with the photographer and boarding facility owner to ensure your experience goes smoothly, and keep in mind there is always an option to ask others in your community to shoot on their property too.

This photo was taken at a boarding facility by Laken Equine Photography

Runners Up:

Cedars of Lebanon, Frozen Head, Big Hill Pond, and Chickasaw state parks are some other locations that allow people to trailer their horse to use their horse-friendly trails! These should definitely be considered when looking for a photoshoot location, whether that includes horses or not. It is best to contact a park's staff for any questions regarding trails and the rules set in place for equines, photoshoots, or anything else that may be involved in your experience!

Now it's time to get out there and get riding! and better yet, photoshooting ;) If you have any questions after reading this information feel free to reach out to have a discussion!