Posted 2009-08-02 11:03 AM (#108854) Subject: Places to live with horses
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 447 Location: cedar rapids iowa
I am looking for places to live that have areas for horseback riding, reasonable cost of living like a decent acreage with 5-10 acres for say $300,000ish, not too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter, a little cultural for dining out, friendly people, a place that people are not too extreme. I am pretty open minded so it doesn't bother me to be around different styles of people but it does bother me to be around people that are openly prejudice or hypicritical. I want to semi retire in the next 5 yrs or so. I have been on line searching but am having a hard time locating acreages on realtor websites.
Posted 2009-08-02 11:58 AM (#108857 - in reply to #108854) Subject: RE: Places to live with horses
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326 Location: Gallatin, TN
Hi,
We are very partial to Northern, Middle Tennessee. Our summers can get hot in July and August but I'm from Northern Wisconsin and have adapted to it. We have GREAT riding within 2 hours of us in every direction. You may want to check out the Big South Fork area, they have several equine communities.
Posted 2009-08-02 5:50 PM (#108868 - in reply to #108854) Subject: RE: Places to live with horses
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 447 Location: cedar rapids iowa
I did see a great property on Ebay today that I think was in TN. It didn't say where it was it just talked about what it was near and I got the feeling it was in TN. Also lots of gaited horses there I am sure and trails. I need to come and spend some time there.
Posted 2009-08-02 5:58 PM (#108869 - in reply to #108854) Subject: RE: Places to live with horses
Regular
Posts: 99 Location: New Mexico
Deming, NM is a great place to live, low cost of living, one hr drive to large city, 1hr 45mins to international airport in El Paso, TX. US/Mexico border is just 29 miles from our place. Yes we do get hot a few days over 100, but its a dry heat. I love our winters and maybe a month at most I have to break ice in the waters. I got some show steers from Sioux City IA in March and these guys baked in our cool temps. Its a small friendly town but as any place they have a few butt heads around. A farm across the road from my place sold last year 81 acres, 10 acres in pecans, 67 acres in water rights, 3600 sq ft home with indoor pool sold for $450,000. Property tax about $90.00 for a undeveloped 5 acre lot. The attached link is a 10 acre piece just down the road from me.
And at the end of this road is 360 acres of fenced off desert land. I have permission from the owner to ride on it and its great. NM is open range state and if its not fenced off or posted you can ride on it. Just follow the rule gates closed leave closed, open gates leave open. I have helped some of the local ranchers during round-ups/branding. Its some rough country out here.
We are getting things prepared for the annual Great American Duck Race, yes they race ducks, its fun. Green Chili cookoff, tortilla toss, outhouse races, hot air balloon races (not as big as Albuquerque balloon races). Next month all the fairs are here.
Fantastic hunting is just hr north of us for deer, turkey, elk is just a little further. A good friend takes their horses elk hunting and he has taken some monsters.
Posted 2009-08-02 7:50 PM (#108873 - in reply to #108868) Subject: RE: Places to live with horses
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326 Location: Gallatin, TN
Hey Laurie, the place at Highlands does a weekend lik timeshares do. If you are traveling a long distance they will provide a horse for you. Check out Trail Rider magazine, they have ads in there all the time.
Posted 2009-08-02 8:12 PM (#108877 - in reply to #108854) Subject: RE: Places to live with horses
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 447 Location: cedar rapids iowa
NMRIDER,
I bought a horse in Santa Fe(A little pricey)and just loved the area. I was also in El Paso and Juarez and had a great time. I am assuming that is an area that you have to be concerned about water??? One thing I am concerned about building in an area that I am not familiar with anyone. With out connections I get nervous. I am in the construction industry here so I know the good from the bad.
Posted 2009-08-02 9:37 PM (#108883 - in reply to #108854) Subject: RE: Places to live with horses
Veteran
Posts: 157 Location: Perkiomenville, PA
I am on the same hunt and planning an RV trip to visit places I may like to live. Planning to retire early; take my horses and bankroll with me. Like you, I don't want backwards type neighbors, but enjoy a wide variety of people. Looking for a horse business to purchase - boarding. Any input on ideas welcome. I like water in my streams and grass on my hills, but don't need a symphony orchestra anyplace nearby... Just miles of pretty trails adjacent, not too cold in winter or too very wet and buggy, and other riders. Thanks for any input.
Posted 2009-08-03 8:01 AM (#108893 - in reply to #108883) Subject: RE: Places to live with horses
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 447 Location: cedar rapids iowa
Originally written by evallone on 2009-08-02 9:37 PM
I am on the same hunt and planning an RV trip to visit places I may like to live. Planning to retire early; take my horses and bankroll with me. Like you, I don't want backwards type neighbors, but enjoy a wide variety of people. Looking for a horse business to purchase - boarding. Any input on ideas welcome. I like water in my streams and grass on my hills, but don't need a symphony orchestra anyplace nearby... Just miles of pretty trails adjacent, not too cold in winter or too very wet and buggy, and other riders. Thanks for any input.
Yep sound like a plan. Keep me posted. I would love to take a few months and just travel and see different areas. But now a boarding stable sounds like alot of work for little pay. LOL
Posted 2009-08-03 8:16 AM (#108895 - in reply to #108854) Subject: RE: Places to live with horses
Veteran
Posts: 157 Location: Perkiomenville, PA
I like the social aspect of the boarding business; the pay has to be secondary. If you add in your rate per hour and the rent you should get for the structures/equipment you have to have, it really doesn't work.
What I do is field boarding, with almost all chores handled by large equipment. Very high equipment costs and only works with certain clients, but saves strain.
For now, I like it. But I can see why so many people are abandoning the business. Boarders everywhere should be aware and appreciative, and helpful wherever they can be!
Posted 2009-08-05 1:32 PM (#109011 - in reply to #108854) Subject: RE: Places to live with horses
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 316 Location: Illinois
Southern Illinois is a good spot to find something like that. Shawnee National Forest is full of horse trails.
There's a resort town called Lake Carrol in Illinois that might fit what you are looking for. It's in North Western Illinois not too far from Iowa a bit south of Galena Illinois. I know there are some horse properties in there and they also have a lake for boating and a golf course with restaurant. http://www.lakecarroll.com/default. They do have a limit on how many horses you can keep, I think it's a 4 horse maximum, but they do have a horse trail. You could also trailer to the trails up near Galena and Morrison Rockwood State Park for places not too far for additional riding. My mother and stepfather own some property there. They have it for sale, though if when they sell their current house and can't find horse property they like closer to me, if it hasn't sold, they may just stick with the original plan and build there.
Other ideas for areas to look other then what other people have mentioned:
Brown County Indiana.
Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Don't know how far you want to move from where you are.Otherwise, I suggest finding places you think you'd enjoy riding there trails and looking in those areas.
Posted 2009-08-11 10:33 PM (#109293 - in reply to #108854) Subject: RE: Places to live with horses
Elite Veteran
Posts: 681 Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
We, too are doing the same thing..ie: working towards retirement and vacationing in places that may very well end up being where we settle .. I'm leaning towards the western states.. CO, WY area, altho NM with it's more temperate winters is also tempting.. I want BLM or something similar nearby so that I may have miles and miles of trails available. I prefer a mountainous or rolling terrain area...My husband wants a place where he can hunt. I have lived in Virginia and it's beautiful, but has grown incredibly since I was young.. plus it's cost of living (and crime rate) is sky high.. i don't want to live in a city or large town, but don't want to be 50 miles in the country either...I'll still work after "retirement", so will need a hospital within decent driving distance .. I guess someday we'll manage to stumble on something that will fit the bill....sigh...
Posted 2009-08-27 10:16 PM (#110068 - in reply to #108854) Subject: RE: Places to live with horses
Location: Kentucky
Kentucky is a great place to consider. I think it meets all your requirements and is extremely horse friendly. If you ever did wear out all the trails available to you within the state (they are extensive, I warn you) distance to trails in neighboring states is easily covered in a days drive. Consider that Kentucky is bordered by 7 states! I prefer the Bluegrass region, and Lexington is the heartbeat of this region. As an aside, my husband is from Iowa!
Posted 2019-12-29 6:36 AM (#172921 - in reply to #108854) Subject: RE: Places to live with horses
Elite Veteran
Posts: 690 Location: missouri
We hunted for a nice place for years before moving to SW Missouri. It is gorgeous and there are riding trails everywhere...a little rocky. It was a severe culture shock to me...like going back in time 40 years.(Bible belt buckle). Some of it is charming, I guess. BTW... buy your land and get a real contractor...they don't follow any building codes in some counties.
Places to live with horses
