Best place to live if you are in the Horse Business

[Georgine]

This may not be the place for this question and if it should be moved, please do so.

I would like to know the best part of the country/or of the world to have a horse farm.

My first thought would be Kentucky, since that seems to be where there are a lot of horses.

Tell me where you think, and the reason it's the best place.

We are in Southwestern Ontario, and while I love our farm and all it means to me, the winters are brutal and in a few years our health will not allow us to continue as we are, however if it were not for the winter we could carry on for another 5 to 10 years

.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

I think it would depend a lot on what breed you like. Most of the TBs are in Kentucky, lots of stock horses in Texas, Arabs in California... minis are everywhere!

Plus, finding hay in some locations is hard. Or expensive!

Do you show? Some places have a TON of shows, some none at all.

Here in Texas, the weather is pretty good most of the time, hay runs about $5-9 a square bale, a TON of shows in both AMHR and AMHA and they are all year 'round, NO STATE INCOME TAX!!

Land is pretty reasonable and depending where you go, level. There are also driving clubs if you like that stuff (CDE) We are also VERY close to both the National and World shows.

Lucy

 

[Georgine]

I think it would depend a lot on what breed you like. Most of the TBs are in Kentucky, lots of stock horses in Texas, Arabs in California... minis are everywhere!

Plus, finding hay in some locations is hard. Or expensive!

Do you show? Some places have a TON of shows, some none at all.

Here in Texas, the weather is pretty good most of the time, hay runs about $5-9 a square bale, a TON of shows in both AMHR and AMHA and they are all year 'round, NO STATE INCOME TAX!!

Land is pretty reasonable and depending where you go, level. There are also driving clubs if you like that stuff (CDE) We are also VERY close to both the National and World shows.

Lucy

Thank you for that information.

I know there are a lot of questions to be considered, and I wasn't thinking about the hay prices etc., which I should be.

Our only problem with where we live is the horrible winters and you can tell, that it's just begun, so hence my dreaming of warm places

I really appreciate your reply.

 

[mininik]

If you've got $$$, Arizona is nice.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Pennsylvania winters were the MAIN reason I moved to Texas. I hate the cold. And driving in the snow. I TOTALLY understand where you're coming at! It was 81º here today, and 15º yesterday in PA....

Lucy

 

[txminipinto]

I have to second Lucy's statement! Texas is a pretty good place to be if you're into equines, regardless of breed. We have an abudance of equine vets and surgical hospitals. Weather is generally mild as far as natural disasters go: few tornadoes, few hurricaines every now and then, NO earthquaks, little snow, occasional floods. Of course, it is HOT and HUMID here. So, for most northerners that takes a long time to get used.

Since I live in TX, if I could move any where, it would probably be OK. OK is more centrally located to a variety of shows, not just the ones in TX. So, it would make my job a little easier by giving me more selection of shows to go to within an 8 hour drive.

But, I'm very happy in the Lone Star State!

 

[shoeboxstables]

If you're looking for a slightly warmer change- NJ is a great place. We have a TON of TBs and Standardbreds here- a lot of tracks. If I'm not mistaken, we actually have more then KY. We have a good amount of mini shows in the area, however they're mostly R, very few A. We travel anywhere between 40 minutes and 3 1/2 hours to get to shows. (But keep in mind- that's not that far out here- the nearest mall is 45 mins!). We do have quite a few mini farms out here, I know of 3 others in our little town alone! And since we're very close to NY and PA, we do a lot with the minis up there

The state's pretty diverse, up in the north its a lot of farm land, and very very hilly. In the southern part of the state its very flat and ranges from rural to urban. We're only an hour out of NYC- but totally in the country. So I like NJ

!

 

[Danielle_E.]

This may not be the place for this question and if it should be moved, please do so.

I would like to know the best part of the country/or of the world to have a horse farm.

My first thought would be Kentucky, since that seems to be where there are a lot of horses.

Tell me where you think, and the reason it's the best place.

We are in Southwestern Ontario, and while I love our farm and all it means to me, the winters are brutal and in a few years our health will not allow us to continue as we are, however if it were not for the winter we could carry on for another 5 to 10 years

.

I am in Ontario as well and have travelled many many times to Kentucky, purchased our saddlebred there. I love kentucky as it truly is horse country. The Egyptian Event (for egyptian arabians) is held in Kentucky, Nationals for arabians use to be every second year held in Kentucky.... I first saw minis back at the large show at the Kentucky Horse Museum/Park.... Their summers are hot but they do have change of seasons so you get the best of all. Yep, Kentucky is the only place I would move from where I am now, oh unless I could take all my horses to Bermuda to live

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Not Maine unless you love snow and cold from November through April or can afford hired help. No registry shows in the state at least not yet. But from May through September you cant beat it for scenery and reasonable weather.

 

[buckonranch]

Hey Georgine.. thanks for starting this thread... I too... have realized I am not a horse breeder, I am just a slave to Mother Nature.. The horses end up way down on the list of things to do.. All my work.. is due to the weather.. most my expense.. again.. the weather is the deciding factor.. I am totally a hostage to Mother Natures rath.. Last summer.. draught... so no hay.. expensive hay.. no pasture .. lots of sand.. worry about colic.. horses sick eating weeds they would normally not touch.. .. THEN<< RAIN>>> 20 days straight of RAIN.. everyone in mud.. having to be stalled.. buying more shavings.. THEN>> Dry again.. hay was beautiful in OCT/NOV> Pretty hard to bale it up then... so what NOW>> ???? SNOW... 12 inches.. 7 days of shoveling.. more coming tomorrow and next week.. and temperatures.??? Havent seen 20 degrees in weeks.. and this is just the 1st of December.. I ask myself too.. Just how much can a human stand of working outside in the unbearable crap all day long.. We dont have but 3 nice months a year... this is NO PLACE to do a job that demands you to be outside all day long.. Texas huh????? I bet making a choice between the horses and your kids/grandkids will be an easy one right????

Angie

 

[eagles ring farm]

NJ is great for Minis

we are in southern NJ

AMHR shows Pinto shows

not very close amha shows that I know of

4-h in our area have Miniature clubs and shows

we are just leaving because we are retiring and

can only do it without our mortgage

its not as hot as the south or as cold as the north here we do get snow

our farm is for sale and is all set up for minis

22 acres with 3 barns and 3 BR-2BA rancher (10 yrs old) with wrap around porch

10 acres in pasture and the rest in hay fields

e mail if you want more info

 

[Georgine]

I really appreciate all the replies.

With arthritis and osteoporosis we want warm but not too damp.

I really love the Seattle area because our daughter lived there, but it can be damp

 

[The Simple Life Farm]

For me, nowhere but Texas. I love it here. I hate the cold, but can easily tolerate the heat. Like Carin said, beautifil weather here today. We usually only get about 1 month of really cold temps during the winter. I am located 1 hour east of Dallas. There are plenty of R shows close... Corsicana, Glen Rose, Conroe, Ada, San Antonio, and Nationals aren't too far to drive.

 

[HJF]

I really appreciate all the replies.

With arthritis and osteoporosis we want warm but not too damp.

I really love the Seattle area because our daughter lived there, but it can be damp

Well it didn't rain most of the summer here in Ky...but that caused hay prices to rise throughout the state plus there's a high demand for it due to so many farms so the price gets jacked up pretty high.

I don't know if you are only talking about miniatures or not, but the state has quite a bit of activity in several breeds. Trainers/breeders of Quarter horses from all over the country are buying farms here due to the huge Incentive program the state is offering for those horses born here. There's tons of Saddlebred and TB farms too. Both AMHA and AMHR shows in the state and several mini farms.

 

[Charlotte]

If you want 'horse country' and a relatively mild climate try central Oklahoma. We have an abundance of equine veterinarians in the Oklahoma City area and also a number of diagnostic and surgical facilities. The OSU vet school is about 45 minutes from me also.

Hay runs anywhere from $2.50 to about $10.00 per bale depending on where you are buying...out of field or from a feed store.

This area has consistently been the lowest cost housing in the U.S. and cost of living also. We have interstate highways going every which direction out of here so travel to shows is easy.

There are top notch human medical facilities also and like I said the weather is mild. Most days in winter the high temperature is above freezing. It does get hot in summer with some highs of 100 or a bit over, but you learn to do your outside work early and stay in airconditioning in the heat of the day.

Horses are a LARGE part of the economy in Oklahoma so there is always something going on that is 'horsey'. If you're driving on the interstates here you will see many horse trailers from little to huge.

We lived 9 years in a beautiful place northwest of Chicago. I was never so glad to leave a place in my life! Winters with highs of minus 20 degrees F and 30 days of no sun are not for me!

Come on down south and take a look around!

Charlotte

 

[mininik]

If you love Seattle because your daughter is there, but you don't like the weather, I suggest you check out Western Washington or Oregon. The NW has MANY Miniatures and shows.

 

[Sterling]

NJ is getting very built up. It's such a small state and everything is getting crowded. Southern NJ here,

. Farming community, lots of livestock, auctions and horsey things going on...but minis are not abundant in this area. We have to drive more than a couple of hours one way to get to any rated miniature horse shows and that's usually in DE or PA. The weather here can be brutal in the winter and stifling in the dog days of summer. This year's heat was unbearable!! After the holidays, in Jan. and Feb. you can pretty much expect a deep freeze and that usually lasts right into Feb. But we can also get some beautiful fall weather, and spring and early summer (before August) are just gorgeous! Nice low humidity and just clean fresh air. I get my hay from a local grower and pay anywhere from $6.50 to $8.00 a big square bale. Tack and feed shops are all around. Many big horse things to do from rodeos (Cowtown in Woodstown/Salem), to game shows, eventing, cutting, roping and team penning. Land and property is pretty high here. You can get about an acre of land for upwards of $30,000.00 unimproved...as is so to speak. Cost of living is on the high side as well...but one thing I can say for the job market....it's pretty darn good and the benefits are impressive!!

.

 

[Becky]

I ditto Charlotte on Oklahoma!

Definitely horse country here! Real estate is cheap; horse farms are abundant. Though we see all 4 seasons, winters are generally mild. There are very few days that I can't work my horses outside in the winter time.

Easy access to interstates going north/south and east/west. Horse shows are plenty both AMHA and AMHR. AMHR Nationals is in Tulsa, OK and AMHA World Show is just a few hours south in Ft Worth, TX.

Southern hospitality is like no other! Come on down!!

 

[Boinky]

OK i want to know where the cheap realestate is in OK! lol a friend in Ok that i talk to at nationals said you can find $1K per acre land all over but I have yet to find that online..unless it's a HUGE acerage way more than i can afford..LOL i want 5-10 acres...anyone know of any in the 1K-2K range? doens't have to be developed.

 

[Cathy_H]

My first thought would be Kentucky

. Ditto... Being a military family Lee & I have lived in Florida, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina & Ohio... Out of all of those we prefer our current residence of Kentucky when it comes to the climate... Lots of horse events & activities almost year round & some beautiful country........... We are 30 minutes outside of Louisville which offers lots of non horsey events also.