Partner and I seem to be bouncing around the idea of moving back to Southern California at some point in the next 6 -12 months from the PNW for family, work, among other reasons.
We moved to a relatively unhorsey (for H/J riders) area of the PNW and was riding with a wonderful trainer up here til February of this year (2022) when schedules just didn’t pan out and the commute to the barn was an hour each way with a tricky work schedule. Wouldn’t have been a problem but facility was not heated and didn’t have the best set up for me to bring the old laptop and do work while “on-site” as I have done at previous barns on the East Coast and in California.
We used to be in LA where I rode and leased for ~ 7 years and I know a few of the barns at the OC Fairgrounds, but I realllllly don’t like the facility there (loud, hot, footing is questionable), but the Sabos were excellent instructors and they had quality lesson horses as I would supplement my LA H/J riding with dressage lessons with the Sabos.
Not sure where we will end up (southern OC county like San Juan Capistrano or around Encinitas), but would like the following:
- high quality instruction (dressage rider turned jumper rider in her 20s, now 31) that is good with AA’s who ride well but are occasionally chicken shit - a barn that actually acknowledges and focuses flatwork & conditioning
- lesson horses and / or partial & eventually full leases
- prefer jumpers, but I recently rode an aging junior hunter up here in the PNW and LOVED it / him (don’t love hunter horse prices tho). Also very open to Eventing barns.
- having leased in LA County - I am fully prepared for ~$2,500/ month full training board eventually, so price is not so much of a factor at this time
- I don’t plan to purchase for a few years (so out of riding shape!), but I don’t want to own a horse without a facility with SOME guaranteed daily turnout that is more than 1 hour. I grew up in the Mid Atlantic with ample turnout and I sure as hell don’t love the idea of spending mid 5 figures + on a horse that doesn’t get to be a horse outside.
I suppose I could be ok with lessons and partial leases at facilities without turnout options, and would plan to move barns upon purchase of an animal at some point in the future…
Asking in advance of moving so we can target our house purchase search to specific areas - we have no timeline, so I want this move to be very intentional. My partner is doing the same with surf breaks 
thanks in advance, all!
And the horse parts of Moorpark are a bit further out, though not much. And there is traffic. Sometimes awful traffic in or on the way to (why La Conchita, why) Santa Barbara.