This post has few new entries but thought I would relay my horse experience in retirement. I moved from Pennsylvania to Silver City, NM and have 4 horses. Came from a hunter.jumper background (very little of that here) and am now trail riding and some dressage PROS: Silver City has low property taxes, great climate for year round riding, a connected horse community and the best trails imaginable (it’s at the edge of the Gila National Forest). Very few bugs and few bug diseases (ie low lyme). Keeping horses here is easy as it is dry and buckets rarely freeze during winter. You don’t need a barn, just paddocks and shades to get them out of the sun, wind and occasional rain. The community is lively with many artists and retirees and many activities. The horse community is well connected and helpful. People are health minded and often engage in outdoor activities. In fact, I spend most of my time outdoors. Culturally diverse and VERY friendly folks, always willing to help.The CONS: fairly high hay costs, not great close access to medical care, not much shopping (think Walmart and we do have TCS). Somethings that are pro to some and con to others: Isolated (3 hrs to Las Cruces or El paso or Tucson), few boarding barns (most people keep horses on their own property), laid back life style- the opposite of a big city. My horses seem to love it here because they are not cooped up inside, have room to roam (little grazing though) and they work in the ring but then go right out back to wonderful, quiet trails. Other than that, there are many endurance riders here and several people host horse clinics. It is different from East Coast riding though - you’d have to travel for dressage or hunter/jumper competition or most anything except rodeo. There are differences in horse keeping and training methods from East Coast to the South West but I have learned so much and have become very versatile with horses. My husband and I have a wonderful trainer with dressage/jumper and trail experience and, at 70, I have been able to safely expand my riding from the ring to some pretty challenging trails. My family is back East and I would love to be closer but once you have experienced riding and caring for horses in this climate, it’s almost impossible to go back! It’s not for everyone but those who like it never want to leave. Try a vacation here, ride with an outfitter, hike, meet people (just standing in line at the grocery store can be a social experience). Try it out because many of us riders think that the Silver City and nearby areas are the best kept secret for living in the US with horses. You never see it listed in the “who’s who” of best retirement places so for those looking to be away from the crowds, traffic and noise, this is great.
