Best places to live and event

[horseshorseshorseshorses]

@Groom&Taxi

Pacific Northwest/Area VII - specifically on the West side of the Cascades could work quite well for you too. Way better turn-out typically than Cali. Solid six month eventing season. The distance to drive to ALL the rated events might average a bit out of your three hour range, but if you settled around Seattle or Portland, you would have plenty of opportunities. Overall not as eventing dense as some of the other places being thrown into the mix in that we don’t have that many big name trainers resident here, but a fair number come through doing clinics. Decent sized cities to look at/around could be Olympia, Vancouver WA. Extremely LGBTQ friendly area.

The biggest downside is the gray for days on end in fall, winter, spring.

I was also going to say the PNW. I live in the mid Willamette valley in and the closest event is literally 30 min or less from the barn I ride at the the furthest is 12-ish hours but the largest in our regend. Horses and horse property/boarding is reasonably priced. You can find a strong concentration of trainers who have competed in the upper levels in Washington (John Camlin, Anna Collier, Karen O’Neal, Ashley Loucks (John’s working student), Marc Grandia, Jordan Linstedt) are all on the I-5 corridor in Washington.

We regularly over book shows in Wa. Aspen, EI and Rebecca are generally filled within a few days of opening. Spokane, Caber and Young Riders Benefit also are full or close to full. The only one that tends not to fill is Inavale (it always tends to be 85-100 that weekend, without freaking fail). We have schooling opportunities typically staring in March (eastern Oregon and Washington. I can’t speak for Idaho or Montana), derbies and one days start in March/April and at least in Oregon there are 1-2 indoor schooling events in a large facility in Eugene that attract riders all the way up to BC.

Plus the beer/wine is pretty darn good.

[amb]

I’d also take a hard look at the greater Boston area. People complain about the traffic, but after having lived in both the Baltimore/Washington area and NYC I think it’s pretty awesome; taking a half-day to trailer to an afternoon-evening schooling show on the far side of the city is no problem here, but I wouldn’t even think about it in DC. Also there are many good hospitals and the LGBT scene is good.

While we’ve lost some events in the last couple of years I still see one at least every other week April through October in the USEA omnibus, and there are tons of schooling shows. I actually like that eventing isn’t as big-business as it is down in Area 2, too.

[Purple_Danny]

If you’re a nurse, I’d seriously consider applying to live and work in the UK. With Brexit meaning a lot of NHS staff leaving back to the continent, there may be a demand for overseas nurses to fill the gap. I’m from New England, but I’ll never return to the USA unless I’m physically forced to at some point. The UK has so many opportunities and is just fantastic for all things equestrian. The cost of going to an event is also peanuts compared to what I see they are charging for even unaffiliated horse trials back home. Good luck!

[JER]

@Purple Danny

If you’re a nurse, I’d seriously consider applying to live and work in the UK. With Brexit meaning a lot of NHS staff leaving back to the continent, there may be a demand for overseas nurses to fill the gap.

The NHS nursing shifts are currently 14 hours. Go in at 7 am and get off at 9 pm.

Do you think this is a good fit for someone who wants to ride their horse occasionally?

(It’s not just the specter of Brexit that driving people out of the NHS. It’s the burden of 14 hour days and servicing too many patients on too many wards. I love the NHS but the Tories and their austerity squeeze has made employment untenable for many workers.)

[DLee]

I moved here (Lexington KY) after years in the west, Idaho and Arizona. It still astounds me how many shows, clinics etc there are here. Facilities to school (Masterson!) etc. The climate is decent, though I hate February. The wet is an adjustment but hey, that’s why we have grass! As far as LBGTQ I FEEL like it’s a pretty good place (Jim Gray was our last mayor), but I can’t speak first hand to that. And health care is big here.

[retreadeventer]

Oh I think Area II. There are the most opportunities in the nation to event, but more, there are more ways to get horses fit, trained, ready - more clinics, more XC courses, more indoor arenas, etc. Anywhere in the Philly - Baltimore - DC corridor is excellent. I’d recommend Delaware - tax free - big Christiana Care hospital system; and no one cares about your orientation. Really. I’d stay out of the south, though, it might be fun for six weeks in the winter when it’s cold up here but we have indoor arenas too.

[Purple_Danny]

@JER

The NHS nursing shifts are currently 14 hours. Go in at 7 am and get off at 9 pm.

Do you think this is a good fit for someone who wants to ride their horse occasionally?

(It’s not just the specter of Brexit that driving people out of the NHS. It’s the burden of 14 hour days and servicing too many patients on too many wards. I love the NHS but the Tories and their austerity squeeze has made employment untenable for many workers.)

I think that is quite a broad and factually incorrect statement - not all shifts will start at 7 and finish at 9 pm. And not all are going to be 14 hours. Later shifts allow folks to perhaps ride in the morning before work. I’m not saying all nursing jobs are going to be ideal for someone who has a horse, but I do know a number of NHS nurses who balance it. Perhaps it depends on where you live in the country.

But more to the point, if I had a way INTO the UK and OUT of the USA (as in having a valued work skill that might perhaps facilitate a work permit to be able to live here) I would grab it at any cost; even if that meant putting riding on the back burner for a couple of years. Just my two cents.

[JER]

@Purple Danny

I think that is quite a broad and factually incorrect statement - not all shifts will start at 7 and finish at 9 pm. And not all are going to be 14 hours. Later shifts allow folks to perhaps ride in the morning before work.

I know not all shifts start at the same time. Like that’s the definition of shift work, right?

I also know a number of nurses who work in hospitals in the UK. Over the years, I’ve heard a lot about how their work life has changed. Basically, more wards, more patients, longer hours. Yes, there are other options, like working in a care facility or psych ward (shorter shifts) or private facilities (an increasingly appealing option to some) but the NHS working conditions for nurses are not very conducive to a work-life balance at the present time.

[16_Hands]

@horseshorseshorseshorses

I was also going to say the PNW. I live in the mid Willamette valley in and the closest event is literally 30 min or less from the barn I ride at the the furthest is 12-ish hours but the largest in our regend. Horses and horse property/boarding is reasonably priced. You can find a strong concentration of trainers who have competed in the upper levels in Washington (John Camlin, Anna Collier, Karen O’Neal, Ashley Loucks (John’s working student), Marc Grandia, Jordan Linstedt) are all on the I-5 corridor in Washington.

We regularly over book shows in Wa. Aspen, EI and Rebecca are generally filled within a few days of opening. Spokane, Caber and Young Riders Benefit also are full or close to full. The only one that tends not to fill is Inavale (it always tends to be 85-100 that weekend, without freaking fail). We have schooling opportunities typically staring in March (eastern Oregon and Washington. I can’t speak for Idaho or Montana), derbies and one days start in March/April and at least in Oregon there are 1-2 indoor schooling events in a large facility in Eugene that attract riders all the way up to BC.

Plus the beer/wine is pretty darn good.

I third the PNW. Aspen has gone to a lottery system for entries, which means that if you are with a group from your barn, not everyone is going to be able to go unless they all get picked. However, it also means you don’t have to be up at midnight of the day it opens to hit the entry button on x-entry in order to get in. I’m not sure that Spokane fills because I was looking at the results and it seemed that some of the divisions were pretty small with few entries. Where I am I’m literally 10 minutes, less as the crow flies, from Polestar Farm, home of Meika Decher, and, Debbie DeWitt also trains out of there one day a week. Polestar has a really professionally designed cross country course that is available for schooling and, during the pre-season, there’s Tulip Springs in Kennewick which is also fun.

Rainbow Farm is not too far away and is a good place for schooling and they hold one and two day derbies. So there’s lots of opportunities available in the area.

There was a farm in Deary, Idaho that was holding recognized events but don’t think they are any more. I don’t think they got the entries, I could be wrong though.

Funny you mentioned the weather at Inavale, I haven’t been yet but my trainer has and she said the same thing.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

I just want to add…I’ve lived on the West Coast. And am very familiar with the PNW. LOVE it there. It is beautiful. Great people. Fun place…but for eventing. CANNOT compare to Area II and Area III as far as opportunities and competitions. I moved from out west to Area II starting first in DC…keeping my horse in VA and eventually moving to SE PA for a reason. I could get a great paying job…and I could EASILY event even to the higher levels. I can qualify a horse up to the now 3* level WITHOUT stabling…there are enough venues under 3 hours. Most events I can get to in under 2 hours (competing every other week if I wanted)…multiple multiple venues. I can bring a young horse up the levels at unrecognized starter trials that are running at recognized venues 2-3 a month if I want and not bother with running recognized until Prelim if I want…and I even have a few unrecognized started trials that run Modified or Prelim. I can get to multiple venues, top trainers, top clinics, top vets and farriers easily. You throw a rock around here and hit a rider who has run KY, Badminton, Burghley etc and/or has their red coat. You go to an unrecognized event…and often many riders there have ridden at the upper levels—I’m talking Intermediate and Advanced—(both pros and amateurs) as they bring out their young horses. Really the closest I’ve seen for riding opportunities to this area is being in the UK. But there is MORE to life than just riding. So you just have to decide what you really want.

[horseshorseshorseshorses]

@16 Hands

I third the PNW. Aspen has gone to a lottery system for entries, which means that if you are with a group from your barn, not everyone is going to be able to go unless they all get picked. However, it also means you don’t have to be up at midnight of the day it opens to hit the entry button on x-entry in order to get in. I’m not sure that Spokane fills because I was looking at the results and it seemed that some of the divisions were pretty small with few entries. Where I am I’m literally 10 minutes, less as the crow flies, from Polestar Farm, home of Meika Decher, and, Debbie DeWitt also trains out of there one day a week. Polestar has a really professionally designed cross country course that is available for schooling and, during the pre-season, there’s Tulip Springs in Kennewick which is also fun.

Rainbow Farm is not too far away and is a good place for schooling and they hold one and two day derbies. So there’s lots of opportunities available in the area.

There was a farm in Deary, Idaho that was holding recognized events but don’t think they are any more. I don’t think they got the entries, I could be wrong though.

Funny you mentioned the weather at Inavale, I haven’t been yet but my trainer has and she said the same thing.

I spoke with one of the owners of Inavale last year or the year before about the weekend and the heat and it comes down to when the field is for sure going to be not too soft (clay soil) and not too hard (freaking clay soil). I’m not sure why people who have run Inavale for years are still surprised by the heat of that weekend. Its been like that since I joined the sport almost a decade ago. I ran that event the last 2 years and preparation was actually pretty easy. Ride when its hot (I can only ride after 3 pm due to work), ride slow and build up to a full ride over the course of 2-3 weeks. My horse and I came off all three phases fine and dandy each time.

I think Spokane is limited in size by the number of stalls they have. Spring last year they had dressage, cross country and stadium on the same days for all divisions and had a full/darn close to full stall card. This spring they ran dressage on the same day but ran BN and below on a different schedule for stadium and cross country than the other divisions. I think it was pretty full this year since they added Intro but because a lot of our schooling opportunities didn’t open up until just before the show that affected the overall numbers. Not to capacity but enough that they will be coming back for the spring 2020.

The Idaho show was the same weekend as Young Riders and close enough in distance that they were pulling from the same pool of riders. I know of some drama there but in the end Idaho was too far from the I-5 corridor barns to make the drive worth it with a show that was pretty much in their backyard.

[Heinz_57]

@horseshorseshorseshorses

I spoke with one of the owners of Inavale last year or the year before about the weekend and the heat and it comes down to when the field is for sure going to be not too soft (clay soil) and not too hard (freaking clay soil). I’m not sure why people who have run Inavale for years are still surprised by the heat of that weekend. Its been like that since I joined the sport almost a decade ago. I ran that event the last 2 years and preparation was actually pretty easy. Ride when its hot (I can only ride after 3 pm due to work), ride slow and build up to a full ride over the course of 2-3 weeks. My horse and I came off all three phases fine and dandy each time.

:lol: The first time I ran at Inavale was about 20 years ago and it POURED. All weekend. For a while it seemed to alternate, one year it would be nothing but downpours and sloppy mud and the next it would be baking hot… Although I haven’t actually competed there in half a dozen years now, it does seem to be more often hotter than blazes the last handful of years. I’m only a half hour or so north of them so I pop down to watch XC when it fits my schedule (and isn’t 100+ degrees!).

I have to agree with BFNE though. Compared to east coast our season is pretty sparse and spread out. Things seem to be growing, though, and hopefully we will see more recognized shows in OR soon!

[16_Hands]

@bornfreenowexpensive

I just want to add…I’ve lived on the West Coast. And am very familiar with the PNW. LOVE it there. It is beautiful. Great people. Fun place…but for eventing. CANNOT compare to Area II and Area III as far as opportunities and competitions. I moved from out west to Area II starting first in DC…keeping my horse in VA and eventually moving to SE PA for a reason. I could get a great paying job…and I could EASILY event even to the higher levels. I can qualify a horse up to the now 3* level WITHOUT stabling…there are enough venues under 3 hours. Most events I can get to in under 2 hours (competing every other week if I wanted)…multiple multiple venues. I can bring a young horse up the levels at unrecognized starter trials that are running at recognized venues 2-3 a month if I want and not bother with running recognized until Prelim if I want…and I even have a few unrecognized started trials that run Modified or Prelim. I can get to multiple venues, top trainers, top clinics, top vets and farriers easily. You throw a rock around here and hit a rider who has run KY, Badminton, Burghley etc and/or has their red coat. You go to an unrecognized event…and often many riders there have ridden at the upper levels—I’m talking Intermediate and Advanced—(both pros and amateurs) as they bring out their young horses. Really the closest I’ve seen for riding opportunities to this area is being in the UK. But there is MORE to life than just riding. So you just have to decide what you really want.

Can’t argue with that. Totally true and one of these days I’m moving back to take advantage of picking and choosing which events to enter on weekends.

[HiJumpGrrl]

Let me put in a plug for Asheville NC. It’s not 30 min to events, but it is less than an hour to 3 recognized event locations (TIEC, FENCE and Wind Ridge) that have 9 total recognized events yearly. River Glen is 2 hours. Aiken is 3 hours. Virginia, Kentucky and Carolina Horse Parks are all 4 hours.

Great hospital system (Mission health–just bought by HCA, so it’s a little unclear what that means), but if you live slightly further south in Hendersonville, you have Pardee, which is a UNC hospital, and Park Ridge. Quite affordable, and quite LGBTQIA friendly in town (although let’s be honest: it’s NC, and you do get into the more rural areas fairly quickly).

Having lived in the big university town for nigh on 20 years, I’m moving there next month, and SO excited about it!

[Salty]

I love it here in the PNW, but BFNE is absolutely right. Area II for eventing, hands down. Plus there are foxhunts & hunter schooling shows, so that you can produce an event horse the old fashioned way. And so many incredible trainers that your arm gets tired from shaking a stick!

I found it pretty accepting of LGBQT, also. But I vastly prefer the PNW’s cool & rainy to Area II’s hot & steamy.

[Texarkana]

Piggy-backing off of what @bornfreenowexpensive said, Area II is in a league of its own. It’s hard to appreciate how much access and opportunity the area provides without experiencing it first hand. Along that same vein, people who have never lived anywhere but Area II don’t realize/appreciate just how much they have.

[CookiePony]

@DLee

I moved here (Lexington KY) after years in the west, Idaho and Arizona. It still astounds me how many shows, clinics etc there are here. Facilities to school (Masterson!) etc. The climate is decent, though I hate February. The wet is an adjustment but hey, that’s why we have grass! As far as LBGTQ I FEEL like it’s a pretty good place (Jim Gray was our last mayor), but I can’t speak first hand to that. And health care is big here.

I love being in Lexington! I feel lucky to have landed here. And I have been welcomed with my partner.
East of Atlanta along the I-20 corridor and toward Athens is also worth considering. Atlanta has anything and everything you will need. Traffic is a challenge, so carefully arranging home, work, and barn locations is key.
And the mid-Atlantic area is also excellent, especially between NJ and MD, but expect to pay a lot for real estate.
I grew up riding in the Boston area. It still has good eventing, but is too cold for me now! And pricey.

[FrittSkritt]

Following this thread with interest, because I’ve taken a hiatus from riding and living in the DC area and am not sure where I’m going to go when I return to the states after I finish grad school. Have always thought about KY but not sure about living in a red state.

Anyway, as far as DC - I lived in Arlington, kept my horse in Fairfax (basically the closest I could get to the city, still a 40 minute drive), and my trainer was another 45 minutes away. Really hard to find a good barn with all the amenities - you usually have to give up one (e.g., trails, indoor, etc.) to keep another (proximity, good care, decent turnout). Typically you have to haul out about an hour or so to do any conditioning work, and it started to wear me down.

If you do DC I recommend living on the MD side as you have a lot more options for boarding… NoVa is just getting way too crowded and with Amazon coming to Arlington, it’s just going to get worse! One of the many reasons why I’m not sure about coming back. Plus, with MD you have more metro lines plus the MARC train so if you prefer to live out somewhere quieter, you can take that downtown.

[Can_tFindMyWhip]

I think you will get a slightly longer season if you go to the Charlottesville or Richmond, VA area.

Weather patterns have been funny these past few years, and Maryland and Pennsylvania have been EXTREMELY wet the last couple of summers. Last summer the majority of events were at least partially cancelled to do rain, and it was hard to even school cross country in a lot of areas because the ground was treacherous. I am in Maryland, and people are really struggling with reestablishing and maintaining their horses’ fitness.

If you go to central Virginia snow will be less of a concern, less trainers will feel the need to go south for the winter, and even if they do, taking a long weekend to go to Southern Pines, NC or something won’t be terribly difficult because you will be much closer.