I mean this in all seriousness when I say that you are such a good advocate for the Eastern Shore. It really is a lovely place, although I’m a mountain gal, so we’ll stay closer to the Blue Ridge. But I so appreciate your enthusiasm for the ES. It is a lovely place, and there are some great communities out there.
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Thanks so much! Aiken is on the list too and I’ve been casually looking for property there (REALLY tight market there now) but I think I’d be happier in NC. I thought it might be cheaper to live out there but it might be an even trade for horse property–the difference is that I need to build an indoor here and it makes no sense for me to do that as close to retirement as I hope I am. I’d have to work longer than I care to…
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This is wonderful! Thank you so much!
I didn’t like SC at all, other than Aiken. It was poor and run down and people seemed either apathetic or pretty hostile to californians to be honest. Aiken was very cosmopolitan. I did like NC more, it’s much more interesting country and clearly more affluent and better maintained as far as infrastructure. But the immediate area of Tryon seemed sooo expensive for what you got. The trail system is a jewel but you must be a landowner to use it so you must pay $$$
I wish there were more places in the USA with protected access to horse trails, a major reason that SoCal stays attractive despite the costs, the crazy number of people and complete lack of water the past 5 years…
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This popped up on my FB feed this afternoon -
NORTH CAROLINA CAUTION:
In regards to all the people wanting to move here from New York and California as well as many other heavily populated cities across the country, as well as those wanting to visit…
Before you come to North Carolina to visit you must be aware of what is happening here. There’s a housing shortage, rent has tripled, and folks are vacationing here in record numbers…
So if you plan on moving here, or just plan on vacationing at our beaches, hill country, mountains or lakes this summer, I think you should know that wolf spiders, fire ants and bedbugs have infested hotels and motels across the area due to dryer than usual weather. The woods will eat you alive with ticks and chiggers.
Our lakes are full of gators, fresh water sharks, and creepy old guys wearing speedos.
Our rivers are full of drunks in tubes peeing themselves while the banjo players lay waiting in the bushes.
Carolina panthers have eaten many domesticated animals and possibly some small children.
The local bear and coyote population are all ‘in heat’ and think your wife/girlfriend is hot.
Snakes… don’t even get me started on the water headed copper moccasins here, and the Diamond Back Rattler Cobras.
The poison ivy has overtaken all other vegetation.
We have had bear sightings at every park and town and they are after your picnic baskets….and some cougars have been spotted in motel rooms and bars.
Watch out for the jackalopes, they have been extremely aggressive this season.
We have the Skunk Ape invading our parks and it’s their mating season. Porcupines are “stabbing” small children should they dare to utilize the local playground equipment.
Skunks have made their way over and multiplied at unprecedented rates and wander the local campgrounds in packs looking for beer.
Murder hornets!?! We’ve got great black clouds of murder hornets, and swarms of giant crickets and even some attack grasshoppers.
Scorpions have now migrated here and have been congregating in massive quantities under rocks, logs, wooden steps, automobiles, and tarantulas are now stealing peoples food and biting like crazy.
I’m pretty sure all private tiger owners (we had a jump in them after Tiger King) have released their cats into the streets of our cities and towns.
Head lice now fly and we have vampire bats.
Oh, and no one is vaccinated.
I hear Idaho and Louisiana are really nice though.” 
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In MA board/training in a facility with an FEI trainer is much more than 2,000!
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No, not always. None of my trainers have ever been more than 2k for board and training and all three have been FEI trainers.
Do tell! I love both my trainers and they are worth every penny…trained many horses up the levels. They are legitimate FEI trainers and the cost of doing business south/west of Boston has gone sky high with taxes, hay, etc.
I will send you a PM tonight! It’s possible prices have gone up too, since this past year I’ve been hung up with health stuff and more out of the loop, but I can’t imagine it would be too, too far off.
Southern NC (Pinehurst, Southern Pines) is huge horse country with trails galore and easy access to show venues. Dressage, cross country, polo, harness racing, and eventing are big sports in this year round equestrian area. Property values are much less than the Tryon area, weather a bit more humid, winters more mild - perhaps rare ice rather than snow, good roads, easy access to I-95.
Edited to add the area has several world class golf courses for the non equestrian significant others!
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Golf is doodoo
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Native Marylander chiming in. I think the real secret is being outside the main “commuter bubble”–anything more than 1-1.5hr from DC, and prices become much more reasonable. I grew up in Washington County, which has gotten a lot horsier since I left. I’m in Anne Arundel now, still a lot of horses, much higher land costs. I think that line from I-70 north and Frederick Co west is sort of where things start getting more rural and less expensive. I would not want to live on the eastern shore and have to cross the bay bridge with a trailer regularly, especially in summer when traffic backups there are a nightmare.
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Noooooooo! Idaho has scorpions and Ammon Bundy. You seriously do not want to move here.
Sheilah
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While I hate to advertise my little slice of heaven especially to someone from California😉, but the WV panhandle especially around Shepardstown WV might be worth checking out. It’s a liberal pocket with beautiful property and close to Loudoun/NoVa/MD dressage scene. I can get to three states in less than an hour, plus with the race track close, access to decent vets, farriers, etc. Prices are increasing but still way more affordable than Loudoun and I can be in Leesburg in 40 minutes.
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Cosign.
I agree with you about the Eastern Shore being cheaper and there are actually quite a lot of horses in that area and some good trainers, too! I love the ocean, but I tend to be more of a “mountains” type of person, so that’s probably why my mind doesn’t immediately “go there.” 
Also, as JenEM said, you’ve got the Bay Bridge to contend with anytime you want to head over to Annapolis or DC. I just don’t think I’d have the patience for that.
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Having lived in CA, grown up in WA, live in OR, CO and have relatives with horses in ID…
The western part of both WA and OR are wet, and getting wetter which means mud or a bunch or work to mitigate the mud. There is a large facility in the planning stages south of Eugene, not sure where they are in the building process. Thousands of acres that are going to be huge horse park lots of competitions, lodging, vets etc. The areas south of Seattle are “redder” in politics but that is where the land is more affordable. Still lots of rain (most of the hay comes from irrigated pastures on the eastern side of the Cascades which adds to feed costs but if you have enough land the mud is concentrated to gathering spots…just need to watch out for thrush and wet, soggy animals. ) An indoor is must to ride 9+ months of the year. Doesn’t need to be enclosed but do need it covered. Bugs are minimal (I think they are all wet and can’t fly very well) but leather is hard to keep dry and if it’s cold being wet and cold takes it toll. That being said Bellingham (up near the Canadian border) is less expensive than the Seattle Metro area and if the border gets going again gives you access to the Vancouver show scene.
Now to move south to CA…we lived in Santa Cruz/Monterey…oh the weather was PERFECT! The ocean breezes, horses were happy, sun but not too hot, for some reason -I think it has to do with the tax situation in CA, Prop 13 means those who have had property for a long time pay a whole lot less tin property taxes than their next door neighbor, and there are plenty of LLC’s that have been formed to keep taxes low on legacy properties (like a fraction of what a newcomer might pay) that can keep boarding at one of those places quite reasonable considering the neighborhood, but next door could be 10x the cost as they bought something and renovated it. Frustrating if you are coming in to buy, nice if your family bought before ‘73 and kept the land in the family. Encinitas is heaven from a climate perspective (or it was, we shall see if CA dries up and there is no water) and the proximity of dressage minds is staggering… as is the amount of money…People with money migrate to other people with money…
Colorado as you might know is a tough place to keep a horse between the huge weather swings, land prices increasing and a lot of good trainers leaving for cheaper locales.
ID is a lot like CO, but a little bit (or it was) cheaper. Red state all the way so if you aren’t a Trump supporter its a hard place to wrap your head and heart around. There are a few trainers in the Boise area that run shows and have a very robust training scene, the area is growing so it might be the cast that if it is built, people will find it and come.
Bend OR might be interesting but limited in terms of local trainers. Takes a drive over a pass to get more options,
I am leaning towards Portugal or New Zealand personally….
My .02 cents
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Making a cameo to cosign and say, Amen to the prop 13 observation. Dad, public HS teacher 1957-87, experienced the cannibalization of the California university system thanks to that craven referendum.
New Zealand for the win.
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I’m surprised no one has mentioned Ohio. NE Ohio is huge horse country, with active dressage, HJ, and western scenes. There are several GMOs: Northern Ohio Dressage Assn., Mid-Ohio Dressage Assn., Classical Attraction Dressage Society, and Ohio Dressage Society. Our GMO (NODA) has, on average, 300 members every year. There are recognized shows from the northernmost places (Lake Erie College) to Columbus and parts in between, plus quite a few schooling show series.
You can hardly throw a stone without hitting a respected pro with good credentials. We regularly see clinics with Janet Foy, Charles de Kunffy, Felicitas von Neumann-Cosel, Jennifer Baumert, to name a few. Many facilities have indoor arenas, and some are even heated. Full board is usually about $1000, give or take depending on the facility, which sounds pretty much in line with other dressage-friendly areas.
Cleveland and Columbus are easy to get to, and both have lots to offer. If you’re a lover of the arts, Cleveland is hard to beat, with the Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Museum of Art, the Rock Hall, and many other cultural attractions.
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If anyone is considering Pinehurst, they’re moving the World Golf Hall of Fame and Museum, and other offices are moving there from Florida, and becoming part of the campus of the USGA golf campus they’re building in Pinehurst . I don’t know if that will make Pinehurst more of a destination, and make housing prices go up, but everything else does lately.
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