Thinking about moving across country from a wealth of eventing to the west coast. Specifically the Tacoma, wa area. Any body have info on the area as it relates to horses or just general information?
thanks!
HI. We are Area VII here and although we don’t have too many events, it’s a tight knit group and really fun.
Tacoma would be an OK place to live (depending on the area) because there are more events to the South. If I could, I would move to Yelm myself. Property & boarding is still reasonably priced and you’d be close to Aspen & Caber Farms.
Hi- Tacoma is my home-town, lived there from age 0-18- at which point I moved to Seattle. Growing up the only farms that were actually close (as in less than a half hour drive) were all hunter-jumper, or dressage, or both…not eventing.
I haven’t lived there for a few years now, but I think there still isn’t an eventing “scene” as such in Tacoma or very close to Tacoma. When I was home for summer, to go schooling or take lessons with an event trainer, I’d have to drive out either East to Enumclaw, etc or South to Yelm etc.
If you have a choice and its important to you to be at a place with lots of eventers or a cross-country course on site or very close, I’d live somewhere between an eventing farm and Tacoma so that the commute to both horses and work was decent rather than the commute to work being good and horses rather long!
Thanks for the info. I may be taking a traveling nurse position at madigan army hospital so not much choice on the city. What are good cities to look at surrounding there closer to barns but not too far a commute? I know nothing about the area, I’ll be moving cross country from Georgia !
For a job at Madigan/JBLM, I’d probably also look at living and boarding toward the south - Yelm, Eatonville, possibly the Graham/Kapowsin area to the east unless you are looking for a distinctly urban living situation. South King County/Enumclaw is do-able but not really a fun commute to or from the JBLM area.
Woodbrook Stables, Starfire, Klearmont Farms, and Woodbrook Hunt Club are all adjacent to each other and practically on post - none are eventing focused per se although I think most have some eventing clientele. Aspen Farms in Yelm hosts rated events, derbies, clinics with big name trainers and is probably the best bet in the general area for a “full service” eventing facility. You will find other trainers in the area who are eventing focused but with facilities that aren’t quite as expansive.
Check out Flying Changes magazine on-line and look for the Area VII Adult Riders group on Facebook for more leads.
Thanks so much for the information. I’ll look into those areas!
I lived in Tacoma many, many years ago and boarded at Woodbrook. Also hunted with the Woodbrook Hunt on Ft Lewis army reservation which was great for running and jumping to build a horse’s confidence.
