My husband and I have moved to the beach as it is something he has always wanted to do. I am now needing to find a reasonable boarding situation close to our new home. I am looking around the southside area, Ponte Vedra/Nocatee and up toward Oceanway. Trying to stay about a 20 minute drive from Jacksonville Beach if possible. Okay with a private owner or a barn situation that will allow me to use their pasture and I can provide feed. A round pen would be a bonus. Does anyone know or have anything? I can’t do the $400-$500 and up places. Can help with property upkeep to a day a week or two if someone has something they just aren’t using but living there and would like someone to take care of the place in exchange for making sure no one steals my baby off the property when I am not there.
If you provide a ZIP i can get you better results for you. I would try craigslist. Just looking I found this one, it appears to have an arena: https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/grd/5009649411.html
Also try Barn book, or local feed stores.
The zip code for us is 32250. I have looked at craigslist, posted my own ads, driven door to door asking and got a few leads, but nothing I have heard back from yet. I did look into that one and there are about 6 horses out there already on less than 2 acres. It is very cramped unfortunately and all deep, dry hot sand with one tree. I can hear their feet screaming and it isn’t even the hottest time of the year yet!
Thank you for trying Kate. Only two other than Legacy (which is listed in the wrong location and is 1.5 hours away one way) still exist. Corinader board starts at $1200 a month and Florio only does pasture starting at $300 with you buying all feed/hay and paying for all extras on top of that initially $300. It is crazy to think there isn’t something reasonable around here. There has to be somewhere.
Okay, I found one more: http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/grd/4965850871.html
Also, I found many a barn by using google earth to look at properties near me that obviously had a barn and fit what I wanted. Then I would drive by, and either put a note in their mailbox, or if the driveway was open, go knock on the door. I found one of my favorite barns this way!
Some counties have a GIS service that you can use to search properties (via a Google Earth map) and it will give you the address to contact the landowner.
Here is an example:
http://gis.co.goochland.va.us/GoochlandPV/
Enter the county and state and GIS into the search bar of your browser. Click the link to the counties public GIS system.
Once there, find an area you want to be in and zoom into it. When you get close enough the parcel lines will show and you will see the parcel number on the map. You can click on the parcel and it will upload the public tax information available for that parcel.
You could write a form letter and mail out a few requests, or spend a day or two knocking on doors.
Happy Searching.
Oh good idea Jawa!
Also, if you find the property on bing maps, and rightclick, it shows the address.
Don’t put anything in the mailbox, it’s just for legal, stamped mail. Around here the carriers trash anything stuffed in the mailbox, except legal materials.
I suggest editing your thread title to reflect the location. That will bring the right people to this thread.
Lots of good suggestions…
but OMG I wish I lived in a place where $500/month board was considered expensive! I’ve chosen to leave my yearling with her breeder in Michigan for a another year, mostly because of board prices.
Thanks everyone for such great suggestions! I love the map one. Makes me feel a little less crazy knowing other people will go door to door and search out land like that to. I didn’t know about that link though, it is AWESOME!
I met a guy yesterday through word of mouth from knocking on doors. He said I could board there as he has about 12 others. It is a self feed place, but really close to my house so I think it will be good and I like knowing she is going to get what I want her to. Cross all fingers it works out and if someone does come across a full board here in the area, I wouldn’t mind checking it out!
Oh, and really that is just expensive for me. Board prices vary here but one of the more expensive in the area that I have found starts at $1200 a month. :eek: Talk about a jump!
I’m on the Westside so no help with the locations you need.
I can suggest however asking equine vets, and farriers as they tend to know where some of the hidden gems are located.
There are a lot of private barns in St. Augustine you could try to find one there that would probably work if you live in Nocatee/PV.
I think it’s going to be hard to find board for under $400, even field board though.
Like, JanM said, remember to put a stamp on the letter 
Personally I usually just knock though. Most horse people understand the boarding game and are friendly if you ask, even if they aren’t interested.
I was surprised at how many people were friendly when I showed up unannounced and ask about boarding. And they did point me in new directions. It is amazing what you can find at the end of those dirt roads sometimes.
