Looking for a GOOD barn close to DC

Hi!

I really need help finding a good, safe barn as close as I can to Washington DC!

I am from Seattle but spent time in Virginia because of school and brought my horses over with me. It is looking like I may go to DC next year and I would love to continue my riding. I am looking for boarding my one young horse (she will be 5 in 2014). I really would like a barn with an indoor or covered and turn-out but I need it to be as close to the city as possible so I might give up some things for a shorter drive. I don’t even care if it is somebody’s house looking to pick up one boarder! This horse is pretty easy with no vices and can live outside alone or with other horses or inside and doesn’t seem to really care.

I have evented through the upper levels and this horse should be hopefully running her first Prelim in the fall of 2014 so an eventing or hunter/jumper barn would be the best for me with room to do fitness. I have also ridden through FEI in dressage and would love to continue so a dressage barn would be find but I would love the option to jump even if it isn’t big. I train on and off with a trainer in Charlottesville and have many connections in Middleburg so having a trainer on the farm isn’t the most important thing to me but wouldn’t mind taking lessons from a qualified trainer.

I have a truck and trailer and having trailer parking would be important too.

Please let me know if you know of any farms I could bring my lovely little mare to! I couldn’t imagine having to pick between her and the city (although I already know she would win!)

Thank you so much!

There must be a bazillion threads about locating to the Washington DC area. What you are seeking did exist – in the 1960’s – so a reality check is needed. This is the 7th largest MSA in the United States. We have 5.8 million people. Seattle in contrast is 15th in size and a mere 3.5 million. Frankly I am surprised that your Middleburg connections haven’t told you the reality. Close in, if you can find it costs $$$$ and often lacks in turnout. An indoor is a true luxury. Taxes on land are high here and frankly most people with a hunk of land close in are not sticking horses on it. Now if you are willing to drive a bit, there are perfectly fine places to keep a horse. But assume at least an hour from DC (and it will depend where you are in DC, too). If you want to event, this is a great place to be but you are going to be driving a great deal. Trust me, those of us with horses are doing it.
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The closer to the city, the more $$$ you will pay and the more airplanes will fly over your head, while riding. :slight_smile:

Boarding here is easily several times more than what you might be accustomed to pay in your area. We came from PA and, if we decided to board, the basic field board would have been three times as much.

There is a private eventing barn called Morningside Farm in Plains. It is farther in the country. You can find them online. They have everything! Outdoor, indoor, track, cross-country, pond…

It was built by late Mr. Arundel and was meant to serve the community. However, it was sold out to a private owner since he passed away, but they still offer full board and they have plenty of turnout. I always see horses out, when driving by.

Check the Fauquier County, the Loudon County, and, of course, Prince William County.

I am afraid, if you want a nice, roomy facility to train at, you will have to drive. :cry:

sending you a PM

These places look nice, FWIW

http://www.rockcreekhorsecenter.com/index.htm

http://www.potomachorse.com/

I just moved here a few months ago and have my horse in training with Jennifer and Sam at Allan-clover sport horses. They are great, and my horse is thriving. I’m in Alexandria and it’s about 35 min away for me.

Well eventer 711 here’s the long and short of it - it all is going to depend where exactly you end up in the DC Metropolitan Area. Meaning where you live and work. because depending on where you end up work/living is going to depend where it’s easier for you to get to a place to ride. there are 2 riding places in DC - Rock Creek and Meadowbrook, however neither will suit your needs - both are primarily h/j barns, little to zero turnout and no indoor. Then here’s the tough part - if you live in VA - depending on where it is actually easier and closer to get to a barn in Maryland that in Virginia. Sure Morningside training would be a great option - if you lived out that way. Its a good hour drive from DC in the best of circumstances i.e. weekend/holiday traffic and no construction. since you have a truck and trailer you are at a big advantage since you can trailer to trainer. my suggestion is come back to the board and inquire once you know where you’ll be living/working or in school - then those of us who have or are in the same position can give you some good guidance.

More info

Thanks for the input… It is funny you say that I will have to drive and that it will be expensive because it seems all the barns are cheaper out there than Seattle! It is hard to find a decent barn with anything out here for less than 750. I also drove 45 minutes for that. That’s what I meant by close =)

I looked up a LOT of barns and am willing to live anywhere in the city to be by my horse. I want a barn that I can trust the people caring for my horse. I don’t care if it is H/J or Dressage (have ridden both). I don’t want to come out to the barn and have my horse have a cut that no one noticed. I would prefer the VA side just because it is closer to my trainer. I have spent a lot of time in DC and know the reality but when it comes down to it I want my horse to be safe and happy and that is what I would like to get advice on. I want the closest SAFE GOOD facility to DC (preferably on the VA side).

Thank you for your insight. In reality, I get that DC is a major city hence the reason why I wanted to get feelers out for the best barns in the area instead of just simply doing research by myself. If you have any advice about finding a good safe barn as close as I can to DC, please let me know because it is much appreciated.

After all, it never hurts to say what you would like in a perfect world because sometimes it does work out like that.

Here’s a suggestion. Don’t live in DC. Live in the suburbs. Among other things DC is expensive, has high auto insurance and its government is a mess for the most part. Live in MD or VA with access to Metro.

As noted, it may be easier to live in Alexandria and board somewhere in Southern MD. Morningside is a wonderful facility but will be 90 minutes a good day from DC. If you have been here before and know the reality, then driving won’t be an issue. My farm is 75 miles from where I work ad 50 miles from where I live during the week. That’s not an accident.

It really does not make a ton of sense in DC to pick your boarding barn before you know where your job is. Once you know you can determine what combination of work-barn-home commutes work based on location and times of your commute.
I say this because a difference in location of a mile in DC can be a 30-45 minute driving time difference depending on time and location of travel.
Also a commute that is tolerable to me may not be to you and not just because of time involved.
I happen to do a NW DC for work, home in Bethesda and boarding in mo co combination that works for me. But if I worked on say Capitol Hill, that combo would suck eggs (I am maybe 4 miles from Capitol Hill now)
if you do not want to or cannot do that, do a search. This question gets asked in this forum and the eventing one with regularity
good luck

You may want to talk with the local pony clubs. There are a lot of family barns in Great Falls, Vienna, and McLean. Most of them are full, but the pony clubs may know if anyone has an opening.

You need to post your price range- there are tons of options but variously priced. For $1,000 a month you have lots of options, for $300, not so many

This may suit, Soft Landing Stables. http://www.softlandingstables.com/Soft_Landing_Stables.php