Los Angeles / SoCal - scoping out a move

[173north]

My boyfriend and I are considering the great move westward from NYC to LA and I could use some help on the overall riding scene, plus narrowing down neighborhoods that won’t make commuting to the barn a misery.

I work from home for a company with an office in West Hollywood and may be expected to go into the office if I’m living in LA. My boyfriend’s office is in Hollywood. Most of our friends live in Highland Park so we’re looking around that area.

Since I suspect that post-covid there might not be an expectation that we go to the office 5 days a week, I am open to being farther out from LA with a reasonable commute to the office/friends in exchange for a shorter commute to the barn. (I currently drive 3 hrs round trip 3x per week to ride… anything is better than that!) My boyfriend loves the area north of Malibu (Agoura Hills, etc) but I don’t know if that would be wildly out of our price range and/or a miserable commute into LA.

All I know about the riding scene is the existence of LAEC and it does seem Highland Park isn’t too far from there. Any thoughts on neighborhoods to focus on, or trainers to look into? I ride jumpers and would like to half-lease at the 1m level for a few more years before either getting something young or moving up.

[mika0116]

PM me. I have been in LA for 5 years and am moving out in a few months. Jumper rider here and have lots of contacts/suggestions. I am very transparent on prices and commuting times. I grew up in NJ and worked a bit in NYC so I know NYC commutes to barns / traffic and might be able to help you from that perspective.

FYI - LA traffic generally speaking is 10 miles is about 25 minutes on a NO Traffic time to 1 hr 15 mins 7-10am and 4-7pm and weekends are variable depending on beach/ sports/ etc. Always add about 20 mins to your drive just in case.

Do you plan to bring your own lease into a barn or lease through a barn/trainer? Personally biggest issue is turnout. Dry lots, small paddocks, and fire seasons every year. Nothing remotely resembling an acreage pasture with grass to be found until you’re in Central Coast/ Bay Area (4 hours+ North). I found it best to lease a horse that was used to less than 4 hours of turnout in a small lot daily. A fair amount of horses brought in from East Coast struggled with the transition to being stabled 90% of the time.

[173north]

Thanks so much - I will PM you! Great to have the perspective of someone who’s also ridden here in NYC/NJ.

I have heard turnout is nothing like what we have here out east but I will not be bringing a horse along - I basically just patch together in-barn leases/half-leases as owning isn’t in the financial cards right now, so will be looking for a program that has good options for that, sale horses to ride, etc.