Moving to Florida...coastal horsie areas?

[RealLifeUnicorn]

First off, just want to say that I’m not sure if I posted this in the right discussion board—feel free to move this if its off topic. I chose to post in hunter jumper because that’s what I do, and I’m mostly looking for places to move to that have a lot of h/j barns and shows.

My family and I moved from California to Central Virginia a few years back, for a number of reasons, but it hasn’t been quite the right fit for us. Since we vacation in Florida multiple times every year and have driven around almost the entire state, we really love it and are hoping to make it our next move with the horses. We’re also very into the beach and water sports, so we are ideally looking for an area that is coastal yet very horse friendly (which I know sometimes those two don’t mix).

We looked at Ocala and found some houses within our budget with enough acreage, and we thought Ocala was absolutely gorgeous, and perfect for the horses…but unfortunately it’s a little more inward than we’d like, and we’d prefer a place a little closer to beach access.

So, can anyone give some suggestions to places that are both within a 30 or so minute drive of the beach, but also have plenty of stables, horse properties, trails, shows, and a good horse community? Thanks!

[MHM]

Wellington on the east side. Venice on the west side. There are still shows at the state fairgrounds in Tampa. Pensacola, although I don’t know how much local horse activity they have between shows.

[NoSuchPerson]

I used to know someone who lived in Parrish, FL, which is just northwest of Bradenton. At that time, there was a lot of equine activity in the area, but I don’t know if that’s still true.

There is horse activity in certain specific areas around Tampa Bay, but I don’t have any first-hand knowledge.

[mmeqcenter]

I’m in the Ocala area, and it’s wonderful, I absolutely love it here. We’re about an 1-1.5 hours from a beach on either side (Gulf or Atlantic).
From what I hear, the Tampa horse activity is seriously lacking. There’s barns down there still, but not much shows or anything else. I know several people in that area that regularly (several times per month) drive up to Ocala for schooling and showing.
Jacksonville has some horse activity, not a huge amount.
Orlando has some good shows and I believe a decent horse community, perhaps more dressage than h/j, but you’re also an hour from the beach there.

If you found houses in Ocala in your budget with “enough” acreage, I hate to break it to you but, you’re either not going to be able afford Wellington/West Palm Beach down through Miami, or you’re going to have to get used to really small acreage. Close to beach typically means more densely populated = land is sparse = land is expensive. Also, poor grass, so you’ll be feeding lots of expensive hay.
I don’t know of any significantly horsie areas on the Gulf coast. ETA I always forget about the panhandle, don’t know much about it.

[King_Creole]

I live in Foley, AL. I’m 12 miles from the beach. My horse is in Seminole, AL which is on the AL/FL border. The barn is 8 miles from the equestrian center. There are local shows and rated shows at the facility. It’s a great place to show. Good footing, etc.

The Pensacola/Milton area is pretty horsey, IMO.

[NoSuchPerson]

@mmeqcenter

I’m in the Ocala area, and it’s wonderful, I absolutely love it here. We’re about an 1-1.5 hours from a beach on either side (Gulf or Atlantic).

I’m going to dispute that. Either you drive a lot faster than I do or you define “good beach” differently. The closest good beach is Ormond Beach, which is about 75 miles from Ocala on the Atlantic side. It’s a pretty straight shot across on SR40, but I inevitably get stuck behind motor homes, boats, and old people driving slow, so it always takes longer than I think it should and I always get a little road ragey.

On the Gulf side, to get to what I consider a good beach you need to go south almost to Tampa. Clearwater, really, for something that’s easily accessible.

@mmeqcenter

If you found houses in Ocala in your budget with “enough” acreage, I hate to break it to you but, you’re either not going to be able afford Wellington/West Palm Beach down through Miami, or you’re going to have to get used to really small acreage. Close to beach typically means more densely populated = land is sparse = land is expensive. Also, poor grass, so you’ll be feeding lots of expensive hay.
.

But this I wholeheartedly agree with. On the Florida peninsula, being within 30 minutes drive of a good beach, affordable horse property, and “plenty of stables, horse properties, trails, shows, and a good horse community” are mutually exclusive if you define affordable like I do. I can’t really speak to the panhandle, as I’m not very familiar with that part of the state.

If you’re willing to compromise on distance to the beach, I think Ocala is your best bet. If you’re willing to compromise on “plenty of stables, horse properties, trails, shows, and a good horse community,” then I’d look along the east coast between Daytona and Jacksonville.

I’m a beach person at heart, but living for 20+ years in the Gainesville area, I learned to embrace the many freshwater resources (springs, rivers, lakes) of central Florida. I say move to Ocala and buy a kayak and a state park annual pass. :lol:

[mmeqcenter]

@NoSuchPerson

I’m going to dispute that. Either you drive a lot faster than I do or you define “good beach” differently. The closest good beach is Ormond Beach, which is about 75 miles from Ocala on the Atlantic side. It’s a pretty straight shot across on SR40, but I inevitably get stuck behind motor homes, boats, and old people driving slow, so it always takes longer than I think it should and I always get a little road ragey.

To be fair, I said “beach,” not “good beach.” :lol:

I’m in a teeny unincorporated town in NE Ocala area, and it takes me about 60-75 minutes to get to Ormond beach depending on traffic. I haven’t actually been to any beaches on the Gulf yet (not a beach person), but my trainer docks a boat on the Gulf side and has said it’s about an hour away, so perhaps there’s no beaches near her dock like I assumed there were? ::shrug::

[NoSuchPerson]

The Gulf side pretty much has beaches only in places where you have barrier islands. From just north of Tampa all the way around to about St. George Island (near Apalachicola), you don’t have much in the way of barrier islands and thus no beaches.

Lots of good fishing, boating, kayaking, and bird watching, but not much that anyone would call a beach. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t spots where you have a cleared spot of dirty sand/dirt/gravel where people can enter the water and swim if they so choose, but I don’t consider those to be legit beaches. And it doesn’t help that the water in those places is generally “dirty,” i.e. has lots of organic matter and is dark colored.

Like, for example, the “beach” at Cedar Key. There is a narrow sandy area where sand has been hauled in create a beach, but most adults make that “eewww” face with the wrinkled up nose if you suggest swimming there. It’s a great place to launch a kayak, though.

[limptoad]

Jupiter sounds pretty much ideal for you. You’ll likely get less acreage for your $ because of the proximity to WPB / Wellington, but the amenities and proximity to great beaches / diving / etc. may make it worth it.

[RedHeadFred]

South Alabama and the west end of the panhandle have all kinds of horse activity and nice areas to ride. My cousin’s Aunt lives in Santa Rosa and she says there is a lot there too. Nice beaches also.

[twoscompany]

You could check out Palm Beach Gardens- about 30/40 min from Wellington. I rode horses for a few people in Caloosa, which is a nice little horse community. I also lived in Destin for a while, loved it. Though my horses were north of me in Freeport/Holt area- about 35-45 minutes, though my place in Destin was steps from the beach. Compromise is key when it comes to water, horses, land, and a good price.

[DarkenStormy]

I grew up riding in the Clearwater/Tampa area. I know it’s changed now, but being a FL girl, I have always preferred the rivers and springs to the salt water So I would go with Ocala and explore the more natural beauty that FL has to offer.

[Libby416]

I would look into the Treasure Coast area. Just an hour north of Wellington, You can get quite a nice piece of acreage, close enough to the shows, and within 20 min of the beach, for a quarter of what you’d pay in Wellington.

[kmwines]

I’m from Jacksonville area and there’s a moderate horse scene. 2 showgrounds and schooling shows and some As. It’s a huge area, so there’s a huge variability in time to a beach and how rural an area/affordable land. Parts of St John’s county/st Augustine have land to develop and aren’t that far from the beach. Clay county is also probably more affordable and is about 45 minutes from St Augustine area beaches and Anastasia island.

I’ve also lived in Wellington. Obviously there is a ton of horse activity there. Loxahatchee is less expensive but more redneck. Palm beach gardens/caloosa/Jupiter is more in the boonies. Be aware that there is not good pasture in any of these areas. Especially coming from central Virginia, grass is tough to come by and there is a lot of sand. Hay is expensive.

Panhandle wise, you can get land for a good price moderately inland. My inlaws had a 40 acre plot with a great barn outside of Panama city that they sold a few years ago. They were about 45-60 mind from the beach. But there’s not a lot of horse activity around there. Further west seems to be more active.

[SFA]

Davie Florida / SW ranches. 30 minutes to fort lauderdale beaches. has it own local circuit and 1 hr trailer ride to wellington

[junipk]

Look at Southwest Ranches. It is east of Fort Lauderdale/ Hollywood and only about 12 miles from beaches. It is 1 hour south of Wellington, and although parts of it are expensive, nothing like the good parts of Wellington. Lots of horse communities in area…also Plantation Acres, Davie, Cooper City.