Moving to Houston Area- Know a Place for My Horses?

[MovingToTexas]

Does anyone remember this thread, where somebody posted asking where in the ENTIRE COUNTRY would be a good place for her to take her dressage horses and train as a serious FEI amateur?

People were able to give her suggestions and her request was a lot broader than “within about an hour of Houston”. I am kind of unsure how I can be expected to know what subdivision of what subburb I plan on moving to from half way across the country, before anyone will give me the name of even one trainer to consider, or even something like, “There are a couple of good trainers close together in [this] area.”

Even I, from all the way over here and from having read whatever Practical Horseman he was on the cover of a few years ago, know that Peter Pletcher is based in Magnolia, for example.

Thank you again to those who DID help via PM.
I muchly, muchly appreciate the leads, and I will be in Houston at the end of the month scoping those leads out.
Drinks on me at Sambuca’s if you’d like to come out!

[Sunsets]

Well, I’m guessing some of the issue is that Houston is not a place one generally picks to move to do the horse thing. As a friend of mine once told me, “No one PLANS to end up in Houston”.

Most of us got here due to jobs, our jobs, spouse jobs, and because of that we usually picked the location of the house, then figured out the barn situation.

To have someone ask “where is the best horse situation?” is so totally foreign a concept that it is unanswerable for most of us. The thought of not even considering a work commute just doesn’t enter into it.

And I’m sorry I can’t help you - I ride at a place outside of Cypress, but it’s full up at the moment, and I’m not competitive enough to know about the rest of the horse scene. I do know that to ride in the recognized dressage shows will result in trailer times of anything from 30 minutes to 3 hours.

And finally, I would urge you to carefully consider your choice of suburb. You may have been to Houston (Sambuca is downtown, correct?) but I’m guessing you really don’t get that many people spend all of their time in the suburbs and never, ever get inside the loop. It can be a soul-killing, lonely existence in the outer ring suburbs if you’re a young single female not raising kids without a built-in social support network. Seriously, I have friends from grad school that live in the area, and I see them maybe 2 times a year because we all settled in different parts of the city and the drive times are insane.

If you want to interact with the young and single, you can live close in (I do), but you’re looking at at least 30 minutes - 1 hour drive time out to a barn.

[MovingToTexas]

[QUOTE=Sunsets;4444003]
Well, I’m guessing some of the issue is that Houston is not a place one generally picks to move to do the horse thing. As a friend of mine once told me, “No one PLANS to end up in Houston”.

Most of us got here due to jobs, our jobs, spouse jobs, and because of that we usually picked the location of the house, then figured out the barn situation.

To have someone ask “where is the best horse situation?” is so totally foreign a concept that it is unanswerable for most of us. The thought of not even considering a work commute just doesn’t enter into it.

And I’m sorry I can’t help you - I ride at a place outside of Cypress, but it’s full up at the moment, and I’m not competitive enough to know about the rest of the horse scene. I do know that to ride in the recognized dressage shows will result in trailer times of anything from 30 minutes to 3 hours.

And finally, I would urge you to carefully consider your choice of suburb. You may have been to Houston (Sambuca is downtown, correct?) but I’m guessing you really don’t get that many people spend all of their time in the suburbs and never, ever get inside the loop. It can be a soul-killing, lonely existence in the outer ring suburbs if you’re a young single female not raising kids without a built-in social support network. Seriously, I have friends from grad school that live in the area, and I see them maybe 2 times a year because we all settled in different parts of the city and the drive times are insane.

If you want to interact with the young and single, you can live close in (I do), but you’re looking at at least 30 minutes - 1 hour drive time out to a barn.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for being helpful.

Sambuca is in the theatre district right by the Lancaster hotel/Ballet/Aquarium and I highly recommend it.

Friends of mine live in the museum district.

Since I am currently driving an hour and a half to my barn, one way, five to six days a week, 30 minutes to an hour sounds just delightful! I think I would die and go to heaven for a 45 minute commute to the barn.

[jcotton]

If you are going to be Houston at the end of the month. Go to GSWEC, where Region 9/SWDC Championships are being held and interview all the local trainers by where they are located.

[Halt_Near_X]

Edit: Ditto what jcotton said.

[tinah]

Try for The Woodlands, Conroe, Cypress, Magnolia . . . . The East Side isn’t the best, and if you go south I would recommend you go out as far as NASA Road One, possibly the Lake Jackson area; but that would presume you like salt air. And go in late August, before you EVER think about moving there. I lived there for years, and got out as fast as I could.

[altjaeger]

How’s this for specific: John Deleyer at North Fork Farms. He’s just outside of Tomball.

Phone him at 281-351-1361. I have no idea if he has a spot for you, but he’d be a great guy to work for. I notice his new place has a couple of houses on it.

[MovingToTexas]

[QUOTE=tinah;4444047]
Try for The Woodlands, Conroe, Cypress, Magnolia . . . . The East Side isn’t the best, and if you go south I would recommend you go out as far as NASA Road One, possibly the Lake Jackson area; but that would presume you like salt air. And go in late August, before you EVER think about moving there. I lived there for years, and got out as fast as I could.[/QUOTE]

I have to make a decision on whether or not to sign up for the Texas bar by Oct 30. The bar is in Feb, and my plan is to apply for legal employ once I am admitted. (And before, too, but probably futilely.)

However, I am ok with heat and humidity (mom has a house in Florida) and will happily ride four horses back to back in full chaps and a helmet in 100 degrees, I am SICK AND TIRED of nineteen degrees though (!!), I am aware that the Texas state bird is the mosquito (horses already vaccinated for West Nile), I helped clean up the 9th ward after Katrina so I know that Gulf states have hurricanes …etc.

From what people have said so far I am starting to think the best plan would probably be to live down town and then drive out, since the biggest drive length anyone has quoted so far is an hour and a half and I am already doing that. I am also totally cool with riding at 4am, which ought to cut the commute considerably.

So again, any BARNS within about an hour of downtown?
Anyone?
Please?

If you keep your horses at home and want help with the chores, here’s your chance!!

[MovingToTexas]

[QUOTE=wanabe;4444059]
How’s this for specific: John Deleyer at North Fork Farms. He’s just outside of Tomball.

Phone him at 281-351-1361. I have no idea if he has a spot for you, but he’d be a great guy to work for. I notice his new place has a couple of houses on it.[/QUOTE]

OMG, halleluia.
I will pm you when I have my travel dates set and for this most excellent post I will buy you THREE drinks at Sambuca’s and have the band play a song in your honor.

YOU.
ROCK.
:):)

[jcotton]

I live two hours North East of Houston. Every summer I run away to Chicago to escape the heat and train up where the summer is much more bearable. And they start whining when it gets to 85 degrees, while I pull on a jacket. Now I wouldn’t want to do winters there. Which is why my trainer goes to the left coast in the winter.

For example, the HDS Laborious isn’t huge because who wants ride in the high humidity as well as high temps! The horses much be conditioned for showing in the heat and the riders are gluttons for punishment–I have shown at that show. As for that matter any show after Mid June to Mid Sept/Oct can be miserable!!!
For championships–could be 90 degrees than crash to 40 degress! With rain, too!!! Pack all kinds of clothing for you and your horse.

[Sunsets]

No kidding, last winter a front came through, the wind picked up, and the temp dropped from 80’s and humid to the 40’s in 3 hours. The horses (delicate Houston flowers that they are) went RUNNING to the barn help the second he set foot in the pasture with their blankets.

Most horses seem to do fine once they acclimate, though. I remember two Dutch geldings who were imported a couple of years ago, I think they thought they were shipped from the Netherlands to Hades. In about a week, they were happy as clams.

[MovingToTexas]

[QUOTE=jcotton;4444067]
I live two hours North East of Houston. Every summer I run away to Chicago to escape the heat and train up where the summer is much more bearable. And they start whining when it gets to 85 degrees, while I pull on a jacket. Now I wouldn’t want to do winters there. Which is why my trainer goes to the left coast in the winter.

For example, the HDS Laborious isn’t huge because who wants ride in the high humidity as well as high temps! The horses much be conditioned for showing in the heat and the riders are gluttons for punishment–I have shown at that show. As for that matter any show after Mid June to Mid Sept/Oct can be miserable!!!
For championships–could be 90 degrees than crash to 40 degress! With rain, too!!! Pack all kinds of clothing for you and your horse.[/QUOTE]

One of my horses asks me every day when is the truck coming to go someplace warm.

His idea of “growing a coat” is to increase production in three hair follicles, resulting in the fact that his Indian name in the winter (under a sheet, a baker blanket, a sleezy hood, and a stable blanket with insulated hood) is Stands There And Shakes.

He is already getting turned out in a baker blanket plus a turnout sheet and I am considering adding a windproof hood at 40 degrees. Since the end of September he has been doing his long lining under a heavy wool Whitney quarter sheet, since we don’t work that hard on long lining days and he might catch a chill in the wind.

He owns every blanket known to man (and enjoys wearing them all at once) so we are all set in that department.

As for me, I would just be thrilled to still have a use for my all time favorite Land’s End windproof fleece. That durned jacket is with me everywhere from 45 windy degrees to negative 17.

[cyriz_s_mom]

Sonesta on the board has a place in Cypress. you might PM her to see if she has room or could point you.

Stephanie and Paolo Tropia have Clear Round Showjumpers south of downtown.

I’ll be at the Championships with Sea Accounts. Stop by and say “hi”.

As for shows, there are a number of recognized dressage and h/j shows at the facility where the Championships are being held. Within 5 or 6 hours, there are a lot of dressage and h/j shows…San Antonio, Austin, Waco, DFW, and Louisiana. I would imagine there are a lot of schooling shows for both disciplines in Houston. Show season runs Feb. to end of Nov.

[Velvet]

Canaan Ranch is in Fulshear. Don’t ask me for details on what it’s like to be a boarder, but I do know that they have very nice facilities. Ask around for more information from others out here who have first hand experience.

[J-Lu]

Already sent a PM, Velvet.

[carovet]

maybe it would be helpful if you provide more specific preferences – i.e. my ideal would be turn out availalbe with grass (as opposed to pipe corral), or individual turn out, or 24 hour private, or group, I ride at level X and need a coach with Y type of experience. My budget will probably be Z. I want somewhere with a covered, somewhere that won’t limit what time i am allowed to ride/have lights on during the winter, etc…somewhere that is x minutes during the commute from sambucas, etc, i do or do not have my own trailer to trailer out, i need a place that will haul me to shows, i prefer all adults vs. kids, i prefer big or small barns, i care about footing, etc

just a suggestion since everyone seems to think there are too many choices to narrow it down to good advice

[Velvet]

Absolutely the type of items that would help people provide the right information, carovet!