Need a gut check on buying a horse property - WWYD?

[Alter312]

A little background: grew up riding and competing seriously through my 20s. In my thirties priorities shifted, started a family, started focusing on a new discipline. I consider myself a serious rider, but have, the past few years, been enjoying the learning/training process more than competing. Made it to two shows last year and had a blast, but am not dying to show every weekend. I like having a goal to work toward. Along with a shift in priorities, a huge desire has grown to bring my horses home. I fully understand the time and work commitment that entails, and believe I’m ready for it.

Now for the conundrum: found a property within budget, though on the high end, in a fantastic location, both from a practical standpoint and from the value of the property (will hold its value, fantastic schools for kids, etc). Has beautiful barn and almost everything I’m looking for with one big BUT… there is no riding arena. I’m fairly confident I can put in an outdoor and would invest to have it well done, with good footing, drainage, etc. A indoor, however, is likely out of the question for this property given the size, layout, and zoning requirements. I live in an area of the country where 10 years ago, you would not be riding outside for a solid 4-5 months per year, but that seems to be changing (thanks, global warming) somewhat. I love everything else about this property - house, barn, etc. Every time I think I’m ready to make the leap and make an offer, I get this voice in the back of my head (“but what if you cannot ride as much as you want to?”) I know everyone says riding time is already harder to come by when you bring them home - am I crazy to further restrict that by requiring the stars to align for good weather for part of the year? I could hold out but would likely be trading-off prime location to be able to afford enough to space to be able to eventually build one if I keep looking. WWYD?

Need some collective horse wisdom here… if you’ve read this far, thank you!

[Scribbler]

@Alter312

A little background: grew up riding and competing seriously through my 20s. In my thirties priorities shifted, started a family, started focusing on a new discipline. I consider myself a serious rider, but have, the past few years, been enjoying the learning/training process more than competing. Made it to two shows last year and had a blast, but am not dying to show every weekend. I like having a goal to work toward. Along with a shift in priorities, a huge desire has grown to bring my horses home. I fully understand the time and work commitment that entails, and believe I’m ready for it.

Now for the conundrum: found a property within budget, though on the high end, in a fantastic location, both from a practical standpoint and from the value of the property (will hold its value, fantastic schools for kids, etc). Has beautiful barn and almost everything I’m looking for with one big BUT… there is no riding arena. I’m fairly confident I can put in an outdoor and would invest to have it well done, with good footing, drainage, etc. A indoor, however, is likely out of the question for this property given the size, layout, and zoning requirements. I live in an area of the country where 10 years ago, you would not be riding outside for a solid 4-5 months per year, but that seems to be changing (thanks, global warming) somewhat. I love everything else about this property - house, barn, etc. Every time I think I’m ready to make the leap and make an offer, I get this voice in the back of my head (“but what if you cannot ride as much as you want to?”) I know everyone says riding time is already harder to come by when you bring them home - am I crazy to further restrict that by requiring the stars to align for good weather for part of the year? I could hold out but would likely be trading-off prime location to be able to afford enough to space to be able to eventually build one if I keep looking. WWYD?

Need some collective horse wisdom here… if you’ve read this far, thank you!

For me a deal breaker would be no trails access

If you are buying as an investment and have a family to consider then those other factors absolutely are important.

As far as riding. If you look on Around the Farm, you will see how many people find they ride much less when they have to spend every weekend fixing fences and mowing pasture. Or when they are alone, for either safety or social factors or missing a coaches eyes.

I don’t know your climate, but it’s possible to build an all weather ring that drains, put on a waterproof rain coat and a quarter sheet, and ride in anything other than an actual ice storm. You could plow your arena for snow.

That said depending on drainage and outdoor arena is not cheap. It could run you $50k to build if you need drainage and substrate.

[Djones]

Do you work from home?

Can you hire much or most of the grunt work out?

How high are your standards? Is it ok if you don’t weedeat for a while and go ride your horse? Is shaggy and happy good with you, or is everything’s got to be just so more to your liking?

[OzarksRider]

@Alter312

everyone says riding time is already harder to come by when you bring them home -

I don’t think this is necessarily true. My two horses are at home, stalled at night and out during the day. Sure, I have to feed them, turn them out, muck their stalls, haul hay, groom them, and keep an eye on them. Even so, it takes less time and effort than it would take to drive somewhere to ride them. In fact, I doubt if I would do it regularly. I like the convenience of just walking outside, saddling my riding horse, and trotting off down the road. I also really like being their sole caretaker. I like having a relationship with them other than just riding. I think that daily interaction, even if it’s just basic care, really helps bonding, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As for the outdoor arena . . . could you build an open air arena with just a roof over it instead of a full indoor? I wish I could do that where I live so I could have a shady place to ride in the summer when it’s too ghastly hot to be outside.

[mmeqcenter]

@Alter312

I know everyone says riding time is already harder to come by when you bring them home

I had the complete opposite experience. When I bought my farm after years of boarding, I rode way more often. It helped that I also started working from home at the same time, of course. So no commute to work, no commute to the barn, meant TONS of time and energy saved that could be invested into the farm, horses, and riding. I even had boarders, up to 14 horses at most for a few months (tried to cap at eight on the regular) and had time to ride two horses 5-6 days per week. I can’t wait to have a farm again, and I probably will only do my own personal horses when I do, which means omg even easier.

I’m lazy by nature, so I try to figure out the easiest, simplest way to do stuff. Plus, I’m a huge proponent for turnout. 24/7 turnout. My horses have never been happier nor healthier (physically and mentally) than with 24/7 turnout. Time perks include with no stall cleaning, less time needed to feed, etc.
I’m so confused when people say that farm maintenance like mowing and fence fixing takes up all their time. I guess everyone has different standards but, I mowed about nine acres every weekend in the summers, one a month in the winters, which took about 2-3 hours. The rest of my 20 acres was pasture or wooded, and I drug the poop and mowed down weeds once a month at most, taking maybe an hour. I didn’t really spend all that much time fixing fences on a regular basis. Horses that were hard on fences got put into a field with wire mesh and electric on top, no wood board fencing for them. In my next farm I want zero wood boards at all.

@Alter312

I live in an area of the country where 10 years ago, you would not be riding outside for a solid 4-5 months per year

This definitely sucks, I was in Ohio most of my life and totally understand. Are you in a horse-rich location where you could haul out during those months to ride in an indoor?
You may be surprised how much riding you can do during those months, without an arena. Walking is an excellent workout for horses.
But a 20mx40m outdoor with all-weather footing and excellent drainage would be a great help if you can put one in.

[LCDR]

I bought my own place 7 years ago, after over 30 as a boarder. While I absolutely love being sround the horses 24/7 it has put a huge kibosh on my riding time. There are so many maintenance and horse care items each day with higher priorities than me riding.

[luvmyhackney]

Depends on how much maintenance on the property and how long till you are able put in a ring. They aren’t cheap. Plus you spend time mowing, trimming, picking poop out of pasture, chores and it wears on you especially if no one to vent.

My place is a fixer upper so I prioritize project time over riding currently. If it’s turn key and no projects, time wise you would be fine.

Plus make sure you find a good vet and hay guy before moving your horses home. Finding good hay that would deliver for a smaller client was a challenge.

[3PonyFarm]

My biggest issue with keeping horses at home is finding someone reliable to feed and care for the animals if I want to go away for a weekend or even a week.

[jherold]

Is there a stable with an indoor near by that allows haul-ins? My trainer allows me to use her arenas because I train with her and another facility let’s me use their arena for a small fee.

[LCDR]

In addition to farm maintenance, you need to factor in equipment puchases unless you already own a tractor, mower, UTV, arena drag and such. Manure handling or disposal can be a big issue too. Will you be composting, paying to have it hauled off, or buying a manure spreader? Of course given enough time you can just buy a shovel and a wheelbarrow. Or even hire out all the chores and maintenance.

Then there is fertilizing pastures, applying lime, seeding, and weeding. I love having my own place but I’m lucky to have the money coming in to buy the things I failed to think about up front.

And, you will discover that keeping on top of weather forecasts will have a big place in your life. That and searching for hay to buy. And do you ever have the wish or need to travel? That won’t be happening like it did when you just locked the front door in suburbia and drove off to the airport.

Well, you did ask for a gut check.

[Scribbler]

@LCDR

In addition to farm maintenance, you need to factor in equipment puchases unless you already own a tractor, mower, UTV, arena drag and such. Manure handling or disposal can be a big issue too. Will you be composting, paying to have it hauled off, or buying a manure spreader? Of course given enough time you can just buy a shovel and a wheelbarrow. Or even hire out all the chores and maintenance.

Then there is fertilizing pastures, applying lime, seeding, and weeding. I love having my own place but I’m lucky to have the money coming in to buy the things I failed to think about up front.

And, you will discover that keeping on top of weather forecasts will have a big place in your life. That and searching for hay to buy. And do you ever have the wish or need to travel? That won’t be happening like it did when you just locked the front door in suburbia and drove off to the airport.

Well, you did ask for a gut check.

I do self board in a club barn. I order hay and feed for myself and am responsible for fence footing maintenance of an 11 foot square stall, an 11 by 22 foot runout, and an 11 square foot loft above the stall. As a member of the club board of directors I know exactly how much we pay trades people for arena construction plumbing electric snow removal grading roads etc and for insurance. We don’t pay property tax. It’s sobering. It’s a lot of work.

[clanter]

@Alter312

Has beautiful barn

suggest you remove any extra stalls as an empty stall seems to always find an occupant at least ours have, also tear down any building that is not needed as for some reason something will be found to live there.

My kids’ playhouse became the miniature horse stable, once the miniatures were moved to the secondary barn after Foxie’s death my grand daughters got two goats which then was expanded to six more (who also have taken over three of the paddocks)

Every one who thinks they are your freind will have an animal for you, after all you have so much room is their belief

[SharonA1]

Well, you already know all the reasons not to get your own place, and yet the dream lives on.

Now you have found a place that ticks all the most important of your boxes.

ARE YOU SH—ING ME??? LEAP OUT AND GRAB YOUR DREAM!!!

Ahem. My point is that nothing about riding/loving horses makes sense, as they are expensive time-sucks full of unpredictable variables and heartbreak. No sane person would ever fall in love with horses or horsekeeping. And yet, we do fall in love with it.

And if you don’t love it once you’ve tried it, it sounds like resale wouldn’t be too hard. I do not see any long-term, cast-in-stone downsides here. GO GIT DONE BUYING THE FARM!

[luvmyhackney]

Blockquote[quote=“3PonyFarm, post:8, topic:782323, full:true”]
My biggest issue with keeping horses at home is finding someone reliable to feed and care for the animals if I want to go away for a weekend or even a week.
[/quote]

It’s so expensive! I’m taking a trip in April and it’s 120.00 a day for the 3 horses and two goats, plus check mail for 2x a day visits! Chores take around 30 minutes 2x a day as I’m leaving the horses outside. Goats are easy, you can feed and water them through the fence.

[lorilu]

Could you consider boarding at a facility with a covered during those winter months?
And as far as riding time goes, I ride much more often when my horse is home rather than at the trainer’s. Its so easy to just walk out the door and ride…
That said, I have a much more laizes-faire attitude about most maintenance. It gets done, on my schedule. Even more so now that I drove almost an hour each way, 2-3 days a week, to ride. My place is not a showplace. Im a single woman and have to hire the big things out, and even the small things are easier with another set of hands (thinking fence boards here, in particular).

[lenapesadie]

I love having mine at home again. I WFH and have been riding all winter during my lunch break. It’s fantastic to ride in the middle of the day this time of year.

Sure I spend time doing farm stuff but that beats sitting in traffic hollow.

I have the luxury of being able to afford multiple horses again.

I set my place up so that I can leave my horses with separate in and out access between their paddocks and their stalls so a sitter never has to open a gate if im gone. I can easily leave them for a one night getaway and have a neighbor just eyeball them.

I would expect the first year of horses at home to be more projects than it will be the second and then third year etc.

A huge consideration is what a suitable riding surface will cost and how miserable your worst weather is.

I ride year round outside on native dirt, but it’s not like that for everyone.

[TheJenners]

If you work at all, the darkness and school work of winter will keep you off the horse more than weather.

If you dont, then bless you and go buy it.

Says me, who hasnt ridden since July. Meh.

[anon40672407]

There is SO MUCH MORE flexibility if you keep your horses at home. In terms of:

1. Time Spent
2. Feed programs
3. Buying/selling
4. Possible boarders to defray costs.
5. Sports you choose to pursue

Plus, if you keep the property in good nick, the value remains with the land, and goes back to you when you sell, unlike about half of the money you would otherwise spend in boarding each month.

The property I kept my horses on was on a trail system, and the trail system was 1/4 mile from the association riding arenas, so I didn’t have the problem(s) you face with the arena (the other roughly half being feed, which of course your horses will consume whether at a barn or at home.)

Do you have a rig now? Do you trailer much now? Keep your horses at home and trailer out to wherever your trainer is based. Or if there is an association (with arenas) near you, join it. Or make a deal with the local covered arena owner for a fee. You can pay a LOT of $10/ride fees before you’ve spent as much as an indoor arena would cost you !

[clanter]

There is SO MUCH MORE flexibility if you keep your horses at home. In terms of:

1. Time Spent

well that is can easily be a full time unending job seven days a week, 365 days a year (plus bonus day in Leap Years) rain/snow/freezing weather/heat …every day unless the horses are turned out in vast endless pastures with an unending water supply

[Bonnie2]

Totally agree with SharonA1 - go for it! And if it isn’t working, the place sounds very saleable. Also agree with jherold. We haul out regularly in the winter and it’s good for the horses to see different places. My township is quite difficult about “indoor riding arenas” and I have little space. So we put in a 72’ square “farm building” with 14’ side walls. We have ridden in there but mostly use it for longeing. Also great for bad weather turnout. I wish we had bought a farm decades ago. Grab your dream and make it work!