Quality Hunter/Jumper barns near Milwaukee

[coffeehag]

I do hunters and currently am doing only local shows, but am happy to contribute what I know/saw from many of these barns. As everyone else has mentioned, your A-level shows are quite limited to Ft Worth and Houston; there’s a handful of others here and there but that’s the brunt.

For barns themselves, I wound up at a small one, as I mentioned I’m only doing the local shows but, more importantly to me, it was of the utmost importance to find somewhere with adequate turnout (and by adequate I mean over 4 hours…). Both SwitchWillo and Madrone had horrifically limited turnout. I can’t speak to Monarch if only because it was nearly impossible for me to get in touch with them.

Based on what you’re looking for, and knowing you’ll be based out of Georgetown, I would explore Still Point Farm in Granger. The commute would be quite easy and they do all the big A shows in addition to the local ones. The trainer there is super kind and they just redid their arena footing. You may also like Empire Acres, who does ALLLLL the big shows and whom I’ve heard good things about.

[LilahEquestrian]

@beaucoup

Madrone, for example, is located in a residential neighborhood slightly north, mostly west of downtown Austin. In recent years, the barn manager told me that the neighborhood HOA actually put a stop to Madrone and Madrone’s clients riding in the (very) small covered arena (this maybe had changed this year, not sure), meaning: All boarders share one, moderately sized outdoor arena all hours of the day. The outdoors here are average sized at best in the Austin area and the footing is more likely than not going to be supported by ebb and flow tech with felt pieces- It floods. It freezes. It’s often a bit dusty, and, it’s used all day. Not everyone here drags and waters daily, in my own experience, which was new for me. There is very little grass, so grassy areas (when there is grass) are limited to turnout and hand grazing in South Texas. For those who aren’t familiar with the geography, we have multiple rock quarries in this area as well as rocky formations, which greatly increases excavation and surface coats. Again, not great for anyone but especially competitive jumpers who compete in large outdoor venues like Traverse City, WEC, WEF etc. More often than not, you will show in a covered or indoor arena if you show in Texas.

How are Madrone’s prices? I used to live in San Antonio but had to move to west Texas (small rodeo only towns), and the closest show barn to me was On The Mark in Midland which was still 2 hrs away from me. We boarded there for 8 months, but after a while the drive was just too much and we moved my mare to my property at home. The only other barn with jumps is a small barn that is 10 minutes from my house where all the ladies ride for fun, and they were generous enough to let us trailer down there to school on weekends. My trainer, who used to be the assistant trainer at OTM, left and started her own program in Midland. She isn’t going to any shows for a while as I am her only client that competes on the A circuit. I lesson with her whenever I can, and she is really close friends with Rachel Lindsay. She has recommended me to show with her, but I haven’t gotten into contact with Rachel yet. I am a junior that cannot provide the funds to show for myself so my parents pay, and they are used to two weeks of shows in TX being $4-5k. I am trying to move up to the 3’6" Junior Hunters, and I currently show with Oakwell but I am planning to stop showing with them soon, hence why I am looking at Madrone.

[tmmktoby]

Hello, I hope no one minds me posing a slight different question to this Austin thread. I will be moving there sometime in the next year and thus looking for boarding barns. We will be looking along the eastern side of Austin anywhere from Georgetown to Garfield.
My primary wants are good turnout, covered arena, outdoor area to ride and a place that does local hunter/jumper shows. I’m not really interested in doing A/AA shows. An eventing barn would be fine also but I don’t know there is such around Austin. Having a trainer on-site or one who comes in weekly would be great. Thanks!!
I am also looking for a full care retirement facility for my 24 year old gelding.

[clanter]

@tmmktoby

My primary wants are good turnout, covered arena, outdoor area to ride and a place that does local hunter/jumper shows.

Might add Accessibility as the highway system in that area is at best is poorly designed that was not designed to handle the increased population, what appears to be a short distance can be a long trip time wise

[Jo]

@tmmktoby

My primary wants are good turnout, covered arena, outdoor area to ride and a place that does local hunter/jumper shows.

I’m a long time removed, but I boarded at Scattered Oaks for a minute and loved their turnout.

[ayns123]

I’m the original maker of this post and as an update the barns here in Austin are so bad I’ve decided to sell my horse. My heart can’t take how bad it is here and I realized that I cannot afford to fly back and forth, not from a financial perspective, but from a competitive riding perspective. I flew back for one show and it was a disaster. I am good but I’m not fly back occassionally good. Honestly,I went to one barn to interview the trainer this weekend and it was so bad I called my friend who had moved from SoCal to Wellington and asked her how to replace my trainer in Cali. Her exact words were “If you’re looking to find that program anywhere else, you never will.” The amount of tears that have been shed over this situation is insane. To go from riding every day with a top rider to not even having the option to sit on anything is crazy. I have asked to lesson and been offered OTTB to hack. I just can’t. I really didn’t think it would be this bad but it is.

Thank you to everyone who has helped and responded. =( =(

[Jo]

@ayns123

I’m the original maker of this post and as an update the barns here in Austin are so bad I’ve decided to sell my horse. My heart can’t take how bad it is here and I realized that I cannot afford to fly back and forth, not from a financial perspective, but from a competitive riding perspective.

This seems awfully extreme, but different strokes for different folks. I’d give up showing before I gave up riding…

[coffeehag]

I am so curious to know what was so awful about the barns other than not being at the show level you wanted… it’s no secret that Austin isn’t exactly a mecca for A-level showing, there are several barns I can name off the top of my head that travel to all the major shows and have a consistent presence in Wellington, but barring Pin Oak, there’s not a plethora like there is in California or Wellington. You know, places where they have massive show grounds.

As @Jo said, selling your horse simply because you can’t show at the level you want feels like an extreme reaction. If showing at the scale you were in SoCal was your number one need, then Austin never would have made sense in the first place–which you were told originally.

For @tmmktoby off the bat, there’s only a few eventing barns in Austin. The nicest is Creekside, which is new, and they have a covered round pen but not a full covered (yet!). The other eventing barns do not, to my knowledge, have a covered since Emerald Hill closed. The area of Austin you’re looking at is a huge swath. Within that, you have:
Hilltop Farm - Was sold to developers but they’re still taking boarders so not sure how long it’ll be around. I don’t think it has a covered but don’t quote me on that.
Bit by Bit - Fabulous turnout, outdoor arena, no covered. Does all the local circuits.
Scattered Oaks - Huge adult ammy presence, does the local shows, nut sure on the turnout situation but I believe they have an outdoor and a covered.
Rio Vista - Rarely if ever has boarding openings
Idylwood Stables - Outdoor and covered, I don’t believe they have a ton of turnout
Rallywould - Outdoor and covered, poor turnout
Esoteric - Outdoor and I think they have a covered or indoor, haven’t seen the turnout
Stillpoint - Fabulous outdoor, I think they have a waitlist due to their limited space, do the local and rated shows

[Jo]

@coffeehag

Scattered Oaks - Huge adult ammy presence, does the local shows, nut sure on the turnout situation but I believe they have an outdoor and a covered.

It has been literal YEARS since I boarded at SOF, but the turnout was the main draw and I hope that Stacie has been able to continue her amazing turnout options! She also offered retirement board.

[TallyhoFarms]

Avoid Creekside. They are now on trainer # 5(?) since they opened a year ago.