SoCal Horse Keeping and San Diego area horse scene?

[Absolut_Equestrian]

I’m an east coast girl, but recently received a pretty amazing job offer at a company based in La Jolla. The weather out there seems pretty nice, and this would be a great opportunity for me professionally…but currently my biggest concern is what it would be like to keep/ride/train a horse there. I have many questions, and would appreciate any input!

What areas should I start looking in? DH and I will probably rent for a while before buying, and honestly the location would be somewhat dependant on being near a good horsey area. I’m interested primarily in dressage, and recently purchased a young horse to bring up the levels. Can anyone recommend trainers or facilities to check out? I’ve heard many complaints about the traffic, so what would be a good area to start looking for living/boarding if I’m working in La Jolla?

I’m used to large green pastures, which I understand are basically non-existent in SoCal. Can anyone who has made a similar move offer advice on adapting?

I’ve been poking around on a few farm websites, but am having trouble understanding common boarding options for the area. If you board with a stall only, does that mean the horse is in 24/7? I’ve found a few references to “a la carte” boarding in CA on COTH before, but what exactly does this mean?

How about price ranges? I currently pay $900 for full care in PA, which includes an indoor, hay, grain, turnout, holding for vet/farrier, blanketing, and a stall either day or night depending on the season. Is it possible to find something similar-ish in this price range (without the turnout)? I’m thinking it may be easier to get by without an indoor/covered arena in CA

Thanks COTH!

[Malda]

You should be able to find pasture in the San Diego area. So. Cal has lots of open areas, I’m down there quite often, horse hunting.

Can you come out here and have your horses sent after you’ve found a place to live? Ads don’t show everything, you can probably find what you want word-of-mouth. (You’re going to love So. Cal.!)

[atlatl]

I’m in LA county and read once that there are more horses per capita in San Diego county than anywhere else in the US. Lots of options and access to great dressage training.

You simply cannot beat the weather. Check out the CA Dressage Society at California-dressage.org

[StormyDay]

If you drive out towards the mountains you can find boarding with pastures. I see a lot driving out towards temecula (not in temecula though, that is all wineries now). Also compared to other parts of California the traffic is not so bad. Even compared to some places on the east coast it isn’t so bad.
Also, i absolutely love the San Diego area. I hope it works out for you!

[Silverbridge]

My trainer has relocated to the SD area for the Summer months, and my horse leaves Sunday to spend the Summer there with her. My mare will be at a barn in Encinitas.

So the ala carte thing, refers to a basic board rate and then the add ons. This place we are going is a bit above what you are paying now, and then it’s another $100/mo for turnout six days a week, another $100 for the Euro walker six days a week, and another $50/mo for the workers to feed the supplements that you make up in baggies.

This a la carte kind of program is not uncommon in the Phoenix area, either, which is where we are boarding most of the year. I have the same arrangement at our current place, including parking my trailer on site. It all adds up. Except that of course in Phoenix and Scottsdale the prices per item are somewhat less than Encinitas. And the board itself is a lower starting point. Anyway in both cases you pick and choose what you want or need, and in the Winter there’s the addition of blanketing for another fee. And some places have grooming/handling for still another fee.

Pasture is available in many places around SD, but probably not the same as you are used to in PA. It’s not acres and acres of rolling, grazeable land. But there are grass-covered paddocks that are able to support horses that are turned out daily, with good management. Those places might cost a bit more than the ones that only offer turnouts with sand. The farther out you go from the populated areas, the more likely you’ll be to find more acreage. Temecula as mentioned, Hemet, other inland areas. But then you’re looking at long commutes to the barn and so it’s all a tradeoff depending on how often you need to ride and how much time you have to invest in your non-working hours.

That grass paddock aspect, plus the ocean breezes and cooler temps, are all part of the Summer plan that I’m really looking forward to for my horse. She was bred in IL and will love to be out on grass for at least several hours, most days.

There are many good trainers based in that area. From big names you’d find on the rosters and CDI lists, to other established people who stick more to CA shows but have great reputations and longtime clients and run good programs.

It’s all (boarding, training, shoeing, vet care, commute, etc) going to be more expensive than where you are now, and, managed with less land over more distance. Just accept those things as a given before you start your search, and you’ll be in a more realistic mindset as you make inquiries.

And no, indoor arenas are not necessary and really are not even all that common. The place I mentioned, where my mare is going, has no indoor and is considered pretty upscale for the area. Here in AZ we don’t have true indoors either, very often. Nicer places have covered arenas which are just roofs overhead with no walls. SD area doesn’t even need that.

It’s a great climate and environment for riding and for learning dressage, if you can find a place that works for you.

[Absolut_Equestrian]

Thanks everyone!

[QUOTE=Malda;8683587]
Can you come out here and have your horses sent after you’ve found a place to live? Ads don’t show everything, you can probably find what you want word-of-mouth. (You’re going to love So. Cal.!)[/QUOTE]

Yes, this is a possibility! However, my horse=my sanity, so I hope we are not separated for too long

DH and I will be going out for a few days before the move to look around, so I am hoping to get some ideas for general areas or specific places to look for boarding. When relocating in the past I’ve found the best places by word of mouth, but that can be tough when you don’t know a soul in the area!

[Jarrn]

The San Diego area definitely has pastures! Probably not as big as you’re used to, but they are there!

You won’t need an indoor in SD, so don’t worry about that (if you could even find one! There are a few out here but it’s rare).

Stall boarding is just that - you get a stall. Some places provide turnout either included or for an additional cost. Most turnout is not more than a few hours, if that. A la carte boarding is where you pay for (or provide your own) feed, turnout, blanketing, etc or some combination of that. It’s not full board.

You’ll definitely find many places below $900 with most of what you want included. An indoor will be hard to find, but if you want it then you may have to travel to find it. I still think you will be able to get even that under $900 though. The only tough thing will be finding the same turnout/stall option that you have now.

ETA: okay I lied. Here’s an indoor arena if you need it, in La Jolla http://lajollaequestrian.net/boarding/

[Jarrn]

There is also this place, not sure how far from La Jolla it is: http://horseboardingsandiego.com/amenities

The stalls/pens are big enough that your horses won’t miss not being turned out every day! Plus the board is cheap enough that I am sure you can pay to have them turned out and still be way under the $900 you spend now. A friend of mine boarded here and while I never asked for details, she never complained about the place. She ended up leaving because she moved I believe. It’s not a very show-oriented barn however so not sure if that interests you.

ETA: also this place. Again I don’t know how far from la jolla it is but it includes daily turnout and is a beautiful looking facility
http://seabreezefarms.com/boarding

[ZIL]

http://www.dovehollowdressage.com
spetersdressage.com

[MidlifeCrisis]

[QUOTE=Jarrn;8683770]

ETA: okay I lied. Here’s an indoor arena if you need it, in La Jolla http://lajollaequestrian.net/boarding/[/QUOTE]

La Jolla Equestrian Center is in Northern California.

[runNjump86]

I miss living and riding in San Diego county every single day. Board is cheaper there than in SE Wisconsin. No joke.

I strongly recommend going there. It’s an amazing place and has a plethora of high quality trainers and facilities.

[MissAriel]

La Jolla Equestrian, linked above is not near San Diego.
The other link at horseboardingsandiego.com is WAAAYYY down south, nearly to the border. Bank on 1.5h+ in traffic to get there from La Jolla anywhere near rush hour. Ditto Temecula, Hemet, Ramona, although those are inland rather than south. Encinitas would be ok, although going north on the 5 will be heavy traffic. Dove Hollow is a lovely facility in Escondido, at least 1hr from La Jolla at rush hour.

I would check out Marion Wright in Del Mar at Belvedere Stables, or Angela Paltram in Del Mar at AP Dressage, as some of the closest. Seabreeze is also quite close, but last I heard they didn’t have a dressage trainer. You can probably find something in your range here, although many barns require you to be in at least part-training, if not full training, which increases costs quite a bit. One thing to remember is that here often a “stall” means a pipe corral - often 12x24 or 16x24, so a bit bigger than a standard box stall you are familiar with on the East Coast. Grass/pasture is hard to find, so if you find it, more $$$.

San Diego is great - the weather is fabulous. Lots of horses and dressage here. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions - I have been a San Diego transplant (from the East Coast also) going on 20 years, riding most of it.

[MuddyHalter]

I’m a recent transplant from PA. Though in LA, not SD, so I can’t help with barns there. The horse keeping out here will be shockingly different from what you’re used to. It still blows my mind a little. But fortunately, horses are pretty adaptable creatures, and will still thrive even without acres of pasture and hours of turnout. And you won’t miss dealing with mud - no water, no mud. My approach was to live out here for a while, decide which of my horses would be ok with SoCal horsekeeping, and bring only those horses (which ended up being two of my four). One I sold (a foxhunter who preferred to live out 24/7), and one (older, with mild heaves and anihidrosis) I left in PA with a trusted friend/pro who leases him out in the barn.

The weather out here is amazing, no indoor necessary; the traffic is a nightmare, think DC beltway all.the.damn.time. Maybe it’s not as bad in La Jolla/SD, I don’t know, but if it’s like LA, brace yourself. That said, the best way to approach it is as a fact of life, and just plan your drive times accordingly. Oh, and plan for your general cost of living to be about 20%+ higher. The cost of horse keeping you will find fairly comparable, at least I did coming from larger h/j barns. Good luck!

[runNjump86]

[QUOTE=MuddyHalter;8684931]
I’m a recent transplant from PA. Though in LA, not SD, so I can’t help with barns there. The horse keeping out here will be shockingly different from what you’re used to. It still blows my mind a little. But fortunately, horses are pretty adaptable creatures, and will still thrive even without acres of pasture and hours of turnout. And you won’t miss dealing with mud - no water, no mud. My approach was to live out here for a while, decide which of my horses would be ok with SoCal horsekeeping, and bring only those horses (which ended up being two of my four). One I sold (a foxhunter who preferred to live out 24/7), and one (older, with mild heaves and anihidrosis) I left in PA with a trusted friend/pro who leases him out in the barn.

The weather out here is amazing, no indoor necessary; the traffic is a nightmare, think DC beltway all.the.damn.time. Maybe it’s not as bad in La Jolla/SD, I don’t know, but if it’s like LA, brace yourself. That said, the best way to approach it is as a fact of life, and just plan your drive times accordingly. Oh, and plan for your general cost of living to be about 20%+ higher. The cost of horse keeping you will find fairly comparable, at least I did coming from larger h/j barns. Good luck![/QUOTE]

SD traffic can’t hold a candle to LA traffic, even on Friday afternoons heading to Temecula!!

But still, the absolute WORST traffic I’ve ever dealt with has been in Virginia. Nobody knows how to drive when it rains. Or merge. Ever. It took me two and a half hours to go home one night, and I was forty minutes from my house.

[Peggy]

San Diego seems like kind of a dressage mecca – lots of top trainers, a variety of shows, and an active chapter of CDS (California Dressage Society). Here is a link to the trainer listings page of the CDS chapter: http://sandiegodressage.com/trainers/

I don’t know what the turnout situation is or if there are backyard type barns (as in barns in people’s backyards, not in the pejorative sense) in nearby communities that might have paddocks as well as access to a ring.

Temecula definitely still has horses in addition to wineries, but it would be a heck of a drive.

[Jarrn]

[QUOTE=MissAriel;8684605]
La Jolla Equestrian, linked above is not near San Diego.
The other link at horseboardingsandiego.com is WAAAYYY down south, nearly to the border. Bank on 1.5h+ in traffic to get there from La Jolla anywhere near rush hour. Ditto Temecula, Hemet, Ramona, although those are inland rather than south. Encinitas would be ok, although going north on the 5 will be heavy traffic. Dove Hollow is a lovely facility in Escondido, at least 1hr from La Jolla at rush hour.

I would check out Marion Wright in Del Mar at Belvedere Stables, or Angela Paltram in Del Mar at AP Dressage, as some of the closest. Seabreeze is also quite close, but last I heard they didn’t have a dressage trainer. You can probably find something in your range here, although many barns require you to be in at least part-training, if not full training, which increases costs quite a bit. One thing to remember is that here often a “stall” means a pipe corral - often 12x24 or 16x24, so a bit bigger than a standard box stall you are familiar with on the East Coast. Grass/pasture is hard to find, so if you find it, more $$$.

San Diego is great - the weather is fabulous. Lots of horses and dressage here. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions - I have been a San Diego transplant (from the East Coast also) going on 20 years, riding most of it.[/QUOTE]
Oops, I saw “La jolla” and assumed it was actually IN la jolla. Dang it. Seabreeze lists a dressage trainer (Teri Rich) on their website, so I assume they have one?

OP I know a place in San Diego (not necessarily near La Jolla, but it is like 2 minutes off the 15, 20-30 minutes from La Jolla without traffic) that has pastures. It is NOT a full service facility of any kind, and I don’t believe they have included stalls. It’s basically pasture board, for less than $500 a month. That includes basically nothing but feeding of hay (and I assume cleaning and stuff). They have arenas and trails, but no trainers or anything. More of a retirement place. But like I said, they have grass pasture board.

[Absolut_Equestrian]

[QUOTE=MuddyHalter;8684931]
The horse keeping out here will be shockingly different from what you’re used to. It still blows my mind a little. But fortunately, horses are pretty adaptable creatures, and will still thrive even without acres of pasture and hours of turnout. And you won’t miss dealing with mud - no water, no mud. My approach was to live out here for a while, decide which of my horses would be ok with SoCal horsekeeping, and bring only those horses (which ended up being two of my four). One I sold (a foxhunter who preferred to live out 24/7), and one (older, with mild heaves and anihidrosis) I left in PA with a trusted friend/pro who leases him out in the barn.

The weather out here is amazing, no indoor necessary; the traffic is a nightmare, think DC beltway all.the.damn.time. Maybe it’s not as bad in La Jolla/SD, I don’t know, but if it’s like LA, brace yourself. That said, the best way to approach it is as a fact of life, and just plan your drive times accordingly. Oh, and plan for your general cost of living to be about 20%+ higher. The cost of horse keeping you will find fairly comparable, at least I did coming from larger h/j barns. Good luck![/QUOTE]

It’s great to hear first-hand from someone else who has gone through this. I’m sure you’re right about horses being adaptable, probably more so than we are I’ve done the DC beltway thing in the past, and currently commute just over an hour each way to work everyday (although partly by train), so I’m thinking that CA won’t be too much of a shock on the commuting front. The no mud thing also seems attractive, but maybe that’s one thing that my horse would really miss!

I’m also glad to hear someone actually put a number on the cost of living % increase. I keep hearing that it is “more expensive,” so it’s good to have an idea of how much more!

Thanks again for the suggestions everyone, keep them coming!

[mfglickman]

I didn’t have horses when we lived in San Diego but I can tell you it is heaven on earth to live there, especially for Northeast transplants. Average 75 degree temps, low humidity, very little rain. You will love it. Enjoy!

[rockymouse]

My inlaws live in SD and I’ve seen this place from the road:
http://www.ranchoelcamino.com/boarding.htm

It’s quite large, varied in terms of discipline and I think several different trainers work out of that facility. It really does look like a quality place - saw it when I dragged my husband’s family to watch San Diego polo, which is right next door.

This facility is easily accessed off of I-5 near Del Mar, meaning that it is not far at all from La Jolla.

I don’t have any direct experience with the place, but I remembered it immediately upon reading your post. Good luck!

[MuddyHalter]

I’m also glad to hear someone actually put a number on the cost of living % increase. I keep hearing that it is “more expensive,” so it’s good to have an idea of how much more!

My 1100 sq ft condo here cost more than my beautiful 15-acre farm with updated house, barn, and huge ring in SE Pa. :eek: And the price of gas out here is obscene. Not to mention the 9% sales tax. And registering my vehicle was $350 for the year. Insane. It all adds up… :rolleyes: