UPDATE: H/J Programs near San Angelo, TX

[KnockedOut]

UPDATE for military personnel that may be conducting this query in the future:

I ended up boarding/training with Olivia Cliver at On the Mark in Midland, TX. Absolutely cannot recommend her enough. Love the program, love the people. Additionally, the drive from San Angelo to Midland is about 1:45hr and is a super easy, non stressful drive.

Also, just for the military folk, this facebook page is growing by leaps and bounds and the girl who runs it is great. She is always looking for new submissions and gets them posted pretty quickly. A really great resource for those of us who are always on the move. https://www.facebook.com/militaryequines/

There is one facility in San Angelo, but I haven’t visited it personally. It’s called Flying CA Performance Horses. https://flyingcaperformancehorses.com/. A friend of mine has taken her kids for lessons and seems to like it alright.

Hi there! We’re a military family and we will be moving to San Angelo in July. I did some quick searches online and the only legit hunter jumper programs I could find were in Austin and San Antonio. I’ve kept my horses at home myself for most of my life, so I’m totally fine just hauling into a program (since theyre about 3 hours away from San Angelo). But I can’t even really find any horse boarding facilities within an hour of San Angelo that have actual arenas with footing.

Does anyone know anything about that area??

Thanks in advance.

[PonyPenny]

@KnockedOut

Hi there! We’re a military family and we will be moving to San Angelo in July. I did some quick searches online and the only legit hunter jumper programs I could find were in Austin and San Antonio. I’ve kept my horses at home myself for most of my life, so I’m totally fine just hauling into a program (since theyre about 3 hours away from San Angelo). But I can’t even really find any horse boarding facilities within an hour of San Angelo that have actual arenas with footing.

Does anyone know anything about that area??

Thanks in advance.

You are in cowboy country. Not sure if there are boarding facilities.

[KnockedOut]

This is what I’m afraid of. I’m going to end up having to sell the jumper and buy a trail pony

[KnockedOut]

Bumping this up again - but also just need to throw myself a small pity party among people who will understand.

I think I just spent the last 2 hours researching any and all horse related locations in west texas. I finally found a really huge list of 120 boarding facilities and not a single one was under 3 hours away. And that didnt even account for what facilities would actually be acceptable.

As I go back and read some of the other military threads, everyone always comments about how rough moving is and how their horses help them get through it all. Coming to terms with having to sell everything and not having that emotional outlet for the next 4 years is, frankly, kind of soul crushing.

I’m not the most outgoing person, so the horses are how I make friends. Pretty much every aspect of my life is going to completely change - how I schedule my time, what I do for fun, how I make friends, what I talk about with people and what my day consists of is going to be different than what it has been for the last 20 years.

The worst part of it is that I don’t want my SO to fell like I’m blaming him or holding it against him or anything like that when I do have my eventual emotional meltdown. He doesn’t want to sell the horses either, but at this point it’s not economical or a logistical feasibility.

In the end, I know I just need a few days of crying and I’ll be over it. Life will go on, there will always be another horse to ride/buy, another trainer to see and more friends to make.

But right now I just need a minute to come to terms with the new reality that’s waiting for me.

[Belmont]

Unfortunately, you’re in cattle country. There is On The Mark in Midland, but that could take you nearly two hours to go to.

http://www.onthemarkequestrian.com

Maybe try reaching out to them anyway. They run a little hub h/j and eventing circuit around the area.

https://www.facebook.com/HighPlainsEqCircuit/

She might be able to give you the name/info of someone that isn’t actively advertised. A friend of mine dated a guy who’s girlfriend apparently rode HJ in San Angelo, but we have yet to be able to find that barn. LOL

[LilyandBaron]

There are a handful of boarding options with arenas, but no h/j programs, unless something radically changed in recent years. Abilene and San Antonio are easy hauling in TX, Austin is a bit far. Try to reach xhalt77 on here - she could give you advice on boarding. If you can do your homework and haul out periodically, you’ll be fine. Even Midland has pockets of stuff. I wouldn’t give up just know it’s not a h/j Mecca;)

[KnockedOut]

@Belmont

Unfortunately, you’re in cattle country. There is On The Mark in Midland, but that could take you nearly two hours to go to.

http://www.onthemarkequestrian.com

Maybe try reaching out to them anyway. They run a little hub h/j and eventing circuit around the area.

https://www.facebook.com/HighPlainsEqCircuit/

She might be able to give you the name/info of someone that isn’t actively advertised. A friend of mine dated a guy who’s girlfriend apparently rode HJ in San Angelo, but we have yet to be able to find that barn. LOL

Thank you! I finally found On the Mark after coming very close to an emotional breakdown about having to sell everything! I drive over an hour right now to my barn so I’m ok driving far if it means I can keep riding and showing. I messaged Olivia and the place and program sound like it’ll be a good option. I’m so relieved!

[KnockedOut]

@LilyandBaron

There are a handful of boarding options with arenas, but no h/j programs, unless something radically changed in recent years. Abilene and San Antonio are easy hauling in TX, Austin is a bit far. Try to reach xhalt77 on here - she could give you advice on boarding. If you can do your homework and haul out periodically, you’ll be fine. Even Midland has pockets of stuff. I wouldn’t give up just know it’s not a h/j Mecca;)

You read my mind already - I’m hoping that I can find a nice, safe place to board and jump around here and there. Then haul away to some show barn who will accept haul ins for more serious training if I decide to go that route. I’ve already scouted out the reputable veterinary hospitals and sporthorse treatment locations for injections etc. I don’t even mind hauling for shoes if that’s what it takes to get a good farrier. Not sure how much experience there is out in cattle country with warmblood feet!

I’m feeling so much better about this already. Thank you everyone for your ideas and recommendations!

[Nickelodian]

I have h/j friends in Midland. PM me if you want a connection.

[LilyandBaron]

And there were some decent farriers, and warmbloods, too. The barn that’s closed now had a broodmare by Consul and I got to break a few nice babies;)

[ElementFarm]

all I can say is, I’m sorry. That area is a virtual wasteland for good horse boarding, shows, or instruction. There are some safe-ish boarding options including some self care. But last time I was at Goodfellow (admittedly, it was about 4-5 years ago now), I looked desperately for someplace to ride since the one barn L&B referenced closed. For H/J I would have had to drive pretty much down to San Antonio. I ended up hacking an old acquaintance’s horse, and the place she kept him was pretty backyard. In fact, she hadn’t taken a lesson in a year because she couldn’t find any English (she rode lower level dressage) instructors to come out that far. Luckily I was just there TDY. If I learned I was going to be stationed there, I think I’d just buy a house with some acreage, and put in pipe fencing and a run-in. There’s not going to be any grass anyway, so you don’t need a huge property.