VA Horse People

[GraceLikeRain]

I’d love to hear from VA equestrians. DH has a very unexpected opportunity for relocation.
The attached image is the entire area we could live in (remote/regional travel role). He said if we move, I get full power over the “where” within the region. Negotiations are still ongoing but planning helps with my anxiety.

Where is the best horse concentration?

Where are the best people quality of life areas?

I’ve got Richmond/chesterfield, New Kent, Henrico on my radius from a people and jobs perspective.

Fairfax is also piquing my interest but I’m guessing COL and traffic could really impact the ability to enjoy the area.

Are there other areas to consider?

Horse priorities: access to high quality care team (vet/farrier/saddle fitting/body workers), multiple good boarding options, and a sense of community/opportunities to get engaged.

[luvmyhackney]

I’m assuming needs to be near an airport which Dulles would be the largest around with many direct flights all over the country but NoVa is extremely expensive.

If you go to Clarke county, much more affordable and close enough to Dulles, less than 1.5 hours.

Southern Virginia I’m not as familiar with do know housing and boarding is much cheaper.

[GraceLikeRain]

@luvmyhackney

If you go to Clarke county, much more affordable and close enough to Dulles, less than 1.5 hours.

What’s the horse scene like around there?

[luvmyhackney]

It’s honestly a great horse area, there are more and more horse things in Clarke every year, but you are a quick drive to Loudoun and even Frederick MD.

Lots of really good trainers are moving out that way as they are being priced out of Loudoun. You won’t have issues finding quality vets, decent farriers, saddle fitters, etc. it’s not as cheap as southern VA but definitely lower than Loudoun and Fairfax.

[StormyDay]

The most concentration is probably in Loudoun county. I live there, and I do love it, though the cost of housing is super high.

Prince William and Fauquier are also very horsey, and possibly marginally cheaper.

Spotsylvania has some local and rated horse shows nearby. However the traffic down there can be brutal due to the military.

I love Virginia, it’s probably one of the most ‘horsey’ states. It’s only beat out by Florida. (And in a tie with Maryland)

Let me know if you want further info on Loudoun.

[McGurk]

Do move your line and include Culpeper, Fauquier and Orange, maybe even Clarke and Rappahannock.

They are less expensive than Loudoun, Fairfax and PW, have beautiful horse country and terrain, and terrific access to vets, farriers, saddle fitters, trainers, etc.

[Janet]

I am in Prince William, and there is lots of horse activity and horse resources. But it is expensive and the commuting sucks in all of Northern Virginia.

I also know that there are a lot of horse activities and resources around Richmond, but I do not know details. Also, especially if you are involved in Hunter/Jumper, the area around Charlottesville, but you have but that in your “No” region. Also Orange country, which you have also marked “No”.

[GraceLikeRain]

@McGurk

Do move your line

The role mandates living in the sales region unfortunately so we have to stick to the (+) zone for our address. In theory, we could live in the (+) zone and board across the line. Since I will need to job search once we move, I’m a little apprehensive about having home and horse too far apart since a job could end up commuting me in a totally different direction.

[clanter]

@GraceLikeRain

DH has a very unexpected opportunity for relocation.

back a few decades ago I had a similar opportunity, the company I was working for acquired a Los Angeles area company and I was “transferred” to that new division. After looking at the increased cost of living And stress it would impose on my family I asked if I could just commute from the DFW area rather than relocate.

After actually looking at the costs, it was less expensive for my company and better for my family for me to just commute to Burbank (division was located in Chatsworth)

I did that for nearly ten years

[eponacelt]

What kind of trainer/riding do you want. The highest concentration of everything is the Fauquier/Loudoun area with copious numbers of eventing, hunter/jumper, and dressage. Things get a little thinner, especially for eventing and dressage as you get farther from that area. If you can live in Loudoun and afford it, that’s probably the highest concentration of all things horses in your area. Loudoun is VERY expensive though and is definitely northern VA in all its glory - the good and the bad.

The Richmond area has a lot of hunter/jumper barns, fewer top tier dressage trainers. But lots of good services. You could also be in the area just east of Charlottesville, which is beautiful, more affordable than areas to the east or west, and you’ll still have good access to shows, trainers, and services. I’d look at Fluvanna or Louisa counties.

[Texarkana]

I don’t live in VA currently but did in the past and am semi-close now.

You can scratch Northampton and Accomack counties off the list. They are located on the Delmarva Penninsiula, only accessible to the mainland of the state by taking the 17 mile bay bridge tunnel or driving over a 100 miles up into MD and taking the Chesapeake bay bridge, then driving back down. I’m not sure your DH’s position, whether he has to cover that whole region or just be within a reporting distance, but either way he’s unlikely to want to be cut off from the mainland, surrounded by water on 3 sides. Plus, there is very little infrastructure there period. The biggest industry is agriculture (chickens, not horses).

[McGurk]

Ah. Then I think NoVA is going to be difficult, because you’ll be in a VERY high cost of living area and have a commute to the barn.

So I’d like to change my recommendation to Fluvanna, as close to Charlottesville as you can get without crossing in Albemarle, or Goochland. Eastern Goochland is pretty pricey too, western Goochland, about half way between Richmond and Charlottesville might be good.

[Texarkana]

@McGurk

Ah. Then I think NoVA is going to be difficult, because you’ll be in a VERY high cost of living area and have a commute to the barn.

So I’d like to change my recommendation to Fluvanna, as close to Charlottesville as you can get without crossing in Albemarle, or Goochland. Eastern Goochland is pretty pricey too, western Goochland, about half way between Richmond and Charlottesville might be good.

That’s probably what I would say, too, looking at the options and making horses a priority.

[luvmyhackney]

It’s hard making suggestions without knowing what field your in and where you even want to work and the fifty million other variables.

I forget people still go in the office after Covid. If COL is important, run far away from Loudoun and Fairfax

[GraceLikeRain]

Thanks everyone. COL is a huge consideration along with commute. That being said, I really want to know my horse is safe and happy. Ending up in an area where quality care is slim pickings would be really stressful.

Flouvanna, Louisa, and western Goochland are now on my radar. @eponacelt 'd love to be within a hour of a good dressage trainer but if I need to travel 2 hours every other month, that’s no issue. Quality care is paramount. If we have to hack around and enjoy life for a few years, it isn’t the end of the world.

@luvmyhackney it is wild to me that some people got to stay remote. In our area that really never caught on. Everyone I know across multiple sectors is back in the office full time. I may luck out and find a remote job but it would be nice to plan around it not happening. My expertise is in strategic planning and systems change, historically within education and public health spaces. Universities, hospital systems, large school districts, regional or national nonprofits, etc. are all viable options.

@Texarkana thanks for the tip. My inclination was that those areas did not make sense. He has to cover the whole region, which makes Richmond the most appealing option from a geographic perspective but a happy pony is really high on the list.

[Tiramit]

Loudoun is certainly going to offer you the most of everything - horses, jobs, shopping, entertainment, etc. It’s also central to most major motorways and will give you access to several airports (including BWI). It is expensive, however, not all of Loudoun is expensive. You could consider some of the outskirt areas or even drop down to Warrenton/Marshall. You’ll still be close in and near the horses but not far away from the rest of the world. Good luck and welcome to to VA!