What is the Best State to Start a Dressage Business?

[orlando_dressage]

My husband and I are thinking about buying a place and starting a small dressage business.

So far we have lived in Florida for a couple of years and thinking about importing horses from Germany I think Florida is too hot and humid. Plus I would like to have my horses grazing good grass to avoid gut and behavioral issues. The pros of Florida are, there are many shows and a great dressage community. When I looked for recognized shows in region 3 it seems that 80% of the shows are in Florida. Does that mean, in the other states like Tennessee there are no dressage riders and therefore no recognized shows?

Right now we are living in Michigan and I don’t want to live somewhere where I have to use an indoor for 6 month because half of the year is winter. So all the nothern states are not interesting. Something like Arizona seems to be too dry from looking at property pictures.

What I would like to have is a property with green pastures, a mild clima and a dressage community to show and have clients. Too much asked?

Looking forward to hear your thoughts.

Nicole

[MysticOakRanch]

@orlando dressage

What I would like to have is a property with green pastures, a mild clima and a dressage community to show and have clients. Too much asked?

Looking forward to hear your thoughts.

Nicole

How much money do you have? Seriously, that is what you pay for in the “best” climates… That is why states like CA are so expensive, and South Dakota, not so much.

[mmeqcenter]

Welp, I was going to say Florida.

Maybe Virginia or California, then.

[Mondo]

Seattle area in WA. We have mild winters, (ok, still need at least a covered arena cuz of rain), warm non-humid summers and a thriving and growing dressage community.

[poltroon]

So there are kind of two orthogonal questions to consider:

• Where is a place with great climate and land for horses and dressage?
• Where can I make money with my dressage business?

Those are independent - for example, there are some great places to ride that have no one around who will buy expensive dressage horses, or where the market is already saturated with professionals, or where the land will be too expensive.

I think I’d first look for a critical mass of riders who would have the money and interest to buy the horses you want to sell. That’s going to be a place with a fair number of shows and there aren’t that many of them. Then figure out how you’d fit into that niche with your expertise and the particular business you’d want to run.

[poltroon]

The sad physical fact is that the only way you get green pastures is with humidity or irrigation.

[piedmontfields]

@poltroon

The sad physical fact is that the only way you get green pastures is with humidity or irrigation.

Amen! Obviously the Tryon/Landrum area is booming with horse professionals now; however, there are a limited number of local clients due to the location. Just depends on what your business would be.

Is it most important to be convenient to showing or to regular on-site clients? How about proximity to an airport fo imports?

I live in E Tennessee and the dressage scene is modest. The Nashville area has real money, but you wouldn’t know it from the horse scene supported. However, it is a very cheap state in which to live and buy a farm, plus there is a lot of green grass. The trainer at my barn (not dressage) does well importing (through JFK to layover in Lexington) and selling, but she is working a niche market (am-friendly event horses). Plus, she spends significant amount of time in Florida competing her horses (getting them seen by would-be buyers).

[GramV]

It also depends on what you want to do in dressage. Breeding requires land that is not super expensive. Training and lessons require clientele, but what kind. You need a population for that, but even then, what kind. The largest number of people will be low level riders. But, will they have the money to pay? Are you going to have school horses, or just give lessons? Will it be on your property? Are there going to be people who want you to train them and/or your horses? Are there going to be shows in the area to support you showing you can train horses and riders?

Honestly, it seems the easiest way to make money is have low level riders with money to pay you to support them in horse, riding, advice, and showing. But, is that where you are mentally?

[orlando_dressage]

Thank you so much everybody so far!

@MysticOakRanch

How much money do you have? Seriously, that is what you pay for in the “best” climates… That is why states like CA are so expensive, and South Dakota, not so much.

I have recognized different prices for comparable properties depending on the State. I know the humidity makes the heat worse in Fla, but I’d rather have that than wild fires and water restrictions, even with a big and wealthy dressage community that Cali has to offer, I think it is probably too dry?

[orlando_dressage]

@poltroon

The sad physical fact is that the only way you get green pastures is with humidity or irrigation.

Sorry, I think that is a misunderstanding, I don’t have anything against humidity and for sure grass needs water to grow. It is just brutal to have humidity and heat, that is why I was thinking about living somewhere between Michigan and Florida.

[rjr]

I will echo Pacific North West. Several places in Western WA and OR that have a mix of reasonable land prices, and also horse people with enough money and interest to support a serious training facility. Several active show facilities, and active GMO’s. Weather is temperate; good for riding 12 months out of the year if you have an indoor.

[orlando_dressage]

@piedmontfields

Is it most important to be convenient to showing or to regular on-site clients? …

I live in E Tennessee and the dressage scene is modest. The Nashville area has real money, but you wouldn’t know it from the horse scene supported. However, it is a very cheap state in which to live and buy a farm, plus there is a lot of green grass…

That was a question that I asked myself. When there is a region without shows, does that mean there are no dressage riders? Because I would think if there are riders that want to compete, there would be shows, or am I wrong?

I like Tennessee weatherwise! I see green pastures on the property pictures and compaired to other states it seems like you get more for your money. I was shocked to see no recognized shows in the Memphis area. I am not looking for to make big money with importing horses and I don’t want to travel all the way to Florida and leave my husband alone at home. But I want to show the horses I import and train and therefore I want to be close to shows. I saw that the recognized shows are most likely around Nashville. Seems like the place to be?

[poltroon]

@orlando dressage

Sorry, I think that is a misunderstanding, I don’t have anything against humidity and for sure grass needs water to grow. It is just brutal to have humidity and heat, that is why I was thinking about living somewhere between Michigan and Florida.

I don’t think I’m misunderstanding you. Humidity makes its own heat. Aside from the pacific northwest, I’m not sure there are places in the US without heat and humidity that also have grass without irrigation or without the winter snow you’re avoiding.

There are pockets all over the west with adequate irrigation, even in California, if you wanted to consider. Not that you should!

I might give you a different way to think about it. If your goal is to have a sales business and not a training clientele, it may be that you want to be closely/conveniently located to an airport where you can fly the horses to and a decent haul away from a dressage circuit, not necessarily in that same town. People will drive a couple of hours to see a horse, or that’s not bad for hauling to a show, but they probably won’t drive 6-8 hours unless you have amazing horses and very good marketing.

[orlando_dressage]

@GramV

…
Honestly, it seems the easiest way to make money is have low level riders with money to pay you to support them in horse, riding, advice, and showing. But, is that where you are mentally?

I am not looking forward to start a riding school with summer camps. I love students at higher levels with high level horses, but I am as well enjoying green riders and horses. The good thing about the last group of people is, that they most likely love what they do. They want to learn it correctly and they love and respect their horses. The first group is often a bit too exhausting for me, as they sometimes give a shit about horse health and correct riding. They think because they spent a huge amount of money on the horse it has to “function”. I can’t stand these people.

[MysticOakRanch]

@orlando dressage

Thank you so much everybody so far!

I have recognized different prices for comparable properties depending on the State. I know the humidity makes the heat worse in Fla, but I’d rather have that than wild fires and water restrictions, even with a big and wealthy dressage community that Cali has to offer, I think it is probably too dry?

California is a huge state - the climate varies dramatically depending on which part you are talking about. Everything from very wet and rainy all year long (northern coast) to absolute desert, and from beaches to some of the tallest mountains on the continent.

The other thing to realize - it has a highly established dressage community - which means if you are trying to “break in”, you are up against a lot of trainers who are already here, already have clientele, already have established themselves.

I do think the PNW is an up and coming area - I know several people there, and it is a growing community. Yes, it rains a lot - but it is relatively temperate, and there is a lot of recent wealth (and employment) in the area. There are a couple of good sized airports (Portland and SeaTac). If I was trying to start a new dressage business, I’d probably look at either the Tryon area, or the Seattle area. Easier to go somewhere that isn’t yet established but is experiencing growth, rather then break in to an established market.

Of course, Seattle isn’t cheap either:cool:

[pluvinel]

Question: How do you make a small fortune in horses???

Answer: Start with a large fortune.

[yaya]

@orlando dressage

I was shocked to see no recognized shows in the Memphis area.

You are looking in the wrong place. There are several shows a year in Hernando, Mississippi, which is 30 minutes south of Memphis, but they are in Region 9, so you wouldn’t see them if you just looked at Region 3. Several barns from the Memphis area show there.

[orlando_dressage]

@yaya

You are looking in the wrong place. There are several shows a year in Hernando, Mississippi, which is 30 minutes south of Memphis, but they are in Region 9, so you wouldn’t see them if you just looked at Region 3. Several barns from the Memphis area show there.

Thanks, that is a helpful information! So I would live in Region 3 but showing in Region 9. I know the regionals for Region 3 are in GA. Can’t find the place for the Regionals for Region 9.

[yaya]

Regionals for Region 9 are always in Katy, TX at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center. (They are the only ones willing to host and man Regionals.)

[J-Lu]

@orlando dressage

My husband and I are thinking about buying a place and starting a small dressage business.

So far we have lived in Florida for a couple of years and thinking about importing horses from Germany I think Florida is too hot and humid. Plus I would like to have my horses grazing good grass to avoid gut and behavioral issues. The pros of Florida are, there are many shows and a great dressage community. When I looked for recognized shows in region 3 it seems that 80% of the shows are in Florida. Does that mean, in the other states like Tennessee there are no dressage riders and therefore no recognized shows?

Right now we are living in Michigan and I don’t want to live somewhere where I have to use an indoor for 6 month because half of the year is winter. So all the nothern states are not interesting. Something like Arizona seems to be too dry from looking at property pictures.

What I would like to have is a property with green pastures, a mild clima and a dressage community to show and have clients. Too much asked?

Looking forward to hear your thoughts.

Nicole

Obviously, in Region 3 there are other shows. Look into the show schedule for Region 3. Northern states are too cold, you say, and you don’t like an indoor, and Arizona is too dry. If only you could be so picky, not having a national/international name unless you do .

If you are thinking of importing horses from Germany, you are better suited to think about a facility that can help you compete with the other people importing horses from germany. I assume your riding skills are competitive with those importing horses from Europe. I’m not sure based on you post. The hubs of dressage in the U.S. are the northeast, Fla and CA. Can you afford to relocate your husband to these locations?

If you are the trailing spouse, you have to make due. No matter where you are, you have to maintain edible and green pasture, weather in one direction or the other, actual pasture maintenance, etc. It you can’t do this, just board your horses or ask someone KNOWLEDGEABLE to help you. You can’t ask the same money if you don’t actually and solidly know how to board horses.

Your take on the market sounds like you don’t NEED clients or these foot tarps.and anyplace mentioned here withdescent weather will suit your needs