Potentially have a job offer in Nashville, TN and have been researching where the majority of the equine community resides that also works downtown? So far, I am hearing Franklin as a hot spot (I am an eventer) - are there any other areas? What about north Nashville? Housing seems to be substantially cheaper there verses surrounding the Brentwood areas.
North of Nashville is an equestrian wasteland. Just say no. There are a handful of professional farms, some of them are even ok, but the biggest problem is we are so incredibly limited in vets, farriers, feed/tack, etc. East and west of the city aren’t much better.
Williamson County is ground zero for horse activity in Nashville. The scene trickles into the surrounding counties south of the city: Rutherford, Maury, and even southwestern Davidson county itself.
A lot of folks who want to be “close” to Williamson County, but can’t afford it (who can?), end up in Spring Hill (Maury Co.), Mt. Juliet (Wilson Co.), or Smyrna/La Vernge (Rutherford Co.). Also, there are still some relatively affordable areas within Williamson County: Nolensville, Fairview, south of Leipers Fork, etc.
Truthfully, if you can, the best bet is to live in Nashville/Metro Davidson county and commute to your horse south of the city. There are some really great neighborhoods in the southern part of Davidson county that are convenient to both Williamson county and downtown. I lived in Bellevue for years and kept my horses in Franklin. I loved it; it was the best of both worlds.
We do have a pretty tight knit eventing scene, too. Not a ton of competition locally apart from MTPC at Percy Warner and a couple local schooling events, but there are a lot of recognized events within a reasonable drive in the surrounding states.
For the record, I also live in Sumner county. From a horse perspective, I truly regret moving here, but my husband’s job caused us to move north of Nashville.
We lived in Hendersonville for a few years and I commuted to my boarding barn in Franklin due to lack of boarding options in the north. Then I tried boarding locally in Sumner county for a bit (which was disastrous), until ultimately we moved on to a small farm outside of Gallatin.
Yes, I can affordably keep my horses at home, but the lengths I go through dealing with poor veterinarians, farriers coming from a far, shipping in hay to get quality, a piecemeal feeding program organized around what the nearby stores decide to carry this week, the never ending search for a “local” trainer so I don’t have to drive a trailer through Nashville proper on a regular basis for lessons…
There are a lot of trail riders in this area who keep their horses at home. Most of those folks get by fine because they aren’t as dependent on a certain availability of horse services. They also tend to own lower maintenance breeds of horses and provide a somewhat different standard of care than many “English” discipline competitors.
OP, if you want to be active in the eventing community, it is truly best to locate yourself so you have relatively easy access to Williamson County.
I really don’t know anything about the vets in Gallatin or Hendersonville. Though Dr. McMillan is supposed to be an equine vet, used to be mobile only, now has his own clinic off Airport Rd in Gallatin. I have had the same farrier for over 30 years, actually his son is now doing our horses and no problems, even the vets I use say he is good at what he does. I don’t use the vet who is a mile from me, all three just don’t really want to work with/on horses, though they will. The main vet in that clinic is scared to death of horses and really only wants to work on small animals, cats/dogs. The other two would rather work with cattle and other livestock. I use the vets in KY. One vet is the equine specialist (who is now on deployment, due back early summer) but the others do all they can and are very friendly and helpful. Even the owner of the clinic, though old school as to horses, will work with you. As to farriers, before I found the one/s who now do my horses, yeah, it was hard finding a decent one plus have them stay in the profession for long.
@pasolover2 You are describing Dr. Lovell, not Dr. McMillan. I didn’t my believe Dr. McMillian does any large animal farm calls. He is younger and has a small animal practice. Dr. Lovell has the clinic on Airport Rd and is indeed the only equine vet. Although Enoch and Gallatin Animal Hospital offer limited large animal services, but don’t really “want” to.
I have used your vet, but I’m too far southeast in the country for them to provide me emergency services, which is what I truly need. Plus, that whole deployment thing.
My farrier is wonderful but he comes from over 2 hours away in Kentucky. So you have to hope you don’t need him between appointments!
If the OP is moving to the area, she is better off picking a location where she has abundant horse services. There’s no sense in dealing with our limitations when you have the freedom not to. Tennessee Equine Hospital will service all of Williamson County, much of Maury county, southern/western Davidson County, and eastern Rutherford County. There are plentiful barns in those areas.
This link may be helpful, if you haven’t already seen it. It has 49 listings.
https://www.newhorse.com/page/horseb…31.html?page=1
i agree to live closer to your work than your horse. Nashville is getting to be a real SOB to get around.
I live ~90 miles from Vanderbilt, DH didn’t leave from his heart doctor checkup until right at quitting time. It took him 2-1/2 hours to get home. Granted there were two big accidents to tie up traffic even more but, those big accidents are getting to be more and more a way of Nashville traffic life ---- including the interstates and by-passes.
then there are the obnoxious parking fees, the news media sometimes talks about. Not as arm-breaking as New York City but they are still awful.
Sooooo, if the job offer has a healthy pay check, a work environment you feel would be happy working in for a few years, move closer to work than your horse and get on City Data to ask about safe neighborhoods.
I live on a one lane all-farmers road, separated from Davidson county by Rutherford and most of my county, and I love it that way.
FWIW to another poster, I have trail horses. They are privy to one of the best equine clinics in the area, and get the best of care. I did have a Heck of a time finding one good farrier out of the “965” who claim they are but I have a great AFA certified farrier who sees one horse every five weeks. The insulin resistant horse goes to the vet every five weeks to be front-shod by the vet’s farrier.
Also, OP, UT Knoxville is the Middle Tennessee hospital with an equine extension.
Good luck to you on all relocating fronts:)
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Texarkana, you are right, I have the vets mixed up. I don’t use anyone out of Gallatin, well not for years, used one that got a bad case of something from some cattle he worked on and stopped doing the horses way back in the late '80’s or early '90’s. I can’t even remember his name now. When Collins opened his office here in Portland I did use him, but then due to him becoming not too forthcoming when asking questions to clarify things and then he told a friend of mine to shut up one time when he was trying to explain what was wrong with his horse, I then decided not to use him anymore. Since he sold the practice to another vet, but still works there. Seems his attitude has changed, guess ownership had a lot to do with it, plus my sister works there part time, has been with him for quite some time now.
Since we are only about a 20 minute or less drive from the vets in KY I always use them, even for my small animals, though I do occasionally take one of my cats to the Portland facility.
You are right, best to be as close to what you need when needed.
Haha you’re in my city. I miss Dr wentz so much! Early summer has now evidently been pushed back, FYI, so don’t get your hopes up there. My farrier also comes to me from 2 hours away. Lebanon is an affordable area that is close enough to Nashville, but not too close! I have two friends that own barns out there that offer boarding.
Good luck, but yes!! Move away!!! I wonder if Kari is your dressage neighbor…?
RTR, no hopes up on Dr. Wenz being back any time soon, remember the last time he was on deployment. Dr. Crocker and others are fine for vaccs, etc. The real horsey stuff would rather have Dr. Wenz. My shoer is out of Westmoreland.
Dr Dan has been “taking care” of my horse needs so far. Emergency colic/choke/old horse down and it’s too cold to stand up, as well as my coggins. I do my own shots. Haven’t had anyone else except the “new guy” who is working for Dr wentz while he is away. He cares for his wife’s horses, so he is competent. But I like dr wentz! His last deployment was bad!! Totally unfair they kept him their for so long, but I didn’t need him then like I do now!! Lol
I really like Dr. Dan and he is great with the horses as to floating teeth, etc. As to when my old paso had cushings and IR it was Dr. Wenz I could look to for the ACTH testing, where Dr. Dan and the vet here in Portland wanted to do the dex tests.
They told me early/late summer when Dr. Wenz returns.
