Where to retire to with access to great dressage trainers and barns

[Feathered_Feet]

@springgreypony

I have heard that the northern countryside of Virginia has some really nice barns and landscapes! Lauren Spriser of Spriser Sporthorses is a great dressage trainer with many achievements.

And Olivia Lagoy-Weltz! Which is to say that having a BNT in an area usually means there are also other good trainers who train with them. So even when Olivia is in Florida, there are other trainers to work with. It is indeed a dressage rich and all around lovely area, if you can stomach the humid summers.

[js]

I’d suggest retiring to Germany or France. Otherwise, CA, FL, NC those are all good places for training barns and trainers or somewhere on the East Coast.

[islgrl]

@Margaret Freeman

I lived in the North East for two decades. I am now in Tryon, NC. It is a great retirement area, both in terms of activities and financially. It is actually less humid here in the summer than it often was in New England – one big difference is that there are covered arenas everywhere, and they are much cooler for riding than an indoor or outdoors on sand. Having said that, Tryon is in the Blue Ridge foothills, which makes a big difference; it gets hotter and more humid in a hurry when you go south and east from here.

I am surprised you say its less humid in Tryon than the northeast (I live in Massachusetts) . I went to the World Games and truly I have never in my life been as hot as I was in Tryon. I felt like I had landed on the surface of the sun. The humidity and heat seriously almost did me in. It was brutal.

[tabula_rashah]

Northeastern MD or southeastern PA- we do get hot and humid but not like the South. Winter is very manageable. Within easy driving distance of Hilltop, Riveredge and a ton more. Also only a few hours from big show venues- Stone Tavern, Gladstone, Lexington, Saugerties, PG Equestrian Center, etc.

[EventingMaff]

I’d suggest the UK or the Netherlands…I’m just not sure the US has what you want!

Within the US, you will probably need to sacrifice on weather or be willing to move seasonally.

[Snowdenfarm]

@tabula rashah

Northeastern MD or southeastern PA- we do get hot and humid but not like the South. Winter is very manageable. Within easy driving distance of Hilltop, Riveredge and a ton more. Also only a few hours from big show venues- Stone Tavern, Gladstone, Lexington, Saugerties, PG Equestrian Center, etc.

This! PA does not tax retirement income. So, so, so many barns, shows, hacking, traininers and every kind of horse professional you can think of, all within an hour. Many of us do go to FL with our horses for a few months in the winter, but it is by no means necessary.

[Mardi]

@AZ TD

San Diego area, great weather and many trainers. Very expensive.

It’s expensive because we pay for the great weather too. Board. Training, Weather.
It’s on the invoice. :)

[Cowgirl]

Where in Pennsylvania? Is horse property reasonably priced?

[SonnysMom]

@Cowgirl

Where in Pennsylvania? Is horse property reasonably priced?

Reasonably priced is all relative. I live in SE PA. We have a huge concentration of horse properties but it is not cheap. However compared to many parts of CA it is cheap. Compared to Long Island it is cheap. Compared to just outside DC it is cheap. Compared to Wellington, FL it is cheap. Compared to TN it is expensive.

When you get outside of commuting distance to Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and NYC prices in PA tend to be pretty affordable. So pretty much southwest, south central, central on northeast.

I see a number of very nice horse properties that cross my Facebook feed that are just outside the SE PA commute to Philly area that are the same or slightly more expensive than my 2 acre 2,900 square foot house with no horse facilities. We are talking outdoor ring and are 20+ stalls with a decent amount of acres some even have an indoor.

[Bristol_Bay]

@AZ TD

San Diego area, great weather and many trainers. Very expensive.

More specifically, Rancho Santa Fe area.

[right_horse_at_the_right_time]

Not really sure why Flagstaff is entering into this conversation at all. It is not at all cheap to live in Flagstaff unless you live out in the country. Then you have to deal with snow, and you need to have an indoor arena in the winter.
Hauling down to Scottsdale involves a 2 1/2 hour mountainous ride that is not something anyone looks forward to. There are often times shut downs on the 17 and I personally have had to spend the night on that highway.

In terms of trainers, I am not aware of any former Olympians, LOL. There are clinics where people come in, but I am personally not aware of any former Olympians.

North Carolina seems like some sort of option.

[AZ_TD]

@Bristol Bay

More specifically, Rancho Santa Fe area.

Well, near by in San Marcos is https://www.peridotequestrian.com and if money was not an issue, where I would like to be:lol:!