If you could choose anywhere in the country to live and be in the Dressage scene (year-round only), where would it be? We are looking to move and my husband asked where he should start looking for jobs. I’m a 4th level Dressage rider and trainer and want to be in an area with more options for riding under top level instructors and where I can ride some more upper level type horses.
I’m going to add an edit: besides California and Florida. It’s just way beyond our budget since we do want a little land to keep a horse at home if needed.
Somewhere near Wellington, FL.
San Diego area for me, but it’s as far out of the price range for my income level (engineer) as Wellington.
If you are aiming for international competition, Wellington. Otherwise there are many more options, and budget matters. I wanted to come back to the Southwest after school, and am glad I ended up in Tucson. I don’t mind the heat and I hate snow and can’t handle humidity. We cool off a lot more at night than the Phoenix area, so riding a couple before work May - September solves heat issues for me even without a covered arena. Riding under lights also works well. We have multiple FEI trainers here, and there are even more in Phoenix if you wanted to trailer to lessons - or live up there, where jobs are more plentiful, with trainers especially in the Scottsdale and Cave Creek areas. Tucson is just a far lower cost of living, which is how I have multiple horses.
As far as lesson horses, I know of three horses who have shown FEI being used in lessons, one on Phoenix and one down here, but there are going to be more based on higher concentrations of horses making FEI. Here the horses getting the training and progression toward FEI are getting that because their riders want that, not to make them schoolmasters for someone else, and not to see if they can cut it as CDI horses.
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Do people stay there year round?
Not all of them. But there are some great FEI instructors who do.
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More and more are staying the year.
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NJ has many top Dressage Pros. I’m in Sussex County and can lesson with at least 10 GP instructors within an hour of my farm. And while Nj is very expensive; just a half hour from me in PA land and taxes are low. Still commutable to NYC (tho not enjoyable commute)
Many of them do go south for winter but most come home monthly to teach, you just need to link up with a barn that does these in house clinics (like mine) during the winter.
I also currently have a 3rd level and a PSG schoolmaster to teach off.
Do you have a favorite trainer/clinician? I do, and for that reason, I’d be in Aiken, SC. Not as oppressively hot as FL, either. I’m also thinking of Landrum, SC - near Tryon, but better taxes in retirement than NC. And a few folks are locating there as well. But I’d look for trainers you like, as well as show venues you like. I’m currently in SW Ohio, and it’s near a few things, but not a ton of trainers I adore. Columbus area has more options, but for me, this area works and I work with that favorite clinician from SC:)
I second NJ, the density of pros and clients there is really high. I would also throw Southeast Pennsylvania (maybe even Delaware or Northern Maryland by Fair Hill) into the mix. SEPA is a haven for the horse world, but mostly eventing. There are some good trainers, but there is still a low number of dressage trainers for the amount of clients. You also have all the top eventers who look for dressage training. Delaware is a cheaper place to live and get started, but I’m not sure how much draw there is for dressage there (though in northern DE, the same rules apply: lots of eventers who are looking for dressage training). Anyway, that whole area is great horse country, has a good density of shows and has a climate that you can ride in year-round. I’m originally from DE and grew up without an indoor arena and almost never had a problem.
You have some good trainers in WA state.
We’re looking to relocate from Southern CA and it’s hard to find another place with tolerable weather, yes we’re spoiled, and also a decent dressage scene.
We considered AZ, there is a pretty good scene there and it’s close enough to CA for competitions. Phoenix is a little pricey, Tucson not so much. We love Tucson in the winter, in the summer, not so much.
Good luck!
For an affordable options for a small farm near excellent trainers, I’d be thinking about Landrum SC or Aitken, SC. Landrum is not that far from Charlotte NC. Perhaps you could live in between (ex. Columbus, NC).
If your husband is up for a killer driving commute and you can handle higher real estate costs (but not CA high), think about Maryland and Virginia. Just depends on the kind of work life that needs to be supported. If it’s work from home plus a lot of travel, the great DC area can work well. The further you get from DC, the more reasonable the small farm prices.
LilyandBaron, I sent you a PM.
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If money was no object, I’d head to San Diego. WAY nicer weather then FL, lots of dressage options, lots of things to do, and did I mention weather? I would die in the humidity of FL, and a lot of horses don’t do well in that humidity either. And let’s be real, if money was no object, I could always zip over to Welly World during prime season. Now, let’s be really real - money is an object for most of us, so there is that:lol:
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I know you said not California… but California. Not all areas are Bay Area or LA expensive. Look around the Sacramento area, where there is a great dressage community (the state championships are in Sacramento every other year) as well as work opportunities. There are other areas that are good for riding/horse ownership but maybe not as many job opportunities - SLO/Paso Robles, Fresno, Carmel or Watsonville. I’m not as familiar with the southern part of the state but check out Carlsbad / San Diego. In terms of weather and places to ride I think California is tough to beat!
I too have posted this question on COTH and got wonderful recommendations and advice – I hear that Aiken is rainy, cold, and cloudy in the winter months and super hot and humid in the summer. Wellington, Blistering hot in the summer but mostly sunny and lovely in the winter…
You can’t go wrong with SE Pennsylvania.
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Also I’d look at Temecula, Murrietta, Bosnall, Fallbrook, and around that area. A decent house and some horse-friendly land costs much less than in the greater SD area, but you’re still within an hour+ drive of SD shows and trainers. And the Temecula show facility is really nice, too, for the handful they host there.
If you look even farther east/north such as Hemet, land is even more affordable but the area is less nice so it’s a tradeoff that way. But prices are nothing like SD yet you’re still within a couple hours’ drive.
Somewhere near San Fran and wine country for me! Or Fiji when I can’t ride any longer.
Foothills of Western NC/Upstate SC… home to Tryon International Equestrian Center (7 national and FEI shows this year), Harmon Field and FENCE (local Foothills Riding Club shows March - October), FEI Rider/Trainers JJ Tate, Julio Mendoza, Gunnar Ostergaard, Trayce Doubek, Jodi Lees, Hokan Thorn, Ashley Perkins, Jennifer Roth, and more moving in regularly…
Moderate climate.
And you can’t throw a carrot without hitting a horse in the butt. HUGE horse community with all disciplines represented, great farriers, vets, service peeps. Clinics, trails, all kinds of horse related events.
Tryon and Columbus, NC
Landrum and Campobello, SC
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I think it would depend on what kind of work your husband does and if he needs to be in a metro area, if he can work remotely (i.e., from home), if he needs access to a major airport on a regular (weekly) basis, etc.
That said, a good friend moved to Landrum SC a few years ago and they are very happy there. She and hubby had always lived near major metro areas due to work but they are both retired now and since she is totally focused on her riding these days, they found a small farm outside Landrum they could easily afford. She is about 5 miles from a very good equine medical clinic (with a standing MRI), 5 miles from a rehab center with an AquaTred, and her property abuts the farm of an FEI trainer with a covered arena (she can ride through her back woods to get there for lessons and clinics, etc). And she is about 20 minutes from TIEC so she doesn’t have to go far to show.
