ASSFS started her own impromptu blog hop (no link up) and I think it’s an interesting topic.
We are all quite spread out around North America – some even farther! I think it is really interesting to read about how much things cost and the dynamics of the horse world in different areas. With that said I will share a bit about the part of the country that I live in. Hopefully you will hop in too!
Location: Middle Tennessee
- Farrier: trim $30 – $50 and full set $120 – $350
- Board: pasture $300 – $500 and stall $500 – $1500
- Lessons/ Training: anywhere from $45 to $100
- Hay: approx $5-6 a bale (this is included in my board)
Weather: The weather in my neck of the woods is all over the place. It is not uncommon for there to be a 40* temp change all in the same day. I assumed that we would have at least slightly warmer winters but last year it was super cold and we got 6″ of snow one day… What is this world? I don’t know how some of you guys live in places that are snowy tundras all winter long.
Riding Demographic: I would say that there are a lot of hunter jumper barns in my general area. There are limited eventing trainers and even fewer if you are selective about the qualifications of said trainers. I don’t know a lot about the western discipline scene here but we do see a lot of people out trial riding in western saddles when we go to local parks.
Most Frustrating: I think that the most frustrating part about this area for me is that land prices are astronomical right know. If we want to stay within 30-40 minutes of downtown we will be paying a premium. I hope that in the coming years this might change so that Kyle and I can buy our own land.
Notes: All in all I think this area is great for equestrians. Board can be kind of crazy high in some places but overall it is well worth it. We have a couple of tack shops, a fair amount of local shows – tons of options within 6 hours, and we are centrally located. If I knew anyone looking for a healthy job market, horse friendly venues, and a decent cost of living I think that this part of the country would definitely be on the list!
Thank you ASSFS for the blog content 😉
I’m not saying that the Midwest is perfect, but as far as reasonable cost of living, with a healthy equestrian scene with options … we’re doing pretty good.
Definitely!
The prices in Texas can vary so widely … as can the service. But I think it might be hard to find anywhere with stall board under $500 here, too. Barns simply can’t cover operating costs for less than that.
Yeah 500 is by far the cheapest I found in this area. Esp for a barn that has an arena and lights. I know multiple barns that don’t have lights and charge $800+ for stall board… WHYEEEE
I’m in Northeast Kansas and I may eventually do this blog hop, but I haven’t boarded a lot of horses. It seems like a lot of boarding prices aren’t listed, so I feel like I’d just be guessing.