Horse Properties in Penrose Area?? (Colorado Springs, Pueblo: for sale, real estate, rent)

[Corky's Dad]

My wife and I are considering a move to the Penrose area from New England. We are both from the west and need to move back for our sanity. We are horse folks and wish to buy a small house with some acreage for our four horses.
We've been told that we should check out Penrose so here we are asking for any opinions good or bad. Our price range is mid 300's or we may rent if we could find a place that would take horses. We are semi retired so we don't need to be right next to a city but would like to be within driving range to a hospital. Did I mention we have horses?
Input appreciated.

[beezle1]

I have been through Penrose many times on my way to Canon City. There do seem to be many smaller acreage horse properties there. There is not much of a town - perhaps just a gas station or two, a couple diners, feed store. Its pretty close to Canon City (maybe 10 minutes), which does have real grocery stores, a hospital, etc.
Another nice place for horse property is Black Forest, which is just north of Colorado Springs. Probably the weather is harsher in Black Forest since its higher in elevation. And its probably more pricey than Penrose, but you could probably still find something in your price range.

[beezle1]

Oh, I probably should add that here in Colorado, you will most likely have to supply hay for your horses year round. The grass here is not the lush thick stuff like you probably have in the New England area. Hay gets more expensive each year, currently about 9 dollars a bale for small bales (65 pound bales). Its probably much cheaper if you get the large round or square bales, but you would need the proper equipment to move those ones around.

[Corky's Dad]

Thanks Beezle1,

Hay availability and price are important. You're right about it being lush here. Too lush for our guys so we end up feeding most year round but still it sounds spendy there.

We'll put that on our list of things to check on our next visit.

[Corky's Dad]

Thanks CK,

The whole "water rights" thing is new to me so we're checking on it to get a better understanding. Something about 30 plus acres gets you irrigation rights otherwise you only get home usage water. Important stuff if you have critters.

Riding from the property would definitely be a plus.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Corky's Dad

Thanks CK,

The whole "water rights" thing is new to me so we're checking on it to get a better understanding. Something about 30 plus acres gets you irrigation rights otherwise you only get home usage water. Important stuff if you have critters.

Riding from the property would definitely be a plus.

There's a lot in the COLO forums on water rights and such. Find them by use of the Advanced Search Tool, it's easy to self-learn. Use keywords such as: water rights, ditch, senior rights, etc, and combinations of those words. Then limit the search to just Colorado forums.

[PasoPal]

You would very much like Penrose. I happen to live near there and plan to move there by next year. I have 6 horses myself. You will defineitely find what you are looking for in that price range. There is both dry land and irrigated properties to buy or grow your own hay. There are plenty of people who are willing to use their equipment and cut your hay for a reasonable price. The $9.00 average a bail is a farce. I get mine for anywhere from $5.00 to $6.50. The most I've personally seen it for is $7.00. You can get large rounds for anywhere from $85.00 to $135.00 and they weigh from 850 pounds to 1600 pounds. There are also 3 x 3 x 8 square and 4x 4 x 8 square bales ranging from $65.00 to $95.00. There is excellent quality hay around here. Grass, grass/alfalfa and straight alfalfa, whatever you prefer. Also, check out Florence and Canon City. These are all in the same vicinity of each other and all in the "banana belt" which means mild, mild winters.

This is a great real estate website for the area you're looking at. Check out "Properties of Colorado". It is a real estate company for Fremont County which includes Penrose, Florence, Canon City and surrounding close areas. You can see everything for sale in the area. Their website includes the entire area and also includes all of the properties by every realtor in the area. It is a one stop shop website for all of the county. Good luck and I know you will find what you are looking for there. Also some interesting information. Fremont County encompasses an area of 1,533 square miles with a population of 47,426.

[colorado kelly]

Another area that is popular for horses is Colorado City & Rye. It is 20 minutes South of Pueblo at the base of Greenhorn Mountain. Has 5 acre properties for horses and easement for riding as well.