Moving to MI w/ horses near Grand Rapids (Muskegon, Jackson: good schools, university)

[skyhorse]

Hi, most of my family now lives in MI, in Grand Rapids. And I'm wanting to relocate there from Texas. I have horses, so I'll need to be where the land is affordable. I have an environmental science degree and have found few jobs out there. Also have a teaching degree, and have heard jobs are hard to get. Anyways, if I do get there, what small towns are best within an hour or hour/half drive from GR? or could go further. just needs to have pleasant scenery, a place I could settle down and set up a horse farm that would have good resale value, not too far from a major airport. Will I miss Texas terribly? There are so many horse farms and horse activities here I'm afraid I will be bored in MI.

[jomaco1]

Originally Posted by skyhorse

Hi, most of my family now lives in MI, in Grand Rapids. And I'm wanting to relocate there from Texas. I have horses, so I'll need to be where the land is affordable. I have an environmental science degree and have found few jobs out there. Also have a teaching degree, and have heard jobs are hard to get. Anyways, if I do get there, what small towns are best within an hour or hour/half drive from GR? or could go further. just needs to have pleasant scenery, a place I could settle down and set up a horse farm that would have good resale value, not too far from a major airport. Will I miss Texas terribly? There are so many horse farms and horse activities here I'm afraid I will be bored in MI.

Tons of horse farms between Grand Rapids and Muskegon, which is on the Lakeshore. Marne, Coopersville, Nunica, Fruitport...all on I 96 and no more than 45min. to GR Ford Int. Airport.

Grand Valley State University is located in Allendale and has a post in Muskegon where they do year round environmental work and studies in the community as well as in Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan aboard their vessel the W.G. Jackson: http://www.gvsu.edu/wri/education/in...3A372B58B526AD

I spent many years in Texas and both states have their strong points. I have found more things to like in Michigan (water comes to mind), mostly Lake Michigan sunsets, but I desperately miss the abundandt supply of mesquite wood as there is nothing better for grilling. What city are you moving from?

[abhimulamalla]

Check out Rothbury,MI.....1&1/2 hr drive from GR...! There is a ranch there ...absolutely lovely place.....check out www.doublejj.com..... I have lived in PA....CA......MI's the best.....!

[mich2fla]

Check out Lowell, MI and Ionia, MI for decent prices on acreages. There are several horse farms in Ada, MI where I live, the prices are real high due to good schools. A friend of ours couldn't afford to expand in Ada so she bought a farm in Saranac MI, outside of Ionia. Good luck!

[suydam]

There are horse farms in every direction from Grand Rapids.

My personal favorite area for that stuff is Barry County. Hilly forested terrain is my favorite and you'll get that in droves in that area. You'd also be under an hour to Grand Rapids.

To echo other statements, northwest of GR there are plenty and it's still less than an hour from GR to Muskegon, so you're talking 45-50 minutes drive to GR from your horse farm. Talk about a good life! :-)

You should check out Lowell too. It's closer to 30 minutes out, so land might cost more.... but you get a nice little downtown, great schools (if you have kids) too. East of Lowell is Lake Odessa....another nice area.

Good luck!

[mofromcheboygankalamazoo]

when i think of horse country near GR...i think of allegan......my mentor teacher back at WMU raised horses in the edge of kzoo into plainwell.....beautiful areas....

[malamute]

Originally Posted by skyhorse

Hi, most of my family now lives in MI, in Grand Rapids. And I'm wanting to relocate there from Texas. I have horses, so I'll need to be where the land is affordable. I have an environmental science degree and have found few jobs out there. Also have a teaching degree, and have heard jobs are hard to get. Anyways, if I do get there, what small towns are best within an hour or hour/half drive from GR? or could go further. just needs to have pleasant scenery, a place I could settle down and set up a horse farm that would have good resale value, not too far from a major airport. Will I miss Texas terribly? There are so many horse farms and horse activities here I'm afraid I will be bored in MI.

Michigan is one of the more horse-populated states of the USA. All the small towns surrounding GR would be worth considering.

[malamute]

The problem would be weather, the long winters but you can still ride if you can handle the cold, the mucking out of stalls when in Texas it's common to have horses outdoors pretty much all the time, and in the summer when you plan to ride, it's likely going to rain.

An indoor arena would be very good to have in Michigan.

[rlkkl]

hastings, middleville, howell.... belding, ionia state land you can ride too...gunlake area has wayland area has places to ride depends on which saide of grand rapids you are looking at.. south east area are cheapest...