want to start a horse facility

[The Village Idiot]

Perhaps I'm reading a different thread or something, but I've read the original post several times and have yet to see anything about the OP wanting to move to a wealthy state without any poor counties. Heaven forbid anyone move to Kentucky...I hear there are poor people in parts of the state. You might catch their poverty...like it's a communicable disease or something.

Yes, there would definitely be culture shock moving to Kentucky from New Hampshire, but moving to Arizona or California would also involve a great deal of culture shock as well.

Let's look at the requirements, as stated in the original post:
1. Horse people
2. Good people (stated twice)
3. Good jobs
4. Kids for the OP's child to play with
5. Great neighborhood
6. Great friends
7. Wonderful school

#1 and 2 should be no problem. #3 will depend greatly on the part of the state you live in, but the part of Kentucky that's "horse country" is generally growing and doing well economically. #4 shouldn't be more difficult to find in Kentucky than in other states. #5 is possible, it just depends on where you want to live and what you're looking for. #6 is really dependent on your personality. Some people have stated that it's hard to make friends in Kentucky, while others have moved here and had no problem making friends. #7 will also depend on where you live. Yes, Kentucky as a whole has some work to do in the area of education (among other things), but I'm not going to say that there are no good schools in the state. It's even possible to live in the dreaded region of eastern Kentucky and actually go to college and become a productive member of society (imagine that!). Generally speaking, many of the better schools in the state tend to be located near Louisville, but since my kids aren't in school yet, I'll defer to others who are more knowledgeable about which school districts are the best.

Anyway, I think it is possible to pursue your dream here. It's a worthy cause, and I hope you have success no matter where you end up.

[DoGooder]

That's exactly right Toria. I too have acreage and horses. I have heard the horror stories of how expensive feeding our fine herd animals can be. I wouldn't give you a dollar to live in either AZ or CA because I like the 4 seasons. The county I have my farm in is not a "middle class" county. We drive to our jobs, traveling 35 plus miles to a good paying job to enjoy the good farm/country life is well worth it. You can buy land here very cheap in a "poor county" and live rich. Home is where you make it though.
Lee in KY

[bluegrassgirl]

As far as the horse industry (which is what the OP is interested in doing) goes, it is fairly vast across the state of KY - not concentrated in Louisville and in the poor counties of Eastern KY.

[dixiegirl7]

Originally Posted by CBfromVA

When I say poor, I mean poor, Poorest Counties for Per Capita Income, #18th is Clay County with $9,716, #20 Mckinley County,#31 Wolfe County (just hit median income of 10,000$), #33 Leslie County, #39 Martin Couny, #40 Knox County, #42 Magoffin County, #43 Jackson County, #44 Owsley County, #62 Breathitt County (Just hit 11,000), #69 Knott County, #74 Menifee County, #82 Bell County, #83 Harlan County. #97 Letcher County, #100 Lawrence County.

That's 16 Counties in KY ranking in the top 100 Poorest Counties Income Per Capita

Arizona has 2, #85 Navajo County, and #10 Apache County.

California has 0

Median Household Income. I wont list the counties this time, Kentucky takes first on the top 100 List with 29 counties, Arizona has 0 and California also has 0.

As for the poorest towns in the nation, Arizona and California are on the list multiple times, KY is on 1 time with Wheelwright KY.

The stats were taken from Wikipedia, but their sources derived from U.S. Census Bureau data; U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis

All I can give is information I myself can find and from trusted resources, Im not a fan of Wikipedia, but if they cite them correctly as they did with the Dept of Commerce and CBD I feel I can trust that. My son is about to go to school in California, he could give me info about one small area of California but the rest I must rely on other information sources. You can definatly get the feel for personality of people, and individual experiences using City Data though, which is why I personally love using this forum.

That is not representative of Kentucky overall. Statistics can be very misleading. Same goes for the public school system, there are some schools that drag down the overall scores but not "ALL" public schools are inferior in Kentucky. We have two very good school systems in my area.

[dixiegirl7]

Originally Posted by bluegrassgirl

As far as the horse industry (which is what the OP is interested in doing) goes, it is fairly vast across the state of KY - not concentrated in Louisville and in the poor counties of Eastern KY.

I totally agree. We have a lot of horse farms here in southern Kentucky. As a matter of fact I read that Franklin, KY might eventually be the horsebreeding capital of Kentucky. This is where Kentucky Downs race track is located...one of seven thoroughbred tracks in Kentucky. Here is an article about.

Bowling Green Daily News

[DoGooder]

Logic tells me that when you have a poor county, there is probably no industry there as well. People either travel to their work place, or live off of the system. Also, the largest county in KY is Pike which is just 788 sq miles. Small counties have small populations. Put this all together and you have a clearer picture. Where is the rest of the data? Population? Industry? Tourism? Agriculture? .... To make these statements is, or put out this data without this information is not putting out the entire picture.
Lee in KY

[KYcoyote]

Originally Posted by horseluvr

Hi.. my family and I are looking to move out of New England, and somewhere else, like Arizona or Kentucky, California. Somewhere where there are horse people, good people,good jobs, kids my child can play with, did I say good people? Well...I know Kentucky is full of horses, and I would in time be opening a therapeutic riding facility. Do you think, with all the horse business already estabilshed, I wouldn't have a chance with my horse business. I'm in it for the horses and to help disabled people. I'm afraid, by going to a place, where there horse people, who are much better than me, I'll fail at my dream job....But, who knows. I also want to live in a great neighbor hood, make great friends, for my family, find a wonderful school for my child. Just enjoy.

Horselvr... If it was me, I'd take a shot at Somerset region Pulaski County - where's housed one of the largest mental health facilities in the state. Tons of affordable land nearby replete with barns and stables. Nobody will have beaten you to punch with horse therapy programs there. Betcha hang out there for awhile, git to know the local mental health treatment facility and whatnot - y'all be able to write yer own ticket bein extremely welcomed into the community for the good yer providing.

AZ and CA???? Betcha this idea's done deal at fashionable West Coast plus you'll be shelling out Million$$ just for stables and land alone. Nevermind cost of importing horse feed to AZ desert. Here an entire bail of hay runs roughly $39. And many landowners will give it away free if ye cut it yerself, sometimes even offering their own tractors and equipment to git the job done.

Meanwhile yer neighbors in horse country Kentucky will include goat farmers, chicken farmers, tobacco growers and whatnot. Not a bunch of polo players and rich kids riding horses. Heck, in some rural communities folks still ride their horses into town along network of trails alongside the road. And y'all caint beat the kinda resources our farm bureau offers for startup assistance, can even help you find the land yer looking for. 80% of KY economy is agricultural based and that includes horse farming too.

Here's KY Farm Bureau: http://www.kyfb.com/index.asp ......probly the only statistical source ye need.

Horseluvr, somehow you up ther in New Hampshire dont strike me as somebody lookin to build some kinda "millionaire tycoon horse therapy ranch" but are sincerely interested in startup philanthropy grass-roots horse therapy center instead. And as i've said, Pulaski County has one of the largest mental health facilities in the state. Y'all hook up with them, dwell among farmers as neighbors at/near beautiful Lake Cumberland region - then discover TRUE WEALTH at seeing yer dreams come true in pristine unspoiled surroundings.

Horseluvr y'all got plenty of support here, even from the cheap seats like our neighbor at Virginia screaming and hollerin about his idea of poverty. Heck, strikes me the poorest among us in this economy are those strapped to high-dollar lifestyles as if horses do better in guilded barn at hollywood instaed of dancing on Kentucky red clay thats actually exported to most race tracks, nevermind the most famous calcium mineral rich blue grasses on earth.

Tom we got the International Ryder's Cup this year, one of the largest horse events on the planet. I guess thats the reason for alot of these horse threads, could be millions of horse lovers reconnoitring the place and soon discovering after their visit they'll never be entirely happy anywhere else.

[Toria]

Originally Posted by KYcoyote

Tom we got the International Ryder's Cup this year, one of the largest horse events on the planet. .

do horses play golf now?

[azadehbd]

Coming from CA, if you find a horse facility for under $700,000, something is seriously wrong with it. Some posters mention KY being poor, but coming from CA, the cost of living is massively cheaper. Lexington ky is WAY cheaper. Play around with this Moderator cut: link to a competitors site removed When I finish school I will be working as a respiratory therapist. Base salary out here in San Diego is around 67,000, in lexington it is 53,000. Sounds like it would be absurd to move to such a low wage. However, to maintain the same lifestyle I would have in Lexington on $53,000, I'd need to make around $90,000 out here. The cost of living is insane in San Diego, and it isn't even nice (sorry, I sorta hate it here!). Santa Barbara, CA is where I grew up, and really nice, but you're looking at cost of living 8% higher than San Diego, and I could never afford a house, let alone horse property! Northern AZ is nice. Also, as far as horses go, it is insanely expensive out here. To board at a 3rd rate facility I pay $270 a month, for a pipe corral, no supplements or blanket service, etc, everything gets flooded every time it rains (including the stalls, it is terrible for their feet!) It is terribly dusty 10 months out of the year, and there is a massive fly problem. This is common for all the places I can afford out here, at least until I'm done with school. Back in highschool when I wasn't paying the bills myself (I miss those days, lol!) we were paying around $625, not including training. A bale of alfalfa out here is about $17.00 a bale, out there I hear you can get it for about $3. I hope to move to KY and buy horse property myself within the next 2 years, so good luck where ever you end up!

[TBdressage]

Hi -- you posted back in the spring that you wanted to find a spot for a horse facility ? has that happened yet ??