Horse Nut wants to Relocate to NC (Raleigh, Durham: mobile home, school)

[calysgal24]

Seeking input: where is the BEST area to find: a small farm with some acreage for a horse nut? Possibly start boarding barn. Must be close to trails ( abutting common or state/fed forest is great!). Seeking western rider interest area, some shows: speed events, gymkhana, NBHA etc. We are 43 & 50, kids grown and out, semi retirement situation. Must be near civilivation, just not IN it!

In addition to the horse addiction: jeweler ( may want to continue part time) metal worker ( welding etc) pottery.

Any suggestions??? Thank You!! Emails welcomed.....

[Francois]

There are a lot of horse farms around the Southern Pines area, about 90 minutes SW of the Triangle. They also have the Stonybrook Steeplechase there every spring (probably coming up). You see a lot of those telltale white fences around there.

[calysgal24]

Thanx....I am actually looking for trail riders and yahoos: western events. Still trying to locate like minded areas/[eople....and Rodeos, gymkhana style stuff around there? Thank You

[piedmont]

Hi-

For western events, you'll want to be convenient to the Hunt Horse Complex in Raleigh. A hour away from here could take you east to Johnson County, south to Lee County or north to Durham County.

The best public trails IMO are at Hill Forest (in Rougemont in northern Durham County, small annual fee to ride) and the Moss Foundation in Moore County, near Southern Pines). Hill Forest is a mixed hardwood forest with managed logging and forestry research along the Flat River. It's rocky and has clay soil. There are several "yahoo" (as you said) style large trail rides at Hill Forest each year. Moss is a beautiful open longleaf pine forest with sandy footing. Southern Pines itself is much more English (hunting, dressage, eventing) oriented with few western barns.

The Reidsville area (Randolph County) NNW of the triangle is also picking up as an affordable horsey area. Again, I think the emphasis is more on English disciplines, though. There are plans to build another state horse complex/competition site there.

Cost of horse property will depend a lot on the quality of land, house and location. A mobile home on 10 acres in Rougemont might be in the 200s; a nice home in the same area with the same acreage could be 400-1M. Just do some MLS searching to get a feel for things.

If you are not fixed on the triangle, I would also investigate around Wilson, NC. I've met a number of active western riders/competitors who are active in that region.

Finally, for a better "feel" for the state of horsey folk in NC, go to the forum on nchorsenews.com. Read and post your questions---folks are very forthcoming in offering their opinions and insights!

[calysgal24]

Thanx so much! This is enormously helpfullllsounds like I need a roadtrip.....Coming from Cape Cod, sandy sounds really good! I would LOVE to find a home trade situation......been looking, but nothin so far!

[piedmont]

If you like the idea of sandy soil, I would strongly suggest looking into the coastal plain area, which is basically between Raleigh and Wilmington (Wilson falls in this area, as do towns like Goldston). Property prices get very reasonable when you are about 70 miles inland from the coast.

[bellasformas]

Another resource for properties is here:

http://www.ncagr.gov/paffairs/AgReview/class.htm

Good luck...there are a lot of horses here. Being close to the NC State Vet School in Raleigh is a good thing to consider when you're looking.