Want to move from FL to TX, whats the best area for horse lovers? (Austin: fit in, real estate)

[FleeingFloridaASAP]

My husband and I want to leave southwest FL so bad. I've never been to TX but my brother recently moved to Austin from Ohio and he loves it. We've been in FL for twelve years and it's changed so much here. We have two horses that we board at a local stable (it's an awful place and going downhill fast). Are there area's in Texas to rent with room for a couple horses? How much is boarding horses there? Texas is so big, I don't have a clue where to start looking. I just know I don't want to live anywhere near the gulf, no hurricanes please. I also hate the humidity here and would love a dry climate. Are people in TX nice and friendly? This area is filled with rich snobs and people who don't care about anyone but themselves. There are a couple nice country people at the barn, but most around here are rude and in a hurry. They like to yell at you, lay on their horn in the car, no one smiles, and forget someone letting you in traffic or holding a door open for you. My husband and I don't fit in, we're nice people with manners. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!!

[TexasHorseLady]

The Austin area generally has a lot of horse activity (Central Texas). There are quite a few stables around here - what's your preferred equine activity, I might be able to point you towards a few? Elgin (east of Austin, commuting distance) is a very horsey area even for here. Board would depend - we've got everything from pasture board through do-it-yourself board (they provide the facility, you take care of your horse) through full board through full board with training.

Up in north Texas, you'd want to look in the Aubrey area and environs, perhaps. Serious horse country up in that neck of the woods.

Pretty much most of Texas has its horsey contingency, though. It's part of our heritage, after all!

And, yes, we're friendly. Texas, after all, comes from Tejas, meaning (roughly, very roughly, from the Indian by way of the Spanish), "friend".

[FleeingFloridaASAP]

Thank you for the info TexasHorseLady. My husband and I have two Paint/Quarter Horses and we do self-board. We do all the work, feeding, cleaning stalls, etc, and just pay for the stalls and pasture. We're in it for the fun, western trail rides mostly and spoiling our horses as much as possible. We just want them to be in a more safe and happy environment. Since our kids are grown, the horses are now our babies. I will get out the atlas and check out the area's you mentioned. Thank you again!

[loves2read]

Weatherford--west of FTW--is county seat and bit larger than some of the towns around it--plenty of places that have enough land for people to have two horses west of FTW and N in the Aubrey area and S towards Benbrook and Granbury...
just depends on what you want to spend
there are some subdivisions with riding trails incorporated into design--
you can search the ftw board for past posts

[ChristieP]

You'd fit in well in the Weatherford and Stephenville areas. There are a lot of other like-minded horse folks there. Real estate in Weatherford is more expensive because it is close enough to Fort Worth for people to commute in. Stephenville, IMHO, is prettier and less expensive. It is a college town (Tarleton State) so you shouldn't have a problem finding a boarding stable.

Aubrey and Gainesville are known as "Show Row" because there are a LOT of big-name cutting/western pleasure trainers and breeding operations there. (Tommy Manion, Tim McQuay, Carol Rose, etc.) Real estate there is outrageous, and I honestly doubt you'll find anything for rent or a boardign stable that isn't also a trainer's barn.

[NOTAM]

Weatherford, Stephenville, Lampasas, Gatesville, Hamilton,Georgetown...just to name a few. of the ones I listed, Weatherford and Georgetown are priciest. Gateesville and Hamilton cheapest

[TexasHorseLady]

Georgetown is pricey? Who knew? (Says she who lives just outside of Georgetown.)

[loves2read]

anything close to austin is pricey

[FleeingFloridaASAP]

Thank you all so much. I have my atlas out looking at all the towns mentioned. Would these places be the best areas for good jobs also? I saw on the news that Texas is the best state to be in this economy, also all my favorite horse shows on RFDtv are in Texas. What is the landscaping business like there? We own a landscape maintenance/installation business here in FL and would like to start one up there if we end up in the right area. OMG, I would not like snobby training facilities, we have a lot of them around here, mostly English dressage/jumpers. I'm totally a cowgirl boots and cut-off shorts type of person.

[Alatex]

anything close to austin is pricey

Back when I was helping my brother find a place last year, we saw some pretty inexpensive land in the Lockhart area. I don't know if that qualifies as "close" to Austin, but it's probably not that much longer drive than some of Austin's more popular and expensive northern suburbs.