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I might be getting a job in Lander WY soon. My wife and I have lived all over the place (Saskatchewan, Missouri, New York, South Florida). What can I expect in terms of weather in Lander? We have two horses and I know there are ample opportunities to ride in the summer, we have ridden in the Wind River area last summer and loved it! I am more worried about the winter - how long does it last, how harsh is it? Can I ride my horse in January or do they spend six months of the year barn-bound?
In addition, are there small cabins with a few acres to rent around Lander? If so, how much should I be expecting to pay/month in rent? The salary is in the $40K range and I am not sure if this is enough to survive on.
Well, dude ... I'm somewhat reluctant to respond to your post inquiry ... your prior posts here struck me as very passive/aggressive, and I'm not looking forward to again being told that my observations and local knowledge are bull**** compared to your vast superior intellect. In short ... so much of what you've posted on this forum about Wyoming "just ain't so".
I'd say that $40K is a marginal amount of money for two to live on in the Lander area if you are boarding livestock. You may spend as much per month on your two horses as rental costs are for you and your wife. You'll be feeding your horses most of the year in this area, and hay prices aren't inexpensive in small bales. If you keep the horses on a small acreage, or in barns, you'll be feeding them all year long. FWIW, I wouldn't feed them a high protein diet, and I wouldn't grain them, either ... I'd be looking for hay in the 12% range.
The liklihood of finding a cabin to rent on a small acreage where you can keep your horses is minimal. There's really not a lot of rural rental housing in the area to begin with.
It's more likely that you'll find rental housing in town targeted to the price points of affordability for the OLS and board your horses on the outskirts, if not a few miles out, of town. As Lander is not very big, the horses might be located only 10-15 minutes from your residence, although you may/may not necessarily have direct access to a place to ride from such a location. Assuming you have a trailer and 4x4 truck, you may be able to transport your horses to a trail area nearby.
Winter can start in October and last through April. You can ride during the winter months, the snow usually isn't too deep ... but whether or not you'll enjoy riding in the cold is another matter. If you can pick the right sunny day and clear conditions, it may be a very nice ride. IMO, better to keep your horses outside with their free choice to head into a shelter than to keep them in a barn for the winter ... especially if you are planning on riding them and they need to be acclimated to the cold and the footing. Even if the horses are outside with snow on their backs, it's better than being inside a humid barn.
Lander is somewhat more remote as a locale in Wyoming than the towns located near to major highways. As such, it's a bit more isolated ... and while not a major tourist destination, it's price points for amenities are similar to tourist towns. There's a couple of nicer restaurants in town which are approaching "big city" price points. Shopping for basic necessities is somewhat limited and higher priced than the more accessible areas of Wyoming. The area is a "bannana belt" compared to the more exposed areas to the South and East, and nowhere near as windy as SE Wyoming.
If you do find yourself in Lander, then you'll have good access to Svilar's ... a landmark restaurant dating back to the early mining activity.
As always, I suggest that you'd be well served to come out here for a visit during the winter months, like January and February, for a week or so before making any decision about moving here. Lander is an interesting place, but it's not for everybody.
Well, dude ... I'm somewhat reluctant to respond to your post inquiry ... your prior posts here struck me as very passive/aggressive, and I'm not looking forward to again being told that my observations and local knowledge are bull**** compared to your vast superior intellect. In short ... so much of what you've posted on this forum about Wyoming "just ain't so".
I'd say that $40K is a marginal amount of money for two to live on in the Lander area if you are boarding livestock. You may spend as much per month on your two horses as rental costs are for you and your wife. You'll be feeding your horses most of the year in this area, and hay prices aren't inexpensive in small bales. If you keep the horses on a small acreage, or in barns, you'll be feeding them all year long. FWIW, I wouldn't feed them a high protein diet, and I wouldn't grain them, either ... I'd be looking for hay in the 12% range.
The liklihood of finding a cabin to rent on a small acreage where you can keep your horses is minimal. There's really not a lot of rural rental housing in the area to begin with.
It's more likely that you'll find rental housing in town targeted to the price points of affordability for the OLS and board your horses on the outskirts, if not a few miles out, of town. As Lander is not very big, the horses might be located only 10-15 minutes from your residence, although you may/may not necessarily have direct access to a place to ride from such a location. Assuming you have a trailer and 4x4 truck, you may be able to transport your horses to a trail area nearby.
Winter can start in October and last through April. You can ride during the winter months, the snow usually isn't too deep ... but whether or not you'll enjoy riding in the cold is another matter. If you can pick the right sunny day and clear conditions, it may be a very nice ride. IMO, better to keep your horses outside with their free choice to head into a shelter than to keep them in a barn for the winter ... especially if you are planning on riding them and they need to be acclimated to the cold and the footing. Even if the horses are outside with snow on their backs, it's better than being inside a humid barn.
Lander is somewhat more remote as a locale in Wyoming than the towns located near to major highways. As such, it's a bit more isolated ... and while not a major tourist destination, it's price points for amenities are similar to tourist towns. There's a couple of nicer restaurants in town which are approaching "big city" price points. Shopping for basic necessities is somewhat limited and higher priced than the more accessible areas of Wyoming. The area is a "bannana belt" compared to the more exposed areas to the South and East, and nowhere near as windy as SE Wyoming.
If you do find yourself in Lander, then you'll have good access to Svilar's ... a landmark restaurant dating back to the early mining activity.
I don't remember ever saying I have a vast superior intellect but if that's how you perceived it, then fine, I will take it as a compliment.
We argued a bit about something in the Colorado forums, not WY.
I struck you as passive/aggressive - you struck me as just aggressive but that's beside the point. Let's not label each other anymore.
Now, with that said, thank you for the honest response. It makes sense.
Well, dude ... I'm somewhat reluctant to respond to your post inquiry ... your prior posts here struck me as very passive/aggressive, and I'm not looking forward to again being told that my observations and local knowledge are bull**** compared to your vast superior intellect. In short ... so much of what you've posted on this forum about Wyoming "just ain't so".
I'd say that $40K is a marginal amount of money for two to live on in the Lander area if you are boarding livestock. You may spend as much per month on your two horses as rental costs are for you and your wife. You'll be feeding your horses most of the year in this area, and hay prices aren't inexpensive in small bales. If you keep the horses on a small acreage, or in barns, you'll be feeding them all year long. FWIW, I wouldn't feed them a high protein diet, and I wouldn't grain them, either ... I'd be looking for hay in the 12% range.
When you say that the hay is not inexpensive - what do you mean? I pay $13-$15 per square bale in South Florida (40-50lb bales).
Winter can be anything from the occasional (BIG) snow storm but mostly highs in the 50's, brown and dry all winter to being snowed in under a foot or two of snow from mid-October till mid to late April. Usually it's a mixture (some snow in town for awhile, then it melts for awhile, rinse and repeat). I never knew anyone who rode while growing up in Lander (nor, obviously, rode myself), so no ability to give first or second hand info.
Rentals are few and far between. They exist though, try contacting the local Realtors for help (most of them manage or own the rentals and share info with each other). I know that OWNING a home in town, all of our monthly expenses were met by my job alone while living comfortably, which was less than $40k. That didn't leave money for retirement/investments or vacations though. We should have been able to shave off maybe $200/month from our expenses though if it were necessary (but my wife made our "play/investment" money).
I'll send a couple recommendations via DM (still not real sure about what's allowed in that regards with CD).
When you say that the hay is not inexpensive - what do you mean? I pay $13-$15 per square bale in South Florida (40-50lb bales).
Thanks,
OD
$5-10 per 60 lb small square bale at feedstore prices, depending upon the availability and production in a given year. It can be less expensive if you buy direct from a producer in multi-ton lots, but it's a lot of work to deliver/store yourself, or to pay somebody else to do it for you. Unless you can barn store your hay, you will have storage loss of quality over the course of a winter which may offset any savings from buying in bulk.
At typical feeding rates with the quality of hay you'll get here, you'll be using a bale per day for your two horses, if not more ... depending upon their size and activity level. Keep in mind that horses need a lot of accessible nutrition in the cold weather or they will lose weight and condition very rapidly.
RE: other threads. Be aware that the main economic activities of the Lander area are extractive industries and ranching.
We just picked up some hay in the Sheridan area last week.
$85 a ton delivered
$65 a ton if we picked it up in the field
33 bales to a ton
But that was a real deal, most everything around here is $100+ a ton.
This team of Percherons are eating 3/4 a bale per day between the two of them, but they are corraled and don't graze. No grain or apple treats unless we're going to work them that day.
Right now they're resting up after that 1750 mile trip, but boy do they look good.
We just picked up some hay in the Sheridan area last week.
$85 a ton delivered
$65 a ton if we picked it up in the field
33 bales to a ton
But that was a real deal, most everything around here is $100+ a ton.
This team of Percherons are eating 3/4 a bale per day between the two of them, but they are corraled and don't graze. No grain or apple treats unless we're going to work them that day.
Right now they're resting up after that 1750 mile trip, but boy do they look good.
And you can get dairy quality big rounds in the Cheyenne area for $85-100/ton right now. A neighbor was thrilled to get $120/ton at the Centennial Auction a couple of weeks ago for his semi-loads at Fort Collins.
Small squares for the horse market are still $6-8 per bale at the feed stores, and you can buy tonnage at $120/ton at the producer's hay yards. Delivery is additional.
But all those prices are here, now ... with first cutting in, and 2nd cuts soon to begin in what has been a good production year. The wintertime prices are historically a lot more money, and around Feb-Mar-April, can get pretty pricey. It was only three years ago we were seeing $300+/ton for horse quality small squares in the area, you pick it up from the stack.
But Cheyenne, Fort Collins, and Sheridan are a long way from Lander. So our price points would be a different game than the Lander area once they get into winter months ... and transport to there can get expensive.
EH, how much hay does it take to keep those Percherons in good condition through a cold winter? My Morgans, easy keepers ... can easily go through 3/4 bale per day in wintertime ... and they're only 14.2-15 hands, not big horses.
And you can get dairy quality big rounds in the Cheyenne area for $85-100/ton right now. A neighbor was thrilled to get $120/ton at the Centennial Auction a couple of weeks ago for his semi-loads at Fort Collins.
Small squares for the horse market are still $6-8 per bale at the feed stores, and you can buy tonnage at $120/ton at the producer's hay yards. Delivery is additional.
But all those prices are here, now ... with first cutting in, and 2nd cuts soon to begin in what has been a good production year. The wintertime prices are historically a lot more money, and around Feb-Mar-April, can get pretty pricey. It was only three years ago we were seeing $300+/ton for horse quality small squares in the area, you pick it up from the stack.
But Cheyenne, Fort Collins, and Sheridan are a long way from Lander. So our price points would be a different game than the Lander area once they get into winter months ... and transport to there can get expensive.
EH, how much hay does it take to keep those Percherons in good condition through a cold winter? My Morgans, easy keepers ... can easily go through 3/4 bale per day in wintertime ... and they're only 14.2-15 hands, not big horses.
Thank you for the price points. In my experience size has nothing to do with how easy it is to keep a horse. I had a 14 hh QH that ate his heart out and had trouble keeping weight (yes, I did get several vets to see him).
RE: other threads. Be aware that the main economic activities of the Lander area are extractive industries and ranching.
I suspect Government (local, state and a little federal) is actually the biggest by way of people employed. The roughnecks tend to stay in Riverton (cheaper) and I still don't know squat about ranching.. lol.
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