When starting your search for your horse farm, there are a few things to consider that are separate from the house. Your needs for your horses will largely depend on what you do with them – the spectrum of needs could run from the retired horse to the show horse to ponies for your children or a full scale breeding option, etc. Below are some things to consider.
The Basics – I guess the first thing to consider is how many horses do you have currently or anticipate getting? Do you need a barn or can you make do with a run in shed and hay storage? Do you need a riding arena or trails to ride on? How much acreage you need will depend on how many horses you will have on the property.
The next thing to consider is the land itself. I always recommend looking closely at the pastures – are they in low lying areas? Do they appear wet? Are they super hilly, rocky or full of trees? And then of course, the paddock/pasture layout and fencing quality or type is important. In some parts of the country electric fencing is typical, but in others 3 or 4 board fencing is preferred. If you can look at the property after a lot of rain or melting snow, it will help you determine how wet the property is and what kind of drainage you may be dealing with.
And of course the actual barn set up or run in shed set up is very important.
There are so many more things to consider, so look for future posts about helpful tips on what to look for in your next farm.
