Article
"What are Buyers looking for in Equestrian Communities?"

Horses provide a tangible, living connection to a rural, slower-paced life we have all but lost in these frenetic times.  And that’s why many “horse appreciators” who do not own horses themselves deliberately seek out and purchase property in equestrian communities. These non-riders may well prefer a home with a view of ambling horses on a dirt trail to one with a view of golf carts motoring over chemically green turf (of course,  there are a growing numbers that want both).
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Statistics show only about only 35% of the residents of many equestrian communities are actually avid horse people. The remainder are just occasional riders, or, alternatively, serious golfers, fishermen, or hunters drawn to the non-equestrian amenities of a particular community. This population includes both retirees who love to hike and want easy access to trails and open space, and families who want a rural-type community for the benefit of their children and/or pets.
 
The avid horse owners, on the other hand, are looking for kindred spirits with whom to ride and exchange information on training, vets, and farriers, not to mention the best prices for quality hay and feed.  In addition, these potential buyers are apt to be more interested in the topography and natural features of the development’s setting than in the design of the homes.  They will value level pasture land, shade trees, creeks and lakes, direct access to community trails and proximity to National Forests, BLM land, or other equestrian-friendly public lands.
Needless to say, the presence of regulation-sized community arenas for dressage, hunter/jumper events, or roping is an additional draw for the avid horse people, as are plots of land large enough to construct similar private facilities.

Professionally-staffed community stables, possibly with horses for guests to ride, are a plus for buyers who work full time or travel frequently and need boarding services.

For the horse crazy or the horse friendly, a well designed equestrian community has much to offer:  the sight of horses romping and playing in pastures, groups of neighbors meandering down the trails on a Saturday morning, waving to all they pass, friends ready to lend a helping hand, a place to teach children to love and respect the natural world . . . and maybe even a golf course where all those non-riding husbands can retreat while their wives enjoy hanging out with their horses!

By: Marie Griffith, CEO of MyEquestrianCommunity.com and BuyHorseProperties.com; and soon to be published MyEquestrianVacation.com.  Marie is a leading horse property Realtor, now retired, previously marketing and selling property in equestrian communities and horse ranches in California. Marie has been an agent since 1975 who now resides in Taos, NM, with her husband Dave Griffith, and their two senior trail horses, Rhea and Sheik, Marie focuses on their websites with husband, Dave, a retired software engineer, along with their daughter, Sue Griffith-Aguirre, who works on the site remotely from Coconut Creek, FL.

Comments, additions, questions, or yes "buts"  Email Marie