You’re already a landowner. You’ve always loved horses. You have a little money to invest and your considering buying an equestrian ranch where you can fulfill your dream of a home with your own horses.
We discussed in a recent post some of the important things to look for when buying horse property. Today, let’s look at the pitfalls a prospective new horse property owner should watch out for.
Poor drainage
Anyone who’s built their own home understands the importance of good drainage. When you’re shopping for land to keep horses, you need to consider more than just the building lot.
Swampy or muddy soil can be a hazard for humans and horses alike—it can lead to falls and provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Your horses don’t want to live in a swamp any more than you do, so be sure that water from rain and snow melt has a place to go.
Excessive steep slopes
While a bit of a slope to the land you’re considering will help with drainage, you don’t want it to be too steep. Gently rolling hills like you’ll find on our Wyoming horse properties are ideal. Not only is this type of topography better for drainage—it’s good for the horses, too.
Dense forest
If you’re looking for more than just a couple acres, some trees and even a bit of forest can be appealing. They look nice, provide shade, and might even be a source of firewood to heat your home. If the forest is too dense, though, you’ll have less room for your horses to roam and for you to ride. All that shade means that grass won’t grow well, either—keep that in mind if you plan to pasture your horses.
The ranch properties at Wild Horse Ranch, near Laramie, Wyoming provide plenty of open space. There’s abundant pasture for your horses and lots of room to ride—these are the types of features to look for in your dream horse property.
Rocky soil
If the soil is too rocky, it can damage your horses’ hooves. It can allow water to runoff too quickly, rather than soaking into the soil and allowing grass to grow. Rocks can be a tripping hazard for horses and humans, too. A few rocks here-and-there aren’t a problem, but in general you’ll want to avoid anything that’s too rocky—less is better.
Too far from resources
Retiring to a home in the country along with your horses might be a dream of yours, but keep in mind that a place that’s too remote creates its own set of challenges that you might prefer to avoid. Not just for you, but your horses, too—is there a vet nearby in case of emergencies? Is there a hospital, for human emergencies? How far are you willing to drive for regular grocery store visits?
Limited places to ride
Location is important for more than just the resources you’ll need. You’re buying a horse property, presumably, because you love riding horses. Acreage helps—properties like Wild Horse Ranch provide plenty of room to ride on your own land. Still, you’ll probably want to ride out, too. If you’re limited to just the space within your own fences, you’ll get bored pretty quickly.
Wyoming is a great place to own horses, largely for that very reason. There is a lot of open space, and you’ll find much of it very close to your property here.
When you’re ready to take a closer look at our Wyoming horse properties at Wild Horse Ranch, give us a call at 877.468.9802 and we’ll arrange a time to show you around.