The H&H recently ran an article on the 'most horse-positive county' in England (Devon). I'm considering moving sometime in the next year or so and wondered if people had ideas of where in the UK or Ireland was the ideal place to live? From a personal perspective, I need somewhere that's safe for cats and dogs, has an open fire and minimal near neighbours. From a horse perspective, an intelligent, thoughtful yard where horses have as close to 24/7 turnout as possible with good hacking, good schooling facilities, proximity to vet who know what they're doing (the best thing about living in Newmarket is that I'm 3 minutes from the AHT< 6 minutes from Rossdales and 26 minutes from Cambridge vet School - and have worked at all of those so when the young lurcher lacerated herself on a barbed wire fence this week, an ex-student, who's now the resident at the clinic was able to stitch her up. That will be hard to leave but the downside is that facilties for the recreational horse-owner are crap and it's time to move).
if I were interested only in finance, I'd move to Ireland where writing income is tax free. If I followed my instincts, I'd move to the south west of England, tho' I suspect my rosey view of Devon is coloured by the fact that my last long-term gf lived there.
the north seems barren and too far away, which is ridiculous given that I was brought up on Skye...
so it's all hugely subjective but if anyone has any ideas - or knows of anywhere going for sale now under £250k, do let me know...
I live on the Mendips, beautiful horse country and close to beaches, lots of off road hacking. A woman down the road from me is setting up a natural horse livery, 24/7 turnout on 80 acres, barefoot mixed herds. Langford vet school is 10 mins away, Nick Thompson (holistic vet) comes out this way too. Downsides - no good local barefoot trimmers and lots of fog!
Being a northern girl and living on the moors, I find that I have found my little oasis.
From my personal exeriences I try to follow what my heart says. Everything is subjective and although I had an absolutely fantastic time in Devon this weekend I didn't turely feel at home until I saw the bleak clowded hills of the Pennines where I live.
Well, I can sympathise with northern moors and yorkshire dales as well (as a northern girl too), but also recommend, in the south, the ridgeway downs (marlborough/avebury/wantage sort of triangle).
Fantastic riding - 100's miles of bridleways over chalk downland with little or no road work- big airy skies, lovely villages.. not too much traffic.. Excellent equine vet: Jenny Hall and co in Lambourn (Jenny's the vet for the british event team)..
Only problem is that its quite expensive to buy property around here!
On a different tack- Manda, I note you are near Newmarket.. I have to bring my horse over to Newmarket next week, as she has a bone chip in her fetlock joint and has to have surgery - Oh Dear! (
I cannot bear the thought of leaving her there all week and not being able to visit, so I intend to stay in or near to Newmarket. Are there any good campsites where I could put my trailer (which has living accomodation)...
Carol - campsites are few and far between here. They sometimes turn the racecourse into one huge CCC site and have dozens of caravans on it, but not in the race season. It may be that they'll let you set it up in the car park at the clinic, tho' I doubt it. When are you coming? I have a friend staying Monday through Wednesday but you could stay here on Thursday if you wanted (10 minutes' drive). I live on a hill and it's completely not suitable for trailers, sadly, or you could part here
I'll ask around. If anyone comes up with anything, I'll let you know
Hi manda
Thank you for the offer- but don't want to impose on you as I will be there for 5-7 days.
I'm coming on thursday (7th).. but I've just found a campsite about 4 miles from newmarket, and have sent off an enquiry about parking my trailer there.
Perhpas we could meet up for a drink or a meal or something?
carol
Hi Manda,
Don't think your "rosey" view of Devon is coloured. Parts of it are wonderful places to keep horses, or at least my area (Dartmoor) is.
However there is a big BUT!!
house prices!!
these are also wonderful!! as an example the very small semidetached converted barn in our hamlet (no land or stabling or garage and three very small bedrooms) is for sale at £269000. The one next to it has recently sold for more than that.
Seems everyone else has this "rosey" view of Devon.
I missed your question regarding the whereabouts of the yard....hope you don't think I was ignoring you! It's south of Bristol, if you want more details feel free to email me on baymair@aol.com
Debbie - yes... oddly, I was thinking of that while walking the dogs today. Actually, what I need is a wife but a lodger is easier to come by and probably a lot less stressful. Also moderately more likely to be prepared to dog/cat/horse sit while I go off on strange literary book tours and perhaps the Energy Healing course that I'm applying for...
so if you'd like to join what may be a long list of 1, do let me know. Current thoughts are to move next spring/early summer and potential locations range from Ireland (where writing income - in fact all creative income - is tax-free) to Wales (where it's not, but there are some very wonderful peopel) to Cumbria/North Yorks and - yes - Devon if somethign strange happens to the house prices so that it becomes affordable...]
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