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Regular
Posts: 57
Location: Wishing I was riding | Hey everyone!
Just wondering if anyone could share experiences with horses and living in the military.
Why I'm asking, is I used to ride when I was younger, but gave up horses 2 years ago after a bad riding accident almost killed me. I am currently pursuing an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy. I want to get involved in their equestrian team, and possibly get back into barrel racing after I graduate.
But anywho, if anyone has some experience to share, please do! No flaming please. I'm young and I love horses, and i understand it's still a long ways away. 
Edited by akammes1997 2015-03-23 5:30 PM
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 Veteran
Posts: 146
| Military spouse (now retired), most all of the military bases stateside have stables, may not be fancy but cheap and handy if you live on base. Overseas assignments are the problem, theses bases likely will not have stables, plus shipping horses can get very expensive. I had a horse with me in AK and boarded at Elmendorf, had a great time there, I paid to have him flown out when we PCS'd. It's doable for the most part, just the overseas assignments that will be the challenge. |
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 Rebel Without a Cause
Posts: 2758
 
Location: Adopt a homeless pet - www.petfinder.com! | I agree with the above poster. Many stateside bases have stables and I'm almost positive the academy in CO does. When my husband was in the AF there was a nice stable, indoor and outdoor arenas at Travis AFB in Fairfield CA. Also kept mine at the stables at Elmendorf when we were there (flew mine in and out as well). The main thing is to be in a situation where someone can care for them if you're TDY, all the base stables I know of are self-care as far as feeding and cleaning stalls. |
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 Desert Diva
Posts: 4946
Location: The birthplace of Honest Abe | quite a few bases have been closing their stables, atleast army ones. Ive moved from Washington to Oh to TX to IA to CA and finally KY with horses while either being in the military or as a spouse. Most of the time I boarded on post. |
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 Ms. Marine
Posts: 4641
Location: Texas | I'm stationed in Yuma and the stables here on base are run down and not usable what so ever. I miss my horses more than you could imagine. It's really tough being 1200 miles away from them and my family. It could be just because of my job, but it would be very difficult for me to be able to take care of any horses while I'm active duty. |
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Rebel Without a Cause
Posts: 2758
Location: Adopt a homeless pet - www.petfinder.com! | BarrelRacing4Christ - 2015-03-23 7:02 PM I'm stationed in Yuma and the stables here on base are run down and not usable what so ever. I miss my horses more than you could imagine. It's really tough being 1200 miles away from them and my family. It could be just because of my job, but it would be very difficult for me to be able to take care of any horses while I'm active duty. It's definately hit or miss on condition. Travis AFB had two large very nice MD Barns which the boarders kept in great condition through work days. Elmendorf's was (I was told) used as a jail or camp of some sort back when they were built, then converted to a barn. When we were there we had a Chief MS in charge of maintenance on base whose wife boarded her horses there. Needless to say although old, our stable was kept in good shape b/c he was able to get projects approved for us as training for his crew. Not sure what we'd have done without his pull.
Edited by Calangelo 2015-03-23 8:01 PM
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 A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
Location: NC | I can't speak for other branches. But the Marines didn't have base stables worth using. The ones on Lejeune were privately ran which meant a lot of officers wives with too much time & too much money. Way lots of drama.
I bought my first horse while on active duty. BUT I was in a training squadron so no deployments. I kept my mare on a farm off base of course. I lucked out & found a great family that had a spot & took me in. I ended up meeting my hubby there! Lol.
It's possible. Plenty of boarding places in military towns for sure. But you might not want to do it if you're too far from home or don't have a backup plan. Deployments happen & sometimes at short notice. |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| BarrelRacing4Christ - 2015-03-23 5:02 PM
I'm stationed in Yuma and the stables here on base are run down and not usable what so ever. I miss my horses more than you could imagine. It's really tough being 1200 miles away from them and my family. It could be just because of my job, but it would be very difficult for me to be able to take care of any horses while I'm active duty.
I used to go to barrel races a lot in Yuma. The arena was right across the street from the base! |
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 Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | It's been a while..But I used to shoe a few horses at a stable on Fort Leonard Wood In Missouri.. MissRoseLee knows someone that works there now... Maybe she will chime in... |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 422
Location: Fort Bragg North Carolina | I wouldn't use military stables (many closed due to budget cuts) being in military towns you can usually find boarding barns outside of the city that are worth boarding at or taking lessons. The worse part of it all is the moving. I have met some great equestrians learned a lot about the English world because of the moving. But it's really not all that bad a lot of barns in military towns will help you through training and deployments. |
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 Thick and Wavy
Posts: 6102
Location: Nebraska | I was unable to be with my husband for the first 2 years he was in the Army because of my horses and his job. He was moving around too often to justify taking them so I chose to finish school at home. |
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