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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12704
   
| oija - 2018-11-16 9:30 AM mtcanchazer - 2018-11-16 8:25 AM oija - 2018-11-15 10:19 AM Kansas would be a bit better I would think but they still get fairly extreme weather in parts. Have you considered Oklahoma? Cost of living there isn't terrible. And you definitely would have lots of barrel racing action within a short haul. Still fairly close to Kansas and family too. The northern part of the state also does not have quite as much heat as like Texas. I have some friends in the Tulsa area. They like it alright. ETA: I would suggest North Texas as a barrel racing mecca (it pretty much is) but we get fairly humid here and are **** hot in the summer. I hadn't really thought about Okalahoma as I've heard it is tornado alley. I did almost relocate to TX for a job, but had some personal stuff come up at the time that prevented me from moving (in retrospect it shouldn't have, but only hindsight is 20/20) but I understand it is HOT there. But I'll do some searching in OK.
I was thinking around the Great Bend, KS, area because I found an awesome horse property near there and a job in my field there.
Washington would be doable...I'll look into it too. KS is also in tornado alley technically. A bit further north in Tulsa I think they get a few less tornadoes than they do right on the Red River. I live right next to Tornado Alley and grew up in Amarillo where they are really bad too. But we have had relatively few issues. So pretty much anything from KS south you are going to have to worry a little about them. But most people have little trouble with them. Just don't live in a trailer house. If you are uber worried, you can always get a storm shelter or buy a property with one. There are even a few government grants to help with them I think.
IMO, having grown up in Topeka KS, 'Tornado Alley' is an overblown issue. Yes, there are tornados, and yes, they are very destructive. But almost every area of the country has its particular weather issue.
I would love to move to the Tulsa area. I think it encompases the best of most geographical interests in the country (minus ocean). It is near the southwest edge of the Ozarks so there is hills and water. It does get cold and gets humid, but it is slightly tempered in that area from both. It is a huge technology center and jobs pay fairly well compared to the cost of living (unless that has changed since 2016). Good highway systems take you up to Kansas, into Arkansas, down to Texas, or west to Oklahoma City. There are a plethora of barrel races available in any direction. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 1395
 
Location: Missouri | mtcanchazer - 2018-11-16 11:17 AM
I've been to Missouri and Arkansas a few times...not ultra fond of the Ozarks and the rain...how do you all ride in the rain? It rains so much compared to here! LOL. Just asking, not discounting. I have a hard time with humidity, I grew up without it, so whether hot or cold and humid, I don't do humid well.
As far as tornado alley...I would need a basement or storm shelter. I have nightmares (literally) about tornadoes....also about volcanoes, so that rules out Hawaii, LOL. I'll look into some more areas.
I know I don't want a real populated place (the town I grew up in is about 55k, and I don't want to go bigger than that, a bit smaller is better). I've traveled quite a little through Utah, Nevada, Idaho (I've never seen so much snow as along the Snake River!), Washington, Oregon, Arizona and a little in New Mexico. I'm pretty familiar with parts of Kansas. I considered Wyoming and South Dakota, but they get quite a lot of snow and cold too. Nebraska (no offense to those who live there) doesn't really do it for me.
Oklahoma is sounding pretty great right now with barrel racing and all that. I'll look a little there. My mom grew up on the Kansas/Oklahoma border, and some of my cousins have lived in Oklahoma (and some still do!).
In my area of MO, basements are considered a must have. Almost everyone has one, unless they live in a single wide. So finding a home with a basement or at worst, a cellar, for those situations is easy! :)
I'm not super close to the Ozarks, I'm on the east side of the state. It's either raining a lot or we're begging for it. Seems there is no inbetween. As far as riding in the rain, I do a lot of riding not in the arena when it's been raining. Out on the gravel road long trotting, out in the neighbor's cattle fields. They don't care if I tear it up a wee bit...lol. In my area there are several nice indoors/covered arenas that have weekly ride nights too. If it's been raining too much and I need to do slow work, I haul 15 min from home.
As far as humidity....if you think that's a no go for you then here isn't a good place to relocate. LOL! I feel like we cope though. I'd take the humidity over your winters though! I hate to be cold.  | |
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 The best bad guy on the internet
Posts: 3519
Location: Arizona | Arizona is also not a bad place in the summer time depending on where in AZ you live. Just 2 hours north or north east of Phoenix you have the cooler climates that maybe reach the 90's in the summer time if that, but cool off in the evenings. The lower desert is HOT and miserable but we still barrel race year round. We just travel to the cooler climates. Lots of job opportunities here too. Let me know if you want more info! | |
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| What do you plan on doing for a living besides barrel racing when you move? Figuring out details like that first, and then where the best barrel races are might be a good place to start. Or if barrel racing is most important, start googling and find out where there are barrel races every day of the week, and look for a job in that area. There are a lot of barrel racing associations with series races, (VGBRA comes to mind here in WA) so that might tilt you one way or the other. I grew up on a ranch in Montana, went to college in Wyoming, and currently live in WA. So far, I've loved them all and would gladly live in any of the three again, but I get wanting to leave your home state and see the world.
If you love the 406 country, Colorado might be a nice place to look. There were always barrel races and jackpots going on down in Fort Collins and the surrounding towns, plus the weather isn't as harsh as MT and the scenery on the west side of the state is beautiful. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 134
| I live between Oklahoma City and Tulsa and really like the area. There are a ton of big and little barrel races within an hour and a half drive tops as I can hit the OKC Fairgrounds in that time frame or the Lazy E in Guthrie in 45 mins. There are at least 8 smaller places to run I can think of within an hour which essentially gives you a race every night of the week. The weather isn't awful but it will get hot in the summer with some days over 100 and cold in the winter but I am sure no where near as cold as Montana. LOL Plus I am a wimp if it is under 60 or so haha. | |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | I'll try to answer a few all at once!
Kansas has had bad trouble with drought lately, sounds DFW, TX, isn't the place if it is super humid. I can stand heat up to about 100 degrees if its dry.
I will look into the Tulsa, OK, area. My mom grew up in Kansas and she says tornado warnings were just a fact of life, nothing to be afraid of...its just a hang up I've had. Movies like Twister didn't help, LOL. Tulsa sounds good! Arizona is on my list, too, but it seems like either the housing is in a super populated area like Phoenix with high cost housing, or places there isn't much unless it is for snowbirds. But I'll look some more.
Sounds like Missouri might not be for me though! I'm just not really used to humidity and I don't handle it well.
My ex-bf is from Colorado and from what I understand it isn't the place it used to be to live, but I have looked there lightly. Lots of house but the cost is pretty high, even compared to Montana. But I'm open to CO.
As far as work, I've been at the same job for 11 years, I work at a car dealership as an office manager, but I handle title and paperwork responsibilites, online marketing, etc. So I could get a job with either another dealership as a title clerk/office manager or at a DMV office. That's part of the reason I was looking at Great Bend, KS, is because there is a job in my field there currently with a decent pay. As far as barrel racing, it mainly is my hobby. Although I'm trying to turn it into a little bit of a side gig by taking in some horse for tune ups and/or rides (not colts or dangerous horses, but ones needing wet saddle blankets) and giving riding lessons, besides offering the occasional barrel prospect.
Lots of good answers! Was hoping it would narrow down my search, it has just given me more to think about! But it will help me make the best decision. :) | |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 456
Location: SW MO | mtcanchazer - 2018-11-16 11:17 AM
I've been to Missouri and Arkansas a few times...not ultra fond of the Ozarks and the rain...how do you all ride in the rain? It rains so much compared to here! LOL. Just asking, not discounting. I have a hard time with humidity, I grew up without it, so whether hot or cold and humid, I don't do humid well.
As far as tornado alley...I would need a basement or storm shelter. I have nightmares (literally) about tornadoes....also about volcanoes, so that rules out Hawaii, LOL. I'll look into some more areas.
I know I don't want a real populated place (the town I grew up in is about 55k, and I don't want to go bigger than that, a bit smaller is better). I've traveled quite a little through Utah, Nevada, Idaho (I've never seen so much snow as along the Snake River!), Washington, Oregon, Arizona and a little in New Mexico. I'm pretty familiar with parts of Kansas. I considered Wyoming and South Dakota, but they get quite a lot of snow and cold too. Nebraska (no offense to those who live there) doesn't really do it for me.
Oklahoma is sounding pretty great right now with barrel racing and all that. I'll look a little there. My mom grew up on the Kansas/Oklahoma border, and some of my cousins have lived in Oklahoma (and some still do!).
I live in the Ozarks and it has been muddy here for about 2 weeks. The only time the mud subsides is when its FROZEN. It has been 20* or less at night here. We already had our first snow of the season. Years past it was 70* in December/Jan with no snow.
It really is a mixed bag. We have several indoor arenas here. Outdoor arenas are a dying breed in this area in my opinion. I have ridden in the rain more than I want to admit. We are in Tornado alley and it can be bad. We had a tornado hit our place last year and the year before. Its pretty common. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 203
Location: kansas | I am 31 years old and have lived in Kansas and Oklahoma my entire life and have never in my life seen a tornado. I have been in numerous numerous warnings, but have never seen one in person ever. So to me it’s nothinf to worry about at all. | |
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 Brains Behind the Operation...
Posts: 4543
Location: Arizona | I was born in California, but spent most of my life in southern Arizona. I've lived in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Oklahoma as well. My boyfriend and I moved back to AZ this year after spending the last 6 years in Montana. Couldn't take the winters anymore, either! In an ideal world, we'd be young snowbirds and winter here in AZ and summer in MT... But alas, we can't afford that just yet. I think Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming are lovely from about May to September, but the winters kill it for me. I hated Oklahoma's humidity while I lived there (but then I'm a desert rat, so hot and dry is how I like it, lol). I have an uncle that's been working a feedlot in Kansas for 4 or 5 years, he tells me the winters are miserable there as well but seems to like it the rest of the year.
We love the desert, and AZ is "home" for both of us, but it isn't for everyone (I think it's beautiful, but others think it's brown and ugly, lol). Summers are brutally hot down south, but not too bad in central or northern AZ. There is certainly no shortage of barrel races or ropings to keep you busy. Things are similar in New Mexico. Buy a house if at all possible, rent is outrageous for horse property and if you shop around you could make a mortgage payment for half the price of rent on comparable properties. | |
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Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | Thanks much. I have looked into buying a property where ever I go, but at first I don't think that's in the cards.
Still looking and thinking...haven't found quite the right thing yet (place with house and job both), but when making BIG life decisions, I suppose it is best to not rush into them and find the right thing. | |
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 Straight Shooter
Posts: 5725
Location: SW North Dakota | mtcanchazer - 2018-11-17 9:17 AM I'll try to answer a few all at once!
Kansas has had bad trouble with drought lately, sounds DFW, TX, isn't the place if it is super humid. I can stand heat up to about 100 degrees if its dry.
I will look into the Tulsa, OK, area. My mom grew up in Kansas and she says tornado warnings were just a fact of life, nothing to be afraid of...its just a hang up I've had. Movies like Twister didn't help, LOL. Tulsa sounds good! Arizona is on my list, too, but it seems like either the housing is in a super populated area like Phoenix with high cost housing, or places there isn't much unless it is for snowbirds. But I'll look some more.
Sounds like Missouri might not be for me though! I'm just not really used to humidity and I don't handle it well.
My ex-bf is from Colorado and from what I understand it isn't the place it used to be to live, but I have looked there lightly. Lots of house but the cost is pretty high, even compared to Montana. But I'm open to CO.
As far as work, I've been at the same job for 11 years, I work at a car dealership as an office manager, but I handle title and paperwork responsibilites, online marketing, etc. So I could get a job with either another dealership as a title clerk/office manager or at a DMV office. That's part of the reason I was looking at Great Bend, KS, is because there is a job in my field there currently with a decent pay. As far as barrel racing, it mainly is my hobby. Although I'm trying to turn it into a little bit of a side gig by taking in some horse for tune ups and/or rides (not colts or dangerous horses, but ones needing wet saddle blankets) and giving riding lessons, besides offering the occasional barrel prospect.
Lots of good answers! Was hoping it would narrow down my search, it has just given me more to think about! But it will help me make the best decision. :)
I have a dear friend who lives south of Stillwater, Ok. I visit her several times a year and I LOVE IT THERE!!! Land seems reasonable, weather is mild in the winter (the OKies bellyache that it's cold, but for us northerners, its a walk in the park. Your nose holes do not freeze shut). I would LOVE to live in that area. Good vets, lots of events of any kind, lots of awesome Mexican food... I doubt I could convince my husband, though. I don't know how easy it would be to find space for 300-400 cows there. :(
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 Expert
Posts: 1210
Location: Kansas | Kansas!  If you live just outside of the Kansas City metro area, you can find rural towns that are only 30 minutes away from the city/jobs. I bought a house, ten acres with fenced pasture, and four large barns for $180,000. If you wanted to go even more rural, I bought my first house/8 acres for $38,000 outside of Fort Scott (SE Kansas). Just harder to find good jobs unless you are willing to commute.
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 Hummer's Hero
Posts: 3071
Location: Smack Dab in the Middle | I'm in south central Kansas (between Wichita and Salina) and it's really a nice area. It does get cold, but we don't get a lot of snow. We had 4 inches of snow last week and they made a big deal that it was more than the last two years combined. Supposed to be cold and snowy this winter according to the almanac. Yeah, it's dry sometimes, but sometimes it's wet, and the hay crop and grazing are ok or good most years. You get used to tornado warnings and thunderstorms.
I like where I am because there are barrel races everywhere, almost any time you want to go. I have multiple indoor and outdoor arenas in all directions from me, within 1-1.5 or 2 hours. There are several options for larger barrel races within a few hours. I like it here. And I'm moving to Oklahoma...still plenty of jackpots but might have to drive a little further. I'm gaining a few degrees, but the weather is pretty similar to where I'm at now. | |
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Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | RockinGR - 2018-11-20 3:29 PM I'm in south central Kansas (between Wichita and Salina) and it's really a nice area. It does get cold, but we don't get a lot of snow. We had 4 inches of snow last week and they made a big deal that it was more than the last two years combined. Supposed to be cold and snowy this winter according to the almanac. Yeah, it's dry sometimes, but sometimes it's wet, and the hay crop and grazing are ok or good most years. You get used to tornado warnings and thunderstorms. I like where I am because there are barrel races everywhere, almost any time you want to go. I have multiple indoor and outdoor arenas in all directions from me, within 1-1.5 or 2 hours. There are several options for larger barrel races within a few hours. I like it here. And I'm moving to Oklahoma...still plenty of jackpots but might have to drive a little further. I'm gaining a few degrees, but the weather is pretty similar to where I'm at now.
You're just a ways north of where my mom grew up (she was south of Wichita) and that's where my relatives are still.
I'm still considering every possibility, and I'll be honest, up until now I never considered Kansas as an option to live until I found that housing is cheaper and there are jobs there that pay good in my field (better pay than here!). So I'm still watching and looking.
Thank you all for your input! | |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | A while back maybe 2 months ago, Retama Equine Hospital in Selma Texas {right outside of San Antoino} were hiring.. | |
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Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | Southtxponygirl - 2018-11-20 4:08 PM A while back maybe 2 months ago, Retama Equine Hospital in Selma Texas {right outside of San Antoino} were hiring..
Interesting! I almost took a job in your neck of the woods, Southtxponygirl...Sutherland Springs, but had some things come up that I was unable to get down there at the time. | |
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