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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1165
  
Location: California | I've looked into quite a few different places to live and you guys have always been extremely helpful! I am still in Colorado (on the plains no where near the mountains) and had it all lined up to go back to Washington... Well, some things have made me think that it may not be the best plan for me.
I have a friend moving to Arizona this September and it made me start checking into some things down there. They will be moving to Phoenix to go to college at MMI. They have family in Buckeye with possible room for my horses. I started looking into the job scene and horse side of things. It looks really promising, possible a smarter idea then where I want to be in Washington...
Anybody on here from the Phoenix/Buckeye or surrounding areas? Pros and cons of the areas and the barrel scene there? I have a coming 2yr old who I would LOVE to futurity and that in itself helps with Buckeye being so close :) |
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 The best bad guy on the internet
Posts: 3519
 
Location: Arizona | I live in Buckeye, have lived her my whole life. It's a great place to be if you have horses. Tons of barrel racing all over. I have a place coming up for rent in April if you are interested. Coming from Colorado you will have to adjust to our summers. They are HOT! What kind of work are you looking for? |
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 Hawty & Nawty
Posts: 20424
| My case for Arizona....
This is the only vortex you will find here---> 
We train our ferocious white puppies to guard our tequila...
Our cowboys have some native blood so they look like this guy...
 <--The coat is just decoration because we don't really use them.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1165
Location: California | LIVE2RUN - 2014-02-10 1:11 PM
I live in Buckeye, have lived her my whole life. It's a great place to be if you have horses. Tons of barrel racing all over. I have a place coming up for rent in April if you are interested. Coming from Colorado you will have to adjust to our summers. They are HOT! What kind of work are you looking for?
Our past few summers here have been constant triple digit weather and I grew up in Florida and Texas ;) We are in an 8yr or longer drought here on the plains. The horses will definitely have to adjust. I am currently a lab tech at an Oil Seed plant and have been there for the past year and a half. I would really love to get back to a job working with horses if at all possible. The move wont be able to happen till my trailer is paid off and I can get the gas money together and everything lined up but I know if its possible my friend and I would love to move ASAP.
I am currently 2+ hours from the barrel racing/rodeo scene and just really don't like the area. As much as I loved the area I was in up in Washington, I seriously think warmer weather and an area with way more jobs and horse opportunities sounds like the smarter plan.... |
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The best bad guy on the internet
Posts: 3519
Location: Arizona | RidenFly - 2014-02-10 1:23 PM
My case for Arizona....
This is the only vortex you will find here---> We train our ferocious white puppies to guard our tequila...Our cowboys have some native blood so they look like this guy...<--The coat is just decoration because we don't really use them.
Too funny!! Love the last picture for sure!! |
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 Expert
Posts: 1229
Location: Royal J Performance Horses, AZ | the buckeye area is GREAT to be if you are a horse person. lots of land, several arenas locally. Dunns, Buckeye equestrian center, Horse lovers, West world, and then down in QC is horse shoe park. We have some nice facilities here. and there are usually ALWAYS jackpots being ran at one of them every week.
my ONLY issue with AZ is the HEAT, if you cant stand the heat DONT MOVE HERE.
I've lived here over 15 years and i cant wait to leave one day.
your horses might have a tough time adjusting, so misters/fans would be a good idea for their first or 2nd summer.
People say "oh we've had triple digits, AZ cant be that bad." If you think that way you are in for a surprise. AZ sun is like a laser beam in your eye. |
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The best bad guy on the internet
Posts: 3519
Location: Arizona | Serenity06 - 2014-02-10 1:24 PM
LIVE2RUN - 2014-02-10 1:11 PM
I live in Buckeye, have lived her my whole life. It's a great place to be if you have horses. Tons of barrel racing all over. I have a place coming up for rent in April if you are interested. Coming from Colorado you will have to adjust to our summers. They are HOT! What kind of work are you looking for?
Our past few summers here have been constant triple digit weather and I grew up in Florida and Texas ; ) We are in an 8yr or longer drought here on the plains. The horses will definitely have to adjust. I am currently a lab tech at an Oil Seed plant and have been there for the past year and a half. I would really love to get back to a job working with horses if at all possible. The move wont be able to happen till my trailer is paid off and I can get the gas money together and everything lined up but I know if its possible my friend and I would love to move ASAP.
I am currently 2+ hours from the barrel racing/rodeo scene and just really don't like the area. As much as I loved the area I was in up in Washington, I seriously think warmer weather and an area with way more jobs and horse opportunities sounds like the smarter plan....
Colorado heat and AZ heat are not the same thing. We have triple digits for at least 6 months and it doesn't cool off at nights either. It's hot all day and all night. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1165
Location: California | I believe it about the heat. I know i'll still have someadjusting to do.
As far as houses with room for horses are there many for rent? I would love to be able to continue having my horses where i live... |
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Expert
Posts: 1229
Location: Royal J Performance Horses, AZ | Serenity06 - 2014-02-10 1:52 PM
I believe it about the heat. I know i'll still have some adjusting to do.
As far as houses with room for horses are there many for rent? I would love to be able to continue having my horses where i live...
the Wittmann area has quite a few. It's still kind of rough out there and well for lack of a better term"redneckish" But there are a lot of pretty well known horse folks out there also. I actually have a place out there with a house and stalls and an arena that someone is renting right now. Once they leave this spring It will most likely be sold.
It's still pretty open in Wittmann so if you buy property or a house, you should be able to get it for a pretty good price with a fair amount of land. Hardly any of the homes out there are on less than 2 acres. Ours is 4 and so are the surrounding homes, if that gives you an idea.
Edited by Fancie_That_Chrome_ 2014-02-10 3:06 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1165
Location: California | The heat on the plains is way different then by the mountains. I know not exactly as bad as Arizona either. I grew up in the south and rember Texas very well. As much as i like snow, i can not stand the cold. I swear i'm cold blooded at times. lol
Thank you for any and all input! Trying to get to a place where my dreams will be easier to accomplish and I will know people :) |
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The best bad guy on the internet
Posts: 3519
Location: Arizona | Serenity06 - 2014-02-10 2:16 PM
The heat on the plains is way different then by the mountains. I know not exactly as bad as Arizona either. I grew up in the south and rember Texas very well. As much as i like snow, i can not stand the cold. I swear i'm cold blooded at times. lol
Thank you for any and all input! Trying to get to a place where my dreams will be easier to accomplish and I will know people :)
I hate the cold too, this is why I live in AZ. Not all of AZ is hot in the summer time. You can get away from the heat and head up to the mountains where it's way cooler. Usually in the summer time the barrel racing moves to the cooler areas.
Good luck to you!! |
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 The Crazy Mom
Posts: 2132
Location: Ainsworth, NE | Fancie_That_Chrome_ - 2014-02-10 3:04 PM Serenity06 - 2014-02-10 1:52 PM I believe it about the heat. I know i'll still have some adjusting to do. As far as houses with room for horses are there many for rent? I would love to be able to continue having my horses where i live... the Wittmann area has quite a few. It's still kind of rough out there and well for lack of a better term"redneckish" But there are a lot of pretty well known horse folks out there also. I actually have a place out there with a house and stalls and an arena that someone is renting right now. Once they leave this spring It will most likely be sold. It's still pretty open in Wittmann so if you buy property or a house, you should be able to get it for a pretty good price with a fair amount of land. Hardly any of the homes out there are on less than 2 acres. Ours is 4 and so are the surrounding homes, if that gives you an idea.
We have a place in Wittmann! Fancie_That_Chrome, where is your place? We are on 215th. But we don't live there in the summer! We are only there from about mid Nov to early feb. But, there are still other people staying at our place until march/april! |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | I love AZ.
But I like to amateur rodeo and there's just not much in the way of that like there is in the PNW.
I can only hope to head there for the winter someday!!!
PHX is a huge area. Like a lot bigger than I thought. But I'm in love with the mountains and cacti in north phx area.....in LOVE. |
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Meanest Teacher!!!
Posts: 8555
Location: sunny california | Those of you in AZ do any of you have corrals and a spot for short term rent? I would love to come to AZ during my vacations to barrel race.
ps my hubby is a very handy guy! |
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 Pork Fat is my Favorite
Posts: 3791
Location: The Oklahoma plains. | We have had the exact thoughts on Az. Here are my questions:
What do horses graze on? I can not imagine having no grass.
How much is a bale of hay?
Do you see rattle snakes everyday? Or scorpions?
How much does water cost- is it city or well or how is it provided?
I hear it called dry heat vs the HUMID Okla heat- can you confirm?
Like what are the months that are hot- say May to Aug are 100 degrees everyday?
Anything else you can think of that people may overlook as far as pro or con? |
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Hawty & Nawty
Posts: 20424
| TurnLane - 2014-02-12 6:16 AM We have had the exact thoughts on Az. Here are my questions:
What do horses graze on? I can not imagine having no grass.
How much is a bale of hay?
Do you see rattle snakes everyday? Or scorpions?
How much does water cost- is it city or well or how is it provided?
I hear it called dry heat vs the HUMID Okla heat- can you confirm?
Like what are the months that are hot- say May to Aug are 100 degrees everyday?
Anything else you can think of that people may overlook as far as pro or con?
We have had the exact thoughts on Az. Here are my questions:
What do horses graze on? I can not imagine having no grass. I bring in my own hay every week. I feed three horses on about 60 dollars a week.
How much is a bale of hay? avg about 14$ a bale regardless hay or alfalfa
Do you see rattle snakes everyday? Or scorpions? NO. but you don't go sticking your hand under rocks or boards. You have to be smart about things. You're more likely to get hit by semi. then be bit by a snake.
How much does water cost- is it city or well or how is it provided? mine is city water even though I live far far from town. other people have wells. We have most of the rights to the Colorado river. Water isn't a huge deal.
I hear it called dry heat vs the HUMID Okla heat- can you confirm? It is dry. It's still miserable from June to Sept.
Like what are the months that are hot- say May to Aug are 100 degrees everyday? almost everyday but the pay back comes in the evening with dramatic and beautiful monsoon storms.
Anything else you can think of that people may overlook as far as pro or con?
It's expensive, but you will enjoy barrel racing here. There are great horses and riders and large large large arenas. |
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 Voice of Reason
Location: NOT at Wal Mart | Lol.... Water is a HUGE deal. we too are in a drought and its going to get worse. Please do some research on the Colorado River, its an eye opener for sure. Everyone in the state needs to conserve.
Its hot, no joke, I'm from AZ and when I lived in Phoenix for school I got sick from the heat. If I wasn't on my horse by 5 am I couldn't ride. Its still 100+ at 10 pm.
I wouldn't live in the Phoenix area again for 100.00 an hr. My electric bill averaged 300+ and my water was 180. in the summer. To hot, to many people, to much smog and to much crime. We lived in a very upscale neighborhood and got robbed twice! |
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Pork Fat is my Favorite
Posts: 3791
Location: The Oklahoma plains. | justcruzin - 2014-02-11 8:36 AM Lol.... Water is a HUGE deal. we too are in a drought and its going to get worse. Please do some research on the Colorado River, its an eye opener for sure. Everyone in the state needs to conserve.
Its hot, no joke, I'm from AZ and when I lived in Phoenix for school I got sick from the heat. If I wasn't on my horse by 5 am I couldn't ride. Its still 100+ at 10 pm.
I wouldn't live in the Phoenix area again for 100.00 an hr. My electric bill averaged 300+ and my water was 180. in the summer. To hot, to many people, to much smog and to much crime. We lived in a very upscale neighborhood and got robbed twice!
The heat is pretty much how it is here, sounds like- we have to ride when the sun sets- and 9pm it can still be 95.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1165
Location: California | From all the research and everything i have gone over it looks like i will be making the move to Arizona! It will help me out a great deal with my horse goals and in the short and long run is the smarter choice.
Hay here is beyond expensive, we are also in a major drought, and we have no grass because of it all anyways. I free feed hay year round as it is ;)
Now i just have to figure out all the details, find a job, a house, and possibly a spot for 3 horses. Hope to move by May! |
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The Crazy Mom
Posts: 2132
Location: Ainsworth, NE | RENTING: We have a place and we rent out spots - Full Hookups and pens for horses (20 x 20 or 20 x 30' pens).
We have an arena and also desert right out our gates to go riding in! We are in Wittmann so only an hr to Buckeye (where the big january events are) and 35 minutes to Dunns arena (wednesdays and weekends). Plus, Wickenburg has monday and thursday events and it is about 20 minutes. We only stay there from about Mid November to early February. But other people stay at our place from about late october until April! So, if anybody wants more info on that, let me know!
RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS ABOUT OTHER THINGS:
SCORPIONS: when I am down there I have never seen on, but before I leave I always spray the perimeter bug killer stuff around buildings and this year I found 2 dead ones when I arrived....
LIZARDS: We have lots of these little salamander/lizard type things cruising around.... harmless. My kid saw one for the first time and said "Look, a baby alligator!"
SNAKES: When i'm there it gets too cold in the evenings and I have never seen a snake, nor has anybody else who stays at our place. But I did ask a vet about it and in the summer they are around.
HAY: the bales we buy are the big 3 strand square bales that weigh a ton! (well, not really a ton, but they are soooo heavy). They are about 13 - $14 a bale.
WATER: couldn't tell you on that one because we have our own well.
ARENA MAINTENENCE: at our place, if we don't water the arena daily and occassionally go in and rip it deep, it will pack horribly. It's not like here in Nebraska where we just have to occassionally work the arena. So, if you buy your own place and want an arena, you'll need not just an arena worker, but find someone who can come in and actually rip it up deep. We purchased a water wagon to water our arena daily. Granted, in January during our busiest time there are multiple people staying there working futurity horses and the guys rope. so the area gets lots of use...
PERMITS: Various areas need different type of permits. If you want to just put your own horse there, it might be different, but if you are wanting to maybe put in a hookup or something for others to come and stay, you need to check into that. We had to get multiple permits to be able to have the horses we do on our place....
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