Very seriously considering moving out to Oklahoma, OKC area. Can anyone give me any input? Pros and cons? Hay prices? We live in IL and just tired of the weather, politics, and taxes. I work in healthcare so need to be around a bigger city, my husband is a sheet metal worker and would need to be near OKC. We've been out there several times, and are aware of things getting stolen if they aren't locked up? 

Personally I prefer the tulsa area to okla city. We live in southeastern, okla & we do love it here. But in the future we will sell our ranch & move toward tulsa or the owasso area. It's just really pretty in that area. Lots of green grass, trees & beautiful lakes. Okla is a great state. We moved here in 1987 from calif. Glad we did. 

I do like the Tulsa area better. I prefer greener grass compared to the drier area. 

How do you feel about TORNADOS?? LOL.  I live in South Central Oklahoma......  i personally do not like the climate here.  

Like everyone else I don't care for tornado's! LOL but we have them in IL too. In the last 8 years ive seen 3 in my back yard. As long as i have storm shelter I will feel a little better.

Have you ever seen the movie Twister?  

They call the Tulsa / Owassa area Green Country for a reason. LOL  I'm in SE Kansas not far from those area's, there are always barrel races going on.

I live in the OKC area.  I love it.  I'm not a fan of the Tulsa area.  I was military though.  Originally from Michigan.  Ended up in Florida and the Navy brought me to the OKC area.  Been here since 1993 and I haven't moved yet.  

Why did you not like Tulsa area? I'm pretty sure work is going to make us near OKC, with my husband. Just curious.

The movie Twister was filmed by Pilot Mound, Iowa, not far from my neck of the woods.  They still call the hill on  E18,  Twister Hill from the movie. Just a bit of trivia

Sent you a message.

I am not a native Oklahoman, I was born and raised in Vegas. But I lived in Oklahoma for a few years, Oklahoma city area. For a girl that is from a big city, I say the hay is a lot cheaper. If you board, You can find a really nice place for a good price. I boarded out in Norman, OK which is just south of OKC and I paid $120 a month for a 2 acre pasture(just for my horse), and on the property they had 3 outdoor pens (2 were HUGE), 1 indoor arena, 1 round pen, 2 indoor barns, around 10 paddocks, 20 stall mare motel, trailer parking, and a big cow pasture you can ride in that led to more trail riding in the back. Then during the winter we would have to pay an extra $60 a month, for the 600-800 lb round bale for one horse. I mean.. where I'm from, I'd have to pay $300 a month for a stall, an arena and a round pen. Being in Oklahoma spoiled me. 

Finding a GOOD farrier is hard to come by as they are a dime a dozen. I remember when I first got there, I would get hung up on, farriers wouldn't show up, and other times they just would say "Alright, well I really don't need you as a customer." Same goes for equine chiro's, although there are a few that are very well known from the area. I found my farrier through a friend's reference.

I'm not kidding when I say barrel racing is a way of life in Oklahoma. There are barrel races that go on every day of the week, year round. It is always windy, so make sure to get a good stay in hair conditioner or else it will make your hair very dry. Red clay mud will become your friend. Weather is crazy.. you will have ice storms that last a few days. Rain, wind, sunny, snow. 

I was fortunate, I lived in Moore and did not get hit by a tornado when I lived there.. but that did not mean I did not have to manuever around them when it came to heading to work ect. Also it is not much of an active lifestyle type of place.. great food, but not a places to work out. You'll want to encourage yourself to stay active!

We are military so unfortunately, we moved away but I do miss it! 

What about blister bettles in hay? Do you go to a hay auction or just buy off people farming hay? We buy local hay up here off farmers

Yes blister beetles can be a problem, but there is quality hay you can get in okla. Once you meet horse people & vets, you can get a referral for good alfalfa. 

I have been in Oklahoma(Guthrie )  almost 30 years. I grew up in upstate NY and spent many winters in Phoenix Az. I LOVE Oklahoma . Winters arent terrible and the heat doesnt bother me. I work at the BEST Hospital system at the BEST rehab unit in the state .Look me up when you are looking for  job in healthcare .

I moved to the OKC area from San Diego 6 years ago... LOVE it out here.

Another Cali  :)  We moved from orange county to okla 32 years ago. We are in the mcalester area 

I moved down from NE Iowa about 16 yrs ago and love it.

The summers get hotter but the winters make up for it.

I chose the small town life though, I am not far from OKC.  

There does seem to be alot of races up in that Tulsa area.

But as far as hay, it's going to start getting harder to find, with fall coming, and the flooding we had is making it harder to find.  There are hay sources all over though, just got to find them.

People are friendly but way more "laid back" then up north.

As far as stealing, they have that every where and I had tornados in Iowa as well so ... every state has something!

I moved here from Kansas in 2010 to get away from the winters and a bad relationship.  Not liking the summers much but I guess better than 10 feet of snow for 4 months.  As far as hay goes,  good luch with finding quality horse hay.  But I live around the Ardmore, OK area and unless you want it trailered in then you pay out the nose for it.  I think north Oklahoma is better for good quality hay.

We are stuck in Lawton, southwest of OKC for another 2.5 years.  I HATE it.  I have found nothing to like about this area except the people.  You probably won't find better people.  It's ridiculously HOT, average temps have been 100-110 lately.  But it does cool off at night.  I usually ride after 8pm or before 9am.  Roads are terrible but not the worst.  Sales tax is one of the highest in the country.  No clue on propety taxes.  Gas prices are probably lower then the national average.

Hay prices.....yea...stay north.  Way north.  You are hard pressed to find decent hay affordable unless you make good contacts or get lucky.  Square bles of grass hay start at 8 dollars, with Bermuda higher and alfalfa well over 13.  Big round bales in the winter can run you well over 100 each depending on hay crop.  This area gets zero rain this time of year so we have already put hay out.  But if you can find land and take care of the pastures, the grasses are fairly hardy to drought.    If anybody in the family is a tabacco user be prepared.  It's expenisve.  Hubby dips.  A can of dip in OK is like 6 dollars versus 2-5 in other states.

And if you are really special like myself.....you will find out after you get here that you are severely allergic to mesquite......