Tag Archives: moving horses

Closed!!

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The old barn is getting a new concrete center aisle tomorrow.

The old barn is getting a new concrete center aisle tomorrow.

After over 45 days of frantic activity when we found the farm of our dreams, to the sale of Six Meadow Farm in 15 minutes, to battles too numerous to count, yesterday we finally closed on our new farm!  Overjoyed is not even in right stratosphere with how Lauren and I were feeling as we opened the gate to the long drive and put the key in lock for the first time. There is a lot of work that needs to be done fast but we feel we have a great contractor leading the way and hope horses may be roaming these green pastures before Easter morning dawns.

The green carpet of pasture surrounding our old "new" barn.

The green carpet of pasture surrounding our old “new” barn.

Already we have seen more of Kendyll and Ally in the past 24 hours than we did in the last month.  We are seven minutes away from one another!  We have been taking load after load up and down the highway.  I did not imagine that my tiny little house held so much stuff.  Some how I have become the keeper of Amber and Ally’s childhood mementos.  From love letters from old boyfriends, to certificates, to baseball cards, they are all stored here. Lauren has one giant lidded tub that only holds her show pads.  At one point she thought it had blown out of the back of the truck and was deep into a plan to cut across the median and head back to pick the scattered pads off the highway!  Thankfully, everything has made it to the new house in one piece, so far.

The barn is a solid structure but we needed to clean it out and try to configure the space to make stalls for as many horses as possible.  Lauren and I have always wanted a center aisle barn and by tomorrow at this time, we will have one.  The guys are also hard at work running new fence lines, creating the arena and a small gazebo/patio from where we can watch the riders in the arena.

I am so pleased that everything has worked out so well.  We need to be there tomorrow morning by 6:00 am as the first cement truck arrives then.  I feel incredibly blessed to have this new,safe, quiet home far from any highway but closer to civilization.

Thanks to all of you who keep supporting us throughout all our trials and tribulations!

Parklike pastures with shade trees beats old farmland with no trees for miles.

Parklike pastures with shade trees beats old farmland with no trees for miles.

Moving on?

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Six Meadow Farm is up for sale. Hurry, I may chicken out!

Six Meadow Farm is up for sale. Hurry, I may chicken out!

I know have complained endlessly about my daily commute and difficult lifestyle.  For some time now we have been searching the areas surrounding Houston (and my job) for a new home.  In six months of looking we have found three real possibilities.  It is difficult to go from place we obtained very reasonably, added what we needed and made it home to the higher prices of land and facilities closer to Houston.

Our greatest fear is that we will sell our place and have nowhere to go with seven dogs, five horses and numerous cats.  We can’t really just rent an apartment while we wait to find our dream home.  Plus, I feel my mother is in a good place now and I do not want to get to far away from her, either.

First we found 12 acres close to Dev, way closer to my work but a long way from my mom.  It had a little issue in that the only bathroom was located in the master bedroom.  Pretty fun time for visitors, traipsing through my room to pee.  Lauren wasn’t happy about it either.  We set that one aside and kept looking.

We found an amazing place in Needville with stalls, pastures and arena move in ready. Like we could have loaded up some feed, a couple buckets, the horses and moved in today.  It was absolutely gorgeous.  It got me closer to work and still not too far from my mom.   The problem with this one was almost opposite of the last one.  It had a great bathroom, conveniently located off the hall only there were NO bedrooms.  None!

Yes, it did have room to build , but I had no budget to build after buying the beautiful land, stalls and arena.  I found that to be a problem. Clearly so did the owner.  He did not accept the only offer I could make and still have money for bedrooms.

Then we journeyed up to Cat Springs.  Closer to work and the Equestrian center but a long ways from my mom.  It had great oversized stalls (Bruno sized) with a nice tack room.  The house had bedrooms and baths.  Even a fenced back yard for the dogs. Problem here was the property was set up weirdly with the barn way at the back of the property ( I love a good hike early in the morning).

And while our part of Texas is flat, flat, flat, this area has gentle hills.  There was no possible place to set up an arena where you were not constantly riding downhill.  That was a no as well.

Then we gave up for a while.  Until last week when our friend and agent Tracy found a five acre spot in Richmond, minutes from Ally.  This one required a drive through a slightly rough neighborhood before hitting horse properties that line the river.  I was a little put off on our initial drive.  Then I saw a beautiful homes, green pastures and something I had never had before…a brand new, never lived in home.  Wow.

In the case of every property having something but no property having everything, this one has a great new house.  A master bed and bath downstairs for me and an equally nice one upstairs for Lauren.  The property is fenced ( needs some fence work) has a barn but no stalls and flat ground to make an arena.  Pretty good number of right things.

Lauren and I spent the weekend, cleaning, packaging, and storing thing as that will unclutter our look at home.  The for sale sign went up Sunday.  I am still haggling with the owner of the property we like.  Trying to get the right price and right terms.  We will see.  I am confident and secure in the knowledge it will all work out in the long run.  Sure doesn’t seem to work out quickly and nicely like all those HGTV shows make it seem.  And those shows don’t mention how your stomach gets tied up in knots as we wait to hear the response from our latest offer.

If you see a gypsy caravan with horses, dogs and cats trailing behind an old VW, it will be Lauren and I homeless.   I hope we get some news soon!  Thanks for riding along.