Cost of Flying Horse Cross Country and Boarding in Santa Barbara

[imissvixen]

Does anyone have a sense of how much it would cost to fly a horse from the East Coast to California? Also, does anyone have suggestions of good places to board in the Santa Barbara area?

[Kementari]

This isn't an answer ;), but why are you looking to fly? It would be far cheaper to haul...

[Ambrey]

I can't imagine what it costs to board in SB now. When I was a teen I payed $35/month for pasture board (one edge of the pasture was a cliff down to the beach!).

[honeylips]

Someone from my barn flew a horse from LA to NY last month. It was about $4500 and 4 hours of time. Piece of cake for the horse.

This opposed to a lady who shipped a horse from NY to our barn the other month -it took 10 days and about $4000. Plus the horse arrived looking like a refuge and was definately under the weather.

For the extra $500 -I would fly.

[dreamswept]

I can't imagine what it costs to board in SB now. When I was a teen I payed $35/month for pasture board (one edge of the pasture was a cliff down to the beach!).

Yo, Ambrey. Did you board out in Ellwood by Sandpiper golf course?

[dreamswept]

Oh!

I have no idea how much it would cost to fly a horse cross country, but I do believe I can help with boarding.

It really depends what you want with your board, and what you expect to get for your money, and what your goals are as a rider.

Are you interested in showing, and lessons? There's a couple of barns in town that are primarily show barns. Off the top of my head, I know of Amapola Stables (and Santa Barbara Stables is part of that) and then there's Shoreline Farm. And Ridgewood is out in Carpenteria, and there's another barn near Vieja Valley School, but the name escapes me at the moment. El Captian Ranch is waaaay out in the boonies between Gaviota and Goleta.

Amapola's board is pretty expensive. I know one person who moved after they raised their rates, but, they range from $355 in pasture to about $825 in a box stall.

http://www.amapolaranch.com/rates.php

They do have some pretty nice trails though.

El Captian is a long ways out there, and you'd probably spend loads in gas just driving there. I think it's a 30 mile round trip from my house.

http://www.elcapranch.com/

Shoreline Farm is right at the trailhead for the More Mesa/Hope Ranch area. When my horse had to be evacuated during the Gap Fire, I wound up on a trailer that went to Shoreline. We were there for a week, and it was really nice. Not sure what their board is, but I think someone said $600 or so for a pipe corral.

Not sure about the prices for Ridgewood, or for that barn near Vieja Valley school, because I don't know anyone who rides there.

As far as casual riding barns go, there's some barn up on the Mesa, supposedly. And then a self-care facility on Puente, but I don't know any more details. There's Willowbrook on Alamar (but you don't want to go there) and then I board at Glen Annie Ranch which is in Goleta by Dos Pueblos High School.

I can't speak much for any other barns, but I like mine. We do have a trainer up in the show barn, and we have 4 rings (2 dressage, 2 jumping) and some short trails. Board isn't terribly pricey either, although I think the mare motel is the only open space at the moment. My Haflinger gelding lives in the mare motel.

There's some things that I wish were different about my barn, but I like a lot of the things that are good about it. Like the people. Everyone is so nice, nobody is judgmental and mean and spiteful. People gush over my Haffie all the time, and everyone gets along so well. It's mostly adult riders (I'm one of the youngest at mid-20) but we do all sorts of fun things. Like monthly potlucks. Last month we had a play day and a potluck. Next Sunday we're going to have a costume parade and a potluck. It's a great atmosphere. And most of the time, we always have lots of trailers going out for trail rides.

[Ambrey]

Yo, Ambrey. Did you board out in Ellwood by Sandpiper golf course?

LOL, this was a looong time ago. There was no golf course then. I'm not sure what's there now, I haven't been back in forever!

But yes, it was in that area.

eta: I have the worst memory in the world. There was a golf course, we used to collect golf balls out of the eucalyptus trees.

Sigh. I need to go find my memory supplements!

[dreamswept]

LOL, this was a looong time ago. There was no golf course then. I'm not sure what's there now, I haven't been back in forever!

But yes, it was in that area.

eta: I have the worst memory in the world. There was a golf course, we used to collect golf balls out of the eucalyptus trees.

Sigh. I need to go find my memory supplements!

My mom's friend used to keep her Arabians there. She had a gorgeous black one named Shady who was blind. She was the first person who taught me how to ride.

The golf course is still there, but where Helsha used to keep the tack and stuff, there's a parking lot, and farther down there's houses being built. And then the rest of the Ellwood Bluffs are open for riding. I ride up there all the time.

[imissvixen]

Having driven cross country myself in my younger days, I know how long a drive that is. If I could afford it, I would definitely fly my horse. I guess I need to call around and ask.

Thanks, for the leads on boarding. I will start checking them out. I don't need to be in a show stable and would like the option of hacking.

[dreamswept]

Having driven cross country myself in my younger days, I know how long a drive that is. If I could afford it, I would definitely fly my horse. I guess I need to call around and ask.

Thanks, for the leads on boarding. I will start checking them out. I don't need to be in a show stable and would like the option of hacking.

You're welcome. I'll PM you the phone number for my boarding barn.

[Ambrey]

By the way, Santa Barbara is a wonderful place to live :) I hope you enjoy it there!

[tkhawk]

Oh!

I have no idea how much it would cost to fly a horse cross country, but I do believe I can help with boarding.

It really depends what you want with your board, and what you expect to get for your money, and what your goals are as a rider.

Are you interested in showing, and lessons? There's a couple of barns in town that are primarily show barns. Off the top of my head, I know of Amapola Stables (and Santa Barbara Stables is part of that) and then there's Shoreline Farm. And Ridgewood is out in Carpenteria, and there's another barn near Vieja Valley School, but the name escapes me at the moment. El Captian Ranch is waaaay out in the boonies between Gaviota and Goleta.

Amapola's board is pretty expensive. I know one person who moved after they raised their rates, but, they range from $355 in pasture to about $825 in a box stall.

http://www.amapolaranch.com/rates.php

They do have some pretty nice trails though.

El Captian is a long ways out there, and you'd probably spend loads in gas just driving there. I think it's a 30 mile round trip from my house.

http://www.elcapranch.com/

Shoreline Farm is right at the trailhead for the More Mesa/Hope Ranch area. When my horse had to be evacuated during the Gap Fire, I wound up on a trailer that went to Shoreline. We were there for a week, and it was really nice. Not sure what their board is, but I think someone said $600 or so for a pipe corral.

Not sure about the prices for Ridgewood, or for that barn near Vieja Valley school, because I don't know anyone who rides there.

As far as casual riding barns go, there's some barn up on the Mesa, supposedly. And then a self-care facility on Puente, but I don't know any more details. There's Willowbrook on Alamar (but you don't want to go there) and then I board at Glen Annie Ranch which is in Goleta by Dos Pueblos High School.

I can't speak much for any other barns, but I like mine. We do have a trainer up in the show barn, and we have 4 rings (2 dressage, 2 jumping) and some short trails. Board isn't terribly pricey either, although I think the mare motel is the only open space at the moment. My Haflinger gelding lives in the mare motel.

There's some things that I wish were different about my barn, but I like a lot of the things that are good about it. Like the people. Everyone is so nice, nobody is judgmental and mean and spiteful. People gush over my Haffie all the time, and everyone gets along so well. It's mostly adult riders (I'm one of the youngest at mid-20) but we do all sorts of fun things. Like monthly potlucks. Last month we had a play day and a potluck. Next Sunday we're going to have a costume parade and a potluck. It's a great atmosphere. And most of the time, we always have lots of trailers going out for trail rides.

Ok -sorry to hijack but had to ask you another question. Do they allow horses in Goleta beach? I have ridden into the Summerland beach. I read somewhere they banned in Goleta due to the snowy plovers, but just wanted to know if they banned for commercial or private horses too? If available-is there a parking spot for trailers. Thanks...

[dreamswept]

Ok -sorry to hijack but had to ask you another question. Do they allow horses in Goleta beach? I have ridden into the Summerland beach. I read somewhere they banned in Goleta due to the snowy plovers, but just wanted to know if they banned for commercial or private horses too? If available-is there a parking spot for trailers. Thanks...

I've never ridden at Goleta Beach by the airport and UCSB, but we've ridden out at Coal Oil Point. There's a trail down from the Ellwood Bluffs. We just don't ride during the summer there, which is when the Snowy Plovers are nesting, but during the fall once they're gone, and the winter, it's fine. There's some parking off Phelps Road behind Camino Real and Costco, and then you ride up to Ellwood from there.

I rode at the Bacarra once. We parked in the parking lot by the tennis courts, and then went up the fire road and down towards the back end by Sandpiper Golf Course.

[Ambrey]

I once rode my horse through the drive through at Jack in the Box at Storke and Hollister.

True story.

Don't even know if there's still a Jack in the Box there :(

[tkhawk]

I've never ridden at Goleta Beach by the airport and UCSB, but we've ridden out at Coal Oil Point. There's a trail down from the Ellwood Bluffs. We just don't ride during the summer there, which is when the Snowy Plovers are nesting, but during the fall once they're gone, and the winter, it's fine. There's some parking off Phelps Road behind Camino Real and Costco, and then you ride up to Ellwood from there.

I rode at the Bacarra once. We parked in the parking lot by the tennis courts, and then went up the fire road and down towards the back end by Sandpiper Golf Course.

Thanks I will try that. I was pretty bummed as april to nov summerland won't allow horses from 10am to 5pm I think so kind of difficult to come from where I am in traffic. But this sounds good.

[Glimmerglass]

With race horses flying from NY to LA for the Breeders' Cup there has been a significant amount of flights. I'd inquire with a firm like Tex Sutton who has been doing this for decades (http://www.suttonforwarding.com/History.aspx) - at least you can get a quote.

From their map they fly into Ontario, California which is far more accomodating then LAX

[Plumcreek]

Sigh... I grew up in SB, My friends and I used to ride from Foothill Road area down La Cumbre, over the freeway, through Hope Ranch, to a beach access just north of Arroyo Burro (gated houses there now), we would ride in the waves and nobody else was ever there. This was back in the 60s, Hope Ranch Riding Club days.

[Ambrey]

OMG, I'm getting so many flashbacks. I have homesick dreams of SB all the time, but I don't even have any family there anymore :(

I love that place.

(not that I ever lived in SB proper... we lived in the poor suburb of Goleta, LOL!).

[dreamswept]

I once rode my horse through the drive through at Jack in the Box at Storke and Hollister.

True story.

Don't even know if there's still a Jack in the Box there :(

Yes ma'am.

Jack in the Box is still there.