Tell me about Minot ND

[JNW]

My husband is active duty military, we just found out we will be moving to Minot ND very soon. I'd love to hear about the barns. I know there is a base stable but I'm looking for something with an indoor for the winter. Also whats the showing like in the area.
Thanks

[Laurierace]

OMG are you seriously moving from Florida to Minot? That is cruel! Well you can always take a trip to Alaska to warm up. I'm sorry I don't have any specific information to give you, just my sympathy.

[JNW]

OMG are you seriously moving from Florida to Minot? That is cruel! Well you can always take a trip to Alaska to warm up. I'm sorry I don't have any specific information to give you, just my sympathy.

We have the military to thank for this.

[War Admiral]

Not much for "real" hunters; pretty much all AQHA up there. The good AQHA show barns should all have indoors though, and most will be heated to some extent. You'll need it!

[sk_pacer]

This area ain't THAT bad however, it may be a bit of a physical shock to everyone involved. I don't know of any facilities at Minot but there are a good number of ND plates at most horse events in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, be the event harness racing or shows with all sorts of classes. Come to think of it, seeing ND (or Montana) plates on a vehicle here is pretty common.

I think what is going to be the worst is the culture shock - you are moving from a densely populated place to an area that has scattered small towns, and not much else. Nearest other 'large' centre is Williston or Estevan, Sk, with large being relevant to this general trading area. The other thing that will bother you is the lack of water - it just doesnt happen much here except for spring floods. But there are miles and miles of delightful NOTHING and nobody, wonderful things to see (will change your views on farming) and it's a historically rich area. The histories of the Dakotas. Montana and the three prairie provinces are tied together very closely, and there are people that farm and ranch on both sides of the border

I think finding a place with an indoor is going to be the least of your worries - almost any place that has a few horses for either work or showing or as boarders has an indoor. It may or may not be heated but it is at the least, a shelter from the wind and other nasty winter stuff

[Susan P]

Your just a couple of hours drive from Linton, ND, home to the Nokota horses and the Nokota Horse Conservancy www.nokotahorse.org (http://www.nokotahorse.org) :winkgrin:

I've been to Minot, Bismarck, Mandan and drove from Minot to Linton, I must have seen 5 cars, lol. I wish I did get to check out Minot, I think there were some sights there, but not much traffic for sure. I wouldn't mind living in a quiet town, I'm in Chester County, PA now. I think that you're pretty close to Bismarck and there's stuff to do there. You just have to drive further to do things which is I guess why people drive so fast in ND. Don't forget to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Medora, that's still on my bucket list.

If you go to Linton and want to stay overnight make sure you stay at Don's Motel, it's the only decent place to stay in that town and you can walk to the house where they have the office for the Nokota Horse Conservancy. If you go please let me know. They have been coming to PA for years now, I have 3 Nokota horses. Oh and this weekend one of them will be a special guest at the Kentucky Horse Park and will be ridden in presentations twice a day.

Honestly, for me ND is a spring through fall place only, can't bear those cold temps and severe winds. brrrrrr :no:

[sk_pacer]

Honestly, for me ND is a spring through fall place only, can't bear those cold temps and severe winds. brrrrrr :no:

Makes ya TOUGH!!!ROFL

I am only a couple of hours from Minot, gonna say maybe 3.

[baysngreys]

Years ago I bought a horse from a breeder just across the border in Sask.
I waited until March to go up and see what they had for sale. I thought that was far enough into spring...hahaha on me!

It was sooo cold my camera froze up. I remember the display in the rental car indicating it was minus 12 degrees.

They had the 3 youngsters I was interested in tied up in the barn. We'd go out, let one loose in the indoor arena, watch it, put it away, go back in the house, have hot tea/chocolate, defrost - repeat until I'd seen them all.

I've never been so frozen in all my life - and all the horses lived out 24/7!

Mind you I flew in from LA and I'm basically a weather wimp to begin with!

Life is cruel!

[Anne FS]

Famous Residents:
Boris Karloff

Fun Facts:
- Sister city is Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
- 40% of residents are of Scandinavian ancestry
- Located in the prime “three corners” liquor bootlegging area; as a result, Minot is known as the “Whiskey Gap”
- 50 miles east of the gangster capital of the Western U.S.
- Due to Minot’s silos/air base, if North Dakota seceded from the Union, they would become the world’s 3rd largest nuclear power

I know this because my boss did a speaking engagement last year to wheat growers in Minot. :D

[sk_pacer]

March isn't cold.....it's bracing!!!ROFL March can also bring brutal storms with copious amounts of white crap.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

What kind of riding do you want to do up there? I know a nice dressage instructor in ND.

I'm not exactly sure where Minot is, to be honest, but I've been to Fargo/Moorhead, lol. My parents alma matter is Concordia and I made the mistake of doing my pre-college visit during the winter. The snow was so high you couldn't see the houses. I declined.

Cuddleduds are your new best friend.

[sk_pacer]

Famous Residents:
Boris Karloff

Fun Facts:
- Sister city is Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
- 40% of residents are of Scandinavian ancestry
- Located in the prime “three corners” liquor bootlegging area; as a result, Minot is known as the “Whiskey Gap”
- 50 miles east of the gangster capital of the Western U.S.
- Due to Minot’s silos/air base, if North Dakota seceded from the Union, they would become the world’s 3rd largest nuclear power

I know this because my boss did a speaking engagement last year to wheat growers in Minot. :D

Right on all counts. The Bronfmans used to run whiskey from Weyburn and Moose Jaw down through a little entry port called Torquay (pronounced Tor Kway not Tor kee) to Minot then Chicago.

Most of the other 60% of the residents are of German extraction. That holds for most of ND, SK and MB. Most cities/regions have Smiths, we (collectively) have Schmidts and variations, and a LOT of Olesons and Nelsons

[Susan P]

I love ND and you are right, it sure makes tough people, but I enjoy being an east coast woos. :lol: And then I like to visit ND as a fairweather friend. It also made for some really tough horses, I love those Nokota horses. Which direction from Minot do you live? What is that highway I took to go from Minot to Linton? Do you know where Linton is? I had a great time there, and went in June during the annual meetings. There are quite a few people from Chester County, PA that go there for the meetings and other times too.



Makes ya TOUGH!!!ROFL

I am only a couple of hours from Minot, gonna say maybe 3.

[Susan P]

If I ever take a train to ND again (yes I was crazy) I would want to get off at Fargo. I'd like to find out where the car rental are, and other stuff to get me to Linton and I would love to see THRO.



What kind of riding do you want to do up there? I know a nice dressage instructor in ND.

I'm not exactly sure where Minot is, to be honest, but I've been to Fargo/Moorhead, lol. My parents alma matter is Concordia and I made the mistake of doing my pre-college visit during the winter. The snow was so high you couldn't see the houses. I declined.

Cuddleduds are your new best friend.

[greysandbays]

Makes ya TOUGH!!!ROFL


And it keeps a lot of the riff-raff away.

If you've not have a lot of experience with rural American Scandinavians, you might be in for some eye-openers. Good people, mostly, but 'different'. In a good way, once you get to know them.

The following was written for Minnesota, but most of it is practically interchangeable with a lot of North Dakota:


Rules for visiting Minnesota:

1. That slope shouldered farm boy did more work before breakfast than you'll do all week at the gym. He doesn't need your respect, but he sure as heck deserves it!

2. Its called a gravel road. No matter how slow you drive, you're going to get dust on your SUV. I have a 4-Wheel drive because I need it. Drive yours or get the heck out of the way!

3. We all started hunting and fishing when we were nine years old. Yeah...we saw Bambi. We got over it.
4. Any references to "corn fed" when talking about the women will get your BUTT kicked...by the women.

5. Go ahead and bring your Orvis Fly Rod. Don't cry to us if a flathead breaks it off at the handle. We have a name for that little 13 inch trout you fish for......"bait."

6. Pull your pants up...you look like an idiot.

7. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of mallards are making their final approach, we'll shoot it. You might hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time!

8. That's right. Whiskey is only two bucks. WE can buy a fifth for what you paid in the airport for that little bitty bottle.

9. The Jackrabbits and the Coyotes are as important here as the Lakers and the Knicks...and a dang sight more fun to watch.

10. No, there's no "vegetarian special" on the menu. Order steak. Order it rare. Or you can order the chef's salad and pick off the two pounds of ham and turkey. Yeah we have sweet tea. It comes in a glass with two packets of sugar and a long spoon.

11. You bring coke into my home and it better be brown, wet, and served over ice.

12. So you have a sixty thousand dollar car. We're real impressed. We have a quarter million dollar combine that we drive 2 weeks out of the year!

13. Let's get this straight. We have one stop light in town. We stop when its red. We may even stop when its yellow.

14. The women hunt, fish, and drive trucks...because they want to. So, you're a feminist. Isn't that cute.

15. Yeah we eat catfish, and carp too---and turtle. You really want sushi and caviar? IT's available at the bait shop.

16. They are pigs. That is what they smell like. Get used to it. Don't like it? Interstate 35 goes two ways and 94 goes the other two. Pick one.

17. So every person in every pick-up waves. Its called being friendly......Try to understand the concept.

18. Yeah we have golf courses. Don't hit the water hazards. It will spook the fish.

19. No we can't shoot the doves. They're song birds. Okay...even we feel a little stupid about that one.

20. We use oil for cookin, fixin roads, stopping squeaks and our hair on saturday nights. Don't go wasting it on your arms and face. Get outside more and nature will take care of the "golden glow" you've been paying 20 bucks a pop for a the tanning salon.

And there's this one for North Dakotans:

You might be from North Dakota if..

If you define Summer as three months of bad sledding....

If your definition of a small town is one that doesn't have a bar....

If your family breaks into violence during the NDSU-UND game...

If snow tires come standard on all your cars....

If at least 50% of your relatives smell like beets....

If you have ever gotten frostbitten and sunburned in the same week....

If you can identify a Minnesotan accent....

If you point at the palm of your right hand when telling people where you grew up....

If you don't understand what the big deal about Moorhead is....

If someone asks you if you've been to Europe and you answer, "No, but I've been to Warroad"....

If "Down South" to you means Aberdeen....

If you have any idea who Roger Maris was.....

If people borrow things to you...

If you think "going up north" would be a great vacation....in January....

If you have no problem spelling Wahpeton....

If your nearest neighbor is a long-distance call...

If you have an ICBM in your backyard...

If you have as many Canadian coins in your pockets as American ones...

If your kid's baseball and softball games have ever been snowed out...

If you bake with "soda" and drink "pop"...

If you drive 70 mph on the highway and pass on the right....

If you know how to play Euchre...

If you ever watched your dog run away for three days...

[Mozart]

Well, I think that will be a bit of a challenge, if you want to do h/j or dressage. You can get to some good dressage or h/j shows about three hours away in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. If you want a horsey fix in March, you should check out the Royal Winter Fair in Brandon, it is an A level h/j (and draft, hackney, barrel racing...). http://www.brandonfairs.com/index.php?pageid=255

You should be able to find arenas easily enough, but it will likely be a western barn.

I think your big challenge is coaching, unless there happens to be a good coach in the Minot area, you are probably also three hours away from a coach. Dorsch Farms is three hours away in Weyburn Saskatchewan. http://dorschfarms.ca/. There is also good coaching available in Brandon, Manitoba. But three hours is a long way to travel for a coach. Not including the border crossing.

Are you bringing a horse with you? If not, this might be your opportunity to try some western riding....

[sk_pacer]

WEll, I guess I 'lied'.....I am a tad farther north and west than 3 hours......just a shade over three. Not terribly far from Dorsch Farms.

The real killer is the border crossings although I DO know people that cross the border at Deloraine every weekend from June to October to race in Manitoba, so it can't be that bad, or maybe they all know the people quite well by now.

Love the quotes, and they apply here too!!!

[greysandbays]

Valley City used to have a fair amount of horse stuff going on.

[JohnDeere]

If you have ever watched your dog run away for 3 days...



This ones a hoot when you live where I live...

I had an uncle stationed in GF. His favorite thing to do on Saturday was climb a tree & watch them plant corn. In KS.

[Brio]

Sorry to hear you are going to Minot. It'll be a bit of a change for you.

We have some fellow show-folks who live in the Bottineau area and they drive to Fargo and Grand Forks for showing. Mostly its QH style showing in this area. Bismarck does have an english club that offers mostly dressage and some over fences. Many go up to Canada for more of the hunt/jump shows. Minot also hosts the State Fair each year.

It gets cold but most facilities up here have indoors. I don't know a ton of boarding facilities up there but I am sure they have plenty.

And Greys - You can tell a Norwegian but you can't tell him much. :winkgrin:

[greysandbays]

have plenty.

And Greys - You can tell a Norwegian but you can't tell him much. :winkgrin:

I knew some folks that had that sign on their front porch! :D They were both elderly and have since passed away. Really, really good people.

[Mozart]

And Greys - You can tell a Norwegian but you can't tell him much. :winkgrin:

Can you tell him UFF DA? :winkgrin: