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"You’ll have to post some pictures of your new place, barn and trails when you get settled in down there. We have another Saddle Club member, Estrogen, who packed up and moved from up north to down south. She ended up in an equestrian community in Aiken, SC and really loves it down there. I’d love to move to a more horse-friendly area myself!"

I do have some "in progress" photos, as a matter of fact!! Our little grandson is coming over, and it is going to take me a little bit to post the photos, but later today or tomorrow, I'll take off the "idiot mittens" and figure out how to get them on here.

Aiken SC is "grand central horse activity" and lovely, that's for sure!! In fact, the farrier from the barn here in IL where I boarded has property which he wants to retire on there. Alot of the polo guys winter in Aiken and one of the trainers at my old barn knows some of the higher level XC trainers in Aiken, to which she has sent her horse out for training. And there is alot of carriage driving too. I liked W NC, though, because of the mtns and the climate - a bit more temperate - not quite as hot. AND, if you ever want to come and take a look around, let me get down there first and get the "stickers" scraped off of the windows - haha - you're more than welcome to come stay with us and investigate the area. You know, we ARE having a "manly garage" built too, color co-ordinated with the house and barn, tall enough for an old fart to put a lift in so he won't have to fix his own cars on a "creeper" as he ages, so who knows, you MAY be able to convince hubby to head a little "east"!!! hahaha..........with guys, a garage is an alluring thing.

Matter of fact, there is a realtor who we had been in contact with last year, year before, who continues to send us dribs and drabs of listings via email - this was all BEFORE we decided to go ahead and build - and he just emailed me a few days ago with a listing, in Polk County, that he is about to do for a friend of his. She is divorcing, he thought of us looking for "Horse property" awhile back, and wondered if we were still looking. I wrote back and told him what we ended up doing, but to send the listing when he gets it and I may know someone who could at least take a peek. It sounds like it can be had for the "taking" but that's about all I know right now. I have to check his email again, but I think he said 10 acres near Columbus, NC (which is in Polk County and you'd have access to the FETA system)OR it might even be ON the trail system, which, in that case would mean you would ride out your gate and onto the 100 mile network of trails. THAT is the "jackpot" type of property down there, where you don't have to haul to the trails, you can just ride out. I have absolutely NO CLUE as to price and he didn't mention it yet, but if he sends the MLS, I'll know...........and I'll send along an email or the MLS # or something. From time to time, some really primo "turn key" horse properties become available at very affordable prices. But there are alot of $1M+ places, too. If you have ever been to Lexington, it is very reminiscent of there. We are building on the "other" side of the tracks, but hey, it works for us and it's OURS!!!! hahaha

...You know, we ARE having a "manly garage" built too... tall enough for an old fart to put a lift in so he won't have to fix his own cars on a "creeper" as he ages...with guys, a garage is an alluring thing.

Ooooo, that was a slick move there...hooked him with a garage! I'll have to keep that one in mind.

...so who knows, you MAY be able to convince hubby to head a little "east"!!!...

Nah, probably not, at least not for a while. We can't even manage to get off our procrastinating butts enough to build a house on the acreage we already OWN, hence the name "Flying Pig Farm"! ;o)

But I'd love to look at any listings you come across. A girl can always dream.

...but I think he said 10 acres near Columbus, NC (which is in Polk County and you'd have access to the FETA system)OR it might even be ON the trail system, which, in that case would mean you would ride out your gate and onto the 100 mile network of trails. THAT is the "jackpot" type of property down there...

Yeah, I gathered that when I checked out the FETA website. It was in the "Buyer Beware" section and was saying that potential buyers had better do their due-dilligence when buying property in the area and make sure that they had written confirmation that their property had true, protected access to the trail system because a lot of property was being marketed that way that really didn't. It went on to say that properties that did would be priced accordingly because of the value of the access, but that just because a property was high priced didn't mean it REALLY had access. So I took from all that that land that was actually "on" the trail system was pretty darned expensive.