Emigrating to buy house with land for horses, anybody done it?

My cousin has a finca in southern Spain, but had to move back to the UK for work. The land isn't the best for horses as it can become quite desert like, and when we visited the last thing we expected to see was two Shetland ponies roaming freely on the surrounding land with the goats. They did look happy enough though! My cousin doesn't have horses, but she can't wait to be in a position to move back to her Finca, as she's missing the lifestyle she had there.
 
The first link the house is uninhabitable (with that roof IMHO)

The second one doesn't have enough details to check whether it has an up to date foss (septic tank), central heating (esential with kids again IMHO) etc.

50-60 m2 of living space is very very small - 2 tiny bedrooms and one room downstairs would be too small for me (with 2 kids!)

You can buy property for that (but you can in the UK too) it's just you have to spend another £100k to get it up to habitable standards.

I agree with the poster above who suggested going and renting and see how you find it - or even holiday over there and go and look at some of these to get an idea of what you really get.
 
I'm emigrating :D.

Not for the horsie side as such but because OH is American, he's been in the UK for 15 years and he's about had enough of everything and wants to go home.
We are going from London/Hampshire to Santa Barbara in California. The weather is a big draw for us. We are having a baby and we want somewhere with an outdoor lifestyle, horses at home, a boat and a better quality of life. Will we get it? I hope so but we won't know until we try! If we don't like it we'll move on but we'll give it a go for a few years.

I'm nervous about it of course but I see it as an opportunity. This winter has if anything been the straw that broke the camels back. I'm fed up of shivering by an open fire and feeling like i'm surviving as opposed to living.
 
Firewell said:
I'm emigrating :D.

Not for the horsie side as such but because OH is American, he's been in the UK for 15 years and he's about had enough of everything and wants to go home.
We are going from London/Hampshire to Santa Barbara in California. The weather is a big draw for us. We are having a baby and we want somewhere with an outdoor lifestyle, horses at home, a boat and a better quality of life. Will we get it? I hope so but we won't know until we try! If we don't like it we'll move on but we'll give it a go for a few years.

I'm nervous about it of course but I see it as an opportunity. This winter has if anything been the straw that broke the camels back. I'm fed up of shivering by an open fire and feeling like i'm surviving as opposed to living.
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Hope all goes well for you. Best wishes.
 
Polos Mum said:
The first link the house is uninhabitable (with that roof IMHO)

The second one doesn't have enough details to check whether it has an up to date foss (septic tank), central heating (esential with kids again IMHO) etc.

50-60 m2 of living space is very very small - 2 tiny bedrooms and one room downstairs would be too small for me (with 2 kids!)

You can buy property for that (but you can in the UK too) it's just you have to spend another £100k to get it up to habitable standards.

I agree with the poster above who suggested going and renting and see how you find it - or even holiday over there and go and look at some of these to get an idea of what you really get.[/QUOTE

There is more than one building in the first link. I'm quite happy to live in a tiny house, as long as I have some land, but you are right, it has to be habitable and safe and the area is important.
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I moved 5 years ago from commuter belt in Hertfordshire to a wild hill in Aberdeenshire. OH works up here and also down south, but he likes travelling so he does that and I stay here!

I brought my two horses up here and for the price of our 2 bed terrace in Herts we bought a similar sized place and renovated it but also built a 4 stable mini barn for the horses. And have PP to extend the house into the attached steading and barn. And 40 acres of land....And a ruined cottage (nicely away frm the house) which has just got PP for renovation and extension.......Oh and a scheduled ancient monument bronze age hut circle and cairn :-)) we have sheep geese and chickens as well as the horses now.

We get a lot of snow but probably no more rain than down south, and the quality of life is fab. A bit like the 1950s but I like that, I like being able to park for free at the local shops, at stopping for a chat at the counter and at being billed several months later by the garage when they mend the car. And driving is a pleasure on quiet, beautiful roads.

No mossies either, in the north east of Scotland unless you are down by a wood or a river valley.

Downsides -the said snow means riding for me is really 3 season affair, the gales can be pretty scary, there are limits on what will grow and there are costs involved in just up keeping a place like this. But wow how exciting it is to do it!!

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I love the idea of moving to the USA. Myself and the kids are planning a three week trip travelling around the eastern part of the country. The problem is it is my dream and the OH wouldnt come. We also have quite a few animals and I wouldnt want to leave any of them and moving them would probably be prohibitively expensive.
I am not very employable either so would worry about trying to earn a living and the price of health insurance .
guess I will have to keep dreaming but dont know what will happen if both the kids want to go too.
 
Mossi said:
What could you buy for around £100,000 in France?
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My uncle bought 4 walls, a roof and a whole load of woodworm for £35k 2 years ago :D There are bargains to be had but many require a heap of work - worthwhile if you're up for it! but you have to be up for it - local trades can be expensive and he was recently quoted £29k for putting a conservatory on the house, which he has since decided to do himself!

The 2 bedroom house now looks amazing but they did spend several months living in their camper van.. ;)

They bought it by chance while having a midlife crisis road trip around Europe ;) - 'Adventure before dementia' as they called it :p

It does have a decent plot of land with it too but I'm not sure it's enough for horses...
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
I moved 5 years ago from commuter belt in Hertfordshire to a wild hill in Aberdeenshire. OH works up here and also down south, but he likes travelling so he does that and I stay here!

I brought my two horses up here and for the price of our 2 bed terrace in Herts we bought a similar sized place and renovated it but also built a 4 stable mini barn for the horses. And have PP to extend the house into the attached steading and barn. And 40 acres of land....And a ruined cottage (nicely away frm the house) which has just got PP for renovation and extension.......Oh and a scheduled ancient monument bronze age hut circle and cairn :-)) we have sheep geese and chickens as well as the horses now.

We get a lot of snow but probably no more rain than down south, and the quality of life is fab. A bit like the 1950s but I like that, I like being able to park for free at the local shops, at stopping for a chat at the counter and at being billed several months later by the garage when they mend the car. And driving is a pleasure on quiet, beautiful roads.

No mossies either, in the north east of Scotland unless you are down by a wood or a river valley.

Downsides -the said snow means riding for me is really 3 season affair, the gales can be pretty scary, there are limits on what will grow and there are costs involved in just up keeping a place like this. But wow how exciting it is to do it!!

P1010755.jpg
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Its beautiful. Maybe I'll have a holiday in Scotland this year instead of my usual Wales.
 
maree t said:
I love the idea of moving to the USA. Myself and the kids are planning a three week trip travelling around the eastern part of the country. The problem is it is my dream and the OH wouldnt come. We also have quite a few animals and I wouldnt want to leave any of them and moving them would probably be prohibitively expensive.
I am not very employable either so would worry about trying to earn a living and the price of health insurance .
guess I will have to keep dreaming but dont know what will happen if both the kids want to go too.
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Oooh do you know whereabouts your going to go?
My OH is from the east coast initally and I have visited there a few times. We drove from New york, down through New jersey (where his family live), down through Delaware, Maryland, we stopped off in Washington DC for a few days, went down into Virginia and finished off on the beach in South Carolina! It's v v interesting. Virginia is STUNNING!!! My favourite place, we even considered there to move to before we both decided on California. Have fun!
 
Firewell said:
I'm emigrating :D.

Not for the horsie side as such but because OH is American, he's been in the UK for 15 years and he's about had enough of everything and wants to go home.
We are going from London/Hampshire to Santa Barbara in California. The weather is a big draw for us. We are having a baby and we want somewhere with an outdoor lifestyle, horses at home, a boat and a better quality of life. Will we get it? I hope so but we won't know until we try! If we don't like it we'll move on but we'll give it a go for a few years.

I'm nervous about it of course but I see it as an opportunity. This winter has if anything been the straw that broke the camels back. I'm fed up of shivering by an open fire and feeling like i'm surviving as opposed to living.
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This is pretty much where I am, same as your OH. I'm American as well, and after 16 years, I still can't get used to not being able to afford to have a place where the horses live at home with us. I just never adjusted to the amount of people, either, coming straight from the middle of nowhere! I think that is a good way to go about it... give it a few years, and if you don't like it, you can always move on. That is what I love about the USA; every area is so different that you can usually find the life you are looking for. I've got friends in CA, and their winter was brilliant and mild, so nothing like ours. In the past, I seriously considered there myself, but it would be a fair bit more expensive than where I came from in Maine, so it is all a matter of weighing up the options and finding where you fit. I thought I would fit here, but not so much. It might just be the area, though. We are considering Wales as my husband's compromise, but again I don't expect to be able to afford one of the houses with land so that the horses could be at home with us.
 
Kitty B said:
This is pretty much where I am, same as your OH. I'm American as well, and after 16 years, I still can't get used to not being able to afford to have a place where the horses live at home with us. I just never adjusted to the amount of people, either, coming straight from the middle of nowhere! I think that is a good way to go about it... give it a few years, and if you don't like it, you can always move on. That is what I love about the USA; every area is so different that you can usually find the life you are looking for. I've got friends in CA, and their winter was brilliant and mild, so nothing like ours. In the past, I seriously considered there myself, but it would be a fair bit more expensive than where I came from in Maine, so it is all a matter of weighing up the options and finding where you fit. I thought I would fit here, but not so much. It might just be the area, though. We are considering Wales as my husband's compromise, but again I don't expect to be able to afford one of the houses with land so that the horses could be at home with us.
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I hope you find somewhere you can be happy :). My OH really likes England in lots of ways but he's ready for a change! He gets frustrated by the weather, the tax system and the houses. He's 6ft2 and all our quaint english homes are too small for him! I think he has banged his head on his last beam ;). He gets frustrated by the lack of space. He's from the est coast but he wouldn't go back to where he came from in New Jersey, it's time for change for both of us and we have friends in California. I think he is excited to go back and show me what it's like to live there and we get to explore a new area together :).
I was very much against it like your OH. I like my green, patchwork quilt fields and ancient english pubs, I always feel happy when I go underneath the 'UK Border' sign at Heathrow. However he has managed to persuade me! You never know you may be able to persuade your OH one day to at least go and have a look around :).
 
Now I think you've all got it the wrong way round!

We bought the house with land as it was about the only non estate place we could find with enough parking for OH's hobby of vehicles, then got the child and the ponies. Perfectly affordable. Couldn't have afforded it the other way round.
 
I did moved to france and had horses in back garden after loseing one horse over there and them leaving it on the drive way for four days waiting for the fallen livestock lorry was the final straw you cant get stuff for horses over there and flys you have never seen so many you can microwave them they go in dishwasher and still fly out laughing at you. But the french are lovely cant do enough for you langauge is hard paperwork harder and the french love their paper work. I would go back but not with horse imo vets rubbish cant get anything horse food is rubbish and having your horse pts very bad. I moved back with my remaining horses am i happy back in the uk hell no are my horses yes and that to me is what matters
 
I'm in hysterics at the image of a fly still laughing after a full cycle in the dishwasher :p

I really liked Portugal when I lived there and wouldn't mind going back with my mare, but it's all a matter of money, which I don't have atm!
 
Mossi said:
Its beautiful. Maybe I'll have a holiday in Scotland this year instead of my usual Wales.
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Do! Most people are put off Scotland cos they just think of the west and think rain and mossies. In the north east weve got the mountains (just the other side of them) and loads of castles and beaches and whiskey trail. I was gob smacked when we came for the first time. And we're near Balmoral.

The weather isn't always great but I hear the same is true for Wales :-DD, it def rains less here! One great way to come up is to get the sleeper train, so exciting!

Here's another pic to tempt you!

montyandtaggieinthesnow011.jpg
 
yes I have, I moved to Spain 8 years ago, brought over my 2 horses, (though had 9 at one point here) we did buy a house with barn and with 120 acres, but I have since moved to a smaller house with only an acre, no grazing at all, so have to feed all year round, (down to 3 horses now) hacking is great, and Ive met some horsey people too..

LOVE IT here, and have no intention on moving back to the UK, horses seem happy, and I love having them at home,
 
We are on our way to Bulgaria, a stunning country, where we have bought a renovated house with half an acre of productive garden. We are not taking the horse as we are never going to be able to ride him (He has gone to a great home with friends) but land is very cheap if we decide to have a driving horse, as is common out there, and there are livery yards around. You can live on little money, and keep animals as there are usually lots of outhouses/barns with rural houses. We will make do with chickens and a goat or two (They go out browsing with the village shepherd each day for a couple of quid a month) but will not rule out a horse.

Not much good for competitive riders though!:D
 
I'm so envious of you all thinking about emigrating, and those that have already done it. If I was only 20 years younger...I love Canada and the USA, although many horse owners in the States seem to keep their horses in small turnouts, but then they have vast areas to hack out in!!
My main concern would be health insurance...
I have a Canadian friend who was offered a job here and in Canada. He took the job that would pay him enough to be able to visit the other country, so he's working in Canada!!
Santa Barbara is beautiful, you'll love it.
 
My husband and I are American and had been visiting the UK every year since 1987. In 1994 we found our dream property, made an offer, it was accepted and we moved over here, from Hawaii, in December of that year. The house, Grade II listed, was derelict, so we had a couple of out buildings converted to accommodate us while we lived on site as the house was being restored. It took almost 5 years, but was so worth it. The house came with 13 acres, and various other outbuildings and pole barns. I acquired my first horse in August, 1996, just after adopting 3 cade lambs. Our second horse came the following year. None of this would have been possible in Hawaii. Land over there is prohibitively expensive and difficult to find in large parcels, unless one chooses to live on an out island (out buildings, electricity, water are all commodities that would have to be installed, not there for the taking). My breed, Shires, is virtually unheard of in Hawaii. For us, moving to the UK has given us so much more than we could have hoped for in the States. There are tax ramifications as Americans living in the UK. However, we have to pay the UK government a hefty annual sum for the privilege of living here, despite the fact that we do not work here (my OH has a business in Hawaii), we have private medical care, we do not have children in the UK. As American citizens we are taxed on our worldwide income in the US. There is a treaty between the US and Great Britain that is supposed to protect American and British citizens from double taxation. There is also the problem, for us, of inheritance tax (we have a son, daughter-in-law and 3 grand children in San Francisco). It would be very sad if our children couldn't inherit what is rightfully theirs. We have toyed with the idea of moving to the West Coast, but, after living in such stunning surroundings, with history, culture, architecture, and topography to die for, everything I look at over there comes up short. Also, there is no grass on the West Coast. I have been told that hay MUST be supplied year round. We now have 4 Shires, 2 Baudet du Poitou donkeys, 1 standard donkey, 8 pet sheep, a cat, and 2 dogs...making relocation a rather formidable undertaking (a bit of British understatement?).

We have dear friends in Brittany, and, having visited them on three occasions, I could move over there in a heartbeat. I've even found the property. BUT, and it is a very big BUT, because we are American citizens it would be financially catastrophic for us. Even if we took British citizenship, the US government would still require their pound of flesh.

This thread is such an interesting play of contrasts between Brits, Canadians, Yanks, and their perceptions of each others' countries.

OP, go for it...you only live once!
 
Scotland looks fantastic! As does Wales. I would be so excited about being near mountains and forests and beaches, omg I wouldn't know where to go first! Boring Cambridgeshire, I hate it. It's good here for competitions etc but everything else is so expensive (horse stuff surprisingly not too bad as hay etc grown all around) that I can't really afford to do it, rent on my 2 bed flat is 800 a month. I don't get good vibes from the people, I absolutely love what you describe lachlanandmarcus! Would love to be back in a village or small town where everyone knows each other. I am known I guess in the village where I keep my horse but its just a sniff of the lovely community spirit I would like!

My OH and I are in our mid twenties, I feel it would have to be in the next 5 years if we did move, before we think about babies and all that!

I am hoping to go into ecology so that would give me fairly good opportunities to live near national parks and other lovely places, OH can become a lumberjack or something lol, he's in limbo really.
 
For anyone thinking of France you really need to do your homework to make sure it's the right place for you. While the price of renting and buying property is cheaper than the UK, the cost of living is much higher, as is the cost of running a business or being self-employed (quite a few other barriers to both of these activities, so ideally you want to be salaried to a French company). While areas near Samuir are very horsey, the middle and south are not horsey in the same way the UK is. The lack of basic stuff for horses can be shocking (many people I know bring horse feeds over from the UK, good vets are hard to come by, physios and saddlers do not exist, etc.).

In addition the French really expect you to speak French and it can be difficult to integrate otherwise and aspects of life, especially in the south, are very mediteranean and different from the UK culture (e.g. bureaucracy, importance of the family, making friends through being introduced by people who already know both parties, child rearing practices, etc.).
 
We have been wanting to move to France (and nearly did) but have put on hold while my son starts his GCSE's.
I'm constantly on ' greenacres' and 'sextant properties' websites. Found a beautiful farm with many outbuildings and 29 acres for £150000 in my favourite area Correze, Limousin. Very green, seasonal with a high number of tourists (for a yurt business!!!) Beside the upper dordogne river would be nice.
I try not to look at it through rose tinted glasses as a nostalgic trip of what England used to be but the whole culture of family, community and way of life is very appealing. I am in love with South Limousin !
 
mandwhy said:
Scotland looks fantastic! As does Wales. I would be so excited about being near mountains and forests and beaches, omg I wouldn't know where to go first! Boring Cambridgeshire, I hate it. It's good here for competitions etc but everything else is so expensive (horse stuff surprisingly not too bad as hay etc grown all around) that I can't really afford to do it, rent on my 2 bed flat is 800 a month. I don't get good vibes from the people, I absolutely love what you describe lachlanandmarcus! Would love to be back in a village or small town where everyone knows each other. I am known I guess in the village where I keep my horse but its just a sniff of the lovely community spirit I would like!

My OH and I are in our mid twenties, I feel it would have to be in the next 5 years if we did move, before we think about babies and all that!

I am hoping to go into ecology so that would give me fairly good opportunities to live near national parks and other lovely places, OH can become a lumberjack or something lol, he's in limbo really.
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You would be perfect up here, honestly, there are plenty of organisations up here in both those areas and in extremis there's always a fall back of dull but secure work in the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen (not Eco but at least it's available as a fallback), this corner of Scotland bucks the economic trends because of this employment wise.

It's a fantastic place to bring up children I think. Apart from a few who go off to boarding school or private school in Aberdeen, all the children, bright and not, all classes, all go to the local Academy, they are big as a result but behaviour standards are good and pupils polite.

I also love the rural buildings up here, there are lots of single storey steadings (already converted to houses or with PP to do it yourself) and 1.5 storey wee farmhouses for sale, all granite, lovely.

Most of the competition centres up here are to the west or northwest of Aberdeen, we are further west more in the wildy woollies.

If you do decide to look into it more At any point, PM me and I can give you some pointers on promising areas / things to ask.
 
Cambrica look very carefully into the Limousin area before you decide. It's cow country which has several poor implications for horse owners. Hacking is limited as everything is fenced in for the cows, you may struggle to find horse vets and many areas are seriously rural and isolated. I know more than one person who moved to the Limousin and then moved away again.

Have you had a chance to look into the implications of starting a new business in France? You may find that red tape keeps you from doing anything for years!
 
Rutland another reason my husband wants to move back to the states is thetax credits he has built up paying exhortinate (sp?) UK taxes for the past 15 years. That is in our favour. I'd love to visit Hawaii, I've heard it is beautiful but so expensive to buy land that anywhere else is cheap in comparison.
Grass? What's that lol.. we've had mud for 9 months ;).
This is super interesting this thread. I love hearing peoples reasons for liking different places. I've always wanted to visit Scotland, I've been in the UK all my life and not gone further north than Birmingham. How embarrassing is that!
 
I can't believe no one has suggested Ireland!
There are loads of English ex-pats, the pubs are great, the people are Lovely (even if I do say so myself!!!) and it's horse country. Land and property are cheaper and you are only 20 min flight from the UK-perfect! (And we could do with the business ha ha :p )
 
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