Moving to the UK!

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wheresalison

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31 January 2025
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Hiya! I am moving back to the UK from the US. (For obvious reasons) Family came from Scotland, but I have connections all over. I would love to find great horse community and training, and live in a beautiful place. Not quite sure where that is yet, but eager to explore. I have loved Horse and Hound since the 70's...and obsessed over every weekly edition! Think small child obsessively shopping for her next pony...
Can't wait to go watch Badminton in person!!!
 
Hope you find it as you hope. It’s got its flaws but it’s home and I’d hate to be an American at the moment! Trump is loose cannon. Do you have horses?
 
Welcome to the forum. There are a few Americans on the forum who either live here or spent some time in UK and may be good to get perspectives from. @Caol Ila and the lady who was on an air force base, my mind has gone blank…?
 
Thank you so much everybody! I do not have a horse at the moment. I have been leasing a mid-level dressage horse, and would hope to buy over there, when I am ready, have a good trainer, good barn etc. Or "yard" I guess. Lol. Must start implementing new lingo! I've been doing dressage but am feeling reluctant to give up my dream of doing some low level eventing, and galloping around like a fool, just for a couple more years.
I am looking in Scotland to start, because I have family there, but actually open to any and all options. If I fall in love with a spot I could move there. Not London. I don't need to be near a large city and would prefer to not live in the most expensive place. Would love being near a University.
Thanks so much for the heads up @Reacher ! I will look for them!
 
Scotland is much cheaper to buy property than England, generally. But if you are looking for a horse community with opportunities to visit trainers and compete, you might find it better to be further South. How exciting to be footloose and able to choose.
 
Reacher said:
Welcome to the forum. There are a few Americans on the forum who either live here or spent some time in UK and may be good to get perspectives from. @Caol Ila and the lady who was on an air force base, my mind has gone blank…?
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@SibeliusMB is who you might be thinking of.


Although, I've lived in the USA and abroad for a good chunk or my life, and prefer abroad 🤣
 
welcome! Horses and managing them in the UK is very different to playing horses in Canada/the US. It took me years to say "yard" instead of "barn" and now I find it strange to say "barn" and I still only say "halter" instead of "headcollar". There are a few Americans mentioned above but I think Denali (I think that's her username - my @ function isn't working to double-check) is also American.
 
Just how different it will be can depend on where you've lived in the USA. I'm also not sure why horses are "managed" in the UK but "played" in the USA/CAN?

It's far more cost friendly in the UK than most of the USA and it's just ingrained or incorporated into the culture in the UK in a different way. The UK, is a smaller more crowded island and just more concentrated than some parts of the US. Which has its pros and cons.

As with any move you have to acclimate yourself to the type of land and grazing they have, as well as the types of feedstuffs, bedding, stabling, and general approach to care.
 
lynz88 said:
" I'm also not sure why horses are "managed" in the UK but "played" in the USA/CAN?" --> splitting hairs?
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Sorry, I didn't see that as splitting hairs. It does come off as a bit insulting to say that they play horses in the USA/CAN but manage them in the UK. Playing and managing are indeed two very different things in my book. Maybe they aren't in yours, and maybe you didn't mean it that way.


Plenty manage their horses quite well in the USA and CAN and wouldn't think that they're just "playing" around. I might've took what you've meant the wrong way?
 
If aiming for Scotland then I d locate in the central belt…I am biased here…Stirling area as it’s very horsey, lots of trainers, yards, good quality vets and equine hospitals etc and good motorways to competitions if you want to compete. I don’t agree that property is cheaper in Scotland unless you live in Wick or Campbeltown or southern borders and groceries/alcohol/eating feels more expensive than in England. Also bear in mind that if you work you pay more income tax in Scotland.
 
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