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TheHorse.com The horse April 2015
Michelle N. ANdersoN
E
ight years ago, I dreamed of buying a small
piece of country acreage and moving my
horses home. I had grown up with horses in
my backyard, and after riding at stables and
boarding for nearly 10 years, I wanted nothing more
than to wake up at 6 a.m., wander out in my paja-
mas to feed my horses, and stand—cup of coffee in
hand—watching them munch hay. I'm not kidding.
Building a
HorsE
Here's how to design your dream equestrian setup—in this case, on small acreage
So, during the height of the real
estate market boom in Central Oregon, I
convinced my husband, Seth, to sell our
nearly new house on a tiny subdivision lot
and buy a run-down '70s rambler on 2.25
acres in a neighborhood backing 20,000
acres of horse-accessible public lands.
After the purchase, we had the acreage
for our two horses and a ramshackle shed
large enough to store hay and tack; what
we didn't have included a barn, shelters,
or horse-safe fencing. Fortunately, my
husband is handy, and I'm not known for