OK, I know I'm being redundant, but I just can't decide what to do!

In the next 3 to 5 years I want to sell my home and move. Yes, I know the economy and market will have an affect.

I have a horse when he is about 15/16 in 2017/2018, I will be 51/52, thus still young and sprite! I feel that I'll want another horse and eventually retire Maverick. Yet, I will not sale him and thought that having my own small (about 5 acres) would be a great place for all of us.

I'm just not certain I can handle it. Have any of ya'll taken care of that size acerage by yourself or known of any other woman that has?

Or I can continue to board, and eventually board 2 horses.

Below are some of the Pros/Cons of boarding or self care:

BOARDING:

PROS: Convenience (vacation), help, riding facilities, learning atmosphere, commaradrie, safety (horse and rider), security

CONS: stable hours, location, politics, instability, expense (all of which I've experienced at the cost of my horse at 2 prior stables), horse pecking order (cleaning bite and kick wounds), liability

SELF-CARE:

PROS: easy access (no driving back and forth to stable), less expensive in the long-run, security (although I'd be at work during the day), every day hands on (rather than 4X a week), less horse bite/kicks to clean, no one can take care of my horse the way I want except for myself

CONS: work, being tied down (since buying a horse I don't travel anyways), no support system - no commaradie or anyone to talk with, maintenace (pasture, barn, etc. - which is why about 5 acres is enough), limited ridng facilities (depends on where I buy the land and what I can afford), liability

Thus, I can either sale (and when) my house and:

1. Buy a townhouse/patio home with little outside yard work (it currently takes me 4 hours to mow, weed and edge plus work throughout the week, which keeps me from the stable and other things); or

(CONS - not cost effective, where would I retire Maverick safely? Can I afford to board 2 horses?)

2. Buy property where I can have my own horses.

(PROS: most cost effective in long-run; CONS - can I handle it? Will I find property with riding trails nearby? Will I be safe?)

Gosh, thanks again gals! I always appreciate your input!

I know a woman who was a bit older than you and cared for a horse farm on her own. She boarded horses and taught riding. She has since married and now her husband helps.

Personally, I think it's chewing off a lot. I'm at the point where I want to scale back, but that's just me.

If you "buy the farm" and get in trouble maintaining it, do you have the funds to get help? Just a thought. You don't have to answer about your financial situation.

We have lots of horse farms in Baltimore County. Some have places for farm/barn workers to live. Would you consider boarding your horse and working the farm for them without owning anything? Probably not a good tax move, but a thought.

Mustang, may I ask how old you are? If you haven't hit 50 yet, then I say go for it! The whole package. You aren't married to real-estate. If it gets too much for you, then downsize. If you are over 50 I say...take it easy. Getting more tired and less energetic comes with age, without having acres of land to tend to.

Hey EW, I'm 43.5 and thats what I'm worried about, getting older and "more tired and less energetic". The lady that owns the stable where I keep Mav is 63 and is in wonderful shape. She can operate a tractor and pretty much manages the 17 acre farm. Her husband pitches in from time to time, too. (He's into cars and not horses).

I only want 2 to 5 acres and a riding lawn mower rather than a tractor!

If you should buy the small acreage to house and keep horses, seriously be prepared:

*to sell /downsize by 50-55, so that you can have a home that is physically more manageable, smaller and less finanically demanding.

*have enough money to pay other people to look after certain things ..in case you become unexpectedly injured/sick/unable to maintain property, horses.

My partner gave up his farm, his horses, for these 2 main reasons:

*as part of divorce settlement
*his allergies and sinus problems were escalating when working with hay, etc. It results in headaches, balance problems, etc. He physically cannot work in barns, etc. anymore. So he switched from physical farm work (he was a part-time, weekend farmer for 100 acres) ...to cycling.

And look into organizations slowly long-term where you might want to volunteer time to work with children that involves animals, etc. You have a great love that can be shared and build enthusiasm with the next generation.

Orchid, who published the above? Who are they to dictate such?

Did I say something wrong? No need to be so defensive.

Sorry, Mustang...I know several women who are single, childless and have no partner. They each own single detached homes 2-3 bedrooms in size. They each live in their homes. They are physically healthy..meaning they seriously take time to cycle, walk or take exercise classes several times per week. They have no health problems. Their ages are 48-54 yrs. old.

They would like to pursue a number of interests outside of maintainting their home, plus several now realize the financial reality of maintaining their houses. One close friend actually owns and maintains 2 houses --one of them is a cottage over 200 kms. away. This is alot of work for her...she has a car and not a totally steady job.

She is preparing 1 house...to sell, but is concerned how she will attract a sale for beautiful (but old) home in town of 2,000 in a rural area. Employment is down in her area. I stayed at her home just 2 weeks ago. She keeps home really low-heated...to a point I was cold. But I politely just put on more clothing. She's just trying to save money, I know that. She will not rent because of risk for home damage/cost for room retrofits and landlord responsibities.

Another friend, who is very healthy (she is like me, cycles regularily, is fit) and has a steady govn't job with benefits, is into retrofitting her own home. But this time, I noticed her large backyard garden has gone to pot...she is gardener but hasn't had time to work at it. It's a 3 bedroom house she has. She's just lucky to have occasional sibling help her when ...sibling visits from 1,000 kms. away.

Or maybe you have a guaranteed steady job with healthy income? If you do, good for you.

Doesn't mean one can't pursue a dream, Mustang. At this stage in life, one just has to take the dream and make it flexible as possible and manageable for oneself so that you can move with modifying the dream along the way, when unexpected circumstances in life arise. And to make it psychologically painfree as possible, as one moves through different life transitions..

And one must be hardball in terms planning for the long term financing side for the next 20-30 years and physical capacity to help oneself especially if one is single and no immediate family/close friends to help.

I have to think this way myself also...since my partner is 16 yrs. older than I and my entire family lives in another province.