Location, Location, Location: At Home in the Saddle
05/03/2004
Larry Clyde thought he would spend his retirement conquering the greens and riding the open range. He did not expect to find a community that offered golf and horses in one location. While the two activities are not natural companions, many communities are adding full-service equestrian centers to their stable of recreational activities, which often include golf, tennis, skiing, hiking and spas.; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
(Photo by Tom Stillo, click to enlarge) At Las Campanas, a 4,800-acre private membership community outside
Santa Fe, N.M., Clyde found his recreational nirvana. The property offers two
Jack Nicklaus courses; an equestrian center where he and his wife can board
their two horses; a fitness center with tennis courts, pools and a spa; and
spacious homesites with views of 68,000 acres of protected land that stretch
from the Jemez Mountains to the Rio Grande. “We loved the openness of the area
and the fact that we could live here permanently; Arizona was too hot and
Colorado was too cold,” says Katharyn Clyde. At Las Campanas, Katharyn overcame
her fear of horses by taking lessons and now goes on trail rides with her
husband. On days when the couple would rather hit the greens than the trail,
they know their horses are in good hands. “With full board, they are ridden
weekly by the instructors,” she says. “They get loads of attention, plenty of
exercise and are well groomed.” ; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
The hassle-free approach to the equestrian
lifestyle is also what Saddle Ridge Ranch in Crested Butte, Colo., offers its
residents. In a town where ski slopes and Rocky Mountain views drive the real
estate market, the developers of Saddle Ridge Ranch are centering their
community around horses. Drive through the log-framed entrance and you will find a foaling
lot where young horses are turned out. Each of the 18 building lots comes with a
designated stall at the property’s barn. “Nobody has done this before in Crested
Butte,” says Gary Garland of Crested Butte Real Estate. “We weren’t even sure if
the majority of homeowners would be horse people, but the first two buyers are.”
The 70-acre property encircled by 2 million acres of pristine backcountry and
mountain peaks delivers the home-on-the-range feel while the historic town of
Crested Butte, just a short drive away, provides civilized amenities. “Our
buyers want the ranch lifestyle and the trail riding,” says Garland. (Click image to enlarge); function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
Buyers
at Bay Harbor, Mich., are miles from the open range, but they, too, crave that
Western ambience. “There is a romantic attachment to the horse and the Wild
West,” says David V. Johnson, developer of Bay Harbor, a 1,200-acre lifestyle
community on the shores of Lake Michigan. “But you don’t have to own a horse or
be a professional cowboy to experience it.” At Bay Harbor, residents can golf,
swim, sail and shop within the confines of the planned community. They can also
discover the secrets of horsemanship from a visiting horse whisperer, learn how
to drive a horse and carriage or rope a calf, or just take a riding lesson. “It
can be a big or little part of your life,” says Johnson. “Equestrian pursuits
are an evolving business. Having the equestrian option is what differentiates us
from a typical golf community. People want family experiences, and a trail ride
with the family delivers that in a way that golf cannot.” (Click image to enlarge)
At American Ranch
in Prescott, Ariz., an activities director plans family excursions that will
create lasting memories—trail rides on the community’s private network of
trails, picnics, fly-fishing, overnights in tepees or tents, music beneath the
stars, and astronomy lessons.
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For the Clydes, riding opens up new vistas and
new friendships. “We have met other couples who ride, and we go on trail rides
with them,” says Clyde. “Sometimes we don’t even stay on the trail.” (Click image to enlarge)
AMERICAN RANCH
Property: 188 homesites on 1 to 5 acres priced from $170,000 to $500,000.
Amenities: Community center, pool, fitness facility, basketball court, sand volleyball, tennis, children’s playground and 10 miles of trails that connect to 10,000 acres of national forest.
Equine pursuits: Two 20-stall barns, outdoor and indoor riding arenas, roping and training facilities and turnout pastures.
Contact: 866.895.9500; www.americanranch.com.
BAY HARBOR
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Property: 25 neighborhoods with homes priced from $600,000 to
$15 million.Amenities: Yacht club, golf club, pedestrian village and swim club.
Equine pursuits: 36 matted stalls, indoor and outdoor arenas, dressage arena, events, clinics, pony camp, carriage rides, horses for lease, daily turnout and tack storage.
Contact: 231.439.2000, www.bayharbor.com.
LAS CAMPANAS
Property: 1,306 homesites on 1 to 5 acres priced from $250,000.
Amenities: 26,000-square-foot spa and fitness complex with tennis and swimming, two 18-hole golf courses and a clubhouse with dining.
Equine pursuits: 92-stall barn, indoor and outdoor riding, dressage court, turnout paddocks, heated wash stalls, 3 miles of fenced riding trails and access to 68,000 acres of public land.
Contact: 800.992.4250, www.lascampanas.com.
SADDLE RIDGE RANCH
Property: 18 homesites on 2 to 3.5 acres priced from $300,000.
Amenities: Private trails for backpacking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Equine pursuits: 18-stall barn with foaling stall and tack room, outdoor corral and grazing pastures.
Contact: Gary Garland, 970.349.7000, www.saddleridgeranch.com.