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In my 34 years of selling real estate every piece of vacant land I have ever sold was different. You can have two lots right next door to each other that look exactly the same and both can have different issues. Equestrians want acreage whether its for the number of horses they have or paddocks, rings, barns, tracks and grazing, all farms need land. Make sure when you buy that you know how many horses are allowed per acre of land and thoroughly check pasture quality to make sure the grass in healthy and there are no poisonous plants. Check for wetlands, muck and sink hole history and make sure, if it’s wooded that you are legally allowed to clear trees if needed for your barn and ring. Some states have endangered tree laws and invasive tree laws and you might find its very costly to clear the area where you need to build. In addi�on, if you are buying in a state like Florida, Louisiana or a low costal area, be very sure that the eleva�on is high enough that it will not flood in a storm and the lay of the land provides good drainage. Be sure to have good road access and enough space to turn trailers and trucks if you must cross any canal or stream bridges. Have your water tested and make sure that a sep�c system can drain and be properly maintained.

This ar�cle is just a quick summary of the many things to think about in your new venture. Just remember to think it out, have a good plan of what you need and what you want to accomplish. Seek a local professional that knows the area very well for good advice and always consider whether the improvements not only meet your needs, but also whether they will help increase the value of your property for resale.

We are always here to help and any�me you have an equestrian farm ques�on please feel free to call us as we are 24 hours a day – 7 days a week at 561-758-5212

Marysue Jacobs is the Broker for Des�ny Interna�onal Proper�es selling real estate for over 34 years in Florida and Maryland. She is a lifelong equestrian with experience in many different disciplines and was previously the owner of the Florida Horseman TV show on ABC and owner of the Horseman Magazine, she is also presently on the Equestrian Advisory Board for Malvern Bank in Palm Beach Florida and Pennsylvania. She can be reached at 561758-5212

She holds the record for the top sale in Wellington Place and has helped many buyers and sellers find exactly what they are looking for whether it’s a single-family home, farm, or a seasonal rental. Francesca’s equine knowledge will help you find your luxury farm estate or the dream home you have been looking for. She can be reached at 814-795-5453.

Des�ny Interna�onal Proper�es website is www.des�nyinter.com

AIKEN SC — ALL HORSE — ALL THE TIME

By Steven Schachter & Tom Murray Viola Farm, Aiken

This horse town has a deep and interesting history starting in the late 1800s when horse enthusiasts came for the winter, which became the Winter Colony. From its broad parkways to its bustling parks and recreation facilities, from its historic estates to its newly constructed residential neighborhoods, from its sprawling horse farms to its downtown horse district, Aiken is one of the most picturesque communities in the southeast, if not the country.

So why Aiken? As our friend Mary Trotman says when asked what makes Aiken special: “No Mud!” The sandy soil here makes perfect footing for all equestrian sports. Compare that with the cold weather up north and the hot weather down south (not that it can’t get either at times) — in general we have a more “temperate” climate here that allows for the practice of your particular horse discipline on a fairly regular basis. Perhaps one of the most striking things (back to the mud & sand discussion) is that you can have a heavy rainfall in the morning and be riding in the afternoon because the water has drained so quickly. I remember the days back in Los Angeles that a rain meant two days of hand walking.

My partner and dressage trainer, Tom Murray and I fled Los Angeles when the fires, lack of water and high real estate prices were impacting the growth of our Hanoverian breeding business, so we re-located to Portland, Oregon...perhaps the “mud capital” of the U.S. Though land was significantly cheaper than Los Angeles, we began to understand why. It basically rained for 6 months out of the year, beginning on Halloween night and stopping sometime in April.

Tom, now a Carolina Real Estate Company agent, had always been fascinated by the small horse town of Aiken. So after some reconnaissance, we packed up 7 horses, 2 dogs, a cat and multiple folks into two horse trailers and made the trip across the country.

What we found was a very vibrant and diverse equine oasis in the middle of rural South Carolina, its history of equine sport dating back to the 1800s when wealthy northerners came down for the winter, pursuing fox hunting, polo, etc.

For me, as an amateur eventer, what was immediately apparent was I didn’t have to drive 5 hours to get to an event. In fact, on most weekends there were multiple events within a half hour of our farm. And in fact, many of those 3-day events were done in one day — and often you could be in and out by lunch!!

Aiken real estate was affordable and allowed us to purchase a 30-acre farm about 18 minutes from downtown and Tom was able to open his dressage training facility and breeding program, both of which seem to be thriving. Dressage has expanded here of late with beautiful venues such as Bruce’s Field, The Vista, Jumping Branch, and Stable View, which also host an array of hunter jumper, eventing, and other types of show.

First thing a new visitor to Aiken will notice is the diversity of horse activities here. The gambit runs from Olympic athletes that spend their winters here to train and compete to riders who just love to spend time with their horses and everything in between. The Hitchcock Woods, with 2100 acres and 70 miles of sandy trails is at the center of this horse town. Aiken is also known for its very active polo and fox hunting communities. And no Thanksgiving is complete without attending the Blessing of the Hounds under the cathedral pines in Hitchcock Woods!

In the winter months, our equine population expands as snowbirds and their equine companions trailer down and the show season explodes with schooling shows, rated events, clinics and competitions of all kinds.

Does Aiken feel like living in the south? Truthfully, yes and no. There is southern hospitality, collard greens, shrimp & grits — but it is such a melting pot of people gathered from all across the U.S., you feel more “horse culture” than “Southern culture.”

After four years in Aiken, we have made many friends and still love going to the Willcox for cocktails or one of the nice eateries in town and running into this friend or that — it’s definitely a small town, but a special and wonderful one. We highly recommend it. Bring your horse friends with you, or if you don’t have one, we have some beautiful Hanoverian babies to offer! Hope to see you at Whiskey Alley soon!