SarahB

Hi all

My first post!!

Myself, partner and toddler are moving to the Auckland area in June as we
have just got our visas.

What I want to know is where can I keep a horse near Auckland?.... does anybody know? It would really affect the area we want to move to as I definately want another horse when we are settled in. I've just given one of my best friends my horse to look after here... breaks my heart but cannot transport him to NZ as he hates travelling even just a short distance.

Anybody know how you keep a horse in NZ? Is is the same as here? Here I rent a stable and some grazing from a local farmer for £18 a week. Is the climate near Auckland going to be better than the Midlands? Do the horses live out in the field all year round or do you still need a stable? Here he lives out in the summer months but come end of October I have to bring him into the stable at night until about March or April.

So anybody know of some horsey areas?... my partners new job is in Auckland... we are willing to commute into work every day as we prefer the country and I'm a country girl at heart.

Is there any horsey contacts anybody can give me? I'd appreciate any help as I'm going bonkers already not being able to ride or see my horse much now he's moved to my friends place.

Please help if you can..

Desperate horse-less lady...

SarahB ... thanks xx

Sue

http://www.arc.govt.nz/arc/auckland-...orseriding.cfm

http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/ilph/work/ilphhorses.shtml

http://www.horsetrader.co.nz/display...ename=homepage

Hope the above are of some help.

Sue

annaerb

Hello SarahB,

Where in Auckland are you going to be or where is your OH going to be working?
We manufacture H/boxes in Auck and live in a semi rural area. I will ask some of our clients the questions you have and get back to you or maybe they can email you direct if you PM me with it.

Another good site is NZ Horses online. Most people on these sites will answer your questions for you.
http://www.nzhorses.co.nz/noticeboard/horsetalk.cfm

carol

simoneb03

I don't know about auckland as I lived in the south island, but am sure it would depend where you lived, ie. near some farmland.

We had horses in the south island and they lived out all year round, even the thoroughbred, with a blanket on during the day. There were frosts there and not in auckland so would be fine in my opinion, unless you want to compete or hunt seriously and have them clipped etc. When we came back here it seemed that horses were kept in stables too much, when they prefer running around. But it's also because land is cheaper, so in general you have more space (not sure that includes auckland, really can't comment on that). Good luck. I was very sad to leave my horses and had no end of a job finding decent homes, even had to go back to NZ for 10 days once to re-home my childrens' pony - who sadly died yesterday, aged nearly 40 and still in her re-home with a lovely person. Now I'm waiting for the day i can afford a horse here, at least access to one, but not yet. One of the great things about NZ!
sarah

SarahB

Thanks for the replies.

I'm not sure where his job is as the company has just moved premises....I'll have to find out.

I guess the best thing is for us to move there first and get settled before I think about getting another horse. We'll be renting a house to start with so I'll tell the estate agent that I'd like to be near some fields and see what he says! lol

Wow, I bet its great not having to muck out at all!! I can't imagine that as I've mucked out now for 17 years. I'm missing my horse now but my friend is having a great time on him as shes just started doing endurance rides on him and hes doing me proud!

Do you have hunting there? Fox hunting was banned here earlier this year.

Sorry to hear about your old pony Simoneb03. I lost a gorgeous arab a couple of years ago and its horrible.

Thanks again

SarahB

simoneb03

Yes there is hunting, hares, all a bit less formal than here (I'm back in the UK now). Must be some hunts round auckland. But am sure you'll have enough going on without getting into the horse thing right away. TAkes a long time to settle in when you move country, so be prepared for that. Even coming back to the Uk took me and family 3 years to feel right and I'm from here!

Good luck
simone

SarahB

Hi again.

Just found out that my partners job is in Penrose... any idea where that is?

Cheers

Sarah

Tooanfrom

Penrose is just off the Southern motorway--if you drive South towards the Bombay Hills, there is "Horsey Heaven" All the top breeders have their set-up around that area.

If you are reasonably flush in the "wedge" dept, you can get acreage in the Whitford area-enuff for a couple of horses.

Go into you local W.H Smiths and grab a A-Z of the Auckland region--get into the websites of a couple of Real Estate Agents over here, they will be more than pleased to take you to the cleaners-sorry slip of the fingers! I mean assist you.

Biddy

Multimap have a great NZ searchable map.
http://www.multimap.com
Choose the NZ option and away you go!

mumomonty

Hi Sarah,

Just to let you know that I've been in the same situation as you regarding giving up my horse and moving to NZ so I might understand how you feel and can identify with the horseless ness and the homesickness.

So if you ever want to chat about horses, I'm here. I'm in Cambridge area and my OH commutes to Penrose daily to work. We didn't like Auck(ward)land/Dorkland so we came to more familiar horse/cow/farm country having done the beach life in Oz 3 years previously and I can say that it's okay for us. Would have liked to be able to afford a few acres but our little homestead is okay afor now.

Still get homesick, always will but there you go. Here now and gotta plough forward.

I don't have kids though so in that area I'm not alike but that must make you integrate. Kiwis are friendly lot and it won't be long before you get offered a horse to ride I'm certain of that !

Lyn (mumomonty).

extrameant

Not sure if this is any interest to you


http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~awec/wfep/wmain.htm
This is also where the motorcycle park (1200 acres) and MTB parks are.

Riverhead is near kumeu (west of AK) and woodhill is also west, almost to helensville. Always see horsey people with horsboxes out there, but no idea how big the horsey bit is. I think on a saturday morning, woodhill will be about 1.25 hours from penrose and south AK (if you are on the road before 08:30)

If you want to see where this is, search for rimmer road, (its in woodhill forest) using this link for a topographic map of NZ.
http://www.nztopoonline.linz.govt.nz/

Once you agree to the terms for the viewer, let the map open and press the search button (down the left hand side of the map). You also need to allow pop ups if using winXP. It will open search in a new window. search for rimmer road and you get 3 results. Pick the the frst one at 1:50000 scale to give you a chance to see where things are. The map on the original window will change. You can just see rimmer road on a 17 inch monitor. Where is runs west and enters the forest, thats where the the horseboxes all park, so i think the horses must frolic from there to near the coast.

I have attached a picture of the typical terrain in the forest.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/attac...id=16153&stc=1
I love just getting lost in here. never see anyone, cos all the MX bikes stick to sandy trails. Great for me, because they don't like going off the trails cos it is hard for them to get over fallen trees. However, I imagine horses can go most places I can on this bike. The horses and bikes never meet normally, (except for me, cos i can chuck this bike over fences, but it is very quiet and I usually see others before they see me!)

Actually, while I'm at it, heres another picture about 10km out of the bike park going north. very pretty. You could maybe lift your horse over a fence too, if you want to get here. Its actually part of the same carter holt harvey forest, just further north.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/attac...id=16154&stc=1

Might be of interest, but maybe of no use if you are Sth AK. Actually, i've just seen your post was ges ago, but I'm going to post this anyway cos it has taken a while to find all the links etc.

Sorry pinkie, I said I was going away, but I am weaning myself off the forum slowly.