podbot

Hi, I am looking for some honest opinions about relocating to nz with oh and 3 children.

we are currently in uk on the norfolk/suffolk boarder.

I am an equine therapist in uk and have built up a decent business for myself treating mainly race horses in Newmarket, also private customer's. Although work is great, I do worry about what the uk will have to offer my children as they get older.

Does anyone know if this sort of work is in demand? Or recognised widely in nz?

After lots of research, I have found that the biggest race places are around Cambridge. .. am I correct?

However I am really drawn to the south island due to our family being keen skiers/snow boarders.

Oh has his own successful plumbing and heating company in uk (your probably thinking, not another plumber wanting to relocate lol ) he would sell his company over hear which would give us a lovely nest egg to be mortgage free in nz eventually if we found the right place.

We are doing a reki next month starting in Auckland then to Cambridge, then Wellington on to Nelson and finally Christchurch to get a good feel of different areas.

Ideally I would love to be close enough to the mountains to be able to ski during winter months in our spare time.

I also teach courses over hear (my own qualification ) to people who want to learn equine anatomy and physiology, massage and manipulation, do you think that there would be much call for this in nz?

Another worry I have is how well do children adapt? My girls are 5, 7 and 9 and very out doors types.

So many questions!!!

The romantic illusion of it seems fantastic, but I am really looking for the cold hard facts to completely make up my mind that I want to pursue this.

Any info you have would be greatly appreciated

bearskin

Add the area around Karaka/Pukekohe, and also Matamata to your list of places to check out.

Matamata also has the added bonus of being quite busy with visitors these days with the Hobbiton theme and the tourist trap down the road. It's a very cute place.

MrsFychan

When we went to Matamata they made a big thing about it being horse country, lots of stud farms and believe race course ?

jmh

On the work front, you may need to broaden your field a bit to get enough work if the job is very specialised, just because the market is so much smaller. However this is expected here so not considered odd. I'm near Karaka and yes, a very horsey lot! Not much snow though.

BEVS

Hi there and welcome to our wee NZ forum.

Nothing wrong with romantic notion. It can be what leads to change.

So. In the pursuit of actual change I'll start , not with horses and locations but visas to enable you to live and work in NZ.

Rather than my talk about what is and what is not, I'll simply ask if you have looked at this & if so, what your thoughts are.

blandford

Me, my husband and our 5yo daughter moved six months ago from Suffolk to Cambridge and I too was in the racing industry. Cambridge is the centre of the thoroughbred industry here so this would be the best place for you work wise I would guess. It is a great town that we knew quite well before we made our big move. Our daughter has settled in v v quickly and so far far we have no regrets, I know we are giving her far more opportunities and a better, safer and more varied lifestyle to grow up in.

The mountains are only 3 hours drive from here so easy for a long weekend.

Personally from our experience I say go for it, it's the best decision we ever made!

blandford

also I brought my horse with me! Do send me a message if I can help in way.

Hazelnut

Thanks for the thread as I'm also looking at Waikato area and have horses. The cost of shipping them is definitely though.

From checking the websites housing seems to be cheaper if you go towards Matamata way.

What's the trail riding or hacking like in that area? I hear it's not too great I love to do endurance, TREC and dressage. I'm currently working towards formal qualifications as a riding coach as well as being a qualified shiatsu practitioner so it's good to know there may be business.

I'm looking at having a portfolio income as I doubt horses would bring enough money in. It's hard enough in the UK with better salaries and higher population. I think South Island, particularly the south or west, may not have enough population to provide an income and I hate the fact that snow, gales and biblical rain storms lasting days on end prevent me riding for weeks at a time where I live in the UK.

We're out for a fact finding trip in 5weeks 4 days (not that I'm counting ) and our route is really similar.

Justcol

I'm in Cambridge and there are heaps of stables, studs and equine centres all around me

Hazelnut,
I have no idea what Hacking is but trail riding may be limited here, I'm sure there are places but we dont have bridleways or ROW.
Most of the land here is privately owned and used for agriculture so access to it is not a public right. I know one or two people who ride
and compete and will ask them about this when see them next.

Hazelnut

Hacking is the UK term for trail riding (which I think of being the USA terminology)

Where I live we have 50km of safe'ish off road tracks to ride on so we're pretty spoilt. We'll lose them to the illegal dirt bikes and industrial development soon so we're making the most of them while we can.

I think Cambridge area is definitely a good one to look at by the sound of it.

blandford

the quality and quantity of riding around Cambridge very much depends on where you live, it varies greatly

Justcol

I dont ride (only motorbikes)but if you have any more info, and going from your statement I'm guessing you do, I'm sure Hazelnut would like to hear it

blandford

there is no bridleway network like the UK so it is very much that you need to look at each area when you view houses. Some areas have big wide verges for miles to hack on and some are on very busy roads where it wouldn't be so enjoyable!

Hazelnut

Thanks for the replies Blandford.

It sounds like riders need to do what I used to before the legislation was changed here and that's do private negotiations with neighbouring land owners. If that's the case it can be tricky to talk about.

Bringing this back to Podbot's query if your children are real outdoors types I do think NZ might offer them more than the UK, especially down south where population pressure and fear of crime mean children spend more and more time in front of a PC and less and less time out and about doing things.

podbot

Thanks for the replies,

I will defiantly keep you updated on any findings Hazelnut.

I think i may spend an extra few days investigating Cambridge when there.

It is so difficult to decide what is best, if it where just me, i would go and see how things work, but because it involves children and animals, it makes it far more harder.