Horse Economy in Bend Oregon (Sisters, Monument: house, living in, prices)

[Jeremy02]

I am a farrier (horse shoer) looking to relocate to the Bend area. The things I read about the economy there are pretty bleak. Is anyone familiar with the horse business and how it is doing in that economy. Would this be a good place to start a farrier business and raise a family?

Thank you

[Larry Caldwell]

A farrier can always make a living in Oregon. How good a living depends on how good you are. It will take you a few years to build up a solid client base.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

A talented farrier can always make a living. A sloppy one, maybe not so much. It's always difficult to find a shoer who can make a horse stand up square and travel true with perfectly fitted shoes, and never gets the foot too short or too long. So, word of mouth goes out whenever a talented shoer is found and he will be kept busy.

Sorry, it's been along time since I had horses, so I don't know what shoes or trims cost. The horse economy is hurtin' pretty badly. Lots of free horses available and hay is way up there in price (around $250 a ton). There are still a lot of high priced show horses and breeders of really top end horses. Mostly, though, it is pets and the pet horse owners have cut back on numbers.

[Jeremy02]

Ok thanks so much for the information. My wife and I are going to have a look at the area. We are considering Bend or Woodland Park Colorado. We live in Texas now and the heat is driving us out! The economy is good but the weather is so miserable. Bend looks so nice we just don't know if we can make a living there. I have been a farrier for 15 years and when we will move I will have several references from the local veterinarians, boarding facilities, and large horse farms. I am qualified to work I just have to find a place with enough horses to work on. Thanks again for the info!

[Equigal]

I used to live in Colorado, first in Golden (near Denver), then I lived in Lamar, which is down southeast. It was difficult for me to find a good farrier in Lamar but when I did, the prices were a cheaper than what I paid in Golden. I would recommend you visit the areas first before deciding. I didn't like living in Lamar, as it is a farming/ranching town and quite small, plus the weather is terrible, always windy and always in a drought. I would choose a different area of CO.

I visit Bend, OR quite often, as I have family there and my husband and I are thinking of relocating there. I know they have quite a large equestrian population there, but I do not know much about the need for farriers there in particular.

The Denver area is quite speread out and HUGE, so you would be able to grow a large business there I would think. Stick to the more rural areas, Golden, Boulder, Loveland, Greeley, Thornton. I absolutely LOVE the Fort Collins area but not sure how lucrative you would be there. Ft. Collins is very close to the WY boarder, so you could even drive up and do work there.

If I had to pick, I would live in Bend. The reasons: I do not like the big city and traffic. Denver has a lot of traffic. That said, you might consider an area like Castle Rock/ Monument, south of Denver off the Interstate toward CO. Springs. Then, of course, there's Pueblo, just southeast of CO. Springs (not as pretty.) I know there's a lot of horsey stuff down there too as well as in CO. Springs. CO Springs is gorgeous and a very nice size. Bend could be competitive and not as lucrative just due to its smaller size, although the surrounding areas, Sisters, LaPine, Sunriver all seem to be pretty "horsey" towns.

If we do end up moving there, I will be starting a boarding/leasing/lesson stable...so who knows, maybe you will end up shoeing for me!

[whirnot]

Originally Posted by Equigal

I absolutely LOVE the Fort Collins area but not sure how lucrative you would be there. Ft. Collins is very close to the WY boarder, so you could even drive up and do work there.

The area actually has a bunch of horse farms particularly near Wellington. WE also prefer Bend as we are moving there from Northern Colorado

[oregonwoodsmoke]

A lot of people with pet type horses have moved to Crooked River Ranch, about 35 miles north of Bend, Oregon. A house cost the same but comes with 2 acres instead if a city lot. Plus there are lots of places to ride.

The really expensive horse farms are in Tumalo and Sisters: racing thoroughbreds, luisitanos, and sport horses in Sisters and cutting horses in Tumalo.

Both areas close to Bend, but 2 different customer bases.

[Terryj]

There about 10 Farriers in the Bend area, so the competition might be a little tough.