Real EstateLooking for Equestrian Property in Charleston: What are Your Options?

By Rebecca Halpin, Luxury Simplified Real Estate

Becoming a connoisseur for the horse’s “home” after visiting some of the most prestigious equestrian events and having horses stay in some of the most breathtaking places, I understand how difficult it is to just pack up one’s horses and move to an unknown area. By a quick internet search, one can find places in Charleston for ghost tours, historical buildings or “best places for brunch. ” However, it is not as easy to find the best place to keep your lovely “1200 pound child. “  This is your guide to Charleston’s equestrian community.

For those fortunate enough to be able to buy yourself and your horse Jimmy Choo shoes, the best of the best for your four-legged children is for them to call home where you do. You can monitor them 24/7, select your grain and ship in premium hay.  With plenty of knowledgeable equestrians looking for work, you will have your choosing for a qualified farm manager. The acceptable areas for your horses to keep his/her socialite status would, of course, be anything on deep water in areas like Johns Island or Wadmalaw Island. The more grand oaks and higher elevation the better. As a real estate brokerage that specializes in both luxury and equestrian properties, we have access to present you with some of the most beautiful deep water acreage in the Charleston area. 

If water is a must, one can also find land on title creeks in areas like Meggett, rural West Ashley, Awendaw and McClellanville. If you want more acreage for your pony but you still want the conveniences of a quick trip downtown to dine with Bill Murray, you can forgo water and move your search to the Summerville, Mt. Pleasant or the Goose Creek area. However, if you put your horses before rooftop dining in downtown Charleston, we can find you acreage and a barn just a short drive away in areas like Ridgeville.

For those of you not ready to take on the responsibility of having your “hay eating children ” in your backyard, you can opt to live next door to them. Seabrook Island offers a modern equestrian center with trails and beach riding.  With the center offering short and long term boarding, you can bring your horse with you whether you choose to live here full-time, or as a second home. Step back in time in Charleston’s plantation district at the 6,000 acre Poplar Grove, a former rice plantation.  Your horse can reside in the state-of-the-art equestrian center while you relax on one of their 5-15 acre lots, or you can build your own estate with private stables on lots from 40-100 acres.  Middleton Place, with its moss covered oaks and historical setting, gives you the opportunity to step back in history and enjoy the trails once ridden by our founding fathers. Mateeba Estates, or Stono Ferry are some of Charleston’s other neighborhoods built around equestrian centers. Wando Farms in Mount Pleasant is another breathtaking private community with a neighborhood equestrian center and miles of riding trails. With these communities, not only is your horse within walking distance from your back door, so are amenities like the Ashley River, golf courses, or miles of outdoor hiking and walking trails.

Whether your equestrian discipline is dressage, hunters, jumpers, eventing, fox hunting, or just trail riding, Charleston has over 30+ public boarding barns to choose from. Depending on your budget, we can help you find a neighborhood that is perfect for you and your four-legged children.