Colorado Horse Racing

Posted on April 3, 2020 by blogeditor

Horse racing has a long and distinguished history and has been practiced in civilizations across the world since ancient times. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. This sport has been around for a long time and though many tracks have closed since their heyday the industry is stronger than ever. In fact, the sport is worth around $100 billion dollars. Also, the horse racing industry employs around 1.5 million people. There are approximately 10 million horses in the US that contribute to the racing industry. Despite this, betting on horses is legal in 22 states. Another fun fact is that 60% of horse betting is now done on mobile phones. If you are looking to buy a horse property in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today and speak to one of our horse-person realtors.

Arapahoe Park

Colorado was once home to many horse racing facilities, like Centennial Park and Memorial Park. Today the Arapahoe Park racing track is the premiere Colorado horse racing track. Arapahoe Park is a horse-racing track in Arapahoe County, Colorado on the outskirts of Aurora, owned and operated by Twin River Worldwide Holdings. Located at 26000 East Quincy Avenue, Arapahoe Park hosts Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, Paint Horse and Arabian horse racing. Check out our posts on popular horse breeds for more information about these types of horses.

The racing season generally begins in mid-May and continues through the late spring into the summer, wrapping up in mid-August. The track is home to the Mile High Futurity and the Mile High Derby, both quarter horse stakes races with final purses of over $100,000. For Thoroughbreds, the meet’s marque race is the Gold Rush Futurity, a 2 year old stakes race going six furlongs for $100,000 in purse monies. Arapahoe Park also hosts four graded stakes races, all for Arabian horses. For more information, check out the Arapahoe Park website.

Best Colorado Fishing Spots

Posted on April 2, 2020 by blogeditor

Because of its dry climate and land-locked location, many people think that the state of Colorado lacks waterways. Not only does Colorado have some of the most beautiful waterways in the country, it is also a great place for fishing. Summer is the busy season for anglers and the best fishing spots in Colorado usually crowd with anglers during this season. But don’t worry, you can also fish throughout the entire year in Colorado and get the same great catches. Trout, including brown, brook, and lake trout abound in the state’s rivers and lakes. The official state fish is the cutthroat trout, an indigenous variety of the trout in Colorado.

Top Colorado Fishing Spots

Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a 1,896 mile long river that begins in the San Juan Mountains in Southwest Colorado and ends in the Gulf of Mexico. The best place to fish in this river is in the San Juan Mountains between the towns of Del Norte and South Fork. The best time to fish in the Rio Grande River are from June to July.

Gore Creek
Gore Creek is a tributary of Eagle River and is around 18.5 miles long. Although this stream is relatively small, it is one of the best fishing destinations in Colorado. You can find lots of cutthroats, brooks, browns, and rainbows in this stream. Gore Creek runs alongside the route of U.S. Highway 6 and Interstate 70 in the town of Vail, which makes it easier to access than other waterways.

North Platte River
The North Platte River is a major tributary of the Platte River and is approximately 716 miles long. It winds through Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska. It is important to know that some sections of the river can only be accessed by raft or kayak adding to the adventure of fishing in this destination.

Upper Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river’s source basin lies in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas River Valley, where the headwaters derive from the snow pack in the Sawatch and Mosquito mountain ranges.

Horse Facial Markings

Posted on April 2, 2020 by blogeditor

Ever wondered how a horse owner can tell the difference between the members of their herd? Size, breed, gender, and personality will always play a big role in differentiating between horses, but what if these factors where irrelevant? How would you tell the difference between two horses of the same size, breed, gender, and temperament? Any horse owner will tell you that they have learned to memorize the facial markings of their horses. Also, facial markings are great identifiers because they don’t change. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse’s life.

Most markings have pink skin underneath most of the white hairs, though a few faint markings may occasionally have white hair with no underlying pink skin. Markings may appear to change slightly when a horse grows or sheds its winter coat, however this difference is simply a factor of hair coat length; the underlying pattern does not change. Below are a few of the most common facial markings of horses. How many have you seen before? Also, if you are looking for a horse property in Colorado, contact us today and speak with one of our horse-person realtors.

Blaze: a wide white stripe down the middle of the face.
Strip, stripe, or race: a narrow white stripe down the middle of the face.
Bald Face: a very wide blaze, extending to or past the eyes. Some, but not all, bald faced horses also have blue eyes.
Star: a white marking between or above the eyes. If a stripe or blaze is present, a star must be significantly wider than the vertical marking to be designated separately.
Snip: a white marking on the muzzle, between the nostrils.

Colorado Horse Communities

Posted on April 1, 2020 by blogeditor

Colorado horse communities are more than just areas on a map that are zoned for horses. They are neighborhoods well equipped for equestrian use. Horse communities have pastures, fencing, water rights, no HOAs, and important outbuildings like barns, sheds, stables, and more. Also, Colorado horse communities have riding trails within the area where riders and their horses can ride beyond their own backyard. In fact, there are over 500 horseback riding trails in Colorado like Spruce Creek Trail in Breckenridge and Mount Falcon Castle Trail in Morrison.

Colorado Horse Property is the most comprehensive horse property listing site in Colorado with over 10,000 listings. If you are looking for a horse property in Colorado but don’t know where to start, try searching by horse neighborhood. In other words, our horse neighborhoods have amenities and nearby trails. Below are a few that can be found in Douglas County. Also, if you have any questions about our horse communities, contact Colorado Horse Property today.

Horse Communities

Burning Tree Ranch

A horse lover’s dream, peaceful Burning Tree Ranch opens up those starry nights and fresh mountain air. It features prestigious Franktown CO equine real estate south of Denver in the Rocky Mountain foothills. Drive through the rustic gate to feast upon forests and meadows in Burning Tree Ranch. In addition, residents often spot deer, porcupine, fox, owls, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and other awesome wildlife and birds. And they enjoy wonderful views of Pikes Peak and Longs Peak.

High Prairie Farms

Horse real estate in southern Colorado is available in High Prairie Farms. The neighborhood is not too far from Denver’s employment sectors. Yet it basks in the country lifestyle of the foothills of Douglas County. High Prairie Farms is east of Parker Road on South Pinery Parkway. See the stone entrance and bronze horses. Desirable homes and lots are up Singletree Lane and Saddle Creek Trail.

Keene Ranch

Love horses in a community setting? Castle Rock equine properties in Keene Ranch offer the best of both worlds. Located south of Denver, Keene Ranch is at 7000-foot elevations in Douglas County. The community lies on a Butte overlooking the variegated foothills of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The community is adjacent to Dawson Butte Open Space and 1500 acres of meadows and forests. The views are fantastic in every direction. This is the horse property that allows equestrians a ride off into the colorful sunset.

The Equestrian Industry

Posted on February 28, 2020 by blogeditor

The equestrian industry is a million dollar business involving every state of the US. However, it can be hard to pinpoint specific statistics on how much the industry contributes to the economy. To fix this problem, the American Horse Council commissioned a study in 2017 to get more accurate numbers. The study focuses on the financial information and trends that are shaping the equestrian industry. It was able to show how much money the horse industry is making and in what ways. Additionally, the horse industry contributes $50 billion to the GDP of the United States.

According to the World Animal Foundation, there are currently 6.6 million horses in the country. The following list shows estimated numbers of horses by activity from the 2017 AHC’s study. For more updated numbers, please check out the World Animal Foundation at worldanimalfoundation.org. The World Animal Foundation (WAF) is an organization that promotes animal welfare through education, advocacy, and awareness, and it also strives to ensure animals are treated with compassion and respect. Established to fill knowledge gaps, WAF provides expert-backed resources for pet owners and animal lovers while also fostering a community of support and trust. Although not a nonprofit, WAF is committed to transparency and innovation, also taking pride in its contributions to the betterment of animal welfare.

US Horse Industry Statistics

Recreation Horses—3,141,449 Horses
- Privately owned as pets. Also, these horses do not farm or in any way produce substantial income.
Showing Horses—1,227,986 Horses
- Performance show horses. Shows also include reining, jumping, and much more from a wide array of horse training.
Racing Horses—1,224,482 Horses
- Racing event horses. These also include popular derbies like those found at Santa Anita Park in California or the Churchill Downs in Kentucky.
Working Horses- 537,261 Horses
- Working horses refers to horses that are used to perform a task, typically by agricultural means.

Is the equestrian industry an exclusive club? This is a common misconception. Actually, nearly half of the horse owners in the US are from the middle class, earning $25,000 to $75,000 annually. Also, many people make a living in this industry. The equestrian industry has a direct employment impact of 988,394 jobs. Additionally, the industry itself contributes $38 billion in direct wages, salaries, and benefits. Are you one of the many horse owners in the US? Also, are you looking to relocate to the state of Colorado? Our team at Colorado Horse Property is made up of highly-qualified, horse-person realtors. Contact Colorado Horse Property today!

FAQs Colorado Horse Properties

Posted on February 28, 2020 by blogeditor

Photo by Filipe Dos Santos Mendes on Unsplash. Horse properties.

Owning a Colorado horse property means that you can have your horses at home. This is a fact that’s much more appealing than the alternative of keeping your horses boarded off-site. Not only is it less convenient, it is also very expensive. Therefore, if you’re planning on becoming first time horse buyers, you might have to move in order to have the space and freedom you need. Here are some facts about horse properties that we get asked about a lot. You should consider them when looking for a home for you and your horse.

Frequently Asked Questions about Colorado Horse Properties

Space is very important and you should determine how much land you need before you start looking at properties. Three acres may be sufficient if you want to have a small backyard barn with two horses, but that will differ from person to person. Plan ahead of time of how much you want to grow your herd. You may need more land than you originally thought. Then there’s barns. Some horse properties will already have them and some of them will not. Just because a house is zoned for horses and other animals doesn’t mean that the previous owner had them. Therefore, the property might not have a barn. There are many barn builders in the state of Colorado. Plan out how much of a barn you will need and then shop around.

What about pastures? Are they already available on the property? Are they large enough to support the number of horses that you plan on having? If possible, look at the quality of the grass in the pastures. Having pastures with lots of grass can help to reduce your hay bill during the summer. Finally, take a step back and look at the overall layout of the property. Is the barn located behind the house or off to the side? Are the pastures easily accessible by road? A property’s layout can be a major feature which isn’t easily changed. The Realtors here at Colorado Horse Property know what to look for when it comes to horse properties and can help you find the perfect home for you. Give the Colorado Horse Property team a call today!

Think You Want to Buy a Horse?

Posted on February 27, 2020 by blogeditor

Photo by Sarah Olive on Unsplash. How to buy a horse.

Should you go to a breeder or is a rescue a better place to buy a horse? With so many paths for first time horse buyers and long-term horse owners, it can be hard to decide. Should you spend a ton of money on trained horse, or do you get a horse that you’ll have train? You can Google until your hands hurt, or you can learn everything you need to know from a professional. Colorado Horse Rescue‘s Head Trainer and Clinician Sarah Hofkamp is one such professional.

She will be going over how to buy a horse and horse ownership at the CHR’s March 15^th clinic. Thickets for the clinic is only $65 per person and will begin at 10 AM. This clinic educates horse-buyers on the intricacies of selecting the right horse and how to keep it happy and healthy. Also, CHR is a great opportunity to get involved in your local equine community.

About Colorado Horse Rescue

If any one facet of the Colorado horse community were building a better future for horses, it would be CHR. There slogan is, “We see it. We believe in it. And we are here to make it happen.” Colorado Horse Rescue is an impact organization that has been operating in Colorado since 1986.

The organization works to create a reality where safe solutions exist for every horse. Unfortunately, due to poor education and limited options, not all horses have a safe home and that’s why CHR actively seeks out and takes in all types of at-risk horses. They enable owners who have fallen on tough times to re-home their beloved horses without judgement. They do their best to make sure that no horses are sent to slaughter or unsafe conditions via auction or sale. Looking for a new home for you and your horses? Call the Colorado Horse Property team today for the best horse-person realtors in the state.

Leadville Ski Joring

Posted on February 27, 2020 by blogeditor

March 2020 is a great time to be in Leadville Colorado. All types of events occur here, like Leadville Ski Joring and the Crystal Carnival Weekend. Aside from Ski joring, join in the fun with mountain biking, Nordic ski races, a paintball biathlon, and many other kinds of winter fun! If Denver is the Mile High City, then Leadville is the Two-Mile-High City at an elevation of over ten thousand feet. Also, Leadville resides near the headwaters of the Arkansas River, right in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Leadville got its start as a mining settlement in 1859 during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, though it didn’t grow until 1877 when silver was found there during the Colorado Silver Boom. Today, Leadville focuses on its tourism, history, and outdoor recreation.

What’s Ski Joring?

In regular skiing, the skier relies on gravity to pull them down the snow-laden mountain to the finish line. Ski Joring is a lot like regular skiing, however horses do the work of the gravity. Leadville Ski Joring is an amazing sport where a horse and rider race down snow-packed Harrison Avenue in Leadville’s downtown, pulling a skier who’s holding onto a rope. The entire street is filled with show jumps and obstacles for the skiers to maneuver through.

Ride your own horse or ski, bid on a team at the Calcutta auction, or line up on Harrison Avenue to watch the excitement. This an annual tradition, so there’s no ticket prices or waiting in line. In other words, it’s free to watch. Kids can get in on the action, too, and try ski joring behind a snowmobile. The event is held March 7-8, 2020 from noon to 3 p.m. both days! To insure the safety of the horses, riders, skiers, and onlookers, leave your pets and drones at home; they tend to scare the horses. If you are interested in Colorado horse property in Leadville, give the Colorado Horse Property team a call today!

Colorado Horse Property: Top 10 Counties

Posted on February 5, 2020 by blogeditor

Colorado Horse Property

Colorado Horse Property is not just for horse owners. If you’re looking for land, ranches, farms, low property taxes, and no HOA fees, Colorado Horse Property is for you! Colorado Horse Property currently have over 10,000 properties listed. Not only that, but our brokers are horse-person realtors. You are not buying a condo or a cookie cutter house! You are buying the real dream. Your last choice for free will. They are not making any more. Most properties today come with a whole laundry list of restrictions. We specialize in helping people buy or sell the dream-land, ranch, farm or horse property. You need an experienced and knowledgeable local Broker and company that specializes in this niche real estate market.

With so many properties to look at, you might not know where to start. The following is a list of the top ten counties with the most horse properties in Colorado.

Top 10 Counties

300-400

#1 Jefferson County—377 Horse Properties

Jackson County is one of the most mountainous counties in the state of Colorado. North Park includes Park Range, the Sierra Madre Range, Rabbit Ears Range, the Never Summer Mountains, and the Medicine Bow Mountains. Read More

#2 Montezuma County—392 Horse Properties

Established in 1889, Montezuma county makes up the southwestern corner of the state of Colorado. Also, this corner is known as the Four Corners because it is where the corners of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah come together. Read More

400-500

#3 Costilla County—409 Horse Properties

Costilla County has a ton of history that dates back to the 1500s. In fact, the area was the first area of the state of Colorado to be colorado with recorded history by the explorer Coronado. Read More

#4 Gunnison County—425 Horse Properties

The county and a town of the same name which is now the county seat was named for John Williams Gunnison. Read More

#5 Douglas County—430 Horse Properties

Though much of Douglas County’s history is full of pioneer stories of early Americans, the area has come a long was from wagons and horses. In fact, Douglas County recently ranked as a top Digital County in the country. Read More

#6 Fremont County—465 Horse Properties

Arguably the most notable landmarks of Fremont County that draws tourism into the area is the Royal Gorge, a canyon on the Arkansas River that runs through Cañon City. Read More

#7 Archuleta County—480 Horse Properties

Archuleta County was officially formed in 1885, out of what was once the western edge of Conejos County. The name of the county was in honor of Antonio D. Archuleta, who was the Senator from Conejos County at the time. Read More

500+

#8 La Plata County—554 Horse Properties

The county boasts the Durango Rock Shelters Archeology Site, the type site for the Basketmaker II period of Anasazi culture. Read More

#9 Park County—759 Horse Properties

Park County is the home of Spinney Mountain State Park. The park centers on the Spinney Mountain Reservoir, which is popular with anglers. Read More

#10 El Paso County—857 Horse Properties

Slightly more than twice the area of the state of Rhode Island, El Paso County lies in east central Colorado and encompasses more than 2,158 square miles of land. El Paso County’s topography is unique in the state because of its variety of mountains and plains. Read More

Winter Horses

Posted on January 27, 2020 by blogeditor

Horse owners are naturally going to over-prepare their horses for the winter. It’s inevitable. Though closing the barn windows and turning up the heater seems like a good idea, it might not be. All horses are winter horses; they are equipped to handle most winters.

For instance, horses are naturally claustrophobic and their mental well-being suffers when confined. Though they will need to take shelter some times, horses instinctively need open spaces. Standing in a stall for long periods of time can be damaging to your horse’s health. Just like humans, it is not good for horses to be sedentary. It leads to ulcers, colic, and other digestive disorders, not to mention obesity. Good horse owners will know that having some sort of shelter is a must. However, using it should be your horse’s choice, not yours. Winter horses will always take shelter when they need to.

Are Horse Blankets Necessary?

Drive through any horse community in Colorado, like Elizabeth or Salida, during the winter. Some horses will have blankets on and some will not. Putting a blanket on a horse will vary from situation to situation. Overall, your horse’s coat is fully equipped to keep it insulated against the cold in most cases. As long as they can go into their stall during strong winds and wet weather, your horse is able to keep sufficiently warm in the coldest weather. Starting thinking of your horses as winter horses.

So, when are horse blankets necessary? Horses who shiver in the cold, are underweight, aging, ill, or otherwise frail, may feel better with extra covering. However, keep a check on your horse. Are they sweating under the blanket? You don’t want to inhibit your horse’s coat from its natural ability to protect against the cold. So, if your horse is sweating or exhibiting signs of discomfort due to the blanket, make sure to take the blanket off. For more information, contact Colorado Horse Property today.