Finding Tiny House Parking in Colorado

Posted on March 5, 2019 by blogeditor

Tiny House Parking in Colorado

As we discussed in “Is Tiny House Living Illegal?“, tiny houses on wheels (THOW) aren’t legal in Colorado as a permanent structure. However, you can always travel with your THOW and park it legally. This is a strategy that many THOW owners have adopted. So you’ve registered your tiny house on wheels as an RV and plan to travel with it, now what about tiny house parking? You could stay in a friend or family member’s backyard or park on their driveway. You could pay to stay at a camping or RV site. The latter will be temporary.

Also, Colorado prohibits RVs as full-time residences in zones other than RV parks. Rules are only enforced when your tiny house on wheels is reported or complained about. This rarely occurs. Building a tiny house on a foundation is more permanent. Zoning and building regulations will prohibit you from buying land and building your own tiny house on it. Instead, you’ll have to build an additional dwelling unit. For more information, read our article on additional dwelling units. ADUs are sometimes built around one larger structure. This is known as a tiny house community.

Tiny House Building Codes

Local building codes have been adopted from the International Residential Code (IRC) for one and two-family dwellings. This specifies that bedrooms must be at least 70 square feet, while ceiling height must be at least 7 feet. However, zoning regulations are based off more local factors, and determine the size requirements of your home based on what zone it’s located in. However, you will need to call your local zoning or planning department to find that info. Most local governments require a minimum size requirement of 1,000 square feet or more for construction of a new home on its own land. If you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today.

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Additional Dwelling Units in Colorado

Posted on March 1, 2019 by blogeditor

Additional Dwelling Units

Affordable housing is a priority for many Coloradans in this current economic climate. Tiny houses on wheels are not legal in Colorado. Good news, there is another option. You can take advantage of tiny homes built on foundations in your backyard, called ADUs. These Additional Dwelling Units (sometimes called granny flats) are self-contained apartments in an owner occupied single-family home or lot. Homeowners who want to make the transition into tiny house living can construct an ADU in their backyard, and live in the ADU while renting out the house.

The number of ADU permits issued annually in Colorado has risen and the trend is still on the rise. Make sure to research your city’s land use code to insure there are no hidden restrictions. In the past, cities have been known to ban ADUs. Likewise, some areas can have restrictions on size, owner occupancy, and parking. While many states are lagging behind, Colorado cities have adjusted their regulations to encourage more ADUs.

Benefits of ADUs

There are a lot of social and economic benefits of living in a tiny house. ADUs are great because they allow people housing flexibility over time. You can design your ADU to be more accessible to the elderly. This will allow you to stay in your neighborhood as you grow older, and at less cost. ADUs are also great for parents, caregivers, adult children, and grandparents. ADUs use fewer resources like gas and electricity due to their size. They’re often built in walkable and bikeable areas, so their residents generate less of an environmental impact. This includes traffic, harmful emissions, and noise pollution.

They greatly reduce the per capita residential footprint. ADUs help fill the need of one and two person households in cities. ADUs have a significantly less infrastructural impact on a city than most apartment buildings. Read more on Tiny Houses in Colorado on our blog. If you are looking for a horse property in Colorado, contact one of our horse-person realtors at Colorado Horse Property.

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Is Tiny House Living Illegal in Colorado?

Posted on February 27, 2019 by blogeditor

Legal or Illegal?

The Tiny House Movement has been gaining a lot of momentum in the past couple of years. Many Coloradans are leaving the busy city life to a more quiet life in a small home. With fewer bills and material things to worry about, tiny house living might be for you. However, tiny houses are a controversial topic that begs the question: Is full time tiny house living illegal in Colorado? For some, the answer is just as controversial.

Despite the growth in the tiny house community in Colorado, is tiny house living illegal in Colorado? Technically, yes. If you have a tiny house on wheels (or THOW), Colorado considers that structure an RV. RV’s are not legal as a permanent address. Tiny house living is a legitimate means to address affordable housing problems in Colorado. However, they unfortunately have not gained widespread acceptance. A tiny house built on a foundation is legal, while a tiny house on wheels is illegal. You can still have a THOW, just not as a permanent address (in most zoning districts in Colorado). For example, in Parker, Colorado, a tiny house built on a foundation is legal despite its small floor size.

Land use codes differ by the district in the state of Colorado. If the land use code distinguishes between a THOW and one on a foundation, then the foundation option will be the legal one. For more information on tiny house living in Colorado, check out our article Build a Tiny House in Your Backyard in Colorado. Stay tuned to our blog for more information on tiny houses coming soon. If you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado or land for sale fit for a tiny house, contact Colorado Horse Property today!

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Build a Tiny House in Your Backyard in Colorado

Posted on February 26, 2019 by blogeditor

Backyard Tiny House

Do you own a house in Colorado? Need an extra space for relatives to stay? Wanting a detached home office? Looking to supplement your income by renting a space? Is your backyard large enough for a tiny house on wheels. If you answered yes to any of these questions, then there are some things you should know. There are some zoning regulations in Colorado that may effect your decision for building your backyard tiny house. Technically speaking, Colorado law does not define what a tiny house is. When it comes to zoning, tiny houses are usually considered a dwelling or an RV.

Tiny houses on wheels (or THOW, as they are known in the community) are classified as RVs in Colorado. Whether a THOW backyard tiny house is legal will depend on your local zoning regulations. Therefore, you need to carefully review the applicable zoning ordinance or talk to someone at your local planning department. Also, if this is not an option for you, try talking to a Colorado land use attorney.

Researching Tiny Houses

Colorado’s local governments individually set up zoning regulations. These development standards control the use of land in their area. These rules can be found in land use codes or zoning codes. For example, Fort Morgan’s zoning ordinance may be called “City of Fort Morgan Land Use Code.”

In other words, zoning is how land is separated into districts. Each zone has different regulations that affect land development. To determine what zone your property is in and what uses are lawful, review the appropriate land use code. The codes usually have zoning maps that shows the different zones in your area. To search through over three thousand homes and land for sale, check out Colorado Horse Property’s search page. Stay tuned to our blog for more information on tiny houses in Colorado.

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Horse Separation Anxiety

Posted on January 22, 2019 by blogeditor

Defining Horse Separation Anxiety

By definition, separation anxiety is a disorder in which an individual experiences excessive anxiety regarding separation from home or from people to whom the individual has a strong emotional attachment. Horses are prey animals that feel more comfortable in herds instead of by themselves. Therefore, horses can experience separation anxiety from its herd. Most horses have some level of separation anxiety. In cases of mild anxiety, the situation rarely becomes more than a slight inconvenience. However, there are cases in which a horse is so bound to its herd that this anxiety is a serious issue. These cases are very dangerous for not only the rider but the horse as well.

Horses have been herd animals for hundreds of years. Because of this native behavior, it is common for your horse to feel safest when it is with a herd. Anxiety due to separating from the heard is also common. However, there are ways to change a reaction that is caused by your horse’s survival instinct. First, you will need to build a bond that is based on mutual trust and respect. You will also need to help your horse build confidence. Your horse needs to know that it is safe in your care.

Building that trust will start with pushing your horse around a round pen or on a lunge line. This then extends to everything you do with your horse when you are not riding. This includes grooming, hand walking, and just hanging out in the paddock. Every moment counts towards this conditioning. How you behave, what you ask your horse to do, and how you speak to it will establish whether or not your horse feels safe with you. Remember, trust and feeling safe cannot come when force or fear are used. Follow the link for 5 steps on how to reducing horse separation anxiety. For more information contact Colorado Horse Property today.

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Horse Reining

Posted on January 22, 2019 by blogeditor

What is Horse Reining?

Horse reining is common in the world of Western horse training. In horse reining, the horses go through a precise pattern of circles, spins, and stops. All work is done at the lope, or the gallop. This form of riding originated from working with cattle. Reining is a Western version of dressage, as it requires the horse to be in sync with the rider. In horse reining, your aids should not be easily seen. Also, your horse is judged on its ability to perform spinning and stopping movement patterns.

But how do you get your horse to move in a specific way? Your horse needs to figure out that it will get freedom when he moves his neck and head away from the pressure of the rein. This is guaranteed to get a correct response, the desired movement, from your horse. Though it is not easy and takes a lot of practice. You will repeat the process of applying neck pressure and then softening it many times before everything is said and done. Patience is key on those long training days in the saddle.

Be cautious when applying neck pressure to your horse. If you neck rein too hard, your horse will counter bend his head to the outside. This can irritate and damage your horse’s neck muscles. Avoid this by using the direct rein in the initial stages to guide the horse’s nose away from outside rein pressure. Remember to release both the direct and neck rein when you get the correct response from your horse. A horse with a good handle, who is light and responsive to the neck rein’s slightest pressure, is a joy to ride. Looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado? Contact one of our horse-person realtors at Colorado Horse Property.

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Horse Jumping

Posted on January 21, 2019 by blogeditor

Horse Jumping on Flat Versus Raised Surfaces

Horse jumping is a highly skilled branch of English horse training. There is a big difference jumping your horse over the ground versus a raised surface like a fence. When working with flat surfaces, set a single ground pole first. Then ride various downward transitions and try a smooth rein-back in front of the pole. This type of training is called a zoning exercise. These exercises will allow you and your horse the chance to practice a rhythmical approach to horse jumping. Just like other sport training, practice makes perfect. Repeat your zoning exercises until you gain respect and focus before and after the pole.

Once you have gained some confidence, keeping adding on to the exercise. Set a line of poles and riding downward transitions in your riding path. Skilled riders practice a line of multiple pole at varying distances. Practice cantering over the line of poles, varying the number of strides in between the poles by adjusting the length of your stride. For the best results, try these exercises after your horse is warmed up and relaxed. But what about jumping surfaces that aren’t flat, like a trot pole?

Just like a flat surface, we recommend you start with a single trot pole. Then you can move on to more pole eventually. Your trot poles will regulate your horse’s pace and assist you and your horse in reaching the ideal jumping distance. Increase your difficulty when your work over the first cross-rail is successful. Try adding a second jump several strides away. Practice adding a stride down the line before you canter it on stride, and use downward transitions or circles in between the jumps to re-establish a quiet rhythm as needed. Check out our Horse Training page for more on English Horse Training. If you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today.

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Horse Jumping Techniques

Posted on January 18, 2019 by blogeditor

Proper Horse Jumping Techniques

Horse jumping is a branch of English horse training that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Follow our blog for more information on English horse training. Horse jumping can be found at horse shows throughout the world, even the Olympics. There are exclusively horse jumping shows. However, they are usually offered in conjunction with other English-style events. Sometimes show jumping is but one division of very large, all-breed competitions that include a very wide variety of disciplines. If you are a seasoned rider and looking to take part in jumping, here are a few tips.

At the beginning, hire a certified coach to get a ground-level perspective of your performance. Breathing and counting are the two most important things to practice when learning to jump. You will also need to be aware of your body position, and the increments in which you apply your aids. Remember to keep your head up and your eyes ahead at a focal point. This concentration will help in a number of ways. You will be able to keep a tall upper body with your shoulders back, a soft following arm, and a long supporting leg with a deep heel.

Mastering this position is ultimately what you want to achieve. This will assure that you are not encouraging your horse to speed up at the jump. Maintaining a steady pace that you are comfortable with is what you want. Consider removing any artificial aids that you may be using to make sure you aren’t using them involuntarily or incorrectly. Follow our blog for more information on this topic and other horse training related tips. Looking for a horse property in Colorado? Get help from one of our horse-person realtors at Colorado Horse Property.

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Equestrian Athletes

Posted on January 15, 2019 by blogeditor

And the answer is, without a shadow of a doubt, that horseback riders are athletes. Not only are riders athletes but they train like athletes. Regardless of whether you are involved in English horse training or Western horse training, or if you just ride for fun, riders who incorporate cross-training working into their lifestyle achieve more success in the saddle. Continue reading for more information on equestrian athletes.

Equestrian Athletes

The benefits of cross-training are boundless. You will see improvements in feeling secure in the saddle and balance. With the help of a good fitness program, coupled with enthusiasm and discipline, you can reach your peak performance level in no time. Being balanced int he saddle is a key component to being a good rider. An equestrian strength training program that resolves imbalances in the rider’s body is paramount if you want to reach your goals of peak performance quickly. Developing muscular symmetry for self-carriage is also important. Exercises for muscular symmetry will increase muscular sensitivity for riding as well. Strengthen your muscular foundation, improve balance and core stability, and teach the body how to move more efficiently through a good fitness plan.

Keeping a written plan, no matter how detailed, will help you in the long run. In your plan, jot down where you will fit which activity into your schedule. You do not necessarily need to go to a gym. This can be a waste of time and money. Buying a few light weights could be all you need. Plan what weight sizes you will use, how many repetitions, and sets of strength exercises you will do. Split muscle groups into different days to make your workout work better for your lifestyle. If you are looking for Colorado horse property for sale, contact one of our horse-person realtors today at Colorado Horse Property.

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The Secondhand Saddle

Posted on January 10, 2019 by blogeditor

Used Saddles

The horse-person realtors here at Colorado Horse Property know that buying a new saddle can be an economic stretch. Buying a secondhand saddle is less expensive than buying a band new one, but there are a few caveats you should be aware of. Before taking a deal on a secondhand saddle, take a good hard look at the condition it is in. Are there any cracks in the saddle? Identifying weak or loose snaps, could prevent a serious injury down the road to you or your horse. It is also important to ensure the tack is really well cleaned.

Worst case scenario, it is possible to spread skin disease to your horse through a secondhand saddle. This is caused by leftover deposits of dirt, sweat, and moisture which can harbor all kinds of bad bugs and bacteria. So, if you are going to bring home any secondhand tack, be sure to fully scrub and clean it before bringing it near your horse. For more tips on how to clean your tack, check out our article Caring For Your Horse Tack. Failure to clean this tack properly could even introduce ringworm to your horse, a virus that can survive for weeks under the right conditions.

This is not only true for saddles, but for any horse tack that you buy used. Saddle pads, blankets, coolers, girths, and other equipment should be cleaned thoroughly. For sheepskin products, follow the directions on the label. Any tack composed on fabric that cannot be washed, should still be put in the dryer on hot. This will effectively kill germs as well as mites and lice. Even clean nylon and rope halters, lead ropes, lunge lines, and long lines. If you are looking for Colorado horse property for sale, contact one of our horse-person realtors today at Colorado Horse Property.

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