Everyone has their favorite harbinger of spring.  For some it is spying the first robin, for others it is the first daffodil blooming and for still others it is seeing the trees with new buds.  For me the beginning of spring has always been the start of the Virginia steeplechase season.  The Virginia Spring Steepechase season starts this Saturday with the Cassanova Hunt Point to Point.  Listed below is the schedule of Virginia Steeplechase Racing for the spring season:

Saturday, February 21, 12:30 pm
Cassanova Hunt Point to Point
Buckland Farm, Warrenton, VA
540 788-4806

Saturday, March 7, 12:00 noon
Blue Ridge Hunt Point to Point
Woodley Farm, Berryville, VA
540 53-1577

Saturday, March 14, 12:30 pm
Warrenton Hunt Point to Point
Airlie Race Course, Warrenton, VA
540 219-1400

Saturday, March 21, 1:00 pm
Piedmont Fox Hounds Point to Point
Salem Course, Upperville, VA
540 592-7100

Sunday, March 29, 1:00 pm
Orange County Hunt Point to Point
Locust Hill Farm, Middleburg, VA
540 687-3529
703 727-2357
ochpointtopoint@verizon.net

Saturday, April 4, 12:00 noon
Old Dominion Hounds Point to Point
Ben Venue Farm, Ben Venue, Virginia
540 364-4573
540 636-1507

Saturday, April 11, 1:30 pm
Strawberry Hill Races
Colonial Downs, New Kent County, VA
804 228-3238

Sunday, April 12, 12:30 pm
Loudon Hunt Point to Point
Oatlands Plantation, Leesburg, VA
703 777-8480
540 338-4031

Saturday, April 18, 1:30 pm
Middleburg Spring Races
Glenwood Park, Middleburg, VA
540 687-6545
504 687-6595

Sunday, April 19, 12:0 noon
Fairfax Hunt Point to Point
Morven Park, Leesburg, VA
540 687-0611
information@fairfaxhaunraces.org

Saturday, April 25, 1:00 pm
Foxfield Spring Races
Charlottesville, VA
434 293-9501

Saturday, May 2, 1:00 pm
Virginia Gold Cup Races
Great Meadow, The Plains, Va
540 347-2612

Saturday, May 3, 1:30 pm
Bull Run Hunt Point to Point
Brandywine Park, Culpeper, VA
540 832-2726
540 937-2510

Saturday, May 9, 1:00 pm
Bedford Countiy Hunt Point to Point & Hunter Pace
Wolf Branch Farm, Forses, VA
540 297-3419

For additional information and the fall racing calendar visit the Virginia Steeplechase Website.

Contact

, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434 960-0161, pam@JumpintoGreenerPastures.com, to list your property for sale or to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore, Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County, Troy, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek, Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County, Ruckersville.

To view all of the Charlottesville, Virginia and Central Virginia Homes for Sale click here and click on the mls search button.

Visit my website  Jump into Greener Pastures or read my other blog Charlottesville Real Estate Talk  for more information on Charlottesville and Central Virginia homes, events and real estate.

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How many of you stop horseshowing for the winer because you can't afford to go to Florida or can't justify the time away from your jobs to take 2 months off and go to Florida?  Maybe your horses aren't ready to go to the indoor winter A shows in other parts of the country so you are forced to stop showing for the winter.  Then you start back at the schooling shows in the spring and spend March and April trying to catch up to the horses that have been showing all winter.  In Charlottesville and Central Virginia we have been able to ride and horseshow outside all winter.

Of course, there have been days when the temperature did not rise enough for the ring to thaw, but most of the winter we have been able to ride outdoors.  Today Shadowfax LLC at the Glenmore Equestrian Center took two sales horses to the horseshow at Speakeasy Farm.  After a week of temps in the 60's the 48 degree weather felt a little cool, but the sun was warm, the footing was good and these young horses were able to progress and get some good mileage. 

If you are looking for a good area to relocate you farm to, consider the Charlottesville, Virginia horse country where you can ride year round without needing to have an indoor. A Charlottesville horse farm may be the perfect choice.

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When you are shopping for a Charlottesville horse farm, one of the first things that your agent needs to understand is what kind of barn will best meet your needs.  Barn design is much more that just the number of stalls although of course that is of paramount importance.  In looking at barns one of the first things to look at is the general layout.  A barn can be beautiful, while being an inefficient place to work at the same time.  This may not matter if you will be having a lot of help to do the work. 

There are many items that you should think about when viewing a stable:

Is there adequate hay storage?
Are the stalls big enough?
Is there enough ventilation?
Will the barn be cool enough in the summer and warm in the winter?
Do you need separate tack and feed rooms?
What about a bathroom?
Is there hot water?
Does it have a wash stall?
Are there enough electric outlets for fans?
Do the doors open easily?
Do you prefer a center aisle barn or will a shed row style suit your needs just fine.
Is there equiptment storage?
What about storage for bedding?
Do you want dutch doors leading outside from each stall?

Then you need to look at how the barn is situated on the land:

How far is it from the house?
Do you want to have the barn close to the home or farther away?
How long a ride is it to the ring?  Some people like a longer hack to warm up their horse on the way to the ring while others may want the ring located close to the barn.
Is the barn located conveniently to the paddocks or do you have to walk a long distance to turn out and bring in the horses.  This may not matter so much if your horses will live out much of the time.

There is a lot to think about when you are looking for a Central Virginia horse property.  Be sure to hire an agent who understand horse properties so that they can help you find the Charlottesville horse farm that best meets your needs.

Below are pictures of some area barns.

Contact

, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434 960-0161, pam@JumpintoGreenerPastures.com, to list your property for sale or to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore, Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County, Troy, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek, Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County, Ruckersville.

To view all of the Charlottesville, Virginia and Central Virginia Homes for Sale click here and click on the mls search button.

Visit my website  Jump into Greener Pastures or read my other blog Charlottesville Real Estate Talk  for more information on Charlottesville homes, events and real estate.

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One of the mosr difficult parts of searching for a Charlottesville, Virginia horse farm is deciding what part of the Central Virginia area you like best.  One choice is a farm in the Farmington Hunt Country to the west of Charlottesville.

Read more about Charlottesville equestrian properties

Contact

, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434 960-0161, pam@JumpintoGreenerPastures.com, to list your property for sale or to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore, Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County, Troy, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek, Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County, Ruckersville.

To view all of the Charlottesville, Virginia and Central Virginia Homes for Sale click here and click on the mls search button.

 Visit my website  Jump into Greener Pastures or read my other blog Charlottesville Real Estate Talk  for more information on Charlottesville homes, events and real estate.

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Anyone who either owns a home, is thinking of buying a home, or is thinking of selling a home is interested in what is going on in the local real estate market.  This post will contain links to my collection of posts on the activity in the Charlottesville and Central Virginia area real estate market during January of 2009.

Albemarle County January 2009 Market Report

Charlottesville, Virginia January 2009 Market Report

Fluvanna County January 2009 Market Report

Louisa County January 2009 Market Report

Albemarle County Condos and Townhomes January 2009 Market Report

Charlottesville Condos and Townhomes January 2009 Market Report

Contact

, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434 960-0161, pam@JumpintoGreenerPastures.com, to list your property for sale or to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore, Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County, Troy, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek, Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County, Ruckersville.

To view all of the Charlottesville, Virginia and Central Virginia Homes for Sale click here and click on the mls search button.

Visit my website  Jump into Greener Pastures or read my other blog Charlottesville Real Estate Talk  for more information on Charlottesville homes, events and real estate.

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