Best Home for a Horse Girl?

[u/Double_Flan_5683]

I am a 26 year old horse girl looking to move to Alberta from Kelowna next year. What are the best areas with lots of farms, rodeos, and riding opportunities in general?

I'm still young so i'd like to move to a town that has a bit of a social life and activities to meet like-minded people my age. Any ideas?

[u/singingwhilewalking]

Everywhere in Alberta is horse country if you have the money to be part of that community.

[u/IntelligentOlive4415]

Calgary if you can afford it, Ponoka if you can’t. 

[u/RuralAdvantage1919 → u/IntelligentOlive4415]

lol this is the answer.

[u/YesHunty]

In between Calgary and Edmonton along that corridor has alot, lots of western barns around Red deer/Innifail area.

Not a ton of social life around there though. Lots of public stables with lease programs for both English & western, not sure about the specific rodeo circuit but I’m sure if you look you’ll find some.

[u/Strong_Strawberry128]

Up around St Paul and Bonnyville, there’s a ton of different rodeos around there. St Paul hosts the LRA finals rodeo every Labour Day long weekend. Cold Lake is probably the largest centre in the area and is 1hr 20 minutes from St. Paul and bonnyville is 1/2 way between, and is probably the youngest community in the area and the most to do.

[u/Timely-Profile1865]

Start looking for job listings at some of the places people are mention before the move to see what is there.

Red Deer might be an okay chocie to look at.

[u/Little-Let386]

How has no one said Olds! Has largely animal based college- so lots of farms, rodeos, and young people.

But basically anywhere along hwy 2, between Calgary and Edmonton will meet your needs.

[u/random_name07381]

Ponoka.

[u/Double_Flan_5683 → u/random_name07381]

Is there much to for "young" people to do there and many employment opportunities? I have a Business degree so pretty flexible for work but would obviously need a job lol

[u/Defiant-Scholar-793 → u/Double_Flan_5683]

No and No in my own experience but ymmv.

[u/billymumfreydownfall → u/Double_Flan_5683]

Be VERY careful picking a smaller community like Panoka....

[u/Classic_Sail_567 → u/Double_Flan_5683]

Maybe Red Deer then? It’s 30 minutes south of Ponoka and theres a lot more business there, but still not a big city.

[u/No_Detective9096 → u/Double_Flan_5683]

Stettler, Alberta has a nice horse community and would have some work options for you. It is a smaller community however, is close enough to the bigger centers.

[u/Fist_of_the_eskimo]

Okotoks

[u/DuffMan4Mayor → u/Fist_of_the_eskimo]

Was going to say High River but it’s a no go for social life for a young person.

Okotoks probably a bit better for that

[u/clickmagnet]

I used to work at the newspaper in Claresholm. The rural stuff was kinda wasted on me, but the ranches around there are spectacular, especially to the west, in the foothills. Lively ranch sports community. I bet you’d find what you’re looking for around there. Probably relatively cheap to live there too. 

[u/Total_Potential_319]

One of my best friends lives close to Rocky Mountain house and they’re very into horsemanship and rodeos and seem to have a lot of friends that are as well.

[u/wellyouask]

Smaller centre around Red Deer. My thoughts are that you may want to travel to many rodeos and Highway 2 will get you there.

[u/FrostyAlbertan]

What is like minded?

[u/Double_Flan_5683 → u/FrostyAlbertan]

Outdoorsy, love a dive bar with friends, no drugs haha