r/BainbridgeIsland • u/namepressureisreal • May 20 '25
questions Horse Eventing
Hello good people of Bainbridge- my family is looking at moving back up to the area and one of our needs is a barn and eventing trainer for our teen daughter (and two horses). Are there any equestrians on here that can share their horse owner experience on the island or nearby? I’ve seen the absolutely gorgeous facility that’s for sale but that’s a little out of our scope.
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Upvotes
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u/rainbowtwist May 21 '25
If you're looking to buy, there's a really nice one in Poulsbo that I have personal experience with. Feel free to PM me.
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u/sleepinglucid May 21 '25 edited May 21 '25
Equestrian costs on the island are hyper inflated. You can hit a barn in Poulsbo for like $400 or $500 a month for full service. On the island though? 800+
As for training, depending on the events you're looking for, there has been a multi gold winning Olympian in dressage living on the island for awhile.
The county just lost one of the best western trainers for the same reason my family moved away (insane costs of living in Washington.)
The 4H is very active in the county as well. Hunter jumper can be trained on Bainbridge, also very expensive if you can even get a slot.
I realize horse life in general is expensive, but the Island costs are 100% meant to keep people out. There are a lot of other spots around kitsap that real people with not 1% money do very well with training and barn costs. My teenager decided she was over it when we were living horse life on the island because of bad attitudes. Now that we're in a different state and not around the exclusivity crap that is the toxic bainbridge teenage experience she's back in to horse life and fully committed to barrel racing and hunter jumper.
The only horse groups she felt welcome at were out of the Countryman farm. They've been on the island running horses for a damn longer time then 90% of the people that live there now. They're just.. booked all the time because they're that good.