Wintering in Arizona With Your Horse: A Snowbird Guide

The short answer: Wintering in Arizona with your horse is easier than most snowbirds expect when you plan three things: the paperwork, the place your horse will stay and the fun you want to have. Travel with current vet health papers and Coggins test results, decide whether boarding or renting acreage fits your season, and put the big events at Horseshoe Park and WestWorld of Scottsdale on your calendar. Then enjoy riding in sunshine while the folks back home shovel snow.

Every fall I hear from horse owners up north who are tired of frozen water buckets and icy barn aisles. They want to ride all winter, and they want to bring their horse along. Here is the game plan I share with them.

Bring current vet health papers and Coggins test results. Those two documents travel with your horse on the trip south.

Talk with your own veterinarian well before your travel date so the papers are current when you leave. Keep copies in the truck, a photo on your phone and the originals in a folder you can grab fast. If you are hauling more than one horse, label each set clearly.

Once you are here, plan on an Arizona vet and farrier for the season. Our guide to finding a vet and farrier in rural Arizona helps you line them up before you need them. For brand questions, read our guide to Arizona horse brand inspection.

Plan the trip like a show haul. Pick your route, line up overnight stops that welcome horses and pack enough of your horse's usual feed to make the switch gradual.

A few habits make the drive smoother:

• Check the trailer before you go. Tires, brakes, lights, floor and hitch.
• Plan rest and water stops so your horse arrives in good shape.
• Bring familiar feed and mix it with local hay once you arrive.
• Pack a first aid kit for both of you.

If you would rather hire a hauler, our guide to interstate horse transport to Arizona walks through what to ask a transport company.

Boarding is simpler for a short season, and renting acreage gives you more freedom and keeps your horse right outside your back door. The best choice depends on how long you stay, how many horses you bring and how hands-on you want to be.

Boarding may fit you if:

• You stay part of the winter and want help with daily care.
• You want an arena, round pen and other riders around you.
• You plan to live in a condo, a 55+ community or an RV park that does not allow horses.

Renting acreage may fit you if:

• You bring more than one horse or a dog and want everyone together.
• You enjoy doing your own feeding and stall cleaning.
• You want to test-drive living on horse property before you buy.

Ask every barn or landlord the same questions. What is included in the price? Who feeds, and how often? Is there shade and a wash rack? What are the rules on trailers, guests and farriers? Our guide to renting vs buying horse property can help you think it through.

Plan on hay as a full budget line. Desert land without flood irrigation does not offer natural grazing, so your horse eats hay all season.

Arizona has local hay sources, including Yuma, Coolidge, Eloy, Casa Grande, Stanfield, Buckeye and pockets of San Tan Valley. Many feed stores also carry pellets in bags or totes, which can mean less waste than bales. Hay prices change through the year, so get a current quote from your feed store when you arrive. Our page on hay and feed costs has more tips.

Winter is a great season for horse events in the Metro Plex of Arizona. Two venues are worth knowing by name.

Horseshoe Park & Equestrian Centre in Queen Creek is a 240-acre regional facility. It hosts PRCA and WPRA pro rodeo, barrel racing, cutting, team roping, breakaway, sorting and all kinds of mounted events.

WestWorld of Scottsdale hosts the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show each February, one of the largest Arabian shows in the world, and the Arizona Sun Circuit, one of the premier Quarter Horse shows in the country. As a Quarter Horse person, I love Sun Circuit.

Check each venue's calendar for this season's dates. Our list of the best equestrian events in the East Valley and our guide to the best horse trails in the East Valley will keep your calendar full.

It happens all the time. Many snowbirds come for one winter and start looking at horse property by spring.

If you start thinking about buying, here is my best advice: visit in July or August before you commit, not December. Winter is lovely here. Summer is real, and you want to see how a barn, the shade and the water setup handle the heat. Monsoon season runs June 15 through September 30, so watch how a property drains after a storm too.

When you are ready, our guide for moving to Arizona with horses covers the next steps.

I am Kim Williamson, REALTOR®, with REAL Broker. I have lived in Arizona for 36 years and have been selling real estate for 24 years, with 1,000+ transactions closed across the Metro Plex of Arizona. I am also an 8x WPRA World Champion, so I have hauled a lot of horses a lot of miles. I love helping horse people find their winter home here, whether that is a lock-and-leave condo near a boarding barn, a 55+ community, or a rental with acreage that turns into a purchase down the road. Bring your horse, bring your questions, and let's make this your best winter yet.

What papers does my horse need to travel to Arizona for the winter? Bring current vet health papers and Coggins test results. Your veterinarian can help you get them ready before you leave.

Is it better to board or rent acreage for a winter in Arizona? Boarding is simpler for a short stay. Renting acreage gives you more freedom and keeps your horse at home with you.

Can my horse graze in Arizona in the winter? Desert land without flood irrigation offers no natural grazing, so plan to feed hay all season.

Where are the big horse events in winter? Horseshoe Park & Equestrian Centre in Queen Creek and WestWorld of Scottsdale, home of the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show and the Arizona Sun Circuit.

Should I buy horse property after my first winter? Visit in July or August before you commit, not December, so you know how the property handles summer.

• National Weather Service, Phoenix: monsoon season
• Interstate horse transport to Arizona
• Best equestrian events in the East Valley

Do your own due diligence. General information only. Ask your veterinarian about travel papers and health requirements for your horse and your route.

Ready to plan your winter with your horse anywhere in the Metro Plex of Arizona? Call or text Kim Williamson, REALTOR®, REAL Broker, at 480-206-1500, or start at www.ArizonaHorsePropertyForSale.com.