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California Cities Made for Horse Lovers

These areas in the south of the state offer an exemplary equestrian lifestyle—often with beach access to boot

 

The equestrian estates of Southern California offer big blue skies, wide-open spaces and the promise of the luxurious, leisurely lifestyle of bygone days.

 

The estates, whether they are in gated ranch communities or independent, secluded parcels that are so off the radar that location is all but top secret, attract horse enthusiasts and also well-heeled residents who want to escape the city and commune with nature.

 

Here are three areas that cater to horses—and their owners.

 

Malibu

 

The hilltops and valleys of Malibu, the iconic Los Angeles County beach destination for Hollywood stars then and now, make it a prime location for luxury equestrian estates.

 

The estates, which are as rare as they are exclusive, are located inland of the Pacific Coast Highway, the main artery that divides the city, which is 30 miles west of downtown Los Angeles.

 

“They are scattered throughout Malibu, but the most prime ones are closest to the beach and have beach views,” said Sally Forster Jones, president of the SFJ Group at Compass. “These are very desirable, and there are a very limited number.”

 

She noted that there’s only one luxury equestrian property on the market at this time, and it’s priced at $24.9 million.

 

The 25-acre gated estate, which has a world-class riding ring and nine state-of-the-art stables equipped with smart security cameras, showers for horses, a tack room and a lounge with ocean views, “is in a beautiful location across from the beach,” she said.

 

In addition to horse lovers, Malibu’s equestrian properties attract celebrities and entrepreneurs not only from other parts of the state but from the rest of the country and abroad.

 

“There are fewer international buyers now because of the travel restrictions of Covid-19,” Ms. Forster Jones said. “But there are many potential buyers who are always looking for the prime properties because they come on the market so infrequently.”

 

Malibu, whose population is roughly 12,600 and is home to Cher, Lady Gaga and Leonardo DiCaprio, is, of course, famous for its beaches and what it proclaims is “21 miles of scenic beauty,” which references the coastal strip.

 

Ms. Forster Jones said that the equestrian estates in the “Bu,” as the locals call the city, offer the best of all worlds because “you have the ocean, you have the beach and you have the atmosphere of the city, which is vibrant and exciting.”

 

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Source Mansion Global

Written by Nancy A. Ruhling

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