Home Is Where the Horse Is: Three Equine-Friendly Hamptons Homes

The Hamptons is fabled for its horses. With world-class equestrian facilities and the annual Hampton Classic returning each year to Bridgehampton, the East End is a natural place for horse lovers.

If you’re looking to buy a home with space for your equine companion, we’re here to help. We’ve rounded up a few worthy properties on the market for stabling in style. And don’t worry, the houses are just as nice as the barns.

Sharyn Guzzi, an agent at Long Island Horse Properties, says, “The first thing I ask people when they seek my help is what kind of riding they do. Are they arena/show people or do they want to ride on bridle paths?” If the latter, that narrows the number of available properties to those close to parks with trails for horses, although Sharyn adds that on the East End, there are actually miles and miles of bridle paths along undeveloped land and farmland. They’re not groomed trails as in parks, but they’re there.

The next thing Sharyn asks is how many horses the prospective buyer has or wants to have. You must be very careful to check zoning regulations of the town or hamlet where you’re buying before you move in any horses. Some allow one horse on a half acre, some on one acre, and so on. Even if you have enough land, you may not be allowed to keep a horse on it. Check zoning!

“What’s your price range?” is, of course, the next question Sharyn asks. You’ll need deep pockets to own a horse property on the East End. The properties we’ve selected, however, run the gamut in price from a relatively affordable $1.4 million to an eye-watering $39 million.

First up is the lowest cost property, which offers 4.93 acres in Flanders for $1.4 million. There’s a nine-stall horse stable and a large cleared grass area for a riding/training ring. A huge koi pond can accommodate your finny friends as well; there’s also a natural pond, a pool and hot tub, and a Craftsman style home with five bedrooms.

Next is an East Hampton farm formerly owned by showjumping legend Harry de Leyer, owner of “80 Dollar Champion” Snowman. Asking $7 million, the property includes almost 15 acres of land, a fifty-stall barn, indoor rubber riding ring, outdoor riding rings, and a five-bedroom, three-bath home with heated pool.

How much land a does a horse really need, though? Sharyn says, “The more land the better, but there are plenty of people who ride their horses regularly and give them plenty of exercise on smaller parcels.”

For horse people, is the barn or the actual house more important to them? Sharyn chuckles at the question. Many of her customers insist on seeing the barn and horse facilities before they see the actual house. After all, you can always renovate a house.

That question is unnecessary, however, when it comes to our last property. As it should, considering it is asking an astonishing $39 million. There’s 10 acres of land, with stables with paddocks and riding fields. The house is amazing: 18,000 square feet with 12 bedrooms and a fabulous finished lower level with sunken spa, sauna, steam room, massage room, fully equipped gym, and theatre. There’s also a six-bedroom guest house, caretaker’s cottage, two pools (one for the main, one for the guest house) and a pool house. Landscaping by Edmund Hollander includes lovely gardens, stonework, arbors, a tennis court, and bluestone terraces.

Yes, the house and facilities for humans are just as amazing as the accommodation for horses.