by Robert Borges on March 26, 2024
Are you a horse enthusiast looking to retire in South Carolina? Then your research has led you to the right place! Not only is South Carolina a great place to retire for the ideal climate and affordability, it also has a lot to offer lovers of an equestrian lifestyle.
From thoroughbred breeding to horse races to sprawling landscapes for riding and top-notch equestrian facilities, here’s a list of the best equestrian communities in South Carolina.
Anderson Farms- Aiken, SC
Anderson Farms, nestled in Aiken, South Carolina, offers an active adult and residential community celebrated for its Southern charm and sustainable living ethos. As part of Woodside Communities, residents enjoy resort-style luxuries, including nature trails, a community garden, and pond access. Optional membership at The Reserve Club at Woodside provides access to various amenities such as golf, tennis, and a swimming pool. Equine enthusiasts benefit from large acreage properties, a community barn, and riding trails. Homes, ranging from single-family to farms, are crafted by Anderson Farms Homes, ensuring quality living. Conveniently located near downtown Aiken, residents enjoy the best of both worlds - scenic landscapes and urban conveniences.
Brays Island- Sheldon, SC
Sporting Classics Magazine calls it “the South’s most outstanding residential sporting community.” Located between Charleston and Savannah, this community combines world-class hunting and shooting facilities and over 60 miles of equestrian trails with traditional resort-style amenities including championship golf, tennis, swimming, fitness, dining and concierge services.
Haig Point- Daufuskie, SC
This South Carolina horse community’s private equestrian center has activities for all ages and abilities including private riding lessons, trail riding, pony clubs and camps--along with full boarding services offered to members who own horses. Accessible only by private ferry, Haig Point’s amenities blend into the island’s natural beauty, including the 20-hole Rees Jones Signature Golf Course, a fitness center and the Calibogue Club with views of the Calibogue Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.
Oldfield- Okatie, SC
An equestrian’s paradise, this community has 20 acres dedicated to horses and riding pursuits, including a modern 12-stall barn, 2 riding arenas, jumping courses, pastures, and miles of riding trails. Oldfield Equestrian Center is a private facility for Club Members only with boarding and training services available. Other amenities include a Greg Norman golf course, Sports Club with 6 tennis courts, fitness center, resort-style swimming pool and lap pool, the River Club with fine and casual dining and the Outfitters Center - a hunting lodge with outfitters store and wildlife education center.
Palmetto Bluff- Bluffton, SC
Palmetto Bluff is a vibrant South Carolina equestrian community and recreational preserve enriched by wilderness and wildlife, unspoiled rivers and salt marshes, and the sounds and smells of nature. As one of the largest waterfront land properties on the east coast, the 20,000-acre property of Palmetto Bluff offers 32 miles of riverfront and marsh front coastline along the May, New and Cooper Rivers in the heart of the South Carolina Lowcountry.
Rose Hill Plantation- Bluffton, SC
Rated among the best equestrian communities in South Carolina because of its 50-acre Rose Hill Equestrian Center that includes 35 boarding stalls, main riding arena, dressage riding arena, riding trails, wash areas, 18 acres of fenced paddocks, 22-acre polo field, jumping facilities, and 17 miles of riding trails. Residents are also treated to a championship golf course, acres of parks & nature trails, deepwater access, fishing & kayaking, tennis & pickleball, swimming pools, and a lively community clubhouse.
Sea Pines- Hilton Head, SC
This community’s on-site equestrian center offers guided trail rides through the 603-acre Sea Pines Forest Preserve, plus pony rides, a petting zoo, summer camps and riding instruction. Homeowners at this 5,000-acre oceanfront enclave also enjoy four championship golf courses and five miles of pristine Atlantic beaches, along with a full-service marina, tennis facilities, resort dining and a 603-acre Lowcountry nature preserve.
Seabrook Island- Seabrook Island, SC
With a full-service equestrian center, guided trail rides, professional boarding services, and one of the only beach rides on the East Coast, Seabrook Island is the perfect South Carolina equestrian community. An island resort community located 30 minutes from Charleston offering a South Carolina Lowcountry lifestyle, members love access to Atlantic beaches, golf, tennis, and marina facilities.
The Cliffs Lake Region- Six Mile, SC
Equestrian facilities at this South Carolina community include training and riding rings, a stabling barn, and miles of riding trails through the adjacent Jocassee Gorges State Park. It’s a collection of three gated mountain-lake residential communities located on the shores of 18,500-acre Lake Keowee. Together these three properties offer a full complement of recreational activities, including a pair of signature golf courses designed by Tom Fazio and a signature golf course by Jack Nicklaus.
