After a long day of classes at the University of Washington Tacoma, Jessica Berman leaves the hustle and bustle of downtown Tacoma and heads for her grandparents' house on 40 acres in Graham, about 22 miles away.

"It's nice to come home and relax," she said. "It's very quiet."

Berman, who also works part-time at her grandfather's store, K & S Saddlery in Spanaway, is a horse lover who also adores living in the country.

She loves the open space the city of Graham offers; an ideal refuge from the busier Tacoma.

"Most people don't care how far away it is if they can be with their horses," she said.

Pierce County features several other rural communities that offer large houses with wide-open spaces and lots of real estate for horse lovers. Customers routinely drive to K & S Saddlery from rural cities such as Roy, Yelm and Graham to purchase everything from saddles and breast collars to books and other horse products, Berman said.

And there are some great properties in those cities on the market for those who are interested in a house on a nice plot of land for their horses, according to Becky Bousquet, a Realtor with John L. Scott based in Graham.

"Prices have gone down about 30 percent in the last few years," said Bousquet, who's been a Realtor for 20 years and has also owned horses. "There is a lot on the market if people want a good property. It's a fabulous time to buy."

From lots with fencing and barns already set up for horses to those with large houses on land that has yet to be fenced, Bousquet said buyers have several options to choose from.

"Sometimes the motivation of the buyer is to make sure the horses are taken care of first," she said.

Renay Wilson, a civilian who works at McChord Field, was renting a house in University Place and boarding her horses before purchasing a property outside Graham in 1994. Her two horses now have a barn, a place to roam and a small outdoor arena where they can be ridden.

"I wanted a place where I could be close to trails to ride, but not so far away from other horse venues (in Tacoma and Olympia)," Wilson said. "It's centrally located."

Certain neighborhoods offer easy access to horse trails on Joint Base Lewis-McChord (with a proper pass) and Mount Rainier. There are also neighborhoods that cater specifically to horse lovers, featuring trails that intertwine through the various housing tracts.

Bousquet currently has a listing for a 7,500 square-foot house that sits on 20 acres in Graham. The property is currently listed for $500,000, several hundred thousand dollars less than the market commanded three or four years ago, Bousquet said.

"It's gorgeous," she said.

While it all comes back to buyers wanting to provide for their horses, rural properties also have plenty appeal in other areas - at least in Graham they do.

"There are views of Lake Kapowsin and Mount Rainier everywhere," Bousquet said.

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