You Can Rope this Ranch With a Walt Garrison Connection: Now an Exquisite Equestrian Estate

Update 5/1/22: at CandysDirt.com, we go to great lengths to make certain our information is accurate and factual. We rely on public records, but also on information from real estate agents, who are our primary sources. After publication of this story, we were notified that though it had a Walt Garrison connection, Walt Garrison actually never lived on this property. Rather, it belonged to his ex-wife, Pam Garrison:

“Walt Garrison is my father in law. The property named in this post belonged to my mother-in-law Pam Phillips. She was married to Walt many years ago and they divorced in 1983. That house and 26 acres was her home that she built in the late 90’s. When she passed away in 2005, my husband Marty and his brother Ben decided to sell the property. Walt never lived there nor did he have anything to do with the property.”

Thanks to Shannon Garrison for the update. Property identification can be murky, but we appreciate the information because it not only makes our reporting more accurate, it adds to the story.

Everything is bigger and better in Texas, especially when it comes to the world of horses. This exceptional equestrian estate in Bartonville is a great example. Once owned by Texas Sports Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboy fullback Walt Garrison’s ex-wife it’s come a long way from rodeo roping.

Over the last few years, it has been transformed into a significant equestrian property. Let me break down why that’s important. 

According to the latest statistics from the American Horse Council, there are 1 million horses in Texas, and the industry’s direct economic impact is $50 billion. The ripple effect of that is a total contribution of $122 billion to the U.S. economy and a total impact on employment of 1.7 million jobs — more than the movie, railroad, furniture, and tobacco industries.

Horses are big business, and Texas is one of the most important places in the world for the industry.

You may think lovely homes on 26 acres that have a barn with 16 state-of-the-art horse stalls and an enormous paddock are easy to come by because, hey, it’s Texas. Now, it’s true you can get acreage and great barns, but what you can seldom find is a gorgeous luxury home that accompanies acreage and barns or a state-of-the-art training facility to go along with it. 

The former owners are well-known in the equine world for showjumping horses. In 2006 they launched an equestrian enterprise. This property, known as the Sleepy P Ranch, became the development base for their horses and riders and the home of the SMU Equestrian team until the sale in 2015. Not to worry, the former owners are still deeply involved in the business in Europe and Florida.

The present owners, also well-known in the equine world, bought this property in 2015. It was pretty great then, but they set about making it their own in a big way because this is Texas and bigger is better.

That meant expanding it from 7,096 square feet to 9,683. Enlarging the garage to accommodate four cars meant the all-important dog room could be added. If you are a horse lover, you are also a dog lover, and there is no such thing as too many dogs on 26 acres.

We all understand a multi-generational property is essential now, and this equestrian estate may be the ultimate definition of the concept.

A second principal suite and a full kitchen were added upstairs, expanding the second story. “It’s like a house on top of a house,” Compass listing agent and avid equestrian Kim Hunter said. 

Of course, this five-bedroom, nine-bathroom luxury home has all the beautiful finish-out you would expect. It also has an elevator, gym, and a tremendous storage room for holiday decor. However, what is not immediately apparent is critical to buyers today, like a safe room built to FEMA standards and a generator that runs the house for five full days.

Although you may be tempted to spend more time inside this equestrian estate than outside, remember what Winston Churchill said: “No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.”

With 26 acres to roam, you need to see it from the saddle!

So, what is essential with all that land and 16 stalls to fill? A happy ranch hand. They will be vying to work here because their on-site accommodation rivals a luxury hotel.

“There are two separate buildings,” Hunter said. “A completely renovated 1,1000-square-foot caretaker’s apartment is attached to the workshop with a drive-through garage space. Then you have the apartment over the barn that is 593 square feet.”   

The barn is like something you’d see in a movie, the paddocks are enormous and the arena is an acre — because, remember, Walt loved to rope, and you need a lot of room for that!

There are four wash bays and there are cameras to keep an eye on the gang. Heated Nelson Automatic Horse Waterers are installed in the paddocks. Heated you say? Yes, because horses don’t like icy water in the winter and will not stay hydrated unless you have these clever items.

Suffice it to say there are expectations for an equestrian estate, and this property far exceeds any you may have. Hunter has 480 Jeter Road listed for $11.899 million, and there is an ag exemption.

That’s a terrific price, so don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, saddle up and mosey on down the road to Bartonville.