Horror stories about boarding barns litter the internet. My horse didn’t have water. My horse’s stall wasn’t clean. These people are crazy! Complaints like these can make finding a boarding barn for your horse a scary prospect. You want the absolute best environment for both you and your horse, without spending an arm and a leg.
Determine Your Budget
The cost of boarding varies wildly from coast to coast. In some areas, basic board might average over a thousand dollars, in others, two hundred might get you basic stall board. Before you start looking around at boarding barns, you need to figure out exactly how much you have to spend each month on the board of your horse. Board for your horse will usually include costs like feed and shavings, but will not include farrier costs, worming, and vet visits. When you figure out how much you can spend each month on the board of your horse, don’t forget to include those add-ons in your budget.
Photo by Kenny Webster on Unsplash
Boarding Options
Full-care, self-care, field board, training board, co-ops. There are a lot of different boarding situations out there. Each one has pros and cons. You will need to figure out what options fit your lifestyle before you go searching for the perfect boarding barn for you and your horse.
Self-Care Boarding
In a self-care boarding situation, you are responsible for all of the care of your horse. You will do all the stall cleaning, turn in and out, and feeding of your horse. The only thing you are renting here is the area for your horse. This might be a stall and pasture or just a stall. Either way, you are just renting space but must provide everything else your horse will need.
Pros
- You will know the care your horse is getting. No need to question if the horse got his supplements or the correct amount of grain.
- One of the cheapest boarding options out there.
Cons
- Very time intensive. You will need to be able to get to the barn each day, sometimes twice a day. If you can’t get there you need to make sure someone else can.
- Horses all getting fed at different times can cause anxiety for your horse.
Co-op Boarding
Co-op’s are self-care boarding situations where the work is shared by everyone at the barn. In a co-op, you will be assigned a day or two to do the feeding, stall cleaning, and turn in/out for all of the horses in the barn. If there are a lot of horses in the co-op usually a team of people will be assigned to each morning or evening to make sure no one gets too worn out.
Pros
- Shared work means less time intensive than self-care
- The same low-cost as self-care
- Horses all fed and turned out at the same time
Cons
- The experience level and work ethic of others may vary
- Can be a bit high-school-drama, think HOA.
Field Board
Photo by Elijah Hail on Unsplash
Field board is a great option for hardy horses and in temperate climates. Field board means your horse will live out in a pasture. He will not have his own stall although most places will offer a stall (at additional cost) if your horse is injured.
Pros
- Many horses prefer a 24/7 turnout situation
- Lower cost
Cons
- No stall included
- Because your horse will not be handled every day, small injuries can be missed and manners can decrease without the daily reminder
Full Care Board
Full care means all of your horse’s basic needs will be met. He will be fed and watered each day, his stall will be cleaned, and he will be turned in/out. Additional services like blanketing, daily grooming, or special feeding may be offered at a full-care barn.
Pros
- Your horse will be handled daily by professionals
- Horses are fed and turned out at the same time each day
- You can go away for a month and won’t have to worry about your horse
Cons
- More expensive than the other options
Training Board
Training board means in addition to your full care board, your horse will also receive training. This is a great option for young horses, busy professionals who can’t get out to the barn very often, and inexperienced owners who need a little help.
Pros
- Your horse is trained for your discipline
- Daily handling means better manners from your horse
Cons
- The most expensive of the boarding options as you are paying for both the care of your horse and the time it takes a professional to train him.
What Amenities Do You Want?
Once you figure out the type of board you want, you need to decide what amenities are must-haves and which ones you can live without. If you live in a cold climate, an indoor might be on your must-have list. If you live in a very warm climate stall fans and wash racks might make your list.
The one thing you should keep in mind is all of these amenities and board types may or may not be available in your area. You may only find an indoor arena at a stable with a full stall board option. The co-op situation you were looking for may only be available at someplace with field board. Keep an open mind when you are looking at options. Let your budget determine your possibilities and go from there.
Watch Out For Red Flags
After you gather a list of places you think might be suitable to board your horse at, you are going to need to go visit. Give the facility a call and speak with the owner or manager. Have a list of questions prepared before you call so you don’t forget to ask anything. Ask about the pricing structure, what is included in the board, and who is responsible for getting everything done.
Red Flag #1 – No return call.
When you get to the facility you can ask for a list of rules. The rules list is often where the crazy comes out. Some rules are reasonable “Clean up after your horse”, some may make you wonder a little bit “Do not give your horse water”. If there is a rule that seems off the wall, ask about it. In some cases, there might be a good reason behind the rule. For example, if the barn has a rule “jumping only allowed in lessons”, the reasoning may be that they can keep their insurance costs down by making this rule.
I have actually seen the no watering rule and here was the reasoning I received; “the more water that is used the more my water bill goes up, I give the horses plenty of water, owners don’t need to” I ran the other way. If it doesn’t seem right, walk away.
Red Flag #2 Strange rules with even stranger explanations.
As you are walking around the property look at things like the health of the horses and the cleanliness of the facility. Are the fence boards in good repair? Do the majority of the horses look like they are in good health?
Red Flag #3 A lot of debris on the property and horses that don’t look healthy
Finally, before you make your decision, talk to some of the current boarders. Ask them what they love and what they hate about the facility and how long they have been a boarder. Long-term boarders who gush about the facility are a great reference for the barn. Short-term boarders who are already looking to jump ship is the biggest red flag of them all.
Red Flag #4 Short-term unhappy boarders, no long-term boarders in site.
Know Your Options
Horses are supposed to be fun, a bad boarding barn can be a nightmare situation and suck out all the fun. Horses are supposed to be fun, a bad boarding barn can be a nightmare situation. When you are considering your boarding board options, understand the different types of boarding options. Visit the facility and talk to local people. If anything feels off, look elsewhere.