Finding The Right Place To Board

Finding the right place to board your horse can seem like a daunting task. This is true for both first time horse owners and people who are simply looking to change barns. Here are some helpful guidelines to make your task easier.


A good fit, for both horse and rider, is important when assessing a facility. Getting referrals is always a good start. Professionals, like farrier's and vets, can give you a perspective on the care and standards in the facility, while friends, colleagues and current boarders can give you a more personal opinion, such as the atmosphere of the facility or the level of friendliness of the clientele.

Be practical about money matters when considering a facility. There is no sense looking at facilities you cannot afford. Doing this could put you in a position where you may fall in love with a place completely out of you budgetary range, leading you to judge all other facilities against the one you cannot afford. There are many excellent facilities that have the same standard of care and amenities for riding offered by a facility that has marble floors. They just do not cost an arm and a leg. Remember, unless you are rich, the more you pay for boarding, the less you have available to spend on your horse.

To make the choice easier, the first step is to identify your horse care needs.
Boarding facilities offer a variety of options from complete do it yourself, where you are entirely responsible for the care of your horse, to full board that provides all the care, including worming, blankets on/off etc. and everything in between. The costs vary depending on the facility. Figuring out how much time and money you can afford is a good start. You then must consider the most important factors for both you and your horse.

The primary factor to consider is the safety and health of the horse. Your horse will be spending all of his time at this facility and if it is not a safe haven then all the amenities in the world will not make up for this. Run through a mental checklist at each facility. Are the fences in good repair (no protruding nails or broken boards)? Fencing should be a minimum of 3 boards whether wood or plastic (pvc). If hot wire is used, is it properly installed? Thick well marked hot wire is acceptable but the fencing itself should NEVER be either metal or barbed wire. This type of fencing can be very dangerous to the horse. Is the barn clean and well kept? Are gates kept closed and fire extinguishers available in each barn? Is the barn kept relatively cobweb free, with rubber mats in the alleyway's (concrete becomes very slippery when wet). Are the alleyways and tie up areas kept free from clutter? Does the barn have an overall organized and clean feel to it? If not you should probably go with your first impression, if the appearance of the barn is not organized then the person caring for your horse most likely isn't either.

Once you have covered the basic requirements, you can then move onto the type of boarding you would like. Those who can afford the time might enjoy doing self-board. This requires a serious commitment of time and energy since there will be no off-days unless there is a substitute caregiver, so you should be sure that you can handle the entire responsibility for your horse before committing to this. It may be a cheaper or more rewarding option, but it will also cut into riding time and reduce the time available for non-horsey activities.

Those who work full time will probably require full board all care is provided for you with the exception of grooming and riding. There is a wide range of extras that may or may be provided such as blankets, bell boots, fly masks on/off, worming and supplements in feed. Be sure to ask what is included up front. Many facilities have monthly charges for extras this can add up finding out the cost will allow you to factor that in to your total cost.

If you are planning on competing, you may want to consider moving into a barn that has a competitive team and coach. Such facilities places are usually better prepared to deal with performance horses and are familiar with the feed programs needed to keep hard working horses in top shape. They will also have the amenities that you will need to adequately train your horse. If you are a pleasure rider you may not be comfortable at a highly competitive facility where barn and riding rings are usually busier, than you would find at a facility that caters to the pleasure rider.

Once you have identified the type of boarding you want, you can then move on to the "must haves" and "would likes"! If you work during the day, most likely you could not live without a lighted riding area for night riding, if the climate permits. While an indoor may be more of a luxury in milder climates, in colder climates it would probably be a "must have". Make up a checklist of these things for when you are looking around. This will help you weed out the places that won't meet your needs.

Once you have identified the facilities that meet you needs, it is time to look at them in more detail. Take a tour of the facility during the day when the horses are outside and the stalls are empty. Look in the stalls. They should be clean with fresh water and clean feed buckets. They should not smell and should look like there has been some pride taken when cleaning them. The bedding should be clean and dry. Stall floors should be either dirt or rubber matted as opposed to concrete or wood since these can cause leg problems. The horses stalls should be swept back or have a bedding free area for them to eat (eating on bedding can cause respiratory problems from inhaling small particles). The horses spend a good part of the day in their stalls, and just as people do not like a messy house, horses should not be expected to live in a messy stall.

If the facility turns the horse out on grass, does the pasture have adequate grass to graze on? If there isn't, is there hay to eat. If they are turned out in a group, are the horses that are out together getting along? Is there access to clean water? Other than range horses, water should never be provided from a stream, pond or river since this method puts the horse at risk for wild born microorganisms, putting the health of the horses at risk.

Ask to see the hay and feed room. The feed room should be tidy and organized. Grain all over the floor most likely mean's there is a rodent problem. Is the grain kept in rodent proof containers, if it is kept in bags on the floor rodents can get in to it leading to the potential for your horse to get sick. Do they have a specific type of grain they feed? Will they feed what your horse has been on or do you have to move your horse onto their feed? Is the hay green and fresh looking, can you see mold or dust, do they have a steady supplier? Constant changes in types of hay can lead to colic and other problems. What type of hay do they feed, can you choose? Some horses do not do well on Alfalfa. Will they meet your horse's needs? In addition, be sure to find out if there is a charge for administering Medications in the case of your horse becoming ill. Is there a charge for supplements or vitamins to be fed if your horse is on them?

When talking to a prospective barn manager ask any questions that you would like to know the answer to. If the manager seems uncomfortable answering you or is acting like you are wasting their time then run! This is not going to get better. This person most likely is not a good candidate for caring for your horse if you cannot talk freely to them and have your questions answered. Getting answers up front will prevent problems later.
Some good questions are
. What care is included in the price?
. Is someone on the property 24hrs a day?
. Do you have insurance?
. How many years experience do you have?
. Are health records necessary? Do you ensure that your boarders keep their horses up to date on vaccinations and wormers?
. Do all the horses get wormed at the same time?
. Do you have a barn vet and farrier? Is he or she on call 24hrs a day in the event of an emergency? Can you use your own if you have one? If so make sure you mention who you use, sometimes the barn manger may have a reason why they don't want a particular vet or farrier there.
. Do you allow outside trainers / coaches?
. What are the barn hours? Is the facility closed on certain days? Can you visit your horse on those days or after hours if your schedule doesn't work with their hours?
. What are the barn rules and are they posted?
. Do they have a boarding agreement/contract? If so ask to read it. This is important. It outlines the rules up front and avoids many potential problems in the future.
. What is turn out time like? Is it all day? Half day? Everyday? You want to make sure that you horse gets adequate turn out time. Do they have individual or group turn out? Some horses do not do well in groups.
. Do they have a phone you can use, washrooms and adequate parking?
. Are you allowed to ride while lessons are going on?
. Are there any restrictions on ring use? I.E. is jumping allowed?
. Do they have helmet rules?
. Do they have a disaster plan?

A good tip once you have identified a facility you want to move in to is to find out when the facility is the busiest i.e. after supper. Show up unexpectedly at this time. If the facility is disorganized or the overall atmosphere seems uncomfortable this may be a warning sign that you may not want to ignore. Anyone can seem friendly during the initial visit when they are trying to 'sell' their facility to you. It is the rest of the time that is important.

Also talk to present customers. Do they seem happy? Ask around tack and feed stores what is their feedback like?

Above all the most important factor is whether or not you feel comfortable where you will be boarding your horse. Horse ownership should always remain fun and relaxing. If you organize your needs and wants finding the right fit will become easier.

Megan Dykeman- 2004 (c)

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