Board suggestions - Ottawa, Ontario

[SolarFlare]

Posting on behalf of a friend who isn’t on COTH. She has accepted a new job in Ottawa, and is looking to move one easy-keeper horse.

-Indoor board with daily turnout (blanketing in the winter)
-Indoor and outdoor arena
-Trails
-Within 30 minutes from Alta Vista area
-Jumps available to use
-not a busy lesson barn
-eventing coach on site or outside coaches allowed

-Budget max $650 taxes in

Thanks in advance - I’ll pass on any suggestions. If you need more info, let me know and I can find out.

[Night_Flight]

The area south of Ottawa down the 416 is quite lovely and horsey, and the 416 is a very pleasant highway to drive down. Quantum Farm and Steven’s Creek come to mind as eventing barns in that neck of the woods, though I’m not an eventer so I don’t know what the situation is currently at either of those barns.

There is a lot of horsiness further west as well, but I believe it’s primarily hunter/jumper and I’ve been told that the traffic to and from the west end can be very, very bad.

[ChasseurSauteur]

I live in Ottawa - happy to chat! @Night_Flight’s suggestions are good - Valduc Farms may also be worth checking out. Not sure if Oakhurst Farm would suit, but they are an eventing facility and host shows etc. Ottawa has lots of small semi-private facilities that may suit, it would be worth checking in the Ottawa Horses and Ponies Available FB group as it’s hard to keep track of them all! I’ve worked with a great eventing coach in the past who travels for lessons - can provide info in PM.

[Jealoushe]

30 minutes is going to be tough with traffic anywhere.
Oakhurst might be over budget.
Not sure if Willaway is open to borders but I would give them a good recommendation.
There is Wesley Clover park but they have a lot of lessoners.
Also Quantum Farm and Stevens Creek are in the same region
Stone Meadows is a bit further and over budget but also great care and lovely owner.

[jvanrens]

Finding a farm within 30 minutes of the Alta Vista area could be tricky, depending on the time of day. I’d likely look east, but sorry no recommendations off the top of my head. There are some Ottawa area Facebook groups that your friend could join that might have some recommendations for her.

Also, anyone who thinks the 416 is a lovely drive must not have driven on it in the winter, unless it’s improved a lot. I remember it as being a total nightmare.

[Night_Flight]

That’s very possible. We have been driving down it a lot while house hunting lately and have enjoyed the drive, but all of it has been in the spring and summer.

[luvmypup]

When I lived in Alta vista I boarded in Richmond at four leaf farms. That was 12 years ago now so not sure of the board price anymore but worth checking out. Ed who owns it is a lovely person and the boarders are very much a community. Multi disciplinary barn and own coaches are free to come in. Indoor and outdoor board, indoor arena and outdoor sand ring, grass jump field and lots of trials plus quiet roads for hacking.

[SolarFlare]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I’ve sent a link to this thread to her so she can check out the options given.

[jvanrens]

@Night_Flight

That’s very possible. We have been driving down it a lot while house hunting lately and have enjoyed the drive, but all of it has been in the spring and summer.

Lot’s of white-outs on the 416 when the snow is blowing. There have been some nasty accidents due to them. Just something to keep in mind if you commute into Ottawa daily. I drove on it one winter to get to work, and would prefer to avoid doing it as much as possible.

[crackerjack]

Unfortunately, at the moment, in Ottawa, board is really hard to find. Ove the past couple of years several places have been gobbled up by developers or have just simply closed. I’ve been riding/boarding in the area for almost 40 years so if she has any questions, I’d be happy to answer them.

$650 might be tough. 30 min commute is doable…maybe not in the height of rush hour. Although traffic is moderately less since COVID as many people are still working from home.

I agree with @jvanrens the 416 can be brutal in the winter. I’m based in the west so don’t usually have to drive it and definitely prefer the Queensway and HWY 7 to the 416 in the winter.

[Night_Flight]

Well, I’ve learned a lot in this thread about winter driving around Ottawa. Previously I’d been warned about traffic to the west, and that the 17 is scary, but I hadn’t heard about the 416 in the winter!

We close on a house east of Ottawa in early September, so hopefully I won’t have too many surprises about the roads out that way (though most roads seem better than what I’m used to in Quebec anyway, so ).

[jvanrens]

I live east of Ottawa also. Once you get east of the Boundary Road exit, the roads get more interesting in the winter, but in my experience, not as bad as the 416 does. I hope you are very happy in your new home!