Help!! Fort Worth, TX, Boarding Needed

[lisa]

Hi, all – I’m looking for quality boarding options around Fort Worth, TX – Flower Mound, Argyle areas are probably best.

Rider is a working young adult who has lived in the area about a year, so she has not been around long enough to know what options are out there.

She already has a trainer/coach that she will meet at shows. Help at home is always a plus.

Must haves:

• flexible, quality, feed and hay options
• at least half day grass turnout
• arena with good footing, jumps, lights

Can provide references if needed.
Doesn’t have to be a boarding facility. A private farm would be a great option.

Please don’t hesitate to warn me of places NOT to consider as well!
Thanks in advance…

[findeight]

Ballpark price range?

[lisa]

Depends on quality of care/amenities/location.
Honestly, not sure what the expectations are.

[lisa]

Bump –
Is there no one who can help?!?

I know here in GA it is difficult to find a situation that doesn’t require riding/showing with the resident trainer… is it like that in TX, too?

[Belmont]

[QUOTE=lisa;8483601]
Bump –
Is there no one who can help?!?

I know here in GA it is difficult to find a situation that doesn’t require riding/showing with the resident trainer… is it like that in TX, too?[/QUOTE]

It’s not that no one can help, it’s that there are SO many options with so many variables. Not riding with the resident trainer does eliminate some. Half day grass turnout can be sketchy. Though we have had a lot of rain, we love to have droughts. You want flexible feeding/hay options, lighted arenas, etc.

You say you don’t really care about prices. Well you can go $200 months backyard or $1500 month at a top notch facility.

If the girl has a trainer in the area, why doesn’t she consult her? Shouldn’t trainer know people or a place where she and the horse might fit.

Unfortunately, I don’t have much to offer you. I only know of a few stables in the area-ish. Woodhill, where another COTHer rides and a friend. However, I don’t think they will allow ship in trainers (you could ask Nick). I also don’t know exactly how far it is from friend. I do have a friend that boards and rides at Southern Sun Farms in Cleburne, but again I don’t know if your friend will go that far. It COULD fit the bill, minus the ship in trainer thing.

Your friend is in a LARGE area. Though GPS miles says something is 30 minutes away, depending on where she is and traffic, it could take two hours.

[HonestCheater]

Plenty of barns to choose from in that area. Argyle, Prosper, Flower Mound. There’s probably more on the THJA website.

Grand Prix Stables - Chris Nelson
MTM Farm - Mike McCormick and Tracey Fenney
Confederate Park Farms - Michelle Houpt
Prospering Farm - Susan Sexton Horn
Storybrook Sporthorses - Gianna Aycock
Windswept Farms - Debbie DiVecchia
Woodhill Farm - Matt Cyphert
Hillcrest Farm, Inc. - Julie Cleveland
Foxglen Farm - Jim & Joan Henson
Brawley Farms - Jennifer Black & Bob Brawley
CSC Farm - Courtney Calcagnini, Scott Lenkart, Shannon Fenney
Bay Yard Farms, Inc - Stacie Goodson

Best bet is to find their Facebook pages since some don’t have regularly updated websites.

[lisa]

Thanks!

We can ask the right questions when we call to investigate further. We have consulted the Texas H/J website. And she will be asking her trainers for recommendations. That is covered.

I was hoping to get some unbiased opinions from knowledgeable people on the board. That’s all.

I should clarify:

• She is hoping to find something less than $1500/month. Also, we realize that $200/month probably isn’t what we’re looking for.
• Of course there are rain/droughts when grass is not plentiful; we don’t want a dry-lot situation.
• No need to have her trainer(s) ship in (didn’t mean to imply that). She would meet them at shows. She is not interested in changing trainers at this time…

Maybe it’s not possible. That’s why I’m asking.

[findeight]

Friend should get out and visit tack stores, go to a local show and ask around to get to know the area better. That’s anywhere, not just DFW.

The list of her wants is too general and the metroplex way too big without knowing her drive time limits and budget. There are complications with the fact she already has a trainer and most barns don’t allow jumping outside of lessons with the resident trainer. Sure, some might but they aren’t going to be the better known highly advertised show barns most on here are familiar with in the area.

Should think her trainer would be in a better place to know her needs and there must be local Facebook groups she could reach out to.

No longer in that area but still have friends there, only ones I would recommend won’t work with jumping on the property outside of lessons and doubt they’d care for her using somebody else at shows. She might be able to find a farm or even QH farm that might meet her needs…don’t know about anything besides basic, low jumps though.

[PaintedHunter]

You say near Fort Worth but say Flower Mound and Argyle would be best - and those are 45 minutes or so away. Do you know exactly what part of Fort Worth she’d be driving from? That really will dictate what people recommend.

[Nickelodian]

[QUOTE=HonestCheater;8483736]
Plenty of barns to choose from in that area. Argyle, Prosper, Flower Mound. There’s probably more on the THJA website.

Grand Prix Stables - Chris Nelson
MTM Farm - Mike McCormick and Tracey Fenney
Confederate Park Farms - Michelle Houpt
Prospering Farm - Susan Sexton Horn
Storybrook Sporthorses - Gianna Aycock
Windswept Farms - Debbie DiVecchia
Woodhill Farm - Matt Cyphert
Hillcrest Farm, Inc. - Julie Cleveland
Foxglen Farm - Jim & Joan Henson
Brawley Farms - Jennifer Black & Bob Brawley
CSC Farm - Courtney Calcagnini, Scott Lenkart, Shannon Fenney
Bay Yard Farms, Inc - Stacie Goodson

Best bet is to find their Facebook pages since some don’t have regularly updated websites.[/QUOTE]

Not a single one of these trainers would be interested in having a client that chooses to show with a different trainer.

All are excellent and offer different programs that work for different people.

I ride with woodhill, love Matt.

My gray horse is leased at Jim & Joan’s, couldn’t ask for a better place for him to be as a lease.

I’ve also ridden with a number of trainers listed here, like I said, each wonderful in their own way.

[Prime_Time_Rider]

[QUOTE=Nickelodian;8484393]
Not a single one of these trainers would be interested in having a client that chooses to show with a different trainer.

All are excellent and offer different programs that work for different people.

I’ve also ridden with a number of trainers listed here, like I said, each wonderful in their own way.[/QUOTE]

Ditto this, None of these trainers would be open to the idea of having another trainer meet her at shows.

The only facility that comes to mind that allows trainers to come train at their barn and wouldn’t care about the client meeting the trainer at shows is Hidden Lake Farm on Broome Road in Bartonville. They have no resident trainer, several arenas, one that has lights and turnout.

Bottom line is if you want show barn type amenities you can expect that those facilities have a trainer.

[DMK]

I think what Lisa is looking for is the sort of local knowledge about private facilities or smaller boutique barns that have a few boarders and do have at least a decent ring and jumps, it’s certainly something we have both done in the past while hooking up with our trainers at shows (much the way Nickelodian does), and also recognize it isn’t always an easy find if you are not familiar with the area.

It’s also safe to say she (and the friend) have a clue or two about how these things work at that level, so if you are actually located in the Fort Worth area or have lived there recently enough to know the lay of the land, so to speak, and have any insight, I’m sure it would be much appreciated!

[Nickelodian]

I would say that the difference in my situation is that the trainer I have selected is not in my city. I don’t think that is the case for this situation.

[DMK]

[QUOTE=Nickelodian;8485278]
I would say that the difference in my situation is that the trainer I have selected is not in my city. I don’t think that is the case for this situation.[/QUOTE]

True, but for many people that hook up with their trainers at shows, they both live in or near the same geographic area. And as long as the trainer is cool with it, then it is just a matter of tapping local knowledge to see if they can help with finding the right place. But there is no law that says COTH is going to be able fill that niche!

[roamingnome]

I had a hard time finding a trainer in the FM/Argyle area when I was in college and was wanting to work with my trainer when I went home in the summers. I understand why my ‘only 8 months a year’ plan didn’t work for them, so I found a private place.

OP, not sure where your friend is moving (what part of FT. Worth), but depending on how long/far she’s willing to drive I might know of some- PM me!

[lisa]

DMK hit the nail on the head… we have been doing this awhile, and know how things work at this level. The rider in discussion is with a trainer in the area (NE of Fort Worth) and, as I said in an earlier post, is not interested in a training change.

In my and DMK’s experience, here in GA it is difficult, but possible, to find show-quality care at a facility that is either private, or has ship-in or resident trainers that don’t mind if you take (a) lesson(s) – you just have to know who to ask/where to look.

Prime Time Rider and roamingome, now we’re getting somewhere!

roamingome and Nickelodian, you’ll have PMs coming soon…

[dynamite0319]

October Hill will take boarders if/when space allows. You’d have to contact them directly for details, but their facility is amazing. However it is closer to Fort Worth and Weatherford than FM or Argyle. Other options near Fort Worth are Curragh, Greenwood and Willow Draw. Mind you all three have a cross country focus. Curragh and Willow Draw have lovely indoor rings and all have turnout paddocks. But again, are closer to Fort Worth than FM or Argyle.

[Arelle]

Ditto everyone’s responses - though if she’s willing to consider a little further north and truly just wants a boarding facility, then KB Ranch might fit the bill.

They’re in Aubrey, but come wonderfully recommended - have an indoor, have jumps, etc. I know they have turnouts - not sure how large:
http://horseboardingtx.com/index.html

There are also member barns on the NTHJC website, which may yield a different variety than THJC:
http://nthjc.com/memberbarns[1].htm

Good luck!

[Helicon]

Rio Paisano in Aledo. They have jumps and nice stalls.